Depending on the institute of higher education and on the degree, the applications take place through the joint application procedure or directly to the institute.
To most of the French public universities and other institutes of higher education, the applications take place through Parcoursup (www.parcoursup.fr). Other institutes have their own application procedures. The joint application process concerns only first-year students. If you already have a university degree or you have done a part of the degree, please contact your institute directly.
The joint application procedure often takes place from January 22nd to March 13th. The Parcoursup platform opens already a week before. On the platform, you will find information on the participating institutes and their degrees.
The application schedule outside of the joint applications vary, but they anyhow take place in spring or early summer, almost without exception. The academic year starts in September-October and ends in May-June.
The admission requirement for French universities is matriculation examination, and most often there are no entrance exams. The Finnish ylioppilastutkinto as well as an international baccalaureate are both accepted in France. In the application process - as well as otherwise during the studies - Finnish students are treated equally with the French, as EU citizens.
In the Parcoursup platform, the applicant ranks the study programmes of their choice in an order of preference. Once the applications are processed (in May-June), the institutes send their proposals to applicants, which the applicants then need to accept or reject. In the latter case, the applicants can continue to receive other proposals which they again need to accept or reject.
Once the applicant has accepted a proposed place of study, they still need to separately register at the institute. The registration is divided in two: the administrative registration (inscription administrative) and the pedagogic registration (inscription pédagogique). The practicalities of registration vary among the institutes.
Language level requirements
The Parcoursup platform is published only in French. International students applying to study in France are most often expected to have a minimum language proficiency level of B2, meaning language skills of an independent language user.
International students are ofter demanded to submit a French language certificate. A suitable certificate is either a DELF or DALF diploma, or a TCF certificate.
DELF and DALF diplomas
DELF (Diplôme d’études de langue française) and DALF (Diplôme approfondi de langue française) are international diplomas approved by the French Ministry of Education. They can be acquired anywhere in the world. In Finland, you can acquire a DELF or DALF diploma for instance at the French Institute.
TCF certificate
TCF (Test de connaissance du français) certificate can also be acquired at the French Institute of Finland. The certificate is valid for two years.
For more information about the language certificates and exams, please visit www.france.fi or contact examens(at)france.fi
For more information on the European framework of languages, please visit the website of the Council of Europe.