France has introduced a deposit requirement for non-EU student visa applicants, which is supposed to cover expenses during their potential stay.
According to FPJ, this amount, which has as yet to be specified, can be refundable under certain conditions.
Planned departure, permit renewal, or a change in visa category can all make a candidate eligible for a refund, but failing to comply with the departure conditions can result in forfeiture of the deposit.
Atharv Chodankar, BAMMC student at Mulund College of Commerce, argues that this is a fairly common practice for students in other countries, and it comes as no surprise. However, there are challenges to it as a measure that risks discouraging students from applying.
This isn’t unfamiliar territory. Many countries impose similar deposit requirements. While it offers financial security for students abroad, it can pose initial challenges in arranging the funds.
Furthermore, Saurav M, a potential student visa candidate who has already started preparing for his language proficiency exam, says that the unspecified amount adds ambiguity, and this is an unexpected financial hurdle.
Niranjan Rane, a BSc IT student who is considering a master’s programme in France, noted that visa consultants could ease this dilemma.
While the deposit adds a financial layer, its refundable nature is reassuring. Staying informed and liaising with visa consultants will ensure a smooth process.
The government has also introduced an annual proof of enrollment obligation, which applies to all long-term permit holders.
France is one of the most popular destinations in the European Union for students, with UNESCO’s Institute for Statistics revealing that the country was the sixth-largest host for a number of international students.
China, India and Vietnam are the top three countries of origin for the majority of international students. More than one million Chinese students study abroad, which is nearly two times more than the number of Indian students (520,000) and eight times that of Vietnamese students (130,000).
In addition, France has become the sixth-ranked country of origin for international students, with the number of French students studying abroad increasing by 245 per cent in the last five years.
The number of international students enrolled in France increased by eight percentage points in 2021-2022 and has now exceeded the 400,000 mark.
This means that the country has experienced the strongest growth in international students recorded in more than 15 years, mainly due to the increase in the number of European students, which is 21 percentage points up, while the number of exchange students during this period increased by a total of 46 per cent.
