Campus France India is your mandatory first step for a French student visa. Here are the Études en France steps, the ₹20,000 fee, all the official offices, the interview and the mistakes that cost Indian students time.
In short: Campus France India runs Études en France, the mandatory first step for a long-stay student visa from India. You open your file on the platform, a manager at your nearest Campus France office reviews it, you pay the ₹20,000 fee only after validation, and you attend an interview if one applies. An automated email then tells you to book VFS Global. Campus France India does not issue any NOC.
15 November 2026: last day for the €11,000 Fast-Track rate. 30 November: priority deadline and complete visa file. 15 December: enrolment with deposit closes. Campus France India asks for your file at least three months before the intake, so May and September 2027 are also open.
What does Campus France India do?
Campus France is the official French agency that promotes higher education in France, and its India team works with the Alliance Française network and the French Embassy. For Indian students it does two things: free counselling, and the Études en France procedure that leads to your visa. It reviews your file and your study project. It does not admit you to a school, and it does not decide on your visa: the French consulates do.
You need Études en France for a long-stay student visa. Campus France India says students applying for a short-stay visa of less than 90 days do not need it.
Campus France India: step by step
The full visa checklist, with fees and timelines by intake, is in our France student visa from India guide.
How much does Campus France India cost?
The Études en France fee is ₹20,000, effective from 1 August 2026, up from ₹18,500. Payment can only be made after your file is validated. Campus France India warns that the increased fee is your responsibility if your file is not completed on time.
| Item | Amount | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Études en France fee | ₹20,000 | Paid after validation, through the official link only |
| Campus France counselling | Free | Available at your nearest desk |
| VFS service fee | Set in euros | Paid in rupees, also paid by scholarship holders |
| Long-stay visa fee | Set in euros | Not refunded if the visa is refused |
Who is exempt? Campus France India exempts French Government scholars (Eiffel, MOPGA), Charpak scholars, YUDAP scholars, co-financed and Franco-Indian Education Trust scholars, and Erasmus Mundus scholars from the Études en France and visa fees. Raman-Charpak fellows are exempt from the visa fee only. All of them still pay the VFS service fee. See scholarships for Indian students.
Campus France offices in India
Write to the office for your state. Campus France India lists these desks, most of them at the local Alliance Française:
| City | Address | |
|---|---|---|
| Ahmedabad | Alliance Française Ahmedabad, Himali Tower Lane, Manekbaug Shyamal Road, Ahmedabad 380015 | ahmedabad@india-campusfrance.org |
| Bengaluru | Alliance Française de Bangalore, 108 Thimmaiah Road, Vasanth Nagar, Bengaluru 560052 | bangalore@india-campusfrance.org, bangalore2@india-campusfrance.org |
| Chandigarh | Alliance Française de Chandigarh, Hibiscus Garden Road, Sector 36-A, Chandigarh 160036 | chandigarh@india-campusfrance.org |
| Chennai | Bureau de France, 6th Floor, Bannari Amman Towers, Dr Radha Krishnan Salai, Mylapore, Chennai 600004 | cf.chennai@india-campusfrance.org, chennai@india-campusfrance.org |
| Hyderabad | Alliance Française Hyderabad, Plot 4, Aurora Colony, Road 3, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad 500034 | hyderabad@india-campusfrance.org |
| Kochi | Alliance Française de Trivandrum à Cochin (Annex), 4th floor, Chavara Cultural Centre, Karikkamuri Cross Road, Kochi | kochi@india-campusfrance.org |
| Kolkata | Alliance Française du Bengale, Flat 15, 57A Park Mansions, Park Street, Kolkata 700016 | kolkata@india-campusfrance.org |
| Mumbai | Alliance Française de Bombay, Churchgate Chambers, 5 New Marine Lines, Churchgate, Mumbai 400020 | mumbai@india-campusfrance.org (Mumbai, North Maharashtra), mumbai2@india-campusfrance.org (Mumbai, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh) |
| New Delhi | Alliance Française de Delhi, 72 KK Birla Lane, Lodhi Estate; French Institute in India, 2 Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Marg | newdelhi@india-campusfrance.org (NCR, Haryana), delhi@india-campusfrance.org (Uttar Pradesh), cf.delhi@india-campusfrance.org (Rajasthan) |
| Pune | Alliance Française de Pune, Kala Chhaya Campus, 270-D Patrakar Nagar Road, off Senapati Bapat Road, Pune 411016 | pune@india-campusfrance.org |
The Bhopal office is closed: Campus France India directs its queries to mumbai2@india-campusfrance.org. For New Delhi, it asks you to address your email to all three managers for a faster reply. City details are in our guides for Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Delhi NCR.
What happens at the Campus France interview?
