For most of us, France is associated with colorful photos of the Eiffel Tower on notebooks, bags and coffee glasses. But this country is known not only for its coffee and croissants, but also for one of the most excellent education systems. Let's look at the list of the best universities in France, as well as how a foreigner can enter there and how much such a pleasure will cost.
Why is it worth going to study in the country of Hugo and Moliere
It's no secret that in order to be employed in serious companies, in addition to knowledge and skills, you need to have a diploma from a respected university. Best of all - European. Moreover, today every domestic graduate with a decent level of knowledge can become a student of any educational institution in the world.
Choosing where to go, more and more often yesterday's Belarusian, Russian, Polish and Ukrainian schoolchildren prefer French universities.
Besides a European diploma, studying in anyof which has a number of advantages.
- High level of education.
- No entrance exams for applicants from other countries (certificate competition).
- Free education not only for local residents, but also for foreigners (at state-funded universities in France).
- Unlike other universities in Europe, you can enter French universities immediately after the eleventh grade, without spending a year or two waiting or studying at another domestic institution in order to reduce the academic difference.
- Real prospects for successful employment, not only at home, but also abroad.
- And, of course, the opportunity to live in the most romantic country in the world.
Tuition fees in French universities
Money in life, of course, is not the main thing, but before you start any business, you should consider your financial capabilities. Having decided to enter any of the famous universities in France, you need to weigh whether you will pull your studies financially.
Although education there is free, there are a number of services that must be paid for:
- Applying a student visa to study at a selected university.
- Social insurance (about two hundred euros).
- He alth insurance.
- Registration fee. The same for all universities in France. Its size is set by the local Ministry of Education. In 2018, it is two hundred euros for a bachelor's degree, two hundred and seventy for a master's degree, and for doctoral students -four hundred euros.
- In addition, each semester you will have to pay for the use of the infrastructure of your educational institution (libraries, laboratories, etc.) from one hundred thirty to seven hundred euros.
All of the above applies to studying at public universities in France. While in private, in addition to the above, the cost of education per year varies from six to twenty thousand euros. Naturally, there is also a system of grants and scholarships.
It is worth taking into account that all tuition prices quoted refer to those programs at universities that are taught in French. At the same time, universities in France (as in all European ones) have specialized courses in English. Absolutely all of them are always paid (except in cases with grants from international charitable foundations) and cost approximately the same as studying at private universities.
Other expenses, or not as expensive to study as to live
The above expenses relate directly to the preparation of documentation for admission and the study itself at universities in France. Separate items of expenses - accommodation and meals.
Each university has several dormitories for students. Depending on the city and speci alty, the monthly fee for living there varies from one hundred and forty to four hundred euros.
Unfortunately, places in hostels are not always available, so it is likely that you will have to look for housing yourself. Renting a room on the outskirts of any major city will cost six hundred to seven hundred euros. In the center,naturally more. There the price can reach thousands. Add the cost of the Internet and travel. As well as fragrant French coffee, which you can't help but taste while living in this country.
By the way, French landlords really don't like to mess with students because of the "cold law". Its essence is that in autumn and winter it is impossible to expel guests from the apartment, even if they have stopped paying rent. Therefore, in order to rent a house, the student will have to find a French trustee who, in case of financial difficulties, will undertake to pay instead of him. All this is indicated in the lease agreement.
On the other hand, French legislation provides for partial compensation to university students (including foreigners) of the cost of renting housing from the state. So 20 - 40% of the funds spent will subsequently return to the pocket of the "martyr of science".
Food will cost relatively inexpensively: one hundred and twenty - two hundred euros. It's no frills - just essential food.
So even if you study at free universities in France, the cost of living in this country will not be small.
At the same time, the legislation allows students to earn extra money, but not more than twenty hours a week. Considering that the minimum hourly wage is 6.72 euros (it is unlikely that a foreigner without a profession should count on something more, at least for the first time), then without outside financial assistance to study at any of the universities in France for Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, Poles and otherspeople from not very rich countries will be very problematic.
How to apply to a French university?
This is a very long process. Therefore, it is worth preparing the ground for it in advance.
First of all, learn French at an acceptable level. Even if you have an accent, don't worry. Living in the country of Coco Chanel, over time you yourself will not notice how you learn to pronounce complex nasal sounds correctly.
The next step is to choose one or more universities in France. For Russians, Ukrainians and other foreigners there is a specialized site https://www.campusfrance.org/fr. It is designed by the French to promote their own culture and education. With it, you can not only choose a place for future studies, but also send out a resume. By registering on this resource, paying a fee and passing an interview, you can apply through it to selected universities, as well as collect the documents necessary for a visa.
Before applying, you need to pass a French proficiency test (DELF/DALF). The result must be B2 or higher.
The next step is to distribute documents. It starts from April. The initial package of the applicant's papers includes: a certificate with the test result, a motivation letter and a questionnaire compiled by Campus France (data about the applicant, an extract from the certificate of complete secondary education, recommendations from teachers).
Documents sent to the selection committee are processed by it. In case of a positive decision, the applicant receives an e-mailnotification of admission, invitation, as well as the procedure for the next steps and the timing of their implementation. In the future, on the basis of this invitation, a study visa is issued at the French embassy.
