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Studying in France for Russian Citizens: How to Apply from Russia in 2027

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If you are a Russian citizen living in Russia, every route into French higher education runs through Études en France, the online procedure managed by Campus France Russia. Its offices are open, the interview takes place online in Russian, and the procedure fee for the 2026/27 cycle was $95 (RUB 8,000). For the 2027/28 academic year, first-year university files are accepted from 1 October to 15 December 2026, and files for all other levels until 30 January 2027. In 2026/27, non-EU students at public universities are charged $3,300 (€2,902) a year for a Licence and $4,490 (€3,950) for a Master unless the university grants a waiver, and the student visa requires proof of at least $1,000 (€877.50) per month.

At a glance Applicants resident in Russia
Mandatory procedure Études en France: online file, fee, online interview with Campus France Russia
Campus France offices Moscow, St Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Samara, Novosibirsk
Procedure fee $95 (RUB 8,000) in the 2026/27 cycle
2027/28 deadlines first year: file by 15.12.2026; Master's and later years: by 30.01.2027
Public university tuition, 2026/27 $3,300 (€2,902) Licence, $4,490 (€3,950) Master, unless waived
Funds for the visa at least $1,000 (€877.50) per month
Visa fee with a Campus France receipt $57 (€50)
Who decides admission: the institution; visa: the French consulate; fee waiver: the university
Pale stone façade inscribed Sorbonne and Université de Paris, with French and EU flags
The historic Sorbonne building on Rue des Écoles in Paris's Latin Quarter. Photo: Michal Osmenda / source, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Who must use Études en France

The procedure covers everyone permanently resident in Russia who plans a course in France lasting over 90 days: Russian citizens and foreign nationals holding long-term Russian registration through work or study. It applies whether or not the chosen institution is connected to the platform. Institutions outside the platform receive the application directly, yet the Études en France file is still required for the visa.

The main exceptions are:

  • Russian students already in France on a long-stay student visa or residence card, who apply to the new institution themselves and renew their status at the prefecture;
  • Russian citizens resident in another country, who deal with Campus France or the French embassy in that country;
  • dual Russian and EU citizens registered in Russia as EU nationals, and dual French-Russian citizens;
  • au pairs, pupils enrolling in a French lycée, company interns and doctoral candidates hired under a doctoral contract or hosting agreement.

Students who sat the French baccalauréat at a French school abroad apply to the first year through the national Parcoursup platform and complete Études en France afterwards for the visa.

The 2027/28 calendar

The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs sets the dates. Campus France Russia publishes them separately for first-year entry and for all other levels.

Step First year of university (Licence 1), incl. medicine Master's, second or third year, other institutions
Create and submit the online file 1 October – 15 December 2026 1 October 2026 – 30 January 2027
Pay the fee after the file is checked by 21 February 2027 by 21 February 2027
Complete the online interview by 1 March 2027 by 1 March 2027
Submit DELF, DALF or TCF results by 1 March 2027 as the programme requires
Receive institutions' answers by 30 April 2027 by 30 April 2027
Confirm one institution by 31 May 2027 by 31 May 2027

Offices take five to ten working days on average to check a file, so a file sent in the final week may not clear every step on time. First-year applicants may list no more than three universities. Medicine, pharmacy, dentistry and midwifery follow the first-year procedure even for applicants with Russian university credits. Architecture schools have their own calendar, a two-school limit and a portfolio sent to the first choice.

Missed the window? You can contact an institution directly. If it accepts you outside the national calendar, you still complete Études en France as a self-enrolled candidate.

Which language tests you can take in Russia

French-taught programmes require DELF B2, DALF C1 or C2, or the TCF. For first-year entry, Campus France Russia expects the TCF TP with the written section, and first-year files without a test result by 1 March 2027 are not considered, and a TCF registration alone does not count. The French Institute's exam centre runs these tests, and spring sessions fill early.

You are exempt from a French test if you hold DELF B2, DALF C1 or C2, scored at least 14/20 on the TEF (valid 12 months), or graduated from one of the bilingual Franco-Russian school sections listed by Campus France Russia and hold the section certificate.

