Key facts
- Procedure
- You apply directly to the French institution, then file the long-stay student visa at the French consulate or its visa outsourcing partner.
- Visa / permit
- VLS-TS Étudiant, the long-stay visa that also acts as your residence permit
- Erasmus & exchange
- Exchange and short mobility students nominated by a partner university follow a lighter path: no Campus France file in many cases, but you still need the long-stay visa if you stay over 90 days.
- Money to prove
- You must show around €615 per month of stay — roughly €7,380 for an academic year — in your name or a sponsor's, with an affidavit of support.
- Region
- Americas
The procedure, step by step
1. Check whether Campus France applies to you
You apply directly to the French institution, then file the long-stay student visa at the French consulate or its visa outsourcing partner.
2. Build the academic file
Transcripts, diplomas, language proof (DELF/TCF for French-taught, IELTS/TOEFL for English-taught), CV and statement of purpose with no unexplained gaps.
3. Acceptance, then the visa appointment
Once the school accepts you, book the consulate or VFS/TLScontact appointment with acceptance letter, proof of funds, accommodation proof, insurance and travel booking.
4. Within 90 days of arrival
Validate the VLS-TS online on ANEF, register with CPAM for health cover, apply for CAF housing aid and open a French bank account.
Frequently asked questions
Do students from Trinidad and Tobago need a visa to study in France?
Yes. For programmes longer than 90 days you need the VLS-TS Étudiant long-stay visa, which you validate online within three months of arriving.
Is Campus France mandatory for Trinidad and Tobago?
No. Trinidad and Tobago is not connected to the Études en France platform, so you apply directly to the institution and then to the consulate.
How much money do I need to show from Trinidad and Tobago?
You must show around €615 per month of stay — roughly €7,380 for an academic year — in your name or a sponsor's, with an affidavit of support.
Can I come to France on Erasmus+ from Trinidad and Tobago?
Exchange and short mobility students nominated by a partner university follow a lighter path: no Campus France file in many cases, but you still need the long-stay visa if you stay over 90 days.
Can students from Trinidad and Tobago work in France?
Yes, up to 964 hours per year (about 20 hours a week) on a student residence permit.
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