student visa from Nepal
France's distinctive step is the Campus France interview — a real conversation about your study plan that happens before you ever reach the consulate. That is where applications are actually decided.
Visa: the VLS-TS long-stay student visa, for studies longer than 6 months
Usefully: the VLS-TS functions as a residence permit for its validity — no separate permit application on arrival
Fee: €50 for EEF countries, plus the VFS service fee
For courses under 6 months: the VLS-T temporary visa, which is non-renewable; entrance-exam trips use a short-stay concours visa
Complete the EEF pre-consular procedure
Études en France — the online file that precedes everything. This is where your academic project is set out.
Attend the Campus France interview
In Kathmandu. The substantive screen — see below. Roughly 3 days to 3 weeks for this stage.
Get the MoEST NOC and pay tuition
Nepal's approval before remitting anything.
Apply on France-Visas
The consular application, built on your EEF acceptance.
Submit and give biometrics at VFS Kathmandu
Paying the €50 visa fee plus the VFS service charge.
Decision
Timing varies with season and how complete your file is. Plan generously in the May–August peak.
No other destination in this guide has quite this step, and it is worth preparing for properly rather than treating as a formality.
The Campus France interview is the substantive screen. You must show a coherent study plan, genuine academic fit, and credible finances.
There is no points test and no separate genuine-student exam. What there is, is a person asking why this course, why France, and how it fits what you have already studied. The practical failure modes are a weak or incoherent academic project and unexplained finances — both entirely within your control.
Prepare to explain your course choice in terms of your existing background and where it leads. An answer that would satisfy a curious professor is roughly the right standard.
Passport
Valid at least 6 months beyond your stay, with blank pages.
France-Visas form & photos
Photos to the French specification, which is stricter than most.
EEF acceptance
Your Accord préalable from the Campus France procedure.
Proof of funds
Around €615/month, in one of several accepted forms.
Proof of tuition payment
As required by your institution.
Health insurance
Required at the visa stage.
Accommodation proof
Where you will live on arrival.
Academic & language certificates
Transcripts, plus French or English certification as your programme requires.
Proof of funds: commonly cited as around €615 per month
Accepted forms: recent bank statements, a blocked or dedicated account, a scholarship award letter, or a sponsor guarantee
France's flexibility here is a genuine advantage over Germany's blocked account — there is no single mandatory instrument. But the same underlying test applies everywhere: the money must be credible and explainable. A recent unexplained deposit will be noticed at the interview, where you will be asked about it in person.
The MoEST Foreign Study Approval Letter: online at noc.moest.gov.np, NPR 2,000, issued in ~1–5 working days, valid 6 months