English-taught programmes are harder. According to Campus France Russia, IELTS, TOEFL and Cambridge exams cannot currently be taken in Russia, so applicants travel to neighbouring countries. Some schools accept alternatives: NEOMA lists the Duolingo English Test for its English-track Master in Management, and emlyon offers its own online management test alongside GMAT or GRE. Always check the programme's own list. Test formats are covered in our guide to DELF, DALF and TCF.

Documents from Russia: translation and certification

Translations for Études en France go into French, or into English for fully English-taught programmes, and must be certified by a notary. Campus France Russia accepts notarised translations made in Russia or France only. Translations certified in a third country are rejected. No apostille is needed on diploma translations; one may be requested for a birth certificate translation once you are in France.

School leavers submit grades for years 9 and 10 plus the current year 11 marks. A transcript issued by the school in French, on letterhead with stamp and signature, needs no notarised translation. Certificates are valid for one month; notarised diploma translations do not expire.

Translation errors are a common reason files come back. Campus France Russia specifies the correct wording:

Russian document Correct French Avoid
Certificate of secondary education (attestat) Diplôme (Attestation, Brevet) de fin d'études secondaires Baccalauréat
Year 11 en dernière 11ème année d'études terminale
Gymnasium Lycée Gymnase
Bachelor's diploma Diplôme de Bachelor Baccalauréat, Bachelier, Maîtrise
Grade "satisfactory" satisfaisant assez bien
Grade "excellent" excellent très bien

The office also notes that the online file works reliably on a Windows computer in Firefox with a Gmail address.

What studying in France costs and what you pay before leaving

Item Amount and year Note
Licence at a public university $3,300 (€2,902) a year, 2026/27 differentiated rate for non-EU nationals
Master at a public university $4,490 (€3,950) a year, 2026/27 same
National rate if waived $200 (€178) Licence, $290 (€255) Master, 2026/27 applies once the university grants a waiver
Doctorate $450 (€398) a year, 2026/27 differentiated rate does not apply
Private schools typically $6,810–20,440 (€6,000–18,000) a year according to Campus France, sometimes higher each school sets its own price
CVEC student life contribution $120 (€105), 2026/27 paid before administrative enrolment
Études en France $95 (RUB 8,000), 2026/27 cycle French government scholarship holders exempt
Visa fee $57 (€50) with a Campus France receipt payable in roubles, converted at the consulate's exchange rate
Visa validation in France $110 (€100) within three months of arrival

Low-cost study in France is now the exception for non-EU students. Many universities used to waive the differentiated rate for most international students. A decree of 19 May 2026 changed that: waivers are now granted on request according to the student's circumstances and income, and capped at 30% of students paying the differentiated rate in 2026/27, with the cap then falling gradually to 20%. Students who already held a waiver for 2025/26 keep it until the end of their cycle at the same institution. Some universities still take their own line: Université Paris Cité, for example, kept the national rate for non-EU students in 2026/27. Budget at the full rate and count a waiver only once it is in writing. For a full-year budget, see what studying in France costs.

French government scholarship holders pay no tuition. For 2026/27 the French Embassy in Russia awarded scholarships to Russian students admitted to Master's programmes: $980 (€860) a month, with no charge for the visa or the Campus France procedure, insurance cover, and no registration fee at a public institution. Eiffel scholarships go through institutions; in the 2026 cycle French institutions submitted files between 1 October 2025 and 8 January 2026. See our overview of scholarships in France.

Visa and money: what matters for Russian residents

Our French student visa guide covers the full document list, fees and renewals. This section keeps to what changes when you apply from Russia.

  • The French Visa Application Centre accepts applications from three months before the course begins, not earlier. The French consulate decides.
  • Without the Études en France fee receipt and the admission confirmation recorded in your online file, the application will not be processed.
  • Your passport has to stay valid for at least three months beyond the end of your course.
  • A short-stay Schengen visa cannot be turned into a student visa in France or anywhere else in the EU.
  • If you will be under 18 when classes begin, you need a guardian with French citizenship who lives where you will study; Campus France Russia estimates that a minor's visa takes roughly four to six weeks.

