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Last modified: 2026-09-24

# Master's in France: Master, MSc and Grandes Écoles — How to Apply for 2027

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A master's in France is either a two-year national Master (M1 and M2, 120 ECTS) at a public university or a master's-level diploma from a grande école: an engineering, business or political science school. You apply with a bachelor's or equivalent degree in the same or a related field. Where you live decides the platform: residents of the 73 Études en France countries apply through that platform (up to seven institutions; for 2026/27 the Russian window ran from 1 November 2025 to 30 January 2026), while non-EU residents of other countries, such as Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan, apply for national Masters on Mon Master (17 February–17 March in 2026). In 2026/27 a public Master costs non-EU students ≈ $4,490 (€3,950) a year; grandes écoles set their own fees.

This guide explains the difference between a Master, an engineering diploma, an MSc and a Mastère Spécialisé, which platform applies to you, the documents and tests, how to align admission with scholarship deadlines and what the degree allows after graduation. For the wider picture, see our overview of [studying in France](https://www.studyu.org/en/country-france).

Dollar amounts use the ECB reference rate of 29 September 2026 (€1 = $1.1355).

The former Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy on Place de la Victoire, today a University of Bordeaux site, Bordeaux, France. Photo: Chabe01 / [source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bâtiment_Université_Bordeaux_place_Victoire_Bordeaux_1.jpg), [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

## Master's in France at a glance {#section-1}

| Item | Rule or figure | Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| National Master | 2 years, 120 ECTS; 300 ECTS including the Licence | Campus France |
| Who can apply | Bachelor's or longer first-degree holders; final-year students with a transcript | The institution decides |
| Subject fit | Same or related field; in Études en France, a maximum of 7 institutions in one or related subjects | French foreign ministry rule |
| Language | French at least B2, C1 for some fields such as law; official English certificate for English-taught programmes | Campus France Russia |
| Études en France countries | File by the end of January, answers by 30 April, choice by 31 May | 2026/27 cycle |
| Other non-EU residents | Mon Master for national Masters | 2026 cycle |
| Public fee | ≈ $4,490 (€3,950) a year for non-EU students; ≈ $290 (€255) with a waiver | 2026/27 |
| CVEC | ≈ $120 (€105) a year | 2026/27 |
| Études en France fee | ≈ $95 (8,000 roubles) | Residents of Russia, 2026/27; other countries set their own |
| After graduation | One-year permit to look for work or start a company | Service-Public |

## Which diploma you get {#section-2}

The name of the diploma affects more than prestige: it determines the fee, Eiffel scholarship eligibility, post-study residence and the route to a PhD.

| Diploma | Awarded by | Length | Fee | Eiffel | Post-study job-search permit |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Master (national degree) | Universities, some grandes écoles | 2 years | Public: ≈ $4,490 (€3,950) a year for non-EU | Yes | Yes |
| Diplôme d'ingénieur (master's grade) | Engineering schools | Usually 3 years after the preparatory cycle | Set by the school | Yes, up to 36 months | Yes |
| Business school Grande École programme | Business schools | 2–3 years | Private | Only if it confers the master's grade | Yes, if master-equivalent |
| MSc with the Conférence des grandes écoles (CGE) label | Engineering and business schools | 1–2 years | Private | CGE-labelled MSc only | Yes |
| Mastère Spécialisé | CGE schools | Usually about a year after a master's | Private | No | Yes |
| MBA | Business schools | 1–2 years | Private | No | Depends on the diploma level |

For grande école programmes, ask whether the diploma confers the "grade de master", whether an MSc carries the CGE label and under which accreditation number. You will need this for scholarships and post-study status.

The national Master is split into M1 and M2. A research M2 leads to a doctorate; a professional M2 leads to industry through a long internship. Some programmes recruit straight into M2, in which case you must show that you already hold the first-year level, for example through a five-year degree or a master's from home.

