🇨🇳 China → France
A complete, search-friendly guide for applicants from China: admission route, documents, visa, funding and arrival steps.
General information only — not official guidance. Rules change, so confirm with the official source before you act.
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.
Gaokao score for undergraduate entry, ĺ¦ĺŁ«ĺ¦ä˝Ť (bachelor) plus ĺ¦äżˇç˝‘ verification for master's. The process involves the EEF platform followed by a mandatory pre-consular interview. You should start the entire process 8–10 months before your intended start date, as deadlines for top programs can be early.
- 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 Ă©coles' and private schools, apply directly on the school's own portal, following their specific deadlines.
- TCF/TEF or DELF for French programmes; IELTS/TOEFL for English-taught tracks.
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
- Campus France Chine — Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Wuhan, Shenyang, Jinan, Hangzhou
- 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.
The VLS-TS is issued after a successful Campus France interview and evaluation. Visa application centers are available in several major cities across China. 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 Ă©tudiant 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.
Your file must include CSSD/CHSI (ĺ¦äżˇç˝‘) verification reports for your academic documents, notarised translations, your passport, and a detailed study plan.
- 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.
Financial proof of €{{visa.proof_of_resources_annual}}/year is shown with bank certificates. The relationship with your sponsor must be clearly documented with official papers (e.g., birth certificate).
- The reference figure is about €{{visa.proof_of_resources_monthly}}/month 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 master's applicants
Direct flights to CDG from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
- 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.
- Skipping CHSI/CSSD verification
- Language certificate expired at interview
- Study plan that does not match the previous degree
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
The process involves the EEF platform followed by a mandatory pre-consular interview. You should start the entire process 8–10 months before your intended start date, as deadlines for top programs can be early.
Your file must include CSSD/CHSI (ĺ¦äżˇç˝‘) verification reports for your academic documents, notarised translations, your passport, and a detailed study plan.
Financial proof of €{{visa.proof_of_resources_annual}}/year is shown with bank certificates. The relationship with your sponsor must be clearly documented with official papers (e.g., birth certificate). The VLS-TS is issued after a successful Campus France interview and evaluation. Visa application centers are available in several major cities across China.
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.