Finding the programme for you is easy
Before applying, you must always check the content of the courses, the prerequisites, the language of instruction...
There are several programme catalogues that can help you select the programme that corresponds to your level and area of studies in French higher education.
To find a programme, you can use the catalogues to view programmes and check the prerequisites, the content of the courses, the fit with your previous degree, the opportunities for employment, etc...
The programme catalogues present 36,000 programmes in more than 3,000 higher education establishments in France, covering all levels.
How it works
Step 1: Choose the level of study you wish to obtain (License or Master).
- L2 = 2-year cycle (ex: BTS, CPGE, DUT / BUT.). Depending on the programme and the studies you have already completed, you can enter the 1st year (L1) or 2nd year (L2)
- L3 = Licence (national degree) = 3-year cycle. Depending on the programme and the studies you have already completed, you can enter the 1st year (L1) or 2nd year (L2) or 3rd year (L3)
- M1 = The first year of a Master's level programme
- M2 = Master (national degree) = 2-year cycle. Depending on the programme and the studies you have already completed (if you have an honour's for example), you can enter the 1st year (M1) or 2nd year (M2)
Step 2: Then filter by keyword, the field of study and subfield, or by region. To help you, you can consult the study-field information sheets.
Step 3: Access the website of the chosen institution and check the prerequisites and the application conditions.
You can also consult the information sheets on the institutions.
Check the prerequisites carefully: level of studies required, cost, language of instruction, etc.
The courses that you choose must be consistent with your study plan and as coherent as possible!
Degree equivalence
Before searching for a programme in France, make sure that you have the correct academic background!
If you have your matric (NSC/ IEB/ equivalent) and you are permitted to study a Bachelor's degree in SA, you can study a Licence, BTS, CPGE, BUT, etc in France.
In this table, you can see what you can study in France, based on your academic background:
| SA qualification | NQF level | French equivalent | Access to French degree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matric | 4 | Baccalauréat | Licence/ Bac+1/ etc |
| Diploma | 6 | BTS/ CPGE/ Bac+2 | Licence 3/ Bac+3 |
| Advanced Diploma/ Bachelors | 7 | Licence/ Bac+3 | Master 1/ Bac+4 |
| Honours | 8 | M1/ Bac+4 | Master 2/ Bac+5 |
| Masters | 9 | M2/ Bac+5 | PhD/ Bac+6 |
Finding a Bachelor's level programme
If you are looking for a Bachelor's level programme, check the catalogue of Bachelor's programmes (updated in January, March and October).
You can study towards several degrees at the undergraduate level (1st-year undergraduate, 2nd-year undergraduate or 3rd-year undergraduate):
- The DU (Diplôme d’Université - University Degree) is awarded after one year of studies and certifies 60 ECTS credits.
- The BTS (Brevet de Technicien Supérieur - 2-year technical degree), CPGE (Classes Préparatoires aux Grandes Ecoles - Preparatory Classes for the Grandes Ecoles) and DMA (Diplôme des Métiers d’Art - Arts & Crafts Degree) are equivalent to two year's of studies at the Bachelor's level and certify 120 ECTS credits.
- The licence, licences professionnelles, Bachelor's, DNA (Diplôme National d’Art - Arts Degree) and DEEA (Diplôme d’Études En Architecture - Architecture Degree) are equivalent to a three year bachelor's and certify 180 ECTS credits.
Finding a Master's level programme
To find a programme at the Master's level, the Campus France Master's catalogue (updated in January, March and October) can help you.
You can study towards several degrees at a Master's level (graduate level):
- The engineering degrees, MiM (Master in Management), MSc (Master of Science), DNSEP (Diplôme National Supérieur d’Expression Plastique - Higher National Degree in Visual Expression) and State architecture degrees certifying five years of studies, for a level equivalent to a Master's, and certifying 300 ECTS credits.
- The specialist Masters (Grandes Ecoles) and the MBA (Master of Business Administration) are equivalent to one year of post-master's specialisation, for a sixth year of studies.
You can also choose an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree (EMJMD). Have a look at the online catalogue of programs that will offer a UE-sponsored scholarship.
An Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree (EMJMD), is a prestigious international study programme, jointly delivered by an international consortium of higher education institutions. EMJMDs award EU-funded scholarships to the best student candidates applying under annual selection rounds.
Taking a programme in English in France
To find out which programmes are given in English, check the catalogue Programs Taught in English.
It lists more than 1600 programmes that are wholly or partially taught in English and that you can take in a French institution of higher education.
Finding a Doctoral level programme
To find where to do a Doctorate, check our "Research" portal. It lists the Doctoral schools and has a number of Doctoral programmes, Master's and Post-Doctorate internships.
In general, a Doctorate is prepared in a Doctoral school which is attached to a university. More and more engineering and some management Grandes Ecoles also confer Doctorates, in association with a Doctoral school. Check our article on how the Doctorate works in France to find out more.
Tip for finding PhD opportunities in English: If you cannot find something suitable in the above catalogue, don’t hesitate to use the English Programmes Catalogue to identify universities with English-taught programmes in your field. This is almost a guarantee that the university will have English PhD opportunities in your field too.
Finding an arts programme
If you would like to enrol in a programme in the arts, you can check the CampusArt catalogue.
It lists all arts training for FLE (French as a foreign language) + Art preparatory classes, Bachelor's, Master's, post-master's or Doctorate offered by institutes that are members of the CampusArt network.
Doing a cultural or language stay or a short programme
To do a cultural and language stay or take a short programme, check the catalogue of short programmes and summer schools.
It is available in three languages (English, French and Spanish), and offers more than 150 sport and cultural activities. A search engine and interactive map of France will help you make your choice according to your level of French or field of study.
Se former en ligne ou à distance
MOOC (Massive Online Open Courses), SPOC (Small Private Open Courses), FOAD (Formation Ouvertes A Distance - remote open training)... there are many ways for you to take online and correspondence programme from home. Consultez notre article pour en savoir plus.
FIND YOUR ONLINE DEGREE PROGRAMME FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2020
Registering to an online degree programme from a French higher education institution is currently the best way to get to know the campus of the institution that will welcome you for the academic year 2020/2021, if you cannot come to France because of the epidemic situation in your country. Check out the “Back to school – online-2020” catalogue, to find a 100% online degree programme or a hybrid degree programme (both onsite and online).
This catalogue describes 600+ training courses in French or English offered by French higher education institutions and cover the main fields of engineering, administration, management, law, finance, IT, urban planning, design, and more, at all levels, mainly in Master and post-Master courses.
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