## Which platform to use {#section-3}

| Your situation | Public national Master | Grandes écoles and private programmes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Living in an Études en France country | Études en France: one file, up to 7 institutions | Apply on the school's portal; Études en France is still required for the visa |
| Non-EU national living in a country without Études en France | Mon Master | Apply on the school's portal; visa through France-Visas |
| Already living in France or the EEA | Mon Master; Campus France Russia confirms that Russian citizens already holding a French student visa or residence card do not repeat Études en France | Apply on the school's portal |
| EU, EEA, Swiss, Andorran or Monegasque national | Mon Master, wherever you live | Apply on the school's portal |

In Russia, Campus France is operating normally in 2026: five offices (Moscow, St Petersburg, Samara, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk) and online interviews. Citizens of other countries with long-term registration in Russia follow the same route.

If a university is "not connected" to Études en France, you still create the file on the platform but send documents to the university as its website instructs. An admission letter from such an institution must be on letterhead, signed and stamped, and state the programme, its level and exact start and end dates; consulates reject letters without them.

## What universities and schools require {#section-4}

### Subject fit

French master's programmes continue the field of your first degree; the Études en France rule of seven institutions "in one or related subjects" makes this explicit. A change of field is possible if you can show the link through courses, work experience or projects.

### Language

French-taught programmes require at least B2 (DELF B2, DALF or TCF), and C1 for law and several humanities fields. Campus France Russia notes that a language certificate is not formally required everywhere, but applications without one are much weaker. English-taught programmes require an official English test score set by the programme, such as IELTS or TOEFL.

### Tests and selection

Universities mostly select on the file, sometimes with an interview. Business schools usually ask for GMAT, GRE or the French TAGE MAGE and hold interviews; engineering schools look closely at core subjects. For a research M2, contact the lab early.

### Documents

- degree certificate and transcript with a certified translation into the language of the programme; final-year students send a transcript for all years;
- language certificate;
- a motivation letter for each programme;
- CV;
- recommendation letters where requested;
- for work experience, an employer's letter in French or English on letterhead, stamped and signed, instead of a translated employment record.

Translations are checked closely. Campus France Russia, for example, requires a Russian bachelor's degree to be rendered as "Diplôme de Bachelor" or "Diplôme de Bakalavre", never "Baccalauréat" or "Maîtrise", and a five-year specialist degree as "Diplôme de Spécialiste" ("Diplôme d'Ingénieur" for engineering). An English Diploma Supplement can replace the translated transcript only for fully English-taught programmes; the diploma itself always needs a certified translation.

An ENIC-NARIC France statement of comparability costs ≈ $135 (€120). Not all institutions ask for it, but it is useful for employers and regulated professions.

## Deadlines: the 2026/27 cycle and a plan for September 2027 {#section-5}

Published dates for Études en France in Russia (all levels except first-year Licence and architecture):

| Step | 2026/27 dates (cycle closed) |
| --- | --- |
| Create and submit the file | 1 November 2025–30 January 2026 |
| Pay the Études en France fee of ≈ $95 (8,000 roubles) | By 20 February 2026 |
| Campus France interview | By 27 February 2026 |
| Institutions' answers | By 30 April 2026 |
| Confirm your choice | By 31 May 2026 |
| Visa application | The window opens 3 months before classes start |

Mon Master 2026: catalogue and account creation on 2 February, applications 17 February–17 March, main admission phase 3–16 June, complementary phase 19 June–19 July.

Neither calendar for 2027/28 had been published on 24 September 2026. This plan follows last year's dates and the scholarship deadlines, which come earlier than admission deadlines.

| When | What to do for a September 2027 start |
| --- | --- |
| September–October 2026 | Shortlist 5–7 programmes and check degree requirements; if you target Eiffel, contact the international office |
| October–November 2026 | Take the language test, order translations, line up referees |
| November 2026 | Open the Études en France file as soon as it opens; watch for your country's embassy scholarship call |
| December 2026–January 2027 | Submit before the deadline; institutions send Eiffel nominations by early January |
| February 2027 | Pay the fee and attend the interview in Études en France countries; in Russia, apply for the embassy master's scholarship (last cycle: by 20 February) |
| February–March 2027 | Mon Master applications for residents of countries without Études en France |
| April–May 2027 | Institutions' answers, Eiffel results (last cycle: from 30 March) and embassy scholarship results (Russia: second half of May); confirm by 31 May |
| June–August 2027 | Visa, housing, move |

See our guide to [scholarships in France](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-scholarships-in-france) for amounts and eligibility.

