World-class education at highly affordable public and private universities, hundreds of English taught programmes and dedicated scholarships for Indian students. Let Lesli India guide your France application from shortlist to visa.
France is one of the leading countries for higher education in the world, with historic universities, elite grandes écoles and business schools ranked internationally. A French degree is a good asset on the international job market and the country provides a prestigious education at some of the lowest public tuition rates in the world.
World rankings are also useful for comparing institutions on the global map when you’re deciding where to study. Top French Universities According to QS World University Rankings 2026.
| S.No. | Institution | City | QS Rank 2026 (Global) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | PSL University (Paris Sciences & Lettres) | Paris | 34 |
| 2. | Institut Polytechnique de Paris (École Polytechnique) | Palaiseau | 43 |
| 3. | Université Paris-Saclay | Saclay | 76 |
| 4. | Sorbonne University | Paris | 73 |
| 5. | Université Paris Cité | Paris | 303 |
| 6. | École Normale Supérieure de Lyon | Lyon | 235 |
| 7. | Sciences Po Paris | Paris | 354 |
| 8. | Grenoble Alpes University | Grenoble | 387 |
France also has world-leading business schools such as HEC Paris, INSEAD, ESSEC and ESCP, which rank among the best globally for management and MBA programmes.
With strong faculties and deep industry links, France is a top choice across these in-demand fields:
Tuition fees at French public universities are low because the government subsidizes most of the cost. Private schools and the grandes écoles cost more. Here are the numbers for Indian students in common.
| Expense | Typical amount (per year, unless noted) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Public Bachelor (Licence) tuition | ~€2,895 per year | Government-subsidised public universities |
| Public Master tuition | ~€3,941 per year | National diploma programmes |
| CVEC (student life fee) | €105 per year | Mandatory, paid online before enrolment |
| Grandes écoles / business schools | €7,000-€70,000 per year | Varies widely by school and programme |
| Living costs | ~€1,200 to €2,500 per month | Higher in Paris, lower in smaller cities |
France has a generous and well-organized scholarship system, with special programmes for Indian students. Lesli India guides you on how to identify and apply to the right ones.
| Scholarship | Who it's for | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| France Excellence Charpak | Indian students only: It is divided into 4 sub-programmes and allows Indian students to study at undergraduate or postgraduate levels in public and private institutions in France. | French government scholarship-holder status, social security & health cover, accommodation help, €1 university meals, and possible visa & tuition fee exemptions |
| Eiffel Excellence Scholarship | To enable French higher education institutions to attract top foreign students to enroll in their Masters and PhD programs | Monthly stipend plus return travel, health cover and cultural activities; nominated by the host French institution |
| Émile Boutmy Scholarship | Outstanding non-EU students admitted to Sciences Po (Bachelor & Master) | Entitles Bachelor students to either a total exemption or an exemption of €9,500 from tuition fees; entitles the recipient to a €18,500 exemption from tuition fees for each of the two years of the Master's programme. |
| French Government / institutional grants | Admitted international students, especially at Master level | Tuition reductions and merit awards offered directly by universities, grandes écoles and French regions |
Deadlines for major scholarships usually fall between October and January of the year before you start. Apply early, since a strong Statement of Purpose and academic record matter most.
Indian students wishing to sign up for a course of more than 90 days must obtain the long-stay VLS-TS visa, applying through the Études en France (Campus France) procedure. Here is a summary.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Visa type | VLS-TS (Visa de Long Séjour valant Titre de Séjour), which acts as a residence permit for stays over 90 days |
| Application route | Études en France (Campus France) academic procedure, then France-Visas booking via VFS Global |
| Visa fee | €50 for all countries under EEF (includes India) *This amount is given as an indication only; certain specific cases may result in different pricing. |
| Campus France procedure fee | ~₹18,500 (for India) |
| Proof of funds | One year of tuition plus ~€615 per month of living costs |
| Key documents | Unconditional admission letter, completed EEF file, proof of funds, accommodation evidence, travel insurance, language proficiency, covering letter mentioning the purpose of the trip, duration, sponsors, motivation; Curriculum Vitae; original + copy of latest degree; passport |
| After arrival | Validate the VLS-TS online via ANEF within 3 months of arriving in France |
Total initial visa-related spend for Indian students is typically ₹25,000–₹30,000, excluding tuition and living costs. Figures change with exchange rates and official updates, so always confirm on France-Visas and Campus France India.
