Studying in France: 3 visa categories students from Nigeria need to know

Studying in France: 3 visa categories students from Nigeria need to know

France has three visa categories for students who wish to study in the country.

Potential students from Nigeria who wish to study in France need to determine if their study program is a short course, three to six months or for up to two years.

The long-stay visa for France is valid for more than six months, allowing one to stay throughout your entire degree program. However, applicants may need to renew their visa annually.

Those who wish to remain in France after completing their degree will need to apply for a different visa or renew their existing visa through the immigration office.

Here are the visa categories in more details:

Schengen’ short-stay student visa (Visa de court séjour pour études)

This visa allows you to come to France and study for up to three months without needing a separate residence visa. It is suitable for those enrolling in a language course or short-term programs.

Temporary long-stay visa (Visa de long séjour temporaire pour études)

This visa permits you to study in France for three to six months without requiring a residence permit. However, it is non-renewable.

Long-stay visa (Visa de long séjour études)

If you plan to study for over six months, you must apply for this visa. It lasts for the duration of your course in France—three years for a bachelor’s, two years for a master’s, and four years for a PhD. Long-stay visas act as residence permits and are referred to as VLT-TS.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible to study in France applicants must take note of the following: 

Applicants must be over 18 years of age;

Applicants must have already chosen the training course or studies. For more comprehensive information about the courses and diploma preparations on offer, please visit Campus France;

They must be accepted by a higher education establishment. Enrolment conditions differ depending on the nationality. Applicants are to check the Etudes en France website to see if their country or territory is included in the online enrolment scheme. For other countries or territories, check the enrolment conditions in terms of specialities and level of education on Campus France.

How to make the application

Applicants will need to make an appointment at the VFS Global Centre in Abuja or Lagos and attend with all the required documents. 

Applicants are to bring a copy of each document, including their passport and its ID pages.

The service provider or consulate will review the application, collect the visa fee, capture biometric data (photo and fingerprints), and retain the passport along with copies of all supporting documents to forward to the consulate.

Nigerian applicants must also provide biometrics during the visa application process. These biometrics including fingerprinting and photographs, serve as additional identification for security purposes.