Chintan Pandya

UNIVERSITY OF ARTOIS

Ihad studied French before I went to France. I had always thought of France as a country which had a fascinating culture and wished to visit it. But I had never dreamt that one day I would be studying in France, especially since most Indians think of anglosaxon countries for their higher studies.

France has some of the best and most reputed universities of the world. The French way of teaching follows active pedagogy and analytical practice which is both important and interesting. The biggest advantage of going to France, which most of us are unaware of, is that the French education system does not discriminate between students due to their nationalities; Indian students are required to pay the same amount of fees as a French national. In public universities, education is free ( but in French). One only needs to pay the registration fee and health insurance charges. I paid about 400 euros as registration charges and medical insurance for my Master 1 at the Université d'Artois. Thus, I was very happy that I was not required to pay even a paisa more than the local French students.

Ones peers and professors are welcoming. A proficiency in French helps. I would strongly recommend French universities to Indian students as one gets to explore beyond boundaries and study in world class universi- ties. The cost of living is also much cheaper than studying in UK or US. France has a well developed public transport system in most of its cities. Additionally an efficient network of trains across the European continent offers easy mobility.

The international exposure and opportunity to study with a global student community is an unforgettable experience. Especially since you meet people from so many different backgrounds, cities and cultures.

Full scholarship opportunities for Indian students is available in plenty at most French universities. One can research on suitable scholarships either through the French Embassy in India or private education consultants.

CampusFrance, the official agency of the French government in India offers free consultation for higher education and also helps students with the overall admission process.