Campus France and the Etudes en France Procedure for ASEAN Applicants

What Etudes en France is

Etudes en France is the mandatory online procedure for international students applying to study at a French higher education institution from a country covered by the system. Run by Campus France , the platform is fully online and manages your file from the first enrollment request through to your student visa application. Among the ASEAN countries, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam sit on the list of 73 countries and territories where the procedure applies. Brunei, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines and Timor-Leste are not on that list.

How the procedure works

You create a private electronic file, called an espace Etudes en France, on the platform and use it for every step of your application. The exact steps differ slightly by study level.

• For a first year bachelor's degree in a program leading to a non-French qualification, you submit a Demande d'Admission Préalable (DAP) through the platform. If you are targeting a program leading to a French or joint European qualification, you register through Parcoursup instead.

• For master's and higher levels, you build your electronic file, list your program choices, and submit it through Etudes en France, then follow up directly with Campus France if a step needs clarifying.

• After your application is validated, most applicants complete an educational interview, where a Campus France counselor checks that your study plan is coherent with your academic background and the program you chose.

Once an institution accepts you and you confirm your choice, your Etudes en France file becomes the basis for your student visa request through France-Visas .

Timeline for the 2026-27 intake

For students applying for the 2026-27 academic year, French institutions provide their responses and admission proposals before 30 April 2026. You then have until 31 May 2026 to confirm your chosen offer on the platform. Build your document preparation, language test results and financial proof around this window, since missing the confirmation deadline can cost you your place.

Local Campus France offices in ASEAN

Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam each have a local Campus France office that supports applicants through the Etudes en France procedure, checks documents, and runs the educational interview in-country. Reach out to your national office as soon as you shortlist your programs, since counselors can flag missing documents before they become a deadline problem, and each office publishes its own local calendar within the broader national timeline.

Application fees

Most countries on the Etudes en France list charge a processing fee once you submit your file, and the fee only starts processing after payment clears. The amount is set per country office rather than being fixed worldwide, so a Singapore applicant, a Vietnam applicant and a Thailand applicant can see different figures on their national Campus France site. Some applicants are exempt or pay a reduced rate, commonly students in recognized exchange programs or holders of specific French government scholarships. Check your national Campus France office's fee page before you budget for your application, since this cost sits on top of your eventual visa fee.

ASEAN countries not on the Etudes en France list

Applicants from Brunei, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines and Timor-Leste do not use the Etudes en France platform, since their countries are not on the 73-country list. Instead, you apply directly to your chosen French institution using that institution's own admissions process, then once you hold proof of admission, you handle your student visa request through France-Visas. Confirm directly with your target institution which admission route it expects from applicants in your country before you start preparing documents, since the direct route asks for a different document sequence than the centralized platform.

The educational interview

Most Etudes en France applicants complete an educational interview once their file passes the initial document check. A Campus France counselor uses the interview to confirm your study plan makes sense against your academic background, ask why you chose your specific programme over others, and check your language level matches what your programme requires. Prepare a clear answer for why this programme and this level fit your background, since a vague or generic answer is the most common reason counselors flag an interview for further review.

What happens if you miss a deadline

Etudes en France runs on fixed windows each cycle, and missing your country's registration or confirmation deadline generally means waiting for the next intake cycle rather than a late submission being accepted. If personal circumstances put your deadline at risk, contact your local Campus France office before the deadline passes rather than after, since counselors can sometimes advise on remaining options while your file is still active.

Documents to prepare either way

Regardless of route, French institutions and the visa process expect academic transcripts and diplomas, a motivation letter tailored to your program, proof of French or English proficiency depending on the language of instruction, and proof of sufficient funds for your stay. Start collecting certified transcripts and language test results months ahead of your deadline, since these take the longest to arrange, and translation into French adds further lead time if your originals are not already bilingual.