Studying In France – Part 3: France Can Be Your Choice

Eifel Tower
Eifel Tower

Are there any good universities in France?

All Colleges/Universities in France have the same quality of education and meet the standards of a world class learning experience. France is a developed country and therefore the government fully finances operational expenses such as the salaries of its professors, teachers, research, and facilities. That which distinguishes French institutions of higher learning from among each other are the locations, and there are 300 top ranked universities here.

Universities offer approximately 2000 elective courses, such as Engineering, Economics, Medicine, Social Sciences, and Computers. The following majors are usually chosen by students:

  • Electricity, Machinery, Architecture, Civil, Industrial, and Aviation Engineering.
  • Accounting, Economics, and Finance.
  • Marketing, Human Resources, Logistics, Finance, Management.
  • The Study of Civil, Criminal, and International Law.
  • Biotechnology, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics.
  • Education, Social Sciences, International Relationships, and Politics.
  • Design, Music, Culture, Language, Fashion, Hotels, and Film.
  • Computer Science, Business Computing, and Informatics Engineering.
Art La Defense
Art La Defense

There is no age limit for those who want to continue studying in France. The requirements to study are:  1. Bachelor Program: Graduation from high school or the equivalent, GPA score of C or higher, international students are advised to learn the French language before leaving attending (at least 6 months of an intensive course)

2.  Master Program: Bachelor’s Graduate, Transcript/Bachelor report, High School GPA certificate and report, TOEFL (i BT) min. 80, IELTS min. 6.5,  a letter of recommendation from the previous University, letter of recommendation from the workplace (if working),

Students can work while studying in France. All foreign students who study in France are entitled to work for a maximum of 90 days of the year.  Some job opportunities for part time work on campus are: maintaining the library, maintaining the canteen, and working in a laboratory. The maximum time for part time work is 20 hours/week or 3 hours/day during study periods and the earned income is around € 200-400 / month.

In addition to part-time jobs on campus, students also have opportunities to apprentice within industries in accordance with the majors they are taking. The work period to apprentice is for at least 2 semesters and they are eligible only after the first year of studies. Income generated from apprenticeships is around € 200 – 1000/month.

Some of the industries that accept apprentice students are:

  • AXA    – Citroen
  • Peugeot – Credit Mutuel
  • Renault – Water Bus

Some other work opportunities for casual, seasonal and summer jobs are:

  • Work at a restaurant
  • Work at a cafe
  • Work at a company (Aloin, Lidl, La Poste)
  • Work at a factory

These opportunities are usually applied for by students for earning extra money and only if it is is really needed because during the holiday season, the French tend to take time off for vacations abroad with their families and the jobs held by those vacationing can be temporarily accessed by students. Students are only allowed to work up to 40 hours/week, however, and usually for only 3 months. Income earned from casual job is around € 500 – 1500/month.

Going to college in Europe, especially Germany and France, is an ideal choice today and there is little doubt of of the educational quality. Germany and France are developed countries and have experienced very rapid technological developments, currently competing with the United States and Japan. This fact affects the quality of learning in the country and the quality of the facilities available within the universities.

There are many people who think that earning a bachelor degree costs less when achieved within their home countries and thus look for scholarships abroad for earning their masters when in fact, the cost of education in France is very cheap. High school graduates can proceed directly to France or Germany without having to find a scholarship and upon their return from Europe, they are free to work anywhere they choose because they are not bound to the country in which they received their degree.

 

Scroll to Top