Study in France

France ranks the third most innovative country in the world. It is also amongst the top three study destinations for international students. In 2015, Paris was voted the best international student city for a third consecutive year by the QS.

Education System
France has around 82 state universities, five Catholic universities and many private institutes, some of which award degrees and diplomas. Universities award three types of degrees – Licence (UG), Masters (PG) and Doctorate (PhD).

Grande Ecoles are ticket to success in France and all the top-level French politicians or business leaders are products of one of these schools. These are comparable to the American Ivy League universities. In order to attend an undergraduate program in France, you must complete 12 years of schooling, as well as meet additional requirements. The academic year in France runs from September until June the following year. Some institutions or courses may have enrollments throughout the year as well.

Popular student destinations: The top universities in France are Ecole Normale Superieure, Ecole Polytechnique, HEC, INSEAD, Pierre-and-Marie-Curie, and Université Paris-Sorbonne University in no particular order. Paris is the centre of all the renowned academic institutes. Most of the best colleges in the country are situated in cities like Nice, Paris, Lyon, Grenobleand Orleans. Approximately 4200 Indian students went to France in the academic year 2016-17. A majority of the students went to pursue a two-year degree, so, currently, around 6000 Indian students are pursuing their higher studies in France. Space and Aviation teaching, Engineering, Business Studies, Art, History, Tourism and Hotel Management are the popular courses Indian students pursue in France.

Safety in France: France is one of the safest metropolitan areas in Europe. Violent crime rates are fairly low although some petty crimes like pickpocketing are not unheard of. If you are new in the country never leave your bags or valuables unattended in the metro, bus, or other public areas. When traveling, it’s always a good idea to have your country’s embassy contact details on hand, should you run into any problems. In case of an emergency, dial 112.

Weather: France experiences mild temperature throughout the year, which is neither too hot nor too cold, with regular rainfall. Each region in the country has its own particular climate – cooler to the north and west and warmer in the south. In winters there is plenty of snow. Summers are hot, with the sun shining across the country. The average temperature in winters is 8°C to 3°C. In summers, it is 15°C to 25°C.

Lifestyle tips
Recently, Paris was named one of the top three of the world’s best cities for students. The main reason behind this is the varied types of courses being offered and the highest teaching standards being followed by institutes in France. The quality of student life and the lifestyle is attractive and hence a lot of youth is now moving to France for their higher studies. The good quality of student life works in favour of French universities, which have taken numerous steps to improve the way young people are welcomed, supervised and monitored during their stay.

Indians living in France
There are nearly 65,000 Indian immigrants living in France currently. Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse and Nice are the cities where most Indians reside.

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