Thinking of joining the Indian students already in France? Start with the official numbers, then see what France offers Indian students, where international students live, the work rules and daily life, and finish with a checklist for any offer.
How many Indian students are in France in 2026?
Two official sources agree on the order of magnitude: roughly ten thousand students.
Campus France, the French agency for international students, gives the most detailed count. Its India mobility sheet of October 2025, built on French Ministry of Higher Education (SIES) data, counts 9,093 Indian students in France in 2024-2025, 34% more than five years earlier, and 40% of them women. On the Indian side, the Embassy of India in Paris, which reports to the Ministry of External Affairs, wrote in its India-France bilateral brief of July 2026 that the number of Indian students in France “is estimated to be about 10,000”.
Business schools dominate, which matches the Embassy’s remark that most Indian students come to France for business management.
| Type of institution | Indian students, 2024-2025 | Share | Change since 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business schools | 5,724 | 63% | +63% |
| Universities | 1,754 | 19% | +15% |
| Engineering schools | 917 | 10% | -11% |
| Art and architecture schools | 216 | 2% | -22% |
| Other institutions | 417 | 5% | +0% |
| Lycées (BTS, preparatory classes) | 65 | 1% | +33% |
| Total | 9,093 | 100% | +34% |
Inside universities, 776 Indian students were at master’s level, 706 in doctoral programmes and 272 at bachelor’s (licence) level. Visa data from the French Ministry of the Interior, reproduced on the same sheet, show the steady rise of new arrivals: 4,314 study visas issued to Indians in 2021, 6,538 in 2022, 7,878 in 2023 and 8,605 in 2024.
What is France’s target for Indian students by 2030?
The target dates from July 2023, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was guest of honour at France’s National Day. The roadmap adopted then, part of the “Horizon 2047” partnership, set the aim of welcoming 20,000 Indian students in France by 2025 and 30,000 by 2030, according to the Campus France page on the Franco-Indian roadmap, read on 28 October 2026. The Embassy of India in Paris repeated the 30,000 objective in its education brief of July 2026, “compared with approximately 10,000 at present”.
The roadmap also announced more promotion staff in India, international classes and work on mutual recognition of diplomas. Several measures below were created for Indian students specifically.
Is France good for Indian students? What the official programmes offer
Leave rankings aside: these are the facts French and Indian official sources state.
Programmes in English
Mutual recognition of degrees
A post-study stay
A five-year alumni visa
International Classes
Scholarships and employers
| Visa or scheme | Who it is for | Length | Work rights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long-stay student visa (VLS-TS) | Admitted students, after Études en France | 4 months to 1 year, then a residence card | Up to 964 hours a year |
| Post-study visa (job search or business creation) | Indians with a master’s or higher obtained in France | 12 months, renewable once | To look for a job or set up a company (see our after-graduation guide) |
| Five-year short-stay alumni visa | Indian master’s holders with at least one semester studied in France | Up to 5 years, short stays of up to 90 days | No |
| Young Professionals Scheme | Indians aged 18 to 35, quota of 500 a year | 12 months, extendable to 24 | Yes, it is a work visa |
The permits that follow the post-study year are in our guide to working in France after graduation.
Best cities in France for Indian students
No official source ranks cities for Indian students, but the French ministry publishes where all international students enrol.
| Academic region | Main student cities | International students, 2024-2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Île-de-France | Paris and its region | 119,700 (15.2% of all students, the highest share in mainland France) |
| Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | Lyon, Grenoble | 42,300 |
| Occitanie | Toulouse, Montpellier | 29,700 |
| Grand Est | Strasbourg, Nancy, Reims | 24,600 (12.0% of students) |
| Hauts-de-France | Lille | 23,700 (9.8% of students) |
Start from the programme, not the city: your school decides where you live. Then weigh three things. Cost: Campus France India warns that living costs “can be fairly high”, especially in Paris and the big cities. Scale: the Paris region hosts by far the most international students. Community: the Embassy of India and the Indian cultural centre are both in Paris.
Paris rent is the line that changes a budget most. Our guide to student accommodation in Paris compares residences, shared flats and options outside the city centre.
The route from India in five steps
Every long-stay applicant goes through Campus France India first. The document list is in our France student visa from India guide.
