France and its institutes of higher education have been accepting international students from all over the world for decades and centuries. This will be the goal also in the future and in increasing measure through the campaign "Bienvenue en France". In 2019, there were up to 358 000 international students in France, making 12% of all the students in France (40% of doctoral students). The COVID-19 pandemic will not put into question the willingness of the French institutes to accept and welcome international students at the beginning of the academic year. 

At the moment, the opening of international borders and the number of international flights depend on the development of the sanitary situation and on governmental decisions. 

For now, the start of the academic year is foreseen as normal. Should the situation be prolonged, the institutes of higher education are ready to show flexibility regarding the starting date and/or to organise distance teaching for international students at the beginning of the academic year.