In general, registering at university represents a trying process for new high school graduates and foreign students. However, it is essential to join a higher education establishment. The procedure also tends to become complicated in the event of registration of foreigners. In this case, it is better to contact the planned university to find out about the admission conditions and formalities.
How to complete your university registration form?
In order to bring together the documents to provide to register at university, Parcoursup is essential for future students. The platform effectively centralizes application files intended for 21,000 faculties, schools and prep schools in France. It allows you to explore existing training courses, submit your application, receive responses and choose your establishment.
In principle, the use of Parcoursup is not obligatory. However, you will have difficulty integrating into a higher education establishment without going through the pre-registration platform in the first year. Moreover, universities cannot always be contacted directly. It is therefore recommended to register on the site and comply with its schedule.
You can discover the admission conditions for higher education from the end of December. From January to March, you are supposed to register on the site, indicate your wishes and put together your application file. In the meantime, you can use a service like My Birth Certificate to easily obtain your civil status documents. You will then receive offers from colleges, schools and prep schools. Finally, you have until July to confirm your choice of training.
What documents are required for registration?
The establishment, sector and specialty generally determine the documents to provide to register at university. That said, certain supporting documents are commonly requested for higher education registration files. You can therefore use this basis to prepare for your entry into university. To pursue higher education, you must most often present:
- A registration form from the establishment concerned, downloaded from its website;
- A copy of the transcript and the baccalaureate diploma;
- A positive response to the pre-registration request;
- A copy of an identity document (CNI, driving license or passport);
- An identity photo ;
- A detailed and up-to-date CV;
- A cover letter ;
- Proof of payment of registration fees;
- For scholarship recipients, proof of having obtained a scholarship;
- For master’s registrations, a copy of the bachelor’s degree and a copy of the transcripts from the first three years;
- For doctoral registrations, a copy of the master’s diploma and a copy of the transcripts from the two years of the master’s degree;
- For doctoral students, a report on the thesis subject accompanied by the agreement of the supervising professor.
Other documents may also be required depending on the university. To find out about them, it is best to contact the intended establishment directly. This process can be easily carried out with the administration, unlike pre-registration which is left to Parcoursup.
Do foreign students have to provide more documents?
Foreign students must complete a DAP (prior admission request) if they wish to enter a French higher education establishment. The candidate’s profile will then dictate the documents to provide to register at university. If you live abroad, you will need to complete the blank file and send it to the French embassy. It provides information, among other things, on the planned training, the three establishments chosen, your motivations, your academic situation and your diploma.
If you live in France, you will need to complete the green file and send it to the three chosen universities. The information to be provided is broadly similar to the white file. However, the framework for the language tests must this time be completed by the chosen schools, instead of the embassy. Your file must specifically include:
- A DAP when registering for French higher education;
- A response from the establishment;
- A reference sheet intended for the university;
- The receipt ;
- The results of linguistic verification tests;
- For the green file, a registration form for the French knowledge test.
In addition to the DAP, you will have to follow a specific procedure called “studies in France”, if you come from one of the 65 countries concerned by this measure. The procedure applies in particular to nationals of South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, China, Canada, Iran, Morocco, Kenya, Russia, Turkey, etc.