Studying in France comes with strong work rights and access to the wider EU economy.
Arya was always interested in studying abroad as he was very keen to pursue Math and Statistics and there are very few options for this course in India. We had heard of good reviews of Dipti Ma'am from close friends and hence decided to approach her. We had a wonderful experience. I would give the counselling experience a 9/10. View More
ARYA SARDESAI: University of British Columbia
Univ of Waterloo, Carleton Univ, University of Strathclyde
Dipti Ma'am would clear my doubts promptly, motivate me to complete my work on time-by setting deadlines and following up. View More
SIDDHARTH KHUSHALANI: University of Birmingham
UC Santacruz, University of Manchester, QMUL
Santanu Sir and Dipti Mam have a lot of experience and had answers for any queries including those not directly related to application. View More
REEYA KULKARNI: Penn State University
Lesli India's team was happy to get on a call and sort out any confusions you might have about any part of the umpteen forms you will be filling over the application process. Dipti Ma'am offers her valuable expertise. View More
AANYA SHARMA: UCSD
University of Rochester, Purdue University, Univ of Texas Dallas
I required counselling for the difficult process of transferring to a college abroad at very short notice. Even though I was studying in another country, along with her team, Mrs. Punjabi helped me submit fantastic essays which worked towards my admission. View More
NEIL MALU: Rutgers University, New Brunswick
I was able to gain admission into British and American universities with Lesli India's aid. This includes UC San Diego, UNC Chapel Hill, the University of Washington, the University of Bath and the University of Manchester among others. View More
NATHAN FERNANDEZ: IE University
UWash, UNCC, Loughborough University, University of Bath
The counselling with personal involvement, perfect advice and essay editing got me admits in two of my dream universities. View More
SIDDHANT BANSAL: Northeastern University
University of Manchester, UMASS Amherst, QMUL
Noteworthy was Dipti Ma'am's comprehensive shortlisting of universities, her constant reminders about deadlines, scholarships, and help with the essays. View More
ALISHA IMTIAZ: University of Toronto (CAD 90000 scholarship)
Mcmaster University, Univ of Ottawa, UBC, Northeastern University
Dipti Ma'am helped me in selecting universities, got me personally prepared for interviews and was very approachable and sweet throughout the process. View More
ARIAA PALTA: University of Toronto
UC Davis, Northeastern University, Univ of Waterloo
I owe my success to Dipti ma'am and Santanu Sir. They not only helped me with every aspect of the application process, but also guided me to my right subject of study through the Lesli Aptitude test. View More
ATHARV BHAISKAR: University of British Columbia
Univ of Waterloo, Simon Fraser University
I found Dipti Ma'am very helpful. I found Santanu Sir to be an amazing person, highly knowledgeable and helped me even on New Year's Eve. View More
ARYAN VANJANI: Rotman, University of Toronto
Kings College London, University of Manchester
I did not feel stressed about any deadlines as Dipti Ma'am set reasonable timelines, and I could complete every task easily. The best part about her is her personal touch!. View More
TITHI AREKAR: Parsons School of Design
School of the Art Institute of Chicago, California College of Arts
I had many anxious queries regarding my son's requirements and Dipti, by virtue of being a great and patient listener, answered the smallest one each time.. View More
RAJVANSH RUNGTA: University of Toronto
UCL, SOAS Univ of London, George Washington University, Geneva School of Diplomacy, International School in Geneva
Dipti is a very dedicated and capable person. She knows her job well, is very approachable and will readily go the extra mile to help her students. View More
ROHAN LIMAYE: UMASS Amherst
The most unique feature of Dipti and her team which comes to my mind is the 'personal touch'. She addressed all my concerns, and came up with options suited to my daughter's caliber. View More
VARNIKA SRIVASTAVA: York University
University of Toronto, Carleton University, Concordia University
My experience with Lesli India was very fulfilling. They helped me a lot through the whole admission process from the Statement of Purpose to finance required and even the visa process. View More
AYAAN MEHMOOD: Brunel University
Shalini Ma'am and Dipti Ma'am's adept and updated knowledge of the application process, personalized attention and support made it a well-organized and smooth procedure for me. Quick communication with the editor was beneficial for me in finetuning my statement of purpose and essays. View More
SONYA MADAN: University of Bath
UBC, Lancaster University, Univ of South Carolina
It was quite helpful to have Ms. Punjabi to clarify any questions and doubts regarding the entire application process. She was prompt and would keep updating us on deadlines. View More