- 1Études en France fileCreate your account, add your academic records, CV and statement of purpose, and submit once you hold an unconditional acceptance, at least three months before your intake.
- 2Fee of INR 20,000Since 1 August 2026 the fee is INR 20,000 (about €189), paid only after validation, through the official platform’s link and no other, not even one sent by an agency.
- 3Interview at a Campus France officeOffices work from Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune; Bhopal has closed. Bring all originals.
- 4Visa at VFSApply on France-Visas, book VFS after Campus France’s automated email and give biometrics in person. Show at least €877.50 a month, about ₹92,900.
- 5Validate on arrivalWithin three months, validate your VLS-TS online, then register free of charge with French health insurance.
Daily life: housing, food, health and the Indian community
Housing first
Housing aid has changed
Food budget
Health and bank
Is there a large Indian community in Paris?
Yes. The Embassy of India’s bilateral brief of July 2026 estimates the Indian diaspora in mainland France at about 119,000 people, largely with roots in the former French settlements of Puducherry, Karaikal, Yanam, Mahe and Chandernagore, and in Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Punjab. It counts more than 50 Indian community organisations active in France.
Before you fly, note two official contacts. The Embassy of India in Paris links a registration form for Indian students in France on the MADAD consular portal. The Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, the Indian cultural centre in Paris, hosts exhibitions, music and cultural evenings. The Embassy also announced a mentorship programme for young Indian students on 10 October 2026.
Can Indian students work part-time in France?
Yes. Service-Public, the French administration’s official site, states that a non-European student holding a VLS-TS or a student residence card may work up to 964 hours a year, 60% of the legal working year, without a work authorisation. The year starts on the day your card is issued or your VLS-TS is validated. The employer must declare you to the préfecture at least two working days before you start, and a student card does not allow you to register as a self-employed micro-entrepreneur.
| Minimum wage (SMIC), since 1 June 2026 | Gross | Net, indicative | Net in rupees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per hour | €12.31 | €9.74 | about ₹1,031 |
| 15 hours a week | €184.65 | about €146 | about ₹15,470 |
| Full-time month (35 hours a week) | €1,867.02 | €1,477.93 | about ₹1.56 lakh |
A part-time job covers groceries and transport, not the €877.50 a month you must prove for the visa. Exceeding the cap can cost you your residence permit. Internships and work-study are covered in our guide to working while studying in France.
Safety and emergencies: what official sources say
Keep this short list on your phone. Service-Public (verified 25 August 2026) gives the French emergency numbers: 15 for medical emergencies, 17 for the police, 18 for the fire brigade, 112 for any emergency across Europe, and 114 by SMS, app or internet for deaf, hard-of-hearing and aphasic people. Emergency calls work even without credit as long as a SIM card is in the phone.
Campus France India also advises saving scans of your passport, visa and degrees online before you travel. On money, pay fees only through official links or the instructions in your admission documents, never to a personal account.
Decision checklist before you accept an offer
Run every offer through these eight questions. If you cannot tick one, ask the school in writing.
- ✓Language. Is the whole programme taught in English, and what English level and proof does the school accept?
- ✓Qualification. What will you hold at the end: a national degree, a school diploma, a State-recognised RNCP title, or several?
- ✓Total cost. Tuition for every year, the deposit, and the refund rules if your visa is refused, all in your admission letter.
- ✓Proof of funds. Can your family show €877.50 a month on top of tuition for the whole stay? See the cost of studying AI in France.
- ✓City and housing. Where are the classes, how will you get there, and do you have a first address booked?
- ✓Internships. Is there a compulsory internship or company period, and how does the school help you find it?
- ✓Timeline. Can you complete Études en France and VFS at least three months before the intake?
- ✓After graduation. Will your degree level open the post-study visa for a master’s obtained in France?