The manager asks you to explain your reasons for choosing France and your institution. Your photocopies are checked against your originals and returned to you, with an interview completion certificate. Prepare three simple answers: why this programme follows from your degree or job, why France, and how you will fund the whole stay. The dates, marks and amounts you give must match your documents. Practise with our Campus France interview questions.
When should you start?
Two official rules set your calendar: the Études en France file goes in at least three months before the intake, and the visa application goes in one to six months before departure. Applied to AI2’s 2027 intakes:
| Intake | Études en France file by | Latest VFS submission |
|---|---|---|
| February 2027 | Early November 2026 | Late December 2026 |
| May 2027 | Early February 2027 | Late March 2027 |
| September 2027 | Early June 2027 | Late July 2027 |
These dates are an AI2 calculation, assuming you fly a week before classes. For February 2027 at AI2, the priority deadline and the complete visa file are due on 30 November 2026, and enrolment with the deposit closes on 15 December 2026.
Mistakes that cost Indian students time
- Paying before validation. The payment link only comes after your file is validated.
- Using an agency’s payment link. Campus France India tells you to use the official platform link only.
- Waiting for an NOC. There is none. The signal is the automated email.
- Booking VFS too early. Book only after that email.
- Mismatched documents. Spelling, dates and marks must match across your passport, mark sheets, CV and file.
- Low funds. The minimum rose from €615 to €877.50 a month on 1 August 2026. That is about ₹93,200 a month, or ₹11.18 lakh for twelve months, at the RBI reference rate of 29 October 2026. See proof of funds.
If you have a doubt about a school or a contract, Campus France India invites you to reach out for a free counselling session. Check any French qualification before you pay a deposit: here is how AI2’s titles are recognised.
Studying AI at AI2 through Campus France India
AI2, the Applied Institute of Artificial Intelligence, teaches its Bachelor and MSc programmes 100% in English at Écouen, 22 minutes from Paris Gare du Nord. There is no GRE, and admission rests on your file and an online interview. English at B2 is expected, shown by IELTS 6.0, TOEFL iBT 72 or equivalent. Each MSc prepares a title registered in the RNCP at Level 7, recognised by the French State. AI2 includes visa guidance for every student.
| Your degree | AI2 format | Tuition | Rupees (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Three-year B.Sc, BCA or similar | MSc, 2 years | Year 1 €12,500, from €10,500 | from ₹11.15 lakh |
| Related four- or five-year degree | MSc direct entry, 18 months | €13,000 single fee, from €11,300 | from ₹12.00 lakh |
| Accredited B.Tech or BE, plus Python, statistics and SQL | Fast-Track Data Science, 11 months, February 2027 | €12,500, or €11,000 before 15 November 2026 | ₹11.68 lakh before 15 November |
| Class 12 with mathematics | Bachelor in Applied AI | €9,000 a year in Years 1 and 2 | ₹9.56 lakh a year |
Rupee amounts use €1 = ₹106.2145, the FBIL reference rate on the RBI site for 29 October 2026. They are rounded and indicative. Start with our guides to the MS in AI in France for Indian students and the cost of studying in France.
Starting soon? Read our guide to the February 2027 intake for a master’s in AI in France: routes, deadlines and budget in rupees.
Frequently asked questions
What is Campus France India?
It is the official French agency’s team in India. It gives free counselling and runs Études en France, the mandatory procedure before a long-stay student visa.
How much is the Campus France fee in India?
The Études en France fee is ₹20,000, effective from 1 August 2026, up from ₹18,500. Pay it only after your file is validated, through the link sent by the official platform.
Is Campus France mandatory for Indian students?
Yes, for a long-stay student visa. Students applying for a short-stay visa of less than 90 days do not need Études en France.
Does Campus France India issue an NOC?
No. After the interview, you receive an automated email stating that you can proceed to VFS.
Where are the Campus France offices in India?
In Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune. The Bhopal office is closed, and its queries go to Mumbai.
When should I submit my Études en France file?
As soon as you hold an unconditional acceptance letter, and at least three months before the intake.
Is the Campus France interview in person?
Campus France India says you appear in person at the slot allotted to you, where an interview applies. Bring all originals, one set of photocopies and the fee receipt.
Is the Campus France fee refunded if my visa is refused?
Do not plan on it. Campus France India accepts refund requests only from certain scholarship holders, and students who stop the procedure after paying are not reimbursed.
Does Campus France decide on my visa?
No. It reviews your file and study project. The decision belongs to the French consular authorities.
Last checked on 2 November 2026 against the official sources listed below. Rules and fees change, so confirm them with Campus France India before you pay.
Official sources: Campus France India: application procedure · Campus France India: preparing the visa application · Campus France India: fee notice · Campus France India: €877.50 announcement · Campus France India: offices · France-Visas: India · Service-Public: student visa and resources · Reserve Bank of India: FBIL reference rates
Tell AI2 your degree: admissions confirms your format, tuition and scholarship in writing, then supports your Campus France and visa steps.
