Applying for a French student visa from Nigeria in 2027? The process has two parts: the Campus France procedure (Études en France), then the long-stay student visa. Here is the full path, the documents and the timeline for Nigerian students admitted to an English-taught programme.
For residents of Nigeria the student visa has two stages: Campus France Nigeria checks your Études en France file and interviews you, then TLScontact receives your visa application for the French consular services. Below is each stage as it works today, including a recent restriction in Abuja.
Step by step
Get your admission letter; at AI2, after a file review and an online interview.
Create your account on Études en France and complete your academic file.
Attend your Campus France Nigeria interview; prepare with our Campus France interview questions.
Book your long-stay student visa (VLS-TS) appointment through France-Visas.
Submit your documents and biometrics, then wait for the decision.
After arrival, validate your visa on the ANEF portal within three months and register with the French health insurance.
Documents to prepare
- Valid passport.
- Admission letter from your French institution.
- Completed Études en France procedure.
- Proof of resources: at least €877.50 a month (about €10,530 a year), from savings, a sponsor or a scholarship.
- Proof of accommodation for your first months; see student accommodation in Paris.
- Academic transcripts and English proof.
- Photos and the visa fee.
Always check the official checklist on France-Visas and Campus France Nigeria before your appointment: requirements can change.
Avoid a refusal
Most refusals come from unclear funds, an incoherent study plan or a weak interview. Read the 12 most common reasons for a French student visa rejection.
The Nigerian procedure, stage by stage
Stage 1: your Études en France file
- Create an account on the Études en France platform. Campus France Nigeria recommends doing this in the Mozilla Firefox browser.
- Choose the route for applicants who already hold an admission, complete the personal, education and language sections, and upload your documents. Photos must stay under 50 KB and other files under 300 KB, so compress your PDFs first.
- Submit the file to Campus France Nigeria. Once it is validated, you are asked to pay the Campus France fee: NGN 50,000 for regular students, NGN 15,000 for Nigerian scholarship beneficiaries, and nothing for French Government scholarship holders.
- Declare the payment on the platform. When it has been confirmed, you can book your interview.
Stage 2: the Campus France interview
Interviews are held by the Campus France office for your region: the Institut Français in Wuse 2, Abuja, for the North, or the Alliance Française in Ikoyi, Lagos, for the South. Before the day, fill in the long-stay visa application form on France-Visas and bring two colour copies. Campus France Nigeria uses this meeting to check your visa documents, so bring the full set.
Stage 3: the TLScontact appointment
Booking on the TLScontact website is compulsory and includes the €28 service fee, paid online. The visa fee itself is collected by TLScontact for the French administration, by card only and in naira, and is not refundable. Only the Consular Section of the French Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General of France in Lagos can decide on a visa.
Abuja restriction: since 17 November 2025, and until further notice, TLScontact Abuja only receives applicants travelling as family of French nationals, for family reunification or on diplomatic business. Students therefore lodge at TLScontact Lagos, 1st floor, Banksome House, 39 Adeola Odeku Street, Victoria Island. Check France-Visas before booking, as this may change.
Documents on the Campus France Nigeria checklist
Points from the 2024 student long-stay checklist that are easy to miss:
- A passport valid for at least 24 months with two blank pages, plus colour copies of the data page and of every previous Schengen, UK, US or Canadian visa, including those in expired passports.
- Originals and copies of your WAEC results and university certificates and transcripts, the admission letter showing exact start dates, and the acceptance certificate printed from Études en France.
- Your own or your sponsor’s original bank statements for the last three months and a work certificate stating income. A sponsor signs a notarised financial guarantee form (or a cover letter) and attaches a copy of their passport or national ID.
- Proof of where you will live for the first three months, showing your name, the address and the dates. Hotel and Airbnb bookings are refused.
- Three months of travel insurance and a flight itinerary that you have not yet paid for.
Bring each document as an original plus a photocopy. Consular services accept English or French only, so anything in another language needs a translation.
| Fee | Who sets it | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Campus France fee, regular students | Campus France Nigeria | NGN 50,000 |
| Campus France fee, Nigerian scholarship beneficiaries | Campus France Nigeria | NGN 15,000 |
| TLScontact service fee | TLScontact, agreed with the French ministry | €28, about NGN 42,000 |
| Visa fee | French administration (official schedule on France-Visas) | paid by card in naira at TLScontact |
Sources checked in October 2026: Campus France Nigeria: visa process after admission · Campus France Nigeria: checklist for the student long-stay visa (2024) · France-Visas: Nigeria · Campus France Nigeria: offices and contacts
Frequently asked questions
Are there TLScontact centres in Nigeria other than Lagos and Abuja?
No. France-Visas lists only those two, and while the Abuja centre is restricted to family and diplomatic categories, student files go to Lagos.
Do I pay Campus France before or after the interview?
Before. Payment is requested once Campus France Nigeria validates your online file; you declare it on Études en France and only then book the interview.
Will a hotel booking work as proof of accommodation?
No. The Campus France Nigeria checklist rejects hotel and Airbnb reservations; you need a document in your name covering where you will live for your first three months.
My old passport has a UK visa in it. Do I need to show it?
Yes. The checklist asks for copies of previous Schengen, UK, US and Canadian visas, including those in expired passports.
Also read: masters in France for Nigerian students · Lagos · Abuja · top-up after an HND · visa guidance.
Apply online: the academic team reviews your file and invites you to an online interview.
