Overview of Higher Online Education in France

Overview of Higher Online Education in France

The higher education system in France includes large broad-based public universities and smaller specialized schools that may be public or private. The public universities and schools are fully funded by the government aside from minimal registration fees paid by students. In addition to degree-granting universities and schools, France has a strong vocational program that focuses on manufacturing, trades and services. These programs are referred to as short programs, last two to three years and include internships.

University-level degrees are awarded at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral level and are considered equivalent to these degrees in many other countries. More than 35 percent of the French population earns a bachelor's degree or higher from a post-secondary school.

Types of Schools and Degrees

Over 90 public universities and over 170 professional schools offer a full spectrum of post-secondary education. The universities offer a wide array of degree programs while professional schools, also referred to as specialized schools, train students for a professional career in a particular subject area. These schools, which may be public or private, are more selective in their admissions and have much smaller enrollments than the universities. Schools known as grandes 退coles are the highest echelon of professional school and have extremely competitive admissions. Most specialize in engineering and business. Two-thirds of students attending post-secondary schools attend public universities.

As a result of the Bologna process of 1999, degrees earned in France are equivalent to those from all other European countries as well as many others. Bachelor's degrees can be earned in three to four years, master's degrees in another one to two years and doctoral degrees in varying amounts of time. Tuition at public universities is free for both citizens and non-citizens other than some minimal fees that usually do not total more than 300 euros a year.

International Students

International students have made up about 11 percent of higher education enrollment in recent years with many students drawn to arts, history and architecture programs. France is one of the most popular countries for international students. The general universities are open to all applicants that qualify to attend a university or college in their own country. The professional or specialized schools are more selective so applicants will need to provide academic records and may need to take entrance exams before being accepted.

International students are admitted to the highly-regarded grandes 退colesbased on their academic record with most students attending only after completion of some post-secondary schooling elsewhere.

Tuition for international students is the same as for citizens and is rarely higher than 300 euros a year. France has a high cost of living so students should plan on having at least 1000 euros per month for living expenses.

Other requirements for international students include:

• French language fluency, which usually needs to be proven via a French language proficiency exam that can usually be taken in one's home country.
• Possession of a student visa.
• Submission of a preliminary application of admission. This must be done onlineby residents of thirty participating countries.

Campus France is a national French agency which promotes French education abroad and has a website with helpful information for international students.

About France

France is the largest country (in area) in the European Union with a population of about 60 million. Over 2 million people reside in the largest city, Paris and 11 million live in the greater metropolitan area of Paris. France includes ten islands and territories including Guadeloupe, Martinique and the largest territory, French Guiana. It is the sixth largest economy in the world and is one of the founding members of the European Union.

France is the most visited tourist destination in the world as people are drawn to its culture of art, food, architecture and historical sites such as the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe and Notre Dame Cathedral. France is rated in the top tier of the United Nations Education Index and Human Development Index.

France Universities

Universit退 de Toulon-Var -- University of the South Toulon Var - Toulon

American University of Paris -- Paris

BEM - Bordeaux Management School -- Bordeaux Management School (BEM) - Bordeaux, Paris

British Institute in Paris, University of London -- University of London Institute in Paris - Paris

Centre universitaire de Formation et de Recherche Jean-Fran瀀ois Champollion -- University Center Jean-Fran瀀ois Champollion - Toulouse

Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales du Nord -- EDHEC Business School - Lille, Nice, Paris

Ecole nationale des Chartes -- National School of the Charters - Paris

Facult退 de Sciences Economiques et de Gestion ր Universit退 Lumi耀re Lyon 2 -- University Lyon 2 - Lyon

Institut catholique d'Etudes sup退rieures -- Catholic Institute of Higher Studies - La Roche-sur-Yon

International Space University -- Illkirch-Graffenstaden

Universit退 Aix-Marseille III -- Universit退 Paul C退zanne Aix-Marseille III - Aix-en-Provence

Universit退 Bordeaux 1 -- University of Bordeaux 1 - Bordeaux

Universit退 Catholique De L'Ouest -- Catholic University of the West - Angers

Universit退 catholique de Lille -- Catholic University of Lille - Lille

Universit退 catholique de Lyon -- Catholic University of Lyon - Lyon

Universit退 d'Aix-Marseille 1 -- University of Provence Aix-Marseille I - Aix-en-Provence, Marseille

Universit退 d'Aix-Marseille 2 -- University of the Mediterranean Aix-Marseille II - Aix-en-Provence, Marseille

Universit退 d'Angers -- University of Angers - Angers

Universit退 d'Artois -- Artois University - Arras

Universit退 d'Auvergne -- University of Auvergne - Clermont-Ferrand

Universit退 d'Avignon -- University of Avignon - Avignon

Universit退 d'Evry -- University of ɀvry Val d'Essonne - ɀvry

Universit退 d'Orl退ans -- University of Orl退ans - Orl退ans

Universit退 de Bordeaux 2 -- Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2 University - Bordeaux

