French Connection
Paris was ranked as the world’s best student city by QS in 2011. A fun college life is just one of the reasons for the city’s gaining popularity amongst students.
The American University of Paris organised over 600 different debates, talks, exchanges and festivals for its students in 2011. From French poetry reading to quick country excursions, it is little wonder then why young adults are now increasingly choosing to study in France.
Despite the language barrier, a total of 970 Indian students enrolled in French universities in 2007. In 2008, the number had risen to 1,757. “France actually has an academic heritage that goes back further in time than most British institutes. The libraries here are rich with books and journals. Despite the tradition and history, most campuses embrace modern advancements as well,” says Sakshi Aneja, 29, MBA student, INSEAD. Aneja has previously spent four years working in France. “I choose to do my business management degree here not only because the tuition fees were cheaper but because I have grown to feel at home in this country. The language and cultural barriers have ceased to exist for me,” adds Aneja.
Another reason for France’s growing popularity amongst Indian stu- dents is that unlike most American and Canadian universities, French schools do not require students to have completed 16 years of education before applying for a Masters degree.
The education system in France is a signatory to the Bologna Process that sets European standards of education and homogenises the duration of studies to acquire degrees. The Baccalaureate degree which they follow is the French equivalent of the Indian 10+ 2. A Bachelor degree in France is obtained after three years of studies post the baccalaureate, a Master is five
years after the baccalaureate and a Doctorate is acquired after eight years of higher education. The country is home to many prestigious universities which has fueled the number of international applicants. Some of the popular campuses include Paris Sorbonne University, INSEAD, University of Lyon and University of Toulouse.
“I think the time has passed when Indians would just take up a foreign degree for the sake of it. Students now make decisions based on the quality of education, history of the instituition and reputation of faculty. That is why France is such a popular alternative to the UK and US. The universities in major French cities have long been wellknown for academics. There is no compromise on standards and global university rankings when choosing to study in France,” says Rajiv Gupta, CEO of EGE Global Consultants.
Looking to increase their share of Indian students, the French government has recently eased up on student visa rules. Additionally Indian students in France are also allowed to stay on for six months and look for a job after graduation. If the student is able to find a job within a stipulated period, then a job permit is automatically granted by the government.
With such excellent incentives for foreign students, French universities are definetely worth keeping in mind.