How To Apply For France Student Visa From Nigeria

How to apply for France Student Visa From Nigeria is one of the hottest question among the youths in Nigeria. France has 83 public universities and they are all funded by the national government, offering excellent education at a very affordable price to all students, domestic or international.

This coupled with a few personal reason of yours might be the reason you want to further in France. This article will explain to you step by step from start to finish on how to apply for France Student Visa from Nigeria.

Is France a Good Choice?

To put it simply, the French higher education system is one of the best in the world. It is also one of the most accessible ones. With dramatically reduced tuition fees in comparison to other leading study abroad destinations, studying in France is more economically viable for international students. Consistently appearing near the top of internationally renowned rankings, French universities offer an academic pedigree that easily competes with other countries.

So, if you really want to study in France, you have not made a wrong choice. You can check out how to get a student Visa to study in UK, US and Canada.

How to Apply for France Student Visa

The student visa process is not easy but also not impossible. Proper preparation prevents poor performances. Therefore, it must be well prepared.

Who can Apply for France Student Visa?

Before you apply for a student Visa to study in France, you should know that only people who can apply are foreign student outside the Schengen Region who:

– Has been granted admission to study in a higher institution or college in France and paid for course fees.
– Have enough money or sponsor to pay for his tuition fee and living expenses throughout his stay in France.
– Has no criminal record in Nigeria and is law-abiding.
– Is in good health.

Once you get the admission, eligible and at least two months before your intended departure prepare for the student visa:

1. Get the required documents
2. Meet the program officer for an interview
3. Submit your application, go for the biometrics & pay for your visa at the visa section

Let me explain in full each of the highlighted point above for better understanding and clarity.

1. France Student Visa Application Requirements

You will need the following documents to apply for your Visa

• International Passport/ Original + 2 Photocopies

You will need an international visa. If you don’t have or you don’t know how to get one, here is how to apply.
The International passport must of course be valid for all the period of trip to France.

• Birth Certificate/ Original + 2 Photocopies

A birth certificate is a piece of document that States the date, month and place of birth. You will definitely need it.
If you don’t have a birth certificate by any reason whatsoever, you can submit an affidavit.

• 2 Recent ID Passport-size Photographs/ Colour, Clear Background

A passport photograph is a portrait picture that shows your real face. Submitting the passport you used during WAEC or 100level in higher institution will not work. Neither will an old passport photograph be accepted from you.
The photographs will be joined to the visa application form.

• France Student Visa application form

Before you ask me how you will get this, don’t worry, I will tell you.
You will get the form from the visa section. So no need to bother yourself.

• WAEC & university certificates and transcripts / Original + 2 photocopies

Yes you will need these documents. Getting them shouldn’t be hard. You could go to a nearest WAEC office to get an original copy or just get a scratch card. Your certificate transcript will be given to you at your higher institution.
The transcripts are very important. Get them !

• Letter of Admission from the French Institution/ Original + 2 Photocopies

My article of How To Apply For France Student Visa From Nigeria will not be possible if you have not been offered an admission in the first place.

Remember before you start this whole application process, a school must have given you an admission letter.
With no admission in a school, you can not apply for a student visa.

• Certificate of Accommodation / Original + 2 Photocopies

You will off course need a place to stay when you get there. The system does not allow you to go and start searching for accommodation. The school must have given you a certificate of accommodation

The certificate of accommodation is compulsory. No Hotel reservation is accepted.

The Accommodation Certificate Must Include

a. your name
b. the address of the accommodation
c. the dates covering the duration of your course.
Another question you might want to ask at this point is what if you already have someone in France who will accommodate you. At least to cut down expenses. It is allowed.
If an individual is offering you accommodation, you will have to submit:
a. a letter of invitation (from the individual)
b. a proof of accommodation (electricity, water, gas bill etc.)
c. a copy of his ID (International passport or national ID)

• Attestation of sponsorship and a letter explaining the link with him (family link must be attested with births certificates) / Original + 2 photocopies

If you are sponsoring yourself, you do not need this document.

• 2 photocopies of the International passport of the sponsor
If not the International Passport, the national ID card. No other IDs are accepted.

• All proofs of yours or the sponsor’s financial status : bank statement (Last 3 months) , salary , act of property etc… / Originals + 2 photocopies

• Travel Insurance (3 Months)/ Original + 2 photocopies

• Plane ticket (Reservation) / Original + 2 photocopies
All the official will require from you is just the booking. DON’T PAY the ticket until you have the visa.

2. What is the Preliminary Interview all About?

The aim of the interview is to assess the educational project of the candidate and to pre-check his file. They will check the eligibility status and other documents carefully.

The Visa section will do a thorough assessment and have the authority to make the final decision of giving (or not) the visa. You can run the preliminary interview only at the “Institut Francais du Nigeria”, Abuja French Institute in Abuja with the program officer.

3. What do I do After the Preliminary Interview?

You have done the interview, so what is the next thing to do.

After your interview, and if (and only if) your entire file is complete, you can submit it at the visa section in Lagos or Abuja. From the moment you submit your file, it takes the visa section approximately 10 working days to process your visa.

That is how to apply for France Student Visa From Nigeria from start to finish. Just make sure you already secured an admission in a University over there and then go on to apply for your student Visa.

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