Universit退 de Bourgogne -- University of Burgundy - Dijon

Universit退 de Bretagne Occidentale -- University of Western Brittany - Brest

Universit退 de Bretagne Sud -- University of Southern Brittany - Morbihan

Universit退 de Caen Basse-Normandie -- University of Caen Lower Normandy - Caen

Universit退 de Cergy-Pontoise -- Cergy-Pontoise University - Cergy-Pontoise

Universit退 de Clermont-Ferrand 2 -- Blaise Pascal University - Clermont-Ferrand

Universit退 de Corse -- University of Corsica Pascal Paoli - Corte

Universit退 de Franche-Comt退 -- University of Franche-Comt退 - Besan瀀on

Universit退 de Haute-Alsace -- Haute Alsace University - Colmar, Mulhouse

Universit退 de La Rochelle -- University of La Rochelle - La Rochelle

Universit退 de Lille 2 -- Lille 2 University of Health and Law - Lille

Universit退 de Limoges -- University of Limoges - Limoges

Universit退 de Lyon 1 -- Claude Bernard University Lyon 1 ր Lyon ր The Universite Lyon 1, also known as Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1 was established in 1971... Sometimes the university is referred to as UCBL...

Universit退 de Lyon 2 -- Lumi耀re University Lyon 2 - Lyon

Universit退 de Lyon 3 -- Jean Moulin University Lyon 3 - Lyon

Universit退 de Marne-la-Vall退e -- University of Marne la Vall退e - Marne la Vallee

Universit退 de Metz -- University Paul Verlaine-Metz - Metz

Universit退 de Montpellier 1 -- University of Montpellier 1 - Montpellier

Universit退 de Montpellier 2 -- University of Montpellier 2 ր Montpellier ր The Montpellier 2 University, established in 1970.

Universit退 de Montpellier 3 -- University of Montpellier III Paul Val退ry - Montpellier

Universit退 de Nantes -- University of Nantes - Nantes

Universit退 de Nice - Sophia Antipolis -- University of Nice Sophia Antipolis - Nice

Universit退 de Nmes -- University of Nmes - Nmes

Universit退 de Paris 01 -- University Paris 1 Panth退on-Sorbonne - Paris

Universit退 de Paris 02 -- Pantheon-Assas Paris II University - Paris

Universit退 de Paris 03 -- University of the New Sorbonne - Paris

Universit退 de Paris 04 -- Paris-Sorbonne University - Paris

Universit退 de Paris 05 -- Paris Descartes University - Paris

Universit退 de Paris 06 -- Pierre and Marie Curie University - Paris

Universit退 de Paris 07 -- Paris Diderot University - Paris

Universit退 de Paris 08 -- University of Vincennes in Saint-Denis - Paris

Universit退 de Paris 09 -- Paris Dauphine University - Paris

Universit退 de Paris 10 -- Paris West University Nanterre La D退fense - Nanterre

Universit退 de Paris 11 -- Paris-Sud 11 University - Paris

Universit退 de Paris 12 -- Paris 12 Val de Marne University - Val de Marne

Universit退 de Paris 13 -- University of Paris 13 - Paris

Universit退 de Pau -- University of Pau and Pays de l'Adour - Pau

Universit退 de Perpignan -- University of Perpignan Via Domitia - Perpignan

Universit退 de Picardie Jules Verne -- University of Picardie Jules Verne - Amiens

Universit退 de Poitiers -- University of Poitiers - Poitiers

Universit退 de Reims -- University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne - Reims

Universit退 de Rennes 1 -- University of Rennes 1 - Rennes

Universit退 de Rennes 2 -- University of Rennes 2-Upper Brittany - Rennes

Universit退 de Rouen -- University of Rouen - Rouen

Universit退 de Saint-Etienne -- Jean Monnet University - Saint-ɀtienne

Universit退 de Savoie -- University of Savoy - Chamb退ry

Universit退 de Strasbourg 1 -- University of Strasbourg - Strasbourg

Universit退 de Toulouse 1 -- University Toulouse 1 Capitol - Toulouse

Universit退 de Toulouse 2 -- University of Toulouse II - Toulouse

Universit退 de Toulouse 3 -- Paul Sabatier University - Toulouse

Universit退 de Tours -- Fran瀀ois Rabelais University - Tours

Universit退 de Valenciennes -- University of Valenciennes and Hainaut-Cambresis - Valenciennes

Universit退 de Versailles -- Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines University - Versailles

Universit退 de wallis -- University of Wallis - Wallis

Universit退 du Havre -- University of Le Havre - Le Havre

Universit退 du littoral -- University of the Littoral Opal Coast - Dunkerque

Universit退 du Maine -- University of Maine - Le Mans

Universit退 Grenoble 1 -- Joseph Fourier University - Grenoble

Universit退 Grenoble 2 -- Pierre Mend耀s-France University - Grenoble

Universit退 Lille 3 -- Charles de Gaulle University-Lille III - Lille

Universit退 Michel de Montaigne -- Michel de Montaigne University Bordeaux 3 - Bordeaux

Universit退 Montesquieu - Bordeaux IV -- University Montesquieu-Bordeaux IV - Bordeaux

Universit退 Nancy 1 -- Henri Poincar退 University - Nancy

Universit退 Nancy 2 -- Nancy University 2 - Nancy

Universit退 Panth退on Sorbonne (Paris1) -- Sorbonne Graduate Business School - Paris

Universit退 Stendhal -- Stendhal University Grenoble 3 - Grenoble

Universit退 UCO Bretagne Nord -- UCO Northern Brittany - Guingamp