Bachelor's Programs

The high rate of cultural and technological development features of France attracts lots of international students from all around the globe. France's reputation in the field of higher education makes it as one of the most sought-after education center in the world. French higher education system has a number of encouraging factors that make it very successful and attractive among overseas students. In particular, a wide range of institutions available in the two major categories namely 'universities' and 'grandes écoles' (competitive institutes of France). There are specialist schools too that offer lots of academic program options to the international students community.

The universities and other higher institutes in France offer undergraduate or bachelor's degree programs that provide basic technological and professional coursework and cover all disciplinary fields. The "grandes écoles" and specialist schools offer programs leading to specific professions: engineering, management, arts, architecture, law, public administration and health. These institutions can be either public or private. The degrees offered by the public institutions and most of the private institutions are subject to educational supervision by the French government and are recognized officially. Foreign students may enter any of these establishments. The French higher education system offers both short and long programs. University studies in Frence consist of three programs:

• A first program leading to a bachelor's degree after three years of advanced studies.
• A second program, leading the first to get an advanced diploma after one year.
• Then to one of two postgraduate diplomas, the DEA or DESS, which are awarded two years after the bachelor's degree. These two postgraduate diplomas in turn confer a master's or a postgraduate degree.
• The third program leads to the doctorate three years after the DEA postgraduate degree.

Admission to any undergraduate or bachelor's programs in the universities and 'grandes écoles' (competitive institutes of France) in France is a highly competitive procedure. The students will have to clear the entrance examination conducted separately in respective higher educational Institutes or Universities. However, as the different higher Institutes follow different guidelines, international students are advised to clearly check for the exact details. The 'grandes écoles' also admit both foreign and French students on the basis of their past academic merits and qualifications of the students.