What is the "student competition" short-stay visa?

Verified 28 June 2021 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

The short-stay visa student contest allows you to come to France to take a competition or an admission test in a higher education institution.

Warning  

This procedure does not concern a foreigner who is a national of European countrynor the members of his family living in France with him.

This visa shall be valid for a maximum of 3 months. It is valid only for France. It shall be issued only if the result of the acceptance test is known within that period.

You must make the request to the consular authorities French in your country of residence.

If you pass the competition or interview, this visa will allow you to apply for a student residence card directly in the prefecture. You will not be required to return to your country to apply for a long-stay visa.

FYI  

to be able to apply for this card directly in the prefecture, you must apply for a short-stay visa student contest even if you are exempt from Schengen short-stay visas.

If you fail the contest or the interview, you will have to leave France.

Who can help me?

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  • French Embassy or Consulate Abroad

  • Telephone administrative information - Allo Public Service

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