September Intake in France 2027: Month-by-Month Timeline and Fall Deadlines

Aiming to start in France in September 2027? Ten months sounds like plenty, but admission, Campus France, the visa and housing each have their own clock. Here is what to do each month, starting now, with the official rules behind every step.

Why September 2027 planning starts in autumn 2026

September is the main intake of French higher education, so it is also the busiest. Each stage depends on the one before: you cannot book the Campus France interview without an application file, you cannot apply for the visa without an admission, and most landlords will not sign a lease without a visa and a guarantor. Delays stack up, and the summer months are when appointment slots and student rooms are hardest to find.

Three official rules set the pace. Campus France India asks students to submit their visa application as soon as they receive an unconditional acceptance letter and at least three months before the intake. Service-Public requires proof of resources of at least €877.50 a month for the student visa. And once you arrive, you have three months to validate your visa online. Everything else in this guide is built around those dates.

September 2027 intake in France: the month-by-month timeline

A realistic plan for a non-EU student starting a bachelor’s or master’s in September 2027. Adjust the first months to each programme’s own deadline.

What are the France fall intake deadlines?

There is no single national deadline for September. You will meet five kinds of deadline, set by different bodies.

If you are applying to the first year of a bachelor’s

First-year bachelor’s admission at public universities has its own national calendar for 2027 to 2028, published by Campus France. Holders of the nationality of an Études en France country who are not taking a French or European baccalauréat file a preliminary admission request (DAP) on Études en France: registrations opened on 1 October 2026, universities answer before 30 April 2027, and students must reply before 31 May 2027. Students taking a French or European baccalauréat use Parcoursup, which opens in December 2026, with registration from January to March 2027. Master’s applicants are not concerned by these two calendars.

How does the Études en France procedure work?

Campus France lists 75 countries and territories where students must apply through the Études en France procedure, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, China and Vietnam. For a master’s, or for the second or third year of a bachelor’s, you follow it all the way to the visa. Elsewhere, you apply for the visa directly on France-Visas once you are admitted.

1. 1
   Create your file

   Open an account on the Études en France platform, enter your academic record, language skills, CV and statement of purpose, and upload your documents.
2. 2
   Validation and fee

   Your Campus France office reviews the file and requests corrections if needed. You pay the fee only after validation, through the official link: in India it is INR 20,000 since 1 August 2026.
3. 3
   Academic interview

   You explain your study project, with the originals of your documents. In India, an automated email then allows you to book the visa appointment.
4. 4
   Visa application

   Complete the long-stay student visa form on France-Visas, then give your biometric data in person: in India, at a VFS centre.
5. 5
   Arrival

   Validate your visa online within three months. The long-stay visa, valid from four months to one year, works as your residence permit for the first year.

Processing times differ by country and season. Our guide to France student visa processing times sets out what to expect at each stage.

How much money do you need to show for the visa?

Service-Public sets the resources requirement for the student visa at at least €877.50 a month, or about €10,530 for a twelve-month stay. Tuition comes on top: the resources are for living costs. Three kinds of proof are commonly accepted:

• Your own funds: a bank certificate showing a sufficient balance in your name.
• A sponsor: proof of the sponsor’s identity and bank statements showing regular transfers, or a sworn statement that they will pay the required amount each month.
• A scholarship: an award letter from the paying body stating the amount and the duration.

When should you look for accommodation?

Earlier than you think. Campus France advises starting your search early and reserving at least a temporary place for your first weeks, so that you have an address while you look for something permanent. Its housing guide, updated on 26 June 2026, gives these benchmarks:

Almost every landlord in France asks for a guarantor. If you have no guarantor in France, Visale, run by Action Logement, provides a free rental guarantee for people aged 18 to 30. Campus France recommends starting the Visale process before you arrive: you can obtain the eligibility certificate without knowing your French address yet.

Is September your only option? AI2 also starts in February and May 2027

AI2, the Applied Institute of Artificial Intelligence, teaches every programme 100% in English on its campus in Écouen, 22 minutes from Paris Gare du Nord.

Most French universities start only in September. AI2 runs three intakes in 2027, in February, May and September, for its Bachelor in Applied AI, its BSc final years and its three MSc programmes in applied AI and data science, cybersecurity and IoT. If your documents are ready now, February or May lets you start months earlier; if you need the full preparation time, September follows the classic calendar.

The programmes, fees and qualifications are the same whichever intake you choose. MSc Year 1 costs €12,500, from €10,500 after the conditional AI2 scholarship, and Bachelor Years 1 and 2 cost €9,000 a year. For the February 2027 Fast-Track in data science, tuition is €11,000 for applications submitted before 15 November 2026, then €12,500. Every final year awards the AI2 diploma and prepares a professional certification recognised by the French State and registered in the RNCP, at level 7 (master’s level) for the MSc.

Admission is a file review and an online interview in English, with no GRE, GMAT or French requirement, and AI2 advises starting six to eight months before your intake. Read more about the February and May 2027 intakes, compare all fees on the tuition page, and check the steps AI2 supports on the visa guidance page. To weigh the MSc options, start with our guide to the English-taught master’s in AI in France; for shorter formats, see AI courses in Paris. Your full living budget is broken down in the cost of studying AI in France.

📘 Related guide: One-year masters in France: options, visa rules and the 11-month Fast-Track.

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