France expects the number of Indian students in the country to reach 10,000 this academic year, consul general of France in Mumbai, Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet, told The PIE.
“We have 8,000 Indian students in France so far, and we are now pushing to have 9,000-10,000 students in the country this year,” he said at the Choose France Tour’s Mumbai leg this weekend.
In recent years, India and France have been seeking closer ties, with some experts referring to France as India’s “new best friend”.
With both countries already building a strategic relationship in defence, nuclear energy, and space, education has become a key soft diplomacy tool.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who served as the chief guest for India’s 75th Republic Day celebrations, announced earlier this year that France is aiming to host 30,000 Indian students in France by 2030.
“The target of 30,000 students is ambitious but very possible. France has some excellent universities and offers a wide range of courses, which are much cheaper than countries like the US and the UK,” said Philippe Maurin