Yes, Japanese students can study AI in France in English, with no French required at AI2. You get an admission letter, complete Études en France with an online interview, then file at the embassy in Tokyo. Here is every step, with the costs in yen.
In short: Japanese students need a long-stay student visa for a degree in France, because the 90-day visa-free stay does not cover it. Campus France Japan’s Études en France procedure comes first, at JPY 20,800, with an online interview. You then file in person at the Embassy of France in Tokyo, the only filing point. At AI2, the Bachelor costs €9,000 a year (about JPY 1,594,000) in Years 1 and 2, and MSc Year 1 costs €12,500 (about JPY 2,214,000), from €10,500 with scholarship. Intakes are in February, May and September 2027.
AI2 (Applied Institute of Artificial Intelligence) is a French school of applied AI and data science at Écouen, 22 minutes from Paris Gare du Nord. French is not required for its English-taught programmes.
⚠️ Important: no deposit, no enrolment certificate
AI2 issues your enrolment certificate only after your €5,000 deposit is paid. Campus France and the consulate ask for this certificate: without the deposit, your Études en France file and your visa application cannot go ahead.
Applying to AI2 is free: there is no application fee. If your visa or your Campus France file is officially refused, the deposit is refunded minus €300 of administrative fees, on presentation of the refusal letter. Pay only by the instructions in your AI2 documents, never to a personal account.
What AI2 costs in yen
| Programme | Tuition | In local currency | Start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor in Applied AI, Years 1 and 2 | €9,000 a year | about JPY 1,594,000 | February, May or September 2027 |
| Bachelor, final year | €9,900 | about JPY 1,753,000 | Follows Year 2 |
| MSc, Year 1 | €12,500, from €10,500 with scholarship | about JPY 2,214,000, from JPY 1,860,000 | February, May or September 2027 |
| MSc, 18-month direct entry | €13,000 single fee, from €11,300 with scholarship | about JPY 2,302,000, from JPY 2,001,000 | See tuition fees |
| Fast-Track Data Science, 11 months | €12,500, or €11,000 before 15 November 2026 | about JPY 2,214,000 | February 2027 |
Local amounts use the European Central Bank rate of 2 November 2026 and are rounded. They are indicative: AI2 bills in euros.
Your route from Japan in 6 steps
The visa appointment can be booked before Études en France ends, but it must fall after your Campus France interview. You can apply up to 6 months before departure, and the embassy strongly suggests one month before.
Why you cannot start on a visa-free entry
Japanese ordinary passport holders can stay up to 90 days in any 6 months without a visa, but a stay of more than 90 days needs a long-stay visa before the trip. A Bachelor or MSc runs far longer, so do not plan on entering first and sorting out your status in France. Campus France Japan also warns that work-study registration by foreign nationals living abroad is not recognised for this route, so plan on full-time study.
How much money you must show
France requires at least €877.50 a month, about JPY 155,000. Twelve months comes to €10,530, about JPY 1,865,000. At the embassy, bring your bank balance certificate, housing proof, enrolment certificate and a passport copy, with your JP number written at the top left of the France-Visas form.
Does a Japanese diploma get you in?
There is no legal equivalence between diplomas: the host institution decides. The Études en France form has its own categories, and these are not equivalences. These are AI2’s entry points, and admissions confirms yours in writing.
| Your background | AI2 entry to ask about | What admissions looks at |
|---|---|---|
| Kotogakko diploma or kotosotsu nintei | Bachelor, Year 1 | Transcripts, with mathematics, or science for the Industrial IT track |
| One year at a university | Bachelor, Year 2 | One validated year in a related field |
| Tanki daigaku or senmon gakko | Bachelor, Year 3 | Two years of higher education in a related field |
| Gakushi (bachelor’s degree) | MSc, Year 1 | Your degree, transcripts and field of study |
English: AI2 asks for B2 level, shown by IELTS 6.0, TOEFL iBT 72 or English-medium schooling. Both tests are available in Japan. Certificates: ask your university for the 外務省提出用 version, because POPITA convenience-store prints are refused. Translation: Études en France takes documents in French or English, or the Japanese original with a legal French translation. The visa section needs Japanese documents translated into French or English. Apostille: the Campus France Japan and France-Visas pages we read do not ask for one, so do not order one unless you are told to.
Funding and scholarships
Build your budget around your own funds, family and AI2’s scholarships for excellence and early application: MSc Year 1 can fall from €12,500 to €10,500. Tobitate excludes enrolment at overseas universities, and the JASSO 2027 degree rounds closed in October 2026. JASSO and Tobitate holders also keep the normal interview and fee. Confirm any other funding with its provider before you pay a deposit.
Student visa or working holiday?
France and Japan run a working holiday scheme with 1,800 visas a year. Its main purpose is tourism, it lasts one year, and you cannot change status during the stay. It is not a route into a Bachelor or MSc, so choose the student visa for a degree.
Is an AI2 qualification recognised?
AI2’s degree programmes prepare RNCP titles at Levels 6 and 7, recognised by the French State. Campus France states that the value of a French diploma is guaranteed by the State for national diplomas, Ministry-approved diplomas and titles registered in the RNCP. You can look up each code on the France Compétences website. See is AI2 recognised and all programmes.
After you graduate
The one-year job-search permit is open to master’s-level graduates, among others, so most bachelor’s graduates who want to stay continue to a master’s first. Any AI2 BSc graduate can progress to MSc Year 1. No school can promise a job or a visa, and AI2 does not. While you study, the student visa allows up to 964 hours of work a year.
Getting to the campus
ANA and JAL both list Haneda to Paris services. Check current timetables before you book, because routes can change. Also read visa guidance, the guide for South Korea and all country guides.
Frequently asked questions
Can Japanese students study AI in France in English?
Yes. AI2’s Bachelor and MSc programmes at Écouen near Paris are taught 100% in English, and French is not required.
Do Japanese students need a visa to study in France?
Yes, for a stay of more than 90 days. A Bachelor or MSc needs a long-stay student visa before you travel. The 90-day visa-free stay does not cover a degree.
How much is Campus France Japan?
JPY 20,800 for individual study, paid by bank transfer. The fee cannot be refunded.
Is the Campus France Japan interview online?
Yes. Campus France Japan’s 2027 guide says it runs on Zoom, in English or French for a university-type plan.
Where do I apply for the visa in Japan?
Only at the Visa Section of the Embassy of France in Tokyo, in person and by appointment. The €50 fee is paid in yen cash.
How much does AI2 cost in yen?
Bachelor Years 1 and 2 cost €9,000 a year, about JPY 1,594,000. MSc Year 1 costs €12,500, about JPY 2,214,000, or from €10,500 with scholarship. AI2 bills in euros.
Can I study a degree on a working holiday visa?
Do not plan on it. Its main purpose is tourism, it lasts one year, and status cannot be changed during the stay.
Do I need an apostille?
The Campus France Japan and France-Visas pages we read do not ask for one. Wait until AI2 or an official body tells you it is needed.
Last checked on 2 November 2026 against the official sources listed below. Rules and fees change, so confirm them with Campus France and the French consulate before you pay.
Official sources: Campus France Japan: Études en France · Campus France Japan: new platform · Campus France Japan: 2027 guide · France-Visas: Japan · France-Visas: student · Service-Public: student visa, resources and tax · MOFA Japan: apostille · Tobitate · MOFA Japan: working holiday
Tell AI2 your current level: admissions confirms your entry year, tuition and scholarship in writing, then you start your visa file.