Where AI2 fits: applied AI in English near Paris
If you aim for a career in AI or data rather than management, AI2, the Applied Institute of Artificial Intelligence, is one option to test against the checklist. Every programme is taught 100% in English (B2 English required, French optional) on one campus: the Hub Nikola Tesla in Écouen, 22 minutes from Paris Gare du Nord by Transilien line H, which places you inside the region that hosts the most international students in France.
| AI2 programme | Tuition | In rupees (FBIL, 28 Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor in Applied AI, Years 1 and 2 | €9,000 a year, AI2 scholarships possible | about ₹9.53 lakh a year |
| BSc final year (B3, after two years of higher education) | €9,900, AI2 scholarships possible | about ₹10.48 lakh |
| MSc Year 1 | €12,500, or from €10,500 after scholarship | about ₹13.23 lakh, or from ₹11.12 lakh |
| MSc Year 2 or 18-month direct entry | €13,000, or from €11,300 (IoT from €11,800) | about ₹13.76 lakh, or from ₹11.96 lakh |
| Fast-Track MSc, February 2027, 11 months | €12,500, or €11,000 if you apply before 15 November 2026 | about ₹13.23 lakh, or ₹11.65 lakh |
Intakes run in February, May and September 2027, with a priority deadline of 30 November 2026. Each final year awards the AI2 diploma and prepares a professional certification recognised by the French State and registered in the RNCP: level 7 (master’s level, EQF 7) for the MSc, with titles certified by DATAKOO, AI2’s parent company. The MSc ends with a six-month internship, and work-study is possible in MSc Year 2 when you sign a contract with an employer.
Match your B.Tech, BE, BSc or BCA to an entry year in our guide to the MS in AI in France for Indian students, and check funding in scholarships in France for Indian students.
📘 Related guide: Masters in cybersecurity in France for Indian students: budget in rupees, visa and careers.
📘 Related guide: Masters in data science in France for Indian students: budget in rupees, visa and careers.
Frequently asked questions
How many Indian students are there in France?
Campus France counted 9,093 Indian students in France in 2024-2025, from French Ministry of Higher Education data, up 34% in five years. The Embassy of India in Paris estimated the number at about 10,000 in July 2026.
What is France’s target for Indian students by 2030?
France aims to welcome 30,000 Indian students by 2030. The goal was set in the Franco-Indian roadmap of July 2023 and repeated by the Embassy of India in July 2026.
Is France good for Indian students?
France offers more than 1,700 programmes taught in English, a mutual recognition agreement with India, up to 964 hours of paid work a year and a post-study stay of up to 24 months for master’s graduates.
Which are the best cities in France for Indian students?
The Paris region hosts the most international students, 119,700 in 2024-2025, followed by Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Occitanie, Grand Est and Hauts-de-France. Choose your programme first, then compare rent, internships and community in its city.
Can Indian students work while studying in France?
Yes. With a VLS-TS or student residence card you may work up to 964 hours a year without a work authorisation. The minimum wage is €12.31 gross an hour since 1 June 2026.
Can Indian students stay in France after graduation?
Indians with a master’s or higher obtained in France can get a job-search or business-creation visa of 12 months, renewable once. Alumni who studied at least one semester in France can also request a five-year short-stay Schengen visa.
Do Indian students need French to study in France?
Not for programmes taught in English. French helps for daily life and student jobs, and International Classes in about 35 French institutions teach B2 French to students who want French-taught programmes.
How much money do I need to show for a French student visa?
At least €877.50 a month since 1 August 2026, about ₹92,900 at the FBIL rate of 28 October 2026, on top of tuition. Twelve months come to about ₹11.15 lakh.
Sources consulted on 28 October 2026: Campus France: India mobility sheet (October 2025) · Campus France: Franco-Indian roadmap, 30,000 students in 2030 · Embassy of India, Paris: education brief (July 2026) · Embassy of India, Paris: India-France bilateral brief (July 2026) · Campus France India: why study in France · Campus France India: 5-year short-stay visa and post-study visa · Campus France India: mutual recognition of qualifications · Campus France India: preparing the visa application · Campus France India: Études en France fee · Campus France India: offices · Campus France India: preparing your budget · Campus France India: arrival checklist · MESR-SIES: international students 2024-2025 · Service-Public: student visa and resources · Service-Public: work for non-European students · Service-Public: SMIC · Service-Public: APL housing aid · Service-Public: emergency numbers · Visale (Action Logement) · Reserve Bank of India: FBIL reference rate
Send your transcripts: AI2’s admissions team reviews them, holds an online interview and confirms your entry year, tuition and any scholarship in your admission letter.
