Your Complete Guide to the 'Campus France' Application.

Applying to a French university? If you're a foreigner that wishes to study in France, the first step is to open a Campus France account. Once you have your account made, you can begin your application! Of course, they will provide all the instructions you need to complete to procedure but I'll outline the process and provide some tips here so you can know what to expect.

---

WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO APPLY

Before you get started, it's good to know the requirements:

- A form of photo identification (can be a passport or state ID for example.)

- A copy of your most recent transcript and a high school diploma or equivalent.

- Language certification to prove your level of fluency in French. Either the DELF B2 or TCF DAP. Check your universities requirements ahead of time, though. (Don't worry if you don't have this yet but do give yourself ample time to register and complete the test. You must include proof of proficiency if you're from a non-francophone country.)

- Resume and accompanying letters of recommendation. (Again, don't worry if you don't have these yet! You should create something specific for the application anyways.)

It helps (but is not required) to also have:

- A solid background of extra-curricular French activities that prove your interest (be it exchange, French courses, clubs, tutoring, trips.)

- Lot's of language practice for the proficiency exam you will be taking. (You can find lessons, tutors, online resources, language exchanges, specific classes, ... whatever works for you.) You want to pass the first time!

- Formalize a plan: what do you want to study, what school, why, and how will you make it work financially and academically. If you can answer these questions, you will have no problem nailing the phone interview. These are the extra pieces that will strengthen your application.

What are the anticipated costs?

- $180 to pay the CampusFrance application fee. This covers the work they do on their end delivering your application to each school individually and for coordinating the interviews, the website, etc.

- Anywhere from $60- $200 for your language proficiency exam (factoring travel costs because they're only given at special locations.)

- $50 est. budget for professional (read: notarized) translations of your transcripts, diploma, letters of recommendation.

- French lesson prices vary.

While it may seem pricey to apply, it certainly balances out in the end. French tuition generally costs only $100-$200 annually!

---

The Application Broken Down

The Campus France application can be broken down into three sections: Personal Information, Education and Professional Experience, and Language Skills. After successfully filling those three out, you must select your programs and then conduct a phone interview. Thus there are really five parts to the application process.

1. Personal Information:

This is where you need to provide a scanned version of you photo ID (passport, state ID, etc) and fill out your birth date and address. Pretty simple stuff. It will also ask if you benefit from a scholarship. This section takes maybe two minutes.

NOTE: all your attachments (PDF, JPG or PNG formats) must not exceed 300 ko when you're uploading them to the app.

Second note: KB = KO in terms of file dimensions. KB stands for kilobytes, kO stands for kilo octets. An octet is what the French call a byte :-)

2. Education and Professional Experience:

This portion probably took me the longest to fill out. Here you have to provide a resume, otherwise known as a "CV" (curriculum vitae) and your "Cursus", or academic records. My advice is to think about the CV as more of a summary statement and the Cursus as a place to expand on each activity from your resume, including additional details and evidence. For example, I might say that I graduated from high school with a 4.0 in 2015 on my resume but in the Cursus section I would upload a copy of my diploma and transcript.

The catch is this: for each activity you talk about, you must upload supporting documents and each English document uploaded needs a French translation to accompany it.

So what this section really entails is:

A. Scanning copies of your last obtained diploma, most recent transcript, and any school awards.

B. Requesting letters of recommendation from employers, teachers.

C. Finding a certified translator.

D, Creating a French CV (one page PDF) that high lights your education, jobs, volunteer work, extra-curricular activities and language capabilities.

F. Uploading all activities described in your CV into the cursus along with their supporting documents (the English original and French translation.)

3. Language Skills:

This section is really short and easy to fill out... once you have your language proficiency certificate. (For more information, look up CIEP.)

Here you are simply asked to indicate which exam you took and what you scored, along with the supporting document of course. (Luckily though your certificate of completion will be in French so no translation needed, yay!) You also have the opportunity to list your stays in France (I talked about my exchange and shared many supporting documents.) Finally, you can share your proficiency in languages other than French (for example, I noted that English is my native language.)

4. Selecting your Formation:

Once you've completed those three sections, Campus France will verify them. When they're approved, you will then use their search engine to indicate three programs (or "formations") you wish to attend in France (ranking them by preference.) They cannot be at the same school but they all must be the same majors. You will have to write a short cover letter email for each school, too. Be diligent about your preferences: your application will be sent to the first one. If it is not accepted, then it will be sent to the second and so on.

5. Phone Interview:

After you've locked in your school preferences, you will be scheduled for a phone interview with a Campus France representative in Washington D.C. This usually occurs in February. The call is conducted in French and typically lasts about ten to fifteen minutes. You introduce yourself, explain particularities from your CV (for example, I spoke about my exchange and my current job), and then talk about the universities and majors you selected and why. It's also a good time to ask questions you may have. (For example, I wanted to know when I would hear back from schools.)

While it can be pretty nerve-wracking, if you have a solid plan, as I mentioned earlier, it will be fine (and even go fast!) After the call, the representative will write a note about you that is included in your application which is then sent to the schools you selected.

---

TIPS AND ADDITIONAL ADVICE

• Translating your official documents sounds hard but it doesn't have to be. You can hire professional translators here (remember to ask for student discounts!) or alternatively, save money by asking a French teacher you know to translate for you. I had professors at the local university do mine! Whatever your approach, make sure you give yourself lots of time and don't ask anyone to translate last minute.

• Practicing for the language exam but don't want to pay for lessons? You have lot's of options! Consider making an account on Meet Up and connecting with local francophiles in your town or find a language exchange partner at the university by attending foreign student events. You can practice with TV5 Monde or take this awesome (and free) Coursera online course. It's actually super fun! Lastly, practice your listening skills with the French films on Netflix or make a new friend by meeting a penpal on Interpals.

• Prepping for the phone interview requires two things: A.) That you know what you're applying to. and B.) Why they should pick you and not another candidate. While these may seem self-evident, I really recommend writing out two answers in French ahead of time before the call.

• Try and keep things in perspective! The application-break-down makes everything seem very complicated but remember the bigger picture is really just five simple steps.

(All photographs are mine unless otherwise noted.)