## How much a master's costs {#section-6}

| Option | Per year | Two years |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Public Master, non-EU student | ≈ $4,490 (€3,950) | ≈ $8,970 (€7,900) |
| Public Master with a waiver | ≈ $290 (€255) | ≈ $580 (€510) |
| CVEC | ≈ $120 (€105) | ≈ $240 (€210) |
| Private and business schools | Typically ≈ $6,810–20,440 (€6,000–18,000) or more | Depends on length |

Since Decree 2026-385, waivers are granted only on request and on personal, mainly financial, grounds, and are capped at 30% in 2026/27, 25% in 2027/28 and 20% from 2028. French government scholars (Eiffel, embassy scholarships) are exempt from public fees automatically, but these scholarships do not pay private tuition.

At grandes écoles, look at the full amount: application and entrance exam fees (Campus France warns that some schools charge them), an acceptance deposit and compulsory service charges. Living costs, first-year one-off costs and the housing benefit changes of 1 July 2026 are covered in our guide to the [cost of studying in France](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-cost-of-studying-in-france).

## English-taught master's {#section-7}

Campus France's "Programs taught in English" catalogue lists more than 1,600 programmes; filter by level and field to see whether your subject is covered. Three practical points:

- English-taught study does not remove French from daily life: leases, banks, the prefecture and many internships run in French;
- some English-taught programmes recruit only into M2;
- grandes écoles charge private fees for English-taught programmes, while public universities charge the standard national rate.

Our guides to [universities in Paris](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-universities-in-paris), [Université Paris-Saclay](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-paris-saclay), [PSL](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-psl), [Sorbonne University](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-sorbonne) and [Sciences Po](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-sciences-po) cover specific institutions; [SKEMA Business School](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-skema-business-school) is an example of a business school with MSc programmes.

## Work-study (alternance) {#section-8}

Many French master's programmes run in alternance: alternating weeks at school and at a company that pays tuition and a salary. For non-EU students there are limits. Service-Public states that a professionalisation contract requires more than one year of residence in France, while an approved apprenticeship contract allows work beyond the 964-hour annual limit. The French embassy master's scholarship in Russia does not cover alternance programmes. A realistic path for most newcomers is a standard first year, then an alternance in the second.

## After the master's {#section-9}

- Job search or business creation. Graduates with a Master, an engineering diploma, a CGE-labelled MSc, a Mastère Spécialisé or another master-equivalent degree can apply within 12 months of graduating for a one-year "recherche d'emploi ou création d'entreprise" permit. A job related to your studies paying more than ≈ $3,180 (€2,800.53) gross a month (≈ $3,180) allows a change to employee status.
- Doctorate. A research M2 leads to doctoral contracts; doctoral candidates with a contract do not go through Études en France.
- Work while studying. Up to 964 hours a year without a separate permit; see our guide to the [French student visa](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-student-visa-france).

## Common mistakes {#section-10}

- Trusting an April deadline on a university website when Études en France closes in January.
- Choosing seven programmes in unrelated fields.
- Approaching universities about Eiffel in January, after internal selection is over.
- Confusing an MSc without the CGE label with a national Master.
- Not checking whether a programme recruits into M1 or only M2.
- Letting a translator render a Russian bachelor's degree as "Baccalauréat".
- Forgetting to send documents separately to a university that is not connected to Études en France.

## How StudyU helps {#section-11}

Only the initial consultation is free. Programme selection against your degree, subject-requirement checks, an application and scholarship calendar, document preparation and application support are provided under an agreement with StudyU. Admission decisions are made by the institution, scholarships by the ministry, embassy or institution, and visas by the French consulate.

## FAQ {#faq}

### Will a French university accept my foreign bachelor's degree?

Usually yes, for M1, if the subject matches: a Russian four-year bachelor's, for example, is assessed directly. The university looks at the field, grades and language; an ENIC-NARIC statement is not always required.

### Can a five-year degree get me straight into M2?

Often, but the programme decides. Some programmes take five-year graduates into M1 only.

