• Your passport must be valid for at least twelve months from the expected date of arrival in France.
• You must submit a clear, coloured copy of all pages of your previous passports. There is no need to authenticate or apostille these copies.
• If you do not have a passport due to loss, theft, etc., indicate this in your application letter and, if possible, attach additional supporting documents.

Attach a high-resolution colour photograph to your application. The photograph must be no more than 6 months old.

It is necessary to have private health insurance.

Your letter must include:

• Your full name, address, postal code, email address, and phone number.
• The dates you plan to arrive in and leave France.
• A detailed explanation of why you chose France as your educational destination. We suggest emphasising professional and career development.
• Details of any family members currently residing in France or in any other EU country.

Your letter must also include a commitment from you that you will:

• Comply with all the conditions of your visa.
• Not rely on public services, such as public hospitals, nor become a financial burden on France.
• Leave France before your immigration permission expires.

To consider:

• If the course you now wish to study does not naturally follow from or relate to your educational/work background, provide valid reasons, supported by documentary evidence (if available), for this change.
• Mention any specific circumstances relevant to your application.

If you have been refused a visa in the past for any country, you must provide details in your current application. You must also submit the original letter issued to you by the authorities of that country. If you do not provide these details, your application will be refused.

You must submit a letter of acceptance from the university offering the course.

The letter must:

• Confirm that you have been accepted and enrolled in a full-time education course, involving a minimum of 15 hours of organized daytime tuition each week
• State the details of the course you will be studying
• State the amount of fees to be paid for your course
• State the amount of fees you have paid
• Indicate whether the college has arranged health insurance on your behalf, if applicable

You will need to provide information about any periods that have elapsed since your last period of full-time study. This must include the time elapsed up to your application to study in France.
You must provide detailed information about your employment history. This is necessary to verify if any gaps in your education have been filled by periods of employment.

You must demonstrate that you are capable of following the chosen course. Examples of this include previous exam results or qualifications.

You must demonstrate that you are capable of undertaking the chosen course through the English (or French) language.

If you are applying for an English course, you must have a basic level of English before coming to Ireland. The minimum English level for visa purposes is B1 / IELTS 4.0 / Duolingo 55.

Attach a certificate from the exam provider to your visa application. It must include your English exam results.

If you are taking a course taught in the Irish language, you must demonstrate your ability to do so. You will need to include a written statement from the school or university, confirming how they assessed your ability to speak and write in France.

• We suggest writing an additional financial support letter where you explain your financial situation in as much detail as possible, especially emphasising: specific dates of large deposits, sources of income, loans, sponsors, etc. If you attach income proofs from severance pay, trust accounts, certificates of deposit (CDs), etc., you must explain in detail how these work.
• Remember that student visas are reviewed by visa officers in France, who may not be familiar with the Latin American context.
• You must demonstrate that you have sufficient funds to cover your stay in France without relying on public funds or temporary employment.
• This includes the evidence that you must provide with your visa application.
• For all academic courses, by submitting the bank statements of the last 6 months, you or your sponsor must demonstrate immediate access to a minimum of xxxxxx. This is the estimated living cost in Francia  for a student during an academic year. This amount is in addition to the course fees.
• You must also demonstrate that you and/or your sponsor(s) have easy access to a minimum of XXXXXX for each subsequent year of study, in addition to the course fees for each of those years.
• Any large deposits evidenced in bank statements must be explained in detail in the financial support letter. If there are deposits from the sale of vehicles, properties, loans, credits, etc., they must be accompanied by supporting documents.
• You must provide certificates that show the source of the student’s or sponsor’s funds, such as employment certificates, payslips, accountant certificates, or business registration documents for self-employed individuals, etc.
• A sponsor is considered anyone who deposits a large amount of money into the applicant’s bank account to justify access to XXXX; therefore, all supporting documents related to each sponsor must be attached.
• If you have one or more sponsors, they must write a letter indicating that they will cover the expenses, along with a copy of an identification document and a certificate showing the source of their income. We suggest the sponsor include in the letter details of their income sources.
• If you have one or more sponsors, they must attach birth certificates to prove their relationship to you. If your sponsors are not relatives, you must attach a document demonstrating the nature of your relationship.
• All the information listed here must be supported by documentary evidence, and when sponsors are involved, it must be clear that their documents are related to them.

• Identity card
• Birth certificate (translated and certified copy)
• Driving licence (if you intend to drive in France)

• Registration at your higher education institution is mandatory.

• The Student and University Life Contribution costs €103 per year.

• You can pay it online by visiting the website http://cvec.etudiant.gouv.fr

• You can also pay in cash.

• Keep the certificate generated after payment safe, as it will be required when you register at your institution.

• The CVEC is paid to the CROUS to facilitate student support in social, health, cultural, and sports matters. It also funds health prevention initiatives.

• All students enrolled in an initial training programme at a French higher education institution, whether public or private, must pay this contribution, except for certain exempt students.

• Even exempt students must log in to http://cvec.etudiant.gouv.fr to validate their exemption and obtain a certificate required for enrolment at their institution.

• Students enrolled in BTS programmes are not subject to the CVEC, as they are registered at a secondary school rather than a higher education institution. They do not need to visit the CVEC website, and no certificate will be required from them.

You must provide details of your accommodation, even if it is temporary, whether provided by the school, booking platforms, family, friends, etc. It is not mandatory to provide proof of accommodation for the entire duration of the course; a booking for the first few weeks is sufficient.

• A printed copy of your accommodation booking
• The required documents for check-in at your accommodation
• The list and contact details of your contacts in France

It is essential to provide documentary evidence of obligations to return to your country once the course is completed, whether through employment, studies, family, properties, etc.

Accordion Content

Social Security Registration

Non-European Students:

• You must register with the French general social security system. Registration is done online via the health insurance website dedicated to international students. It is available in both French and English. Visit: https://etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr.

• Registration is free and must be completed immediately after enrolling at your institution.

• This process is mandatory and will allow you to receive partial reimbursement for your medical expenses.

• If you are coming to study in France with a long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit (VLS-TS), you will be eligible for a Carte Vitale, which facilitates reimbursements. You will only receive this card once your residence permit has been validated.

• If you have a temporary long-stay visa (VLS-T), you will not receive a health insurance card, but you will still benefit from medical cost coverage for the duration of your stay.