SIYONA SAMUEL: New York University
It is very difficult to find reliable people who can give you homely and personal advice. Hence, we approached Dipti who believes in giving personalized services and correct advice " View More
RANVEER PAWAR: University of South Carolina
Dipti Ma'am, we maintained a good track record for securing US university admissions for my kids again. This time was very unique, as we experimented with the home-schooling option for my son and he got into UMASS Amherst for Bachelor's in CS (among other admits) . View More
SACHIN AREKAR Parent and IT Professional
Parsons School of Design, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, California College of Arts
Dipti and Shalini ma'am provided invaluable guidance throughout the entire process. They took time to understand my academic goals and preferences, helping me get admitted to a top university in Canada. View More
KAVISH Rotman, University of Toronto
UBC, Western University, Leeds University
It was a smooth experience, and the applications were managed really well. Dipti ma’am was very approachable, ready to solve my doubts anytime. View More
SHREYA OMPREETI Purdue University
Cornell University, UC Irvine, Northeastern University
Lesli team made my dream of studying in Germany a reality!! I chose Germany because of the unique blend of rigorous academic standards, affordability, and cultural diversity. View More
ARJUN GUPTAFrankfurt School of Finance and Management
Lancaster University Leipzig, Munich Business School
Lesli’s program was the right approach for our daughter wherein they concentrate on an aptitude counselling plus the profile building to help find the way forward. We got all the required support from the whole team" View More
CHAHAT CHANDNA, Ashoka University
Symbiosis International University, Flame University
Lesli India made my study abroad dream come true. They believed in me when I almost gave up. I secured admits to all three of Canada’s top universities - University of Toronto, University of British Columbia and University of Waterloo, along with Nanyang Technological University - the Number 1 university in Singapore. I couldn’t have done it without the constant guidance from the team at Lesli India. View More
AARON DAVIS, NTU
University of Toronto, UBC, UMCP
Being a Canadian citizen, when I started the process of applying abroad, I was completely clueless on what had to be done; Lesli helped and guided me from start to end of my application. I got 5 admits and the universities were recommended by Lesli making my work easier.View More
Aadi Tendulkar, University of Ottawa
Simon Fraser Univ, University of Guelph
In the US, I got admitted to Purdue-where I'm going, UIUC, Rose Norman College. In the Netherland I got admits from Groningen and more. I found the Lesli team available to accommodate my needs for strengthening my non-academic profile, editing my essays, university interview prep, etc.View More
Krishna, Ashoka University
UIUC, Eindhoven University of Technology, University of Groningen, Plaksha University
I have got a quite a few admits, some of them are Boston University, CWRU, UC Davis in the US and University of Toronto. My extracurricular profile was good, and Lesli helped me a lot with it. I think it is because of Lesli, I am where I am today.View More
TRISHA SATYAVRAT, UC Irvine
UC Davis, Boston University, University of Toronto
As an American citizen living in India for most of my life, I wasn't familiar with the US university admission process. I asked friends who had previously used study abroad counseling services, Lesli India came highly recommended, I was impressed by their expertise and reviews.View More
HIRVITA OZA, SUNY STONY BROOK
SUNY Buffalo, ASU, Univ of Arizona
Lesli India's help has been multifold. They have been with me throughout the entire process, at every step. They didn’t just guide me with the different steps to achieve my goal — they also helped me figure out what that goal was. View More
SHREYAS NAIK, Pennsylvania State University
University of Toronto, UBC, University of Victoria
I was fortunate to receive a total of $84,000 in scholarships across all my university acceptances. Additionally, I was awarded $80,000 through the detailed and time consuming FAFSA application guided by Lesli India. I am extremely grateful for all the support and mentorship I received throughout the process. View More
KYNA SAPRA, University of Cincinnati
UUMASS Boston, University of San Diego, SDSU
I got to know about Lesli from one of my cousins who got several admits with the help of Lesli counsellors. I was already struggling trying to balance JEE prep with online IB (due to Covid).View More
ARCHIT AGARWAL, University of Illinois Chicago
From shortlisting universities and writing a winning SOP to scholarships and the Campus France visa process, get end-to-end guidance from experienced counsellors.
