🇨🇦 Canada → France
A complete, search-friendly guide for applicants from Canada: admission route, documents, visa, funding and arrival steps.
At a glance
Americas
At a glance
Direct application
At a glance
English-taught options common
What to do for this route
These sections are generated from the same editorial framework, so each country page stays consistent while still being specific to your route.
Bachelor's degree or DEC (Quebec). The France-Quebec agreement provides specific tuition benefits for Quebec residents. Direct application to universities. For Licence 1 in a public university, use the DAP (Demande d'Admission Préalable) procedure via the French Embassy. For Master's, use the 'Mon Master' platform or apply directly to the school.
- For Licence 1 (first undergraduate year) at public universities, apply on Parcoursup (Jan-Mar).
- For Master 1 in a public university, apply on Mon Master (Feb-Apr).
- For 'Grandes écoles' and private schools, apply directly on the school's own portal, following their specific deadlines.
- Francophone students (especially from Quebec) are usually exempt from French tests. English-taught programs require standard IELTS/TOEFL scores.
Campus France Canada — Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver (Guidance and Orientation) You can still use Campus France resources for programme search, grade equivalence and scholarship calls.
- Campus France Canada — Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver (Guidance and Orientation)
- No Campus France attestation is required for your visa or enrolment file.
- Keep the same email address across Campus France, Parcoursup, Mon Master and the school portals.
Submit the VLS-TS application at a VFS Global center. No mandatory EEF 'Pre-consular' interview is required for Canadian citizens, but check the latest embassy notes. The VLS-TS (long-stay student visa) is required for any stay over 90 days for study purposes.
- Use the France-Visas wizard to generate your exact document list before booking.
- Your VLS-TS étudiant must be validated online via the ANEF platform within 3 months of your arrival in France.
- Renewals are filed on ANEF, ideally 2–4 months before expiry.
Official transcripts and diplomas. Quebec residents should provide their CAQ if requested for specific joint programs.
- Use one consistent spelling of your name across every document.
- Check whether your country requires apostille (Hague) or full consular legalisation.
- Keep certified digital scans — you will re-upload them for housing, CAF and the bank.
Proof of €10,530 annual resources. Provincial student loans (e.g., AFE in Quebec, OSAP in Ontario) are recognized as valid proof.
- The reference figure is about €877.50 monthly for the visa file.
- A guarantor file is usually needed for private housing, even when the visa file is complete.
- Scholarship award letters strengthen both the admission and the visa file.
Funding routes commonly used by students from Canada. Deadlines usually fall months before admission results, so track them in parallel with your application.
- Eiffel Excellence Scholarship — Outstanding international master's and PhD candidates — nominated by the French institution, not by the student
- Bourses Frontenac — Quebec Master's students for mobility to France
- French Embassy scholarship — Canada — Applicants residing in Canada; calls usually open between November and March
Direct flights from Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver to CDG. Open a French bank account early to facilitate tuition payments and CAF.
- Week 1: SIM card, transport pass, proof of address (attestation d'hébergement or lease).
- Week 1–2: open a French bank account and request your RIB.
- Week 2: validate the VLS-TS on ANEF.
University enrolment, social security registration, CAF housing aid and student insurance — done in this order, the first month stays manageable.
- Complete administrative enrolment and pay the CVEC before your student card is issued.
- Register for social security (assurance maladie) online using your enrolment certificate and birth certificate.
- File the CAF housing-aid application in the month you move in — it is not retroactive.
The recurring blockers reported by students from Canada.
- Quebec residents not applying for the 'reduced tuition' status correctly
- Missing the DAP deadline for first-year university entry (usually early December)
- Late application for the 'Visale' housing guarantee
Every step above points back to a government or national-platform source. Check the date on each official page before acting on it.
What we already know about this country
Campus France Canada — Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver (Guidance and Orientation)
Direct application to universities. For Licence 1 in a public university, use the DAP (Demande d'Admission Préalable) procedure via the French Embassy. For Master's, use the 'Mon Master' platform or apply directly to the school.
Official transcripts and diplomas. Quebec residents should provide their CAQ if requested for specific joint programs.
Proof of €{{visa.proof_of_resources_annual}} annual resources. Provincial student loans (e.g., AFE in Quebec, OSAP in Ontario) are recognized as valid proof. Submit the VLS-TS application at a VFS Global center. No mandatory EEF 'Pre-consular' interview is required for Canadian citizens, but check the latest embassy notes.
Estimate housing aid and plan ahead
CAF is one of the biggest money questions after arrival, so we’re surfacing it directly on the country page.
Eligible for CAF
Usually needs a French lease and residency status.
€176
Estimated monthly CAF support
What you may still pay
€344
This is a directional estimate. CAF uses income, household size, lease details and property rules. Check the official simulator before making a financial decision.