How to Apply to Universities in France (2027/28 Step-by-Step Guide)

To apply to a French university as a non-EU student, you first check whether you live in one of the 75 countries covered by Études en France (EEF). If you do (Pakistan, Iran and India are on the list), you apply online through the EEF platform from application to visa. If you don't, you use the DAP for first-year bachelor, Mon Master for national master's programs, or apply directly to the institution for other levels.

For the 2027/28 intake, most windows open on 1 October 2026. This guide shows each route, the official dates and the exact steps, so you don't lose a year to a missed deadline.

Which application route applies to you?

Campus France is clear that residence, not nationality, decides the route. If you live or study in a country other than your country of nationality, you create your EEF file with the Campus France office of the country where you live, and offices do not transfer files between each other.

Route 1: Études en France (EEF)

EEF is mandatory for residents of the 75 covered countries. It covers first-year bachelor (DAP), second and third-year bachelor and master, and it connects directly to the visa application. You choose programs from the EEF catalogue on the platform.

EEF calendar in Pakistan (2027/28 intake)

Each country's Campus France office sets its own calendar, so check yours via the list of Campus France offices. In Pakistan, you cannot change your list of programs after 18 November 2026.

EEF fees by country

• Pakistan: PKR 30,000 for 2026/27, non-refundable. French government scholarship holders (e.g. Eiffel) and Erasmus Mundus students are exempt.
• India: INR 20,000 from 1 August 2026 (up from INR 18,500).
• Iran: EUR 250 (the Campus France Iran page cites the 2023 rate).

The Campus France interview

After paying, you attend an academic interview. In Pakistan, interviews are held at the Alliance Française in Islamabad, Lahore or Karachi, and you bring all original documents and the payment receipt. Campus France Iran holds the interview in English if your program is taught in English. Prepare to explain your study project clearly: why this program, why France, and how it fits your past studies and plans.

Route 2: DAP for first-year bachelor

Non-EU students without a French baccalaureate must file a Demande d'Admission Préalable (DAP) to enter the first year of a licence at a university. For 2027/28, applications run from 1 October to 15 December 2026. Three universities review your file at the same time, they answer before 30 April 2027, and you must reply by 31 May 2027. No reply counts as a refusal.

Be aware that almost all first-year licence programs are taught in French, and the DAP usually requires a French test such as the TCF DAP. English-taught bachelor's options exist, but few start in year one; see English-taught programs in France.

Route 3: Mon Master

Mon Master is the national platform for French national master's degrees. International students living in France, in the EEA or in a country not covered by EEF use it. For 2027/28, Campus France says the site opens in February 2027, applications run until 16 March 2027, the main admission phase is in June 2027 and a complementary phase follows in June to July 2027.

Arts programs and Parcoursup

Two other national procedures exist. Arts programs (fine arts, design, music, architecture and similar) use CampusArt, with registration from 1 October 2026 to 28 February 2027; it does not replace Études en France where that applies. Parcoursup is for holders of a French baccalaureate from a French lycée abroad (AEFE) and for selective first-year tracks such as IUT, BTS and CPGE; registration runs from January to March 2027.

Route 4: Applying directly to the university

Many English-taught master's programs, especially M2 years and university-specific diplomas, use the institution's own platform. Examples from official university pages for 2027/28:

• Institut Polytechnique de Paris master's: three sessions, 28 Oct 2026 to 14 Jan 2027, 15 Jan to 31 Mar 2027, and 1 Apr to 31 May 2027. Applying is free.
• Sciences Po two-year master's: international procedure until 21 Feb 2027 (€150 application fee).
• Toulouse School of Economics: fall campaign 22 Oct to 11 Nov 2026 (for Eiffel applicants), winter campaign 11 Jan to 1 Feb 2027.
• Nantes Université Graduate Programmes: 1 Oct 2026 to 15 Mar 2027.

Residents of EEF countries who are admitted directly still have to complete the EEF file before the visa.

Step-by-step application timeline

1. 1

   12 to 18 months before: shortlist programs

   Use the Campus France catalogues and university websites. Check language of instruction, fees and entry requirements.

2. 2

   Check your route

   EEF if you live in a covered country; otherwise DAP, Mon Master or the university platform.

3. 3

   Prepare documents

   Passport, diplomas, transcripts, CV, English test, and sworn translations where needed. See our documents and legalization guide.

4. 4

   October to December 2026: submit

   File your EEF or DAP application before the deadline set for your country and level.

5. 5

   Pay and attend the interview

   Pay the EEF fee and attend the Campus France interview with your original documents.

6. 6

   Apply for scholarships in parallel

   Ask your target institution about its internal Eiffel deadline; institutions submit files by 6 January 2027.

7. 7

   By 30 April 2027: receive decisions

   Institutions post decisions on the EEF platform or their own portal.

8. 8

   By 31 May 2027: confirm one program

   Then book your visa appointment immediately, as slots are limited.

After you are admitted: what happens next

Admission is only the halfway point. Once you have confirmed one program, several deadlines follow quickly, and each one depends on the previous step.

1. 1.Book your visa appointment right after confirming. Campus France Pakistan warns that slots are limited and given first come, first served. See the France student visa guide.
2. 2.Apply for CROUS housing on the official platform from 7 July. Demand for CROUS rooms is high, so have a private housing plan as well.
3. 3.Pay the CVEC (€105 for 2026/27) online before your administrative enrolment.
4. 4.Enrol at the institution and pay tuition to receive your certificat de scolarité and student card.
5. 5.Register with social security for free on ameli, and validate your visa on ANEF within three months of arrival.

Budget for these steps from the start: see the cost of studying in France for tuition, the visa funds requirement and rents.

Applying from Afghanistan

Afghanistan is not on the EEF country list, and the French embassy in Kabul has suspended its activities since August 2021. The French government's 2027 scholarship call for Afghan students says applicants living in Afghanistan must apply through the Campus France websites of the French embassies in India, Iran and Pakistan and through the EEF platform.

Mistakes that cost applicants a year

• Missing the EEF window: in Pakistan it closes on 18 November 2026, weeks before the DAP deadline.
• Not replying by 31 May 2027: silence counts as a refusal.
• Uploading unclear scans or documents that don't match your application form.
• Leaving gaps in your history unexplained: Campus France Pakistan asks for a letter for any gap of more than six months.
• Waiting for every answer before booking a visa appointment once you have confirmed your choice.

Next, check what each level requires in our France university admission requirements guide, or go back to the complete guide to studying in France. You can also track deadlines for free on FindUniPath.