Students applying to AI2 from the United Arab Emirates fall into two groups: Emirati citizens and the many residents who hold another passport and live in Abu Dhabi, Dubai or the Northern Emirates. The French student procedure here follows your place of residence rather than your nationality, so both groups take the same route; only certificates issued abroad add paperwork.
AI2 – Applied Institute of Artificial Intelligence is an applied AI school on the Écouen campus, 22 minutes from Paris Gare du Nord. Its programmes are taught in English and lead to French qualifications registered at bachelor’s and master’s level.
Applying from the UAE: what is specific to you
Campus France UAE comes before the visa
Campus France UAE describes Études en France (EeF) as the platform UAE residents use for the pre-consular step of a long-stay student visa. Once you hold your AI2 admission letter, the sequence it publishes is:
- Upload your passport and Emirates ID, CV, last degree with transcripts, the admission letter and any language test result to a new EeF account.
- Once the team validates the file, pay the fee by bank transfer (cash and cards are not accepted).
- Attend an in-person meeting with a Campus France representative, then complete the France-Visas form.
Processing takes 4 to 6 working days in low season and 5 to 7 in high season, cannot be speeded up, and skipping it leads to an automatic visa refusal, so Campus France UAE advises starting at least two months before departure.
One visa centre for all seven emirates
According to France-Visas, every visa application for France in the UAE is decided by the consular section in Abu Dhabi. Residents of Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain and Ras Al Khaimah all lodge at the VFS Global centre in The Mall at the World Trade Center, Abu Dhabi. Campus France UAE adds that long-stay student applicants may walk in without an appointment, that every checklist document is needed in two copies, and that a decision usually follows within 3 to 4 weeks.
Which AI2 programme matches your UAE studies
Whichever curriculum your school followed, the secondary leaving certificate with mathematics is the basis for the Bachelor in Applied AI. Two completed years at university, or an HND, point to the BSc final year. A bachelor’s degree in a related field leads to the MSc Applied AI, and an engineering degree, a master’s or four years of related higher education can be considered for the 11-month Fast-Track starting in January, subject to the academic team’s review.
If you studied at a branch campus in a Dubai free zone, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) explains that such campuses are quality-assured through its UQAIB scheme or by the federal Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA). Apply with the certificate and transcript issued by the awarding university.
Certificates from several countries
The UAE is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, while many residents’ home countries are. If a certified copy is ever requested, the authentication route depends on the country that issued the document, not on where you live today; the list France-Visas generates for your file is the reference.
English tests and flights to Paris
The official IELTS site lists test centres in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Schooled in English? See studying in France without IELTS. Paris Aéroport lists Emirates and Air France flying from Dubai to Paris-Charles de Gaulle, and Etihad from Abu Dhabi.
| Item | EUR | AED (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor in Applied AI, per year after scholarship | from €9,000 | about AED 37,100 |
| BSc final year (top-up) | from €9,900 | about AED 40,800 |
| MSc Applied AI, per year after scholarship | from €10,500 | about AED 43,300 |
| 11-month Fast-Track | €11,000 | about AED 45,300 |
| Long-stay student visa fee (Campus France UAE) | €50 | AED 201 |
| VFS Global service charge (Campus France UAE) | AED 99.08 |
Living costs are covered in our guide to the cost of studying AI in France.
Sources checked in October 2026: France-Visas: United Arab Emirates · Campus France UAE: Applying for a student visa · Campus France UAE: Études en France portal · KHDA: Responsibilities of higher-education institutions · HCCH: Apostille Convention status table · Paris Aéroport: flights to Dubai
AI and data science programmes open to students from the UAE
Bachelor in Applied AI
Three years after secondary school. RNCP level 6, from €9,000 a year after the AI2 scholarship.
BSc final year
AI-Powered Application Development or Data Analytics & Applied AI. Entry with an HND, a BTS or two years of higher education. RNCP level 6, from €9,900.
MSc Applied AI
Data Science, Cybersecurity or IoT. RNCP level 7 (master’s level), from €10,500 a year after the AI2 scholarship.
11-month Fast-Track
The level-7 qualification in under a year, €11,000. Starts in January.
All programmes and current fees: all programmes, scholarships and our guide to the cost of studying AI in France.
How to come to France from the UAE: the steps
Apply to AI2 online and attend an interview with the academic team.
Receive your admission letter.
Complete the Études en France procedure with Campus France in the United Arab Emirates: academic file and interview.
Apply for the long-stay student visa (VLS-TS) on France-Visas and attend your appointment, with proof of at least €877.50 a month of resources.
Arrive on the Écouen campus near Paris and validate your visa online on the ANEF portal within three months.
Start 6 to 8 months before your intake. The full timeline is in our visa guidance.
Time difference for online sessions and interviews
GST (UTC+4): three hours ahead of Paris in winter, two in summer. Useful for planning your online admission interview.
Budget: compare tuition, living costs and visa funds in our guide to the cost of studying AI in France (France vs UK vs Germany).
No IELTS? AI2 accepts English-medium education as an alternative: see study in France without IELTS. Missed September? Start in January or May 2027.
Campus France interview? Prepare with our guide to Campus France interview questions and the Études en France procedure.
Frequently asked questions
I live in Dubai. Do I have to go to Abu Dhabi to apply for my visa?
Yes. France-Visas sends residents of Dubai and the other Northern Emirates to the VFS Global centre in Abu Dhabi.
I hold an Emirati passport. Do I still need a student visa?
Yes. The exemption covers only stays under 90 days, so a degree programme requires the long-stay student visa (VLS-TS).
I am an expatriate resident. Do I use Campus France in the UAE or in my home country?
Campus France UAE presents Études en France as the platform for UAE residents, so you complete the pre-consular step with its team while you live here.
My degree is from a branch campus in a Dubai free zone. Can I apply for the MSc?
Yes, with the certificate and transcript from the awarding university; AI2’s academic team reviews your degree during the online application and interview.
Apply online: the academic team reviews your file and invites you to an online interview.
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