When they graduate from secondary school, students have the choice between a short education leading quickly to a profession, and a long education in a University or a « Grande Ecole ».
The French higher education system has changed since the « LMD reform » (Licence, Master, Doctorat) has been implemented, especially for long education.
 Short education :
« DUT » and « BTS »: (2 years)
Students can prepare a « Diplôme Universitaire de Technologie » (DUT) in two years within a « Institut Universitaire de Technologie » in a university or they can prepare a « Brevet de Technicien Supérieur » in two years in a secondary school (lycée). These diplomas, which integrate internships in the curriculum, give the students professional skills in two years in a particular field (communication, chemistry, business, agriculture, etc.).
For more information, vist the French Ministery of Education's web site (in French only).
« Licence professionnelle »: (1 year)
Students can apply for a « Licence professionnelle » if they have studied for two years before and obtained a DUT, BTS degree, or a « DEUG degree »
This diploma, which integrate internships in the curriculum, also aims at giving students professional skills in a particular field.
More information (in French only).
With the « LMD » reform, the « DUT » and « BTS » diplomas haven't changed. Neither has the « Licence professionnelle » now integreted in the system and opened to the students who have accumulated 120 credits.
Long education :
The first years in a University aim at giving students a general acknowledgement and they specialize afterwards.
The reform, known as « LMD » reorganizes all the university degrees, to harmonize and facilitate comparison among Europe’s higher education programs.
The French system is now organized around three degrees:
- Licence in 3 years
- Master in 2 years
- Doctorat in 3 years
The studies are composed of Training Units (UE) accompanied by transferable credits between French and European universities which allow a certain flexibility inside the curriculum.
The « Licence », equivalent to a Bachelor, corresponds to 180 credits and the Master to an additional 120 credits. The objective is to facilitate student mobility during and after the degree.
The Master is achieved in 4 semesters. It splits into two alternate paths: professional and research. The doctorate is unchanged.
More information
Check out our web page about the comparison between French and Canadian education systems to have a quick look on equivalences.
How to register ?
For registration in higher academic cycles in a university (for a master or a doctorate), in high schools (« Grande Ecole »), in specialized schools and in short academic studies, students must apply for registration directly to the school of their choice.
Canadian students with an high school degree who want to register for the first academic cycle in an university have to follow a special procedure. They have to apply for a "demande d'admission préalable" (asking for a preliminary acceptance) one year before the beginning of the new school year.
When to request the application form preliminary acceptance?
The form can be downloaded from the web site of the French Ministry of Education. You can also pick up this form in the Consulate. The downloaded form must be confirmed and stamped by the Consulate.
Deadline for submission of the form:
Return the form to the Cultural Service of the French Consulate in Vancouver by January 31st with the following documents :
- A letter explaining why you wish to study in France
- A copy of your secondary-school diploma translated in French by your school or a certified translator. The diploma must confer access to higher education in your country. If the diploma has not yet been awarded, submit a certified copy of your transcripts.
- A French translation of your birth certificate
- 2 international postal response coupons
- 4 self-addressed enveloppes: three standard size enveloppes (one of them has to be franked with a local first class stamp) + one A4 enveloppe
What happens next ?
- You may be asked to take a language proficiency test. The cultural service of the French Consulate will let you know where the test takes place (usually in the nearest Alliance Française from your home)
- Your preliminary application and the results of your French proficiency test will be sent to the first university of your choice.
- The first university will inform you of its decision before April 31st . If you are not admitted, your application will be sent to your second choice.
- The second university will notify you of its decision before May 31st . If you are accepted you will receive a letter of admission to be presented when you register for classes. If you are not admitted, your application will be sent to your third choice which should give you a response before June 30th .
If not, you may contact the university which didn't repond to your application. Enclose with your mail a self-adressed enveloppe. There is no possibility of appealing if neither university offers you admission.
For more information about the procedure and about documents you have to provide, check out the web site of the French Ministery of Education .
CAMPUSFRANCE
CampusFrance is the French national Agency, which has for mandate to promote its higher education through international, educationnal and scientific exchanges. This agency can help you with the administrative formalities, to plan your stay and provides you with an assistance in France. CampusFrance charges fees for its services. For more information : www.canada.campusfrance.org
List of the Universities and "Grandes Ecoles" in France
The web site of EGIDE offers a detailed list of French « Grandes Ecoles » and universities and also a list of private universities and a selection of business schools.
The French Ministry of Education also offers a complete list of French "grandes écoles" and universities (in French Only), with their adress and a link on their web site.
Agreements between French and Canadian schools:
Some students can be exempted from the « demande d'admission préalable » procedure: the ones going to France thanks to an agreement between their school and a French school, scholarship.
Some « Grandes Ecoles » and universities in France have signed an agreement with Western Canada universities. By clicking on the name of the schools, you will obtain some useful information about the two partners.
University of British Columbia – UBC
Simon Fraser University – SFU
University of Victoria
University of Alberta
University of Calgary
To know all the agreements between French and Canadians schools, check out the French Ministery of Foreign Affairs
Equivalences of Canadian degrees :
Before registering in a French school, you have to ask for the acknowledgement of your degree. There is no automatic equivalence between foreign and French degrees delivered by the Ministry of Education. Each school makes its own decision. Therefore, you have to ask directly to the school of your choice. This equivalence depends on several criterias. Among them: compatibility between the 2 degrees, language level, places available in the school...
Engineering degree : France and Canada have signed an agreement on accreditation of engineering's training. Canadian students with a degree certified by the BCAPI and recognized as graduated engineers will be allowed in France to use the title of engineer.
Studies exemption : if you have a university post-graduate degree and you want to follow your studies in a French "grande école" or university, you can ask for a studies exemption to the school you are interested in. For that, you have to provide the school of your choice with a presentation of your degrees, a translation in French of these degrees and a description of your degree course. A pedagogical commission will make a decision about this exemption in order to allow you or not to get an equivalence. For some studies, the procedure can be different.
Check out the web site of the French Ministry of Education for more information (in French only).
The web site of EGIDE also offers explanations and advice about recognition of foreign degrees (In French only).
The Canadian Information Center for International Credentials offers information for Canadian planning to study abroad. These web pages explain how to get a recognition in Canada for the foreing credentials. Web site.
Scholarships
To help your stay in France, you can try to get a scholarship. The French Ministery of Foreign Affairs' web site offers a list of the main scholarships for Canadian students going to France.
The Web site of EGIDE also offers a list of scolarships for foreign students.
For scientists and researchers, the web site of the scientist section of the French Embassy in Ottawa, the "Hyperlab", offers web pages about exchanges between France and Canada, internships, scholarships... (in French only)
Information about visas :
Useful information :
- How to find accomodation? Where to buy food? Leisures in France? What about the health care?... Simple questions but not easy to find an answer for all of them. Web pages "vivre en France" of the web site of EGIDE help you to know more about the daily life in France.(In French only).
- If you are interested in learning more about French history, geography, culture, society... check out "Profile of France", a quite complete description of our country available on the well-built web site of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- The Centre National Des Oeuvres Universitaires et Scolaires (CNOUS) offers for free to foreign students going to France a complete guide of 240 pages, " I'm going to France ". This book explains in detail studies and daily life in France. You can ask the Consulate General of France in Vancouver to receive this brochure. Our adress is:
Consulate General of France
1130 West Pender Street - #1100
Vancouver, B.C., V6E 4A4
Tel : (604) 681 4345, ext. 232 / email adress: culturel@consulfrance-vancouver.org |