The funds threshold is at least $1,000 (€877.50) a month, around $11,960 (€10,530) for a year. The consulate also looks at where the money came from: a large deposit the day before you apply is weaker evidence than a clear savings record or regular transfers from your parents.

Work out the tuition payment route from Russia before you confirm your place in the file: get the invoice, ask your bank whether a transfer to this recipient is possible and how many days it takes. The step-by-step check is in how to pay for studies abroad from Russia.

After arrival, Campus France Russia recommends opening a French bank account with a Visa or Mastercard straight away; the card costs about $28–57 (€25–50) a year. Banks usually ask for your passport with the visa, proof of address and an enrolment certificate. You will need the card in the first weeks: the visa must be validated online within three months of entry, with a $110 (€100) fee.

How a French degree works back in Russia

The National Information Centre's list of recognition treaties does not include France. A French degree is recognised without review only if the institution appears on the Russian Government list of foreign institutions (Order No. 186-r, as amended on 19 February 2026). Otherwise Rosobrnadzor assesses the degree, and the state fee is $77 (RUB 6,500). Check the list before you enrol, not after graduation. Regulated professions such as medicine or law need separate authorisation; for medicine, see studying medicine in France.

If you want to stay in France, aim for the Master's level. The 12-month post-study job-search permit is open to holders of a Master, engineering diploma, CGE-labelled MSc, Mastère Spécialisé or licence professionnelle; a standard three-year Licence does not qualify.

Common mistakes

  • Starting in October and missing 15 December: the language result, translations and motivation letters should be ready when the file opens.
  • Booking the TCF too late for results to arrive before 1 March.
  • Having translations certified by a notary outside Russia or France.
  • Translating grades and diploma titles loosely instead of using Campus France's wording.
  • Budgeting at $200 (€178) and receiving an invoice for $3,300 (€2,902).
  • Choosing an English-taught programme without planning a trip abroad for IELTS or TOEFL.
  • Showing money deposited the day before the visa appointment with no explanation of its source.

How StudyU helps

A personal admission plan, programme selection for your profile and budget, requirement checks, and preparation of the Études en France file and visa documents are provided under an agreement with StudyU; the university or school rules on admission, the university on fee waivers, and the French consulate on the visa.

If you are still choosing a level, start with Bachelor's degrees in France and Master's degrees in France. The France country page gives the wider overview. You can also study without French B2: see English-taught degrees in France, and for management, our guide to business schools in France.

FAQ

Yes. Residents of Russia apply to the second or third year of a Licence or to a Master's through Études en France by 30 January 2027 for 2027/28 entry, and the French institution decides which courses it recognises and which year you join. Medicine, pharmacy, dentistry and midwifery are the exception: they follow the first-year procedure with a 15 December 2026 deadline, and students from Russian medical schools have a separate dispense d'études route through the French Embassy.

Yes. School leavers apply to the first year of a public university through Études en France with grades for years 9 to 11 and French at B2. You may choose up to three universities, and files for 2027/28 close on 15 December 2026. Private and business schools run their own admissions.

Rarely. In 2026/27 the differentiated public rate is $3,300 (€2,902) for a Licence and $4,490 (€3,950) for a Master. Waivers are granted by the university on request, based on income, and their number is capped. French government scholarship holders, including Embassy scholars, are fully exempt from tuition.

The 2026/27 fee was $95 (RUB 8,000), paid after the office has checked the file; payment details arrive by email. French government scholarship holders are exempt and some inter-university programmes pay a reduced rate. Check the 2027/28 amount in the Campus France Russia guide for your level.

Campus France Russia states that IELTS, TOEFL and Cambridge exams are not currently held in Russia, so applicants sit them in neighbouring countries. Some French schools accept the Duolingo English Test or their own online test. The programme decides what counts, so check its list before booking an exam.

Not for Études en France: a notarised translation made in Russia or France is enough. An apostilled birth certificate translation is sometimes requested later in France for administrative formalities. The exact document list for your level is in the Campus France Russia guide.

Automatically only if the institution is on the Russian Government list under Order No. 186-r. Russia has no recognition treaty with France, so other degrees go through a Rosobrnadzor assessment with a $77 (RUB 6,500) state fee. Medicine and other regulated professions require additional authorisation.

Sources

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