19 Apr Study in France
France is one of the most sought-after study-abroad destinations, a country which attracts large number of students each year from across the world. The quality of higher education offered in France is widely recognised across the world. France is the fourth most popular destination for international students.
French universities represent an immense diversity of educational programmes that respond to the full spectrum of students’ academic and professional objectives. The medium of instruction for the wide spectrum of programs and specialised courses is English. France offers more than 1,100 programmes in a variety of fields.
Work Rights For Students
Every foreign student has the right to work while studying in France. This right applies to all students in France. If you are not a citizen of the European Union, you must have a student resident permit.
French law authorises foreign students to an auxillary work of 964 hours during the year, the equivalent of 60% of the legal work year. It can only be auxiliary income.
When you work in France, if you are a student or not, you are guaranteed a minimum wage by law. It is commonly called the SMIC (Salaire Minimum Interprofessionnel de Croissance – the minimum wage). It is 9.76 Euros gross per hour as of January 1st, 2018. This wage is gross; you have to deduct mandatory social charges (about 20%) to find out how much you really take home: €7.61/hour. If you work 10 hours per week for the minimum wage, you will earn about 78 Euros net.
Post-study Employment Rights
International students or those who are going abroad to study from India, are not just looking for good education but also employment opportunities.
Students who are taking up long term courses such as an undergraduate or master’s degree can apply for the work permit. They will be given work permit for 24 months at least.
Also, French government has made employability easier for the International students, as they can freely apply for various job opportunities. A lot of French universities also has a network or partnerships with large multinational companies that assure campus placements.
If you take an example of FIGS as an institute, then it has network of over 10,000 companies based in France and across the world. It has a whopping alumni of 90,000 students who are now placed in various organisations across the world.
Health & Welfare
All international students who will be in France are required to have health insurance, either public or private. Many international students are eligible to take part in their universal health care coverage, though this is dependent upon factors such as age, country of origin, and length of their degree program.
To be eligible for the national health insurance program offered in France, students must be:
- Under the age of 28 by October 1st of the current University year
- Enrolled on a degree program for a period of 4 months or longer
- Have a home country that is outside of the European Union or Switzerland
If any of these provisions are not met, an international student would be required to obtain private health insurance for themselves.
Dependents Stay
The France Family visa is a French long stay visa has been established in order to permit foreigners to come to France and visit their family members, spouse, child or parent, for more than three months, up to a year.
The main eligibility criteria for those who wish to join a family member that is permanently or temporarily living in France, aside from the supporting documents, is that this relative residing in France must be:
- A national of the European Union or the European Economic Area
- A French National
- A foreign national legally residing in France.
If you enter France through a long-stay visa, then you will have to register and obtain a residence permit at the French authorities, upon your arrival in France.
Course options in France
- BTech
- MBA
- MS
- BBA
- BSc
- MIM
- MFin
- MA
- MIS
- MFA
- BHM