Which universities are the best in France?
For all ages, the education of this country was considered one of the best in the world. And today, in the international rankings, French universities are in second place, behind the British, but ahead of the Germans.
There are a lot of higher education institutions in this country. And most of them are private. There are currently seventy-five state universities. They are located in the largest cities of the country (Paris, Nice, Orleans, Toulouse, etc.)
Among all this diversity, the list of French universities that are recognized as the best according to international standards is small. This is:
- Sorbonne University.
- University of Nice Sophia Antipolis.
- University of Montpellier.
- University of Lille.
- University of Nantes.
- Samadeva University.
- Cergy-Pontoise University.
- University of Toulouse.
As you can see, they are mainly located in resorts or large cities. Therefore, there is the biggest competition. So for insurance, it would be nice to apply to educational institutions located in less popular places.
Moreover, according to statistics, forty percent of students in the first academic year cannot bear the academic and moral burden and drop out of school, go on academic leave or are expelled for poor progress and absenteeism. Therefore, even if you enter the desired universityit doesn’t work out right away, you can study for the first semester (year) at a similar faculty at a less prestigious university, and then transfer to the vacant place in the one you originally wanted.
Now let's take a closer look at the description of the above universities in France.
Sorbonne (La Sorbonne)
It is impossible not to start with a university known throughout the world, namely the cradle of French education - the Sorbonne. Founded in the second half of the 13th century, all this time it produced the best specialists for France and the whole world. Honore de Balzac, Marina Tsvetaeva and Osip Mandelstam studied here.
By the beginning of the twentieth century. The Sorbonne has become one of the largest universities in the world. Therefore, by the seventies, it was divided into thirteen independent universities. Today, only five universities with a single infrastructure remain in the Sorbonne. All of them are located in Paris and differ in specialization:
- Sorbonne Pantheon - economy.
- Pantheon-Assas - right.
- New Sorbonne - languages, literature and theatrical art.
- Paris-Sorbonne - humanities.
- Paris-Descartes - medicine.
Today, the Sorbonne teaches about one hundred and thirty thousand students within its walls.
State University of Nice - Sophia Antipolis (Université de Nice Sophia-Antipolis)
Founded in 1965. It has eight departments, two institutes, and an engineering school.
Moretwenty-five thousand students.
Teaching staff - 1600 teachers, plus 1100 technical staff (librarians, laboratory assistants, engineers and others).
State University of Montpellier (Université de Montpellier)
One of the best medical schools in the world. It is believed that it was he who stood at the origins of the formation of European practical medicine. His graduates were Petrarch, François Rabelais and… Nostradamus himself.
At the university there is the oldest botanical garden in France, as well as fourteen academic libraries, which store not only the oldest books, but also modern literature.
Education at this university takes place in nine faculties. The best are:
- medical;
- dental;
- pharmacological.
The university's collection of antiquities contains more than a thousand items.
Among other properties of the university is a huge urban campus for students to live in. So foreign guests will always find a place to stay.
The total number of students is sixty thousand. There are many foreigners among them.
State University of Lille (Université Lille)
For France, a relatively young university. Founded in 1887 in Lille. Today, only its main building is located there, while its representative offices are located in other cities.
Depending on the location, each ofthey specialize in a particular speci alty.
- Lille University of Law and He alth.
- Lille University of Science and Technology.
- Lille University of Humanities and Social Sciences.
In total, about eighteen thousand students study here, including foreigners.
State University of Nantes (Université de Nantes)
Founded in 1460 and never lowered its high standards.
Teaching staff - one and a half thousand people, the number of students - more than thirty-one thousand. Of these, eight percent are foreigners.
One of the advantages of this university is a huge hostel where almost all students can be accommodated, which not every French university can boast of.
Formally, this educational institution includes the local Higher Polytechnic School.
The University of Nantes specializes in training specialists in the following areas:
- math;
- economy;
- medicine;
- control;
- jurisprudence.
This university also has an active international student exchange program.
Samadeva Free University
Founded in 2003 and specialized in social work, specifically psychology, coaching and he alth training.
The training program is based on a combination of ancient spiritual practices with modern author's methods.
Despite the seemingthe unpromising nature of the disciplines studied, graduates of this university are in demand. Mostly in institutions practicing the same spiritual practices and non-standard methods of healing.
In addition to France, has offices in the US and other countries. In total, more than thirty teachers teach at this university.
Université de Cergy Pontoise
One of the youngest universities in France, founded in 1991. Despite this, it is considered one of the best.
Located on the outskirts of Paris, it annually hosts two thousand foreign students. The total number of students is twenty thousand.
793 teachers teach here.
University specialization:
- art;
- science and technology;
- economy;
- control.
In addition to exchanging students with more than three hundred universities around the world, this university periodically holds competitions for scholarships among foreign applicants.
State University of Toulouse (Université de Toulouse)
One of the best technical universities in France. Founded in 1229
Consists of several parts, each with its own specialization.
These are three universities (Capitol, Le Miraille and Paul Sabatier) National Institute of Applied Sciences, National Polytechnic Institute of Toulouse, Higher Institute of Aeronautics and Space, and Toulouseschool.
Almost seventy-five thousand students study and 3,886 teachers work within the walls of the university.