### How many programmes can I apply to?

Up to seven institutions in one or related subjects through Études en France. On Mon Master, the 2026 campaign allowed up to 15 applications to standard programmes and another 15 to alternance programmes.

### Do I need French for an English-taught master's?

Not for admission. For daily life, internships and work after graduation, French widens your options considerably.

### Can I apply before graduating?

Yes. Send transcripts for all years so far and provide the diploma after graduation; admission is then usually conditional.

### When should I start preparing for 2027?

In September 2026. Institutions shortlist Eiffel candidates in the autumn, the Études en France file opens in November, and you need a language certificate by the time you apply.

### How much money do I need to show for the visa?

Since 1 August 2026, at least ≈ $995 (€877.50) a month, or ≈ $11,960 (€10,530) a year. This is the legal minimum, not an estimate of real costs.

## Sources {#section-13}

- [Campus France Russia: applications and 2026/27 guide no. 03 (deadlines, 7 institutions, language, translations)](https://www.russie.campusfrance.org/ru/zapis-v-vuzy-podacha-dokumentov) — checked 24 Sep 2026
- [Campus France: Études en France procedure](https://www.campusfrance.org/en/application-etudes-en-france-procedure) — checked 24 Sep 2026
- [Campus France Russia: if you are already admitted](https://www.russie.campusfrance.org/ru/dlya-tekh-kto-uzhe-samostoyatelno-zapisan-vo-francuzskoe-uchebnoe-zavedenie) and [offices in Russia](https://www.russie.campusfrance.org/ru/kontakty-v-rossii) — checked 24 Sep 2026
- [Mon Master: who applies](https://information.monmaster.gouv.fr/qui-peut-candidater-sur-mon-master/), [2026 calendar](https://information.monmaster.gouv.fr/calendrier/) and [number of applications](https://information.monmaster.gouv.fr/candidater/) — checked 24 Sep 2026
- [Campus France: LMD system and ENIC-NARIC](https://www.campusfrance.org/fr/diplomes-francais-LMD-equivalences) — checked 24 Sep 2026
- [Campus France: tuition fees 2026/27](https://www.campusfrance.org/en/tuition-fees-France) — checked 24 Sep 2026
- [Ministry of Higher Education: FAQ on differentiated fees](https://www.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr/fr/faq-droits-d-inscription-differencies-pour-les-etudiants-extra-communautaires-103043) — checked 24 Sep 2026
- [Campus France: Eiffel programme, 2026 rules](https://www.campusfrance.org/fr/le-programme-de-bourses-d-excellence-eiffel) — checked 24 Sep 2026
- [French Institute in Russia: embassy master's scholarship](https://institutfrancais.ru/ru/vysshee-obrazovanie/stipendii/programma-magisterskih-stipendij-posolstva-frantsii-v-rossii/) — checked 24 Sep 2026
- [Campus France: higher education system and English-taught programmes](https://www.campusfrance.org/fr/enseignement-superieur-francais) — checked 24 Sep 2026
- [Service-Public: student work, apprenticeship and professionalisation contracts](https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F2713) — checked 24 Sep 2026
- [Service-Public: post-study permit](https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F17319) and [student residence conditions](https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F2231) — checked 24 Sep 2026
- [ECB euro reference rates](https://www.ecb.europa.eu/stats/policy_and_exchange_rates/euro_reference_exchange_rates/html/index.en.html) — 29 Sep 2026, €1 = $1.1355

[During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.](https://www.studyu.org/en/apply)

## Next steps

- [Scholarships in France: Eiffel, French Embassy Scholarships and University Awards](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-scholarships-in-france)
- [Cost of Studying in France in 2026/27: Tuition, Compulsory Fees and a Full-Year Budget](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-cost-of-studying-in-france)
- [French Student Visa in 2026: VLS-TS, the New Funds Threshold and Validation After Arrival](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-student-visa-france)
- [Universities in Paris for International Students: Which to Choose, Rankings, Costs and Admission](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-universities-in-paris)
- [Studying in France for international applicants](https://www.studyu.org/en/country-france)
- [SKEMA Business School](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-skema-business-school)

Updated: September 2026