- Residents of Ghana admitted to a French institution, including admissions obtained outside the platform like an AI2 offer, must complete the Études en France procedure before the visa.
- The Études en France fee is GHS 700, paid into the Institut français du Ghana account at Société Générale Ghana, then declared and receipted.
- Campus France Ghana has two offices, in Accra and Kumasi, and holds a pre-consular interview once your payment is validated.
- Visa files go to the VFS Global centre at One Airport Square, Accra, by appointment; the visa section of the French Embassy in Accra decides.
- Show resources of at least €877.50 a month, on top of tuition, and validate your visa on the ANEF portal within three months of arrival.
Applying for a French student visa from Ghana in 2027? There are two procedures to complete in order: Études en France with Campus France Ghana, then the long-stay student visa through France-Visas and VFS Global in Accra. This guide walks a Ghanaian student admitted to AI2 through both, with the payment rules that catch many applicants out.
It is based on what Campus France Ghana and France-Visas publish for applicants in Ghana. Amounts in cedis and appointment rules change; use this page to prepare, and confirm on the official pages before every payment.
🎓 Next step: read our guide to the MSc in AI in France in English, and see the most affordable English-taught master’s in Europe.
Step by step from Ghana
Apply to AI2, attend the online interview and receive your admission letter.
Create your account on the Études en France platform with your personal details, your latest qualification and the AI2 programme you were admitted to.
Pay the GHS 700 fee into the Institut français du Ghana account, then upload or declare the receipt.
Book and attend your pre-consular interview with Campus France Ghana in Accra or Kumasi.
Complete the long-stay student visa form on France-Visas and upload the supporting documents.
Book an appointment on the VFS Global website, then attend One Airport Square in Accra with your file.
After arrival, validate the visa online within three months and register with the French health insurance.
Campus France Ghana: Études en France for admitted students
Why an AI2 offer still goes through Campus France
Campus France Ghana explains that if you reside in Ghana and have obtained admission into a French higher education institution, you must follow the Études en France procedure first, then the student visa procedure. Its page on admissions obtained outside Études en France is the one that applies to AI2 students, because your offer comes directly from the school rather than through the platform’s programme cart.
Paying the GHS 700 fee correctly
After your account is created, you pay the GHS 700 fee to the account of the Institut français du Ghana at Société Générale Ghana. Campus France Ghana’s instructions are precise, and mistakes delay validation:
- Write the payment description in the format requested by Campus France Ghana, with your Études en France number and your full name as on your ID.
- Ask the bank for the transaction number: it is needed to validate the payment.
- If a relative pays for you, the details given to the bank must be yours, the applicant’s, not the depositor’s.
- Upload the receipt on the platform, and email it to Campus France Ghana if asked, so the payment can be traced.
Holders of a French government or European Union scholarship, and holders of a French Baccalauréat, are exempt from the fee. Campus France Ghana’s 2027/2028 guidance prefers cash deposit because it is easier to trace; follow the method shown on your own portal.
The pre-consular interview
Once the payment is validated, you receive a notification giving the date and time of your interview. In its 2027/2028 guidance, Campus France Ghana describes its Études en France interview as lasting 25 to 30 minutes and covering three topics: your educational background, your study project and the reasons for your choice, and your career plans. Prepare a clear, honest account of how your diploma leads to your AI2 programme; our Campus France interview questions help you practise.
Two offices
Campus France Ghana has an office in Accra and one in Kumasi, for applicants closer to the Ashanti region; both can be reached by phone or WhatsApp, and by email at the addresses listed on the Campus France Ghana site. For English-taught programmes, documents already in English do not need a French translation.
VFS Global in Accra and the French Embassy
France-Visas states that visa applications in Ghana, except those on diplomatic and service passports, must be submitted at the VFS Global centre at One Airport Square, Airport City, Accra. An appointment on the VFS Global website is mandatory and includes a pre-payment of the service fee; Campus France Ghana’s visa page mentions a GHS 301 payment by mobile money or bank deposit to validate the appointment. Check the amount shown when you book.
