Key facts
- Procedure
- Apply directly to the French institution, or come through Erasmus+ / a bilateral exchange agreement signed by your home university.
- Visa / permit
- No visa and no residence permit — free movement, you simply register with your school
- Erasmus & exchange
- Erasmus+ students keep their home enrolment, pay no French tuition, and receive a monthly Erasmus grant that varies by country pair. You still need a French address, a CVEC exemption check and European health cover (EHIC).
- Money to prove
- No proof of funds is required. Budget €700–€1,200 per month depending on the city; CAF housing aid is open to you from your first full month of rent.
- Region
- Europe
The procedure, step by step
1. Confirm your route
Erasmus+ / exchange through your home university, or a direct application to a French programme. The two calendars are completely different — exchange nominations close much earlier.
2. Apply and get your acceptance
Direct applications go through the school's own portal or Parcoursup for first-year licence. Exchange students are nominated by their international office.
3. Sort housing before you fly
CROUS, private residences or a private lease. Visale is the free state guarantor and it accepts EU students under 30.
4. On arrival: bank, CAF, health cover
Open a French account with proof of address, apply for CAF housing aid, and carry your EHIC. Long stays should also register with Assurance Maladie.
A realistic timeline for students from Czechia
Nothing in the French system stops an EU student from Czechia, but housing does. Work backwards from the September intake.
- January–March — Erasmus+ nomination by your home university, or direct application on the school portal.
- April–June — acceptance, then the CROUS / private residence hunt. Visale guarantor file can be opened before you have a lease.
- July–August — sign the lease, take housing insurance, pay the CVEC.
- September — enrolment, French bank account, CAF application from your first full month of rent.
What a year in France actually costs a student from Czechia
You pay the same public tuition as a French student, and Erasmus+ students pay none at all. The budget is almost entirely housing.
- Rent: €350–€600 in Lille, Rennes, Toulouse or Montpellier; €700–€1,100 for a studio in Paris.
- CAF housing aid: typically €100–€200 off the rent each month once your file is accepted.
- Food and transport: €250–€350 a month, with student restaurant meals at €3.30 and city passes around €30.
- CVEC: a single €105 contribution paid before enrolment, refundable for scholarship holders.
Where files from Czechia usually break
These are the failure points we see most often on this desk — none of them are hard to avoid if you know they exist.
- Arriving without a guarantor: French landlords ask for a French-resident guarantor. Visale replaces one and is free — apply before you sign.
- Waiting to file with CAF: aid starts from the month after you move in, never retroactively.
- No French bank account before the lease: agencies want a RIB for the direct debit.
- Assuming your EHIC covers a full year: for stays over a few months, register with Assurance Maladie too.
Coming from Europe: what is specific to you
Inside the EU your diplomas are read through the Bologna framework, so a licence, master or doctorate from Czechia maps directly onto the French cycle. No equivalence procedure is needed, and your national student status is recognised for transport and museum discounts.
Frequently asked questions
Do students from Czechia need a visa to study in France?
No. As an EU/EEA/Swiss national you can study in France without a visa or residence permit. You only need enrolment proof, an address and health cover.
Is Campus France mandatory for Czechia?
No. Czechia 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 Czechia?
No proof of funds is required. Budget €700–€1,200 per month depending on the city; CAF housing aid is open to you from your first full month of rent.
Can I come to France on Erasmus+ from Czechia?
Erasmus+ students keep their home enrolment, pay no French tuition, and receive a monthly Erasmus grant that varies by country pair. You still need a French address, a CVEC exemption check and European health cover (EHIC).
Can students from Czechia work in France?
Yes, with no hour limit beyond normal labour law — EU students have full access to the job market.
How early should students from Czechia start the process?
Six to eight months before the intake. Admission is fast; housing is not, and the CROUS and Visale calendars are the real constraint.
Do I need to speak French to study in France from Czechia?
Not for the 1,600+ English-taught programmes, which ask for IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 90. French-taught programmes require DELF B2 or TCF. Either way, A2 French makes the prefecture, the bank and the landlord far easier.
Can I bring my family from Czechia while I study?
Yes — freedom of movement covers your spouse and children, who register the same way you do.
Can I stay in France after graduating, coming from Czechia?
Yes, with no permit required — you can work or start a business in France immediately after graduation.
Is student housing aid (CAF) open to students from Czechia?
Yes. CAF aid depends on your accommodation and your resources, not your nationality — you need a lease in your name, a RIB and, for non-EU students, a valid residence permit or validated VLS-TS.
Read next
The Campus France interview for students from Czechia
AdmissionsThe Études en France portal for students from Czechia
AdmissionsParcoursup for international students for students from Czechia
AdmissionsThe DAP procedure for students from Czechia
The four guides everyone from Czechia needs
- Campus France & the Études en France procedure, step by step
- Student housing in France: leases, Visale guarantor and CAF aid
- Opening a French bank account and getting a SIM card
- After you land: VLS-TS validation, CPAM and visa renewal
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