🇨🇳 China → France
A complete, search-friendly guide for applicants from China: admission route, documents, visa, funding and arrival steps.
At a glance
Asia
At a glance
Études en France procedure
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 (学士学位) for Master's entry. High school students need Gaokao scores for university admission. Verification reports (认证报告) from CSSD are required for all Chinese degrees. The 'Hors-DAP' (Master/Licence 2+) campaign runs from October to March. The 'DAP' (Licence 1) deadline is early December. Academic verification through CSSD (学信网) is mandatory and must be initiated as soon as the EEF file is opened.
- 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.
- DELF/DALF B2 is the minimum for French-taught programs. TCF/TEF scores must be valid at the time of the interview. English-taught programs require IELTS 6.5+ or TOEFL 90+.
China is connected to the Études en France (EEF) procedure: you build the online file, pay the Campus France fee, attend the interview, then receive the attestation your consulate requires. Campus France Chine — Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Wuhan, Shenyang, Jinan, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Kunming
- Campus France Chine — Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Wuhan, Shenyang, Jinan, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Kunming
- The consulate will not process the visa file without the Campus France attestation.
- Keep the same email address across Campus France, Parcoursup, Mon Master and the school portals.
Submit the VLS-TS file at TLScontact centers. The Campus France interview report is transmitted electronically to the consulate. Validate the visa on the ANEF website within 3 months of arrival. 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.
CSSD/CHSI academic verification reports, notarized translations of Hukou and degrees, and a valid passport. All translations must be from a registered translation agency.
- 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. Typically shown via a 'Bank Certificate' (存款证明) showing a frozen balance. The relationship to the sponsor (parents) must be proven via a Hukou or notarized kinship certificate.
- 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 China. 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
- French Embassy scholarship — China — Applicants residing in China; calls usually open between November and March
- France Excellence — Chine — Chinese students pursuing Master's or PhD in specific fields
Direct flights to CDG are frequent. Join the 'Chinese Students and Scholars Association' (CSSA) in your city for local support.
- 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 China.
- Delaying the CSSD verification which can take 30+ days
- Expired language test results during the consular processing
- Mismatch between the 'Study Plan' in the EEF file and the motivation letter to the university
- Incomplete 'Hukou' translation for kinship proof
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 Chine — Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Wuhan, Shenyang, Jinan, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Kunming
The 'Hors-DAP' (Master/Licence 2+) campaign runs from October to March. The 'DAP' (Licence 1) deadline is early December. Academic verification through CSSD (学信网) is mandatory and must be initiated as soon as the EEF file is opened.
CSSD/CHSI academic verification reports, notarized translations of Hukou and degrees, and a valid passport. All translations must be from a registered translation agency.
Proof of €{{visa.proof_of_resources_annual}} annual resources. Typically shown via a 'Bank Certificate' (存款证明) showing a frozen balance. The relationship to the sponsor (parents) must be proven via a Hukou or notarized kinship certificate. Submit the VLS-TS file at TLScontact centers. The Campus France interview report is transmitted electronically to the consulate. Validate the visa on the ANEF website within 3 months of arrival.
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.