Applications are then examined by the visa section of the French Embassy in Accra, the only authority that decides. Two practical rules from France-Visas matter for students: the visa section only accepts documents in French or English, and for long-stay visas you should allow at least one month between submission and departure, with submission possible up to six months before travel. Applicants from Kumasi, Tamale or Takoradi therefore plan a trip to Accra for biometrics.
| Stage | Where | Cost or rule |
|---|---|---|
| Études en France account | Online platform | Personal details, latest qualification, AI2 programme |
| Fee payment | Société Générale Ghana, Institut français account | GHS 700, applicant’s details on the slip |
| Pre-consular interview | Campus France Ghana, Accra or Kumasi | Booked after the payment is validated |
| Visa form | France-Visas portal | Visa fee shown on France-Visas |
| File and biometrics | VFS Global, One Airport Square, Accra | Appointment with service-fee pre-payment |
| Decision | Visa section, French Embassy in Accra | Documents in French or English only |
Documents to prepare in Ghana
- Passport valid for your whole stay; Campus France Ghana also accepts the Ghana Card or Voter’s ID for identification on the platform, but the visa requires a passport.
- AI2 admission letter and the enrolment certificate once the deposit is paid.
- Official transcripts and certificates from high school to date, such as WASSCE results, HND or degree certificates; unofficial transcripts are not accepted by Campus France Ghana.
- Proof of resources: at least €877.50 a month, about €10,530 a year, by bank certificate, sponsor attestation with proof of income, or scholarship letter.
- Accommodation for your first weeks and travel insurance until you join the French health insurance.
- CV and motivation written in the language of the programme, English for AI2.
Holders of an HND from a Ghanaian technical university can apply for AI2’s one-year BSc final year; see the top-up degree after an HND. Tuition and living costs for the funds calculation are in the cost of studying AI in France.
A realistic calendar from Accra
| Intake | Apply to AI2 | Campus France and VFS | Arrive |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2027 | By the 31 October 2026 priority deadline | Complete visa file by 30 November 2026 | Early January |
| May 2027 | November 2026 to February 2027 | Start Études en France as soon as the letter arrives | Late April or early May |
| September 2027 | January to May 2027 | Lodge at VFS at least one month before departure | Late August or early September |
Do not confuse these dates with the Campus France Ghana deadlines for students applying to universities through the platform, such as 8 January 2027 for Master’s applications: those apply to programme-cart applications, not to an admission already obtained from AI2.
After you arrive
Validate your VLS-TS on the ANEF portal within three months and pay the €100 tax. If you leave France after those three months without validating it, Campus France warns you will need a new visa to return. Then register with the French health insurance, open a bank account and settle in; the first steps are on life in France.
Avoid a refusal
A refusal usually comes from funds that are unclear or not in the right name, a study plan that does not follow from your diploma, or an interview that does not match your file. Read the most common reasons for a French student visa rejection. Visa guides by country: Nigeria.
Sources checked in October 2026: Campus France: countries using the Études en France procedure · Campus France Ghana: visa for admissions outside Études en France · Campus France Ghana: 2027/2028 procedure, payment and interview · France-Visas: Ghana, VFS Global Accra (version of December 2025) · Service-Public: student visa, resources and validation · Campus France: validating your VLS-TS on arrival
Frequently asked questions
Do I need Campus France if AI2 admitted me directly?
Yes. Campus France Ghana states that residents of Ghana admitted to a French institution, including admissions obtained outside the Études en France platform, must complete the Études en France procedure before applying for the visa.
How much is the Études en France fee in Ghana?
GHS 700, paid into the Institut français du Ghana account at Société Générale Ghana. French government or EU scholarship holders and French Baccalauréat holders are exempt.
Where do I submit my student visa in Ghana?
At the VFS Global centre, One Airport Square, Airport City, Accra, after booking an appointment on the VFS Global website. The visa section of the French Embassy in Accra takes the decision.
How long is the Campus France Ghana interview?
Campus France Ghana describes it as 25 to 30 minutes, covering your educational background, your study project and your career plans.
Does an AI2 admission guarantee a visa?
No. AI2 provides the admission documents and guidance, but only the French Embassy in Accra decides on visas.
Also read: study AI in France from Ghana · study AI in France from Accra · visa guidance.
Apply online: the academic team reviews your file and invites you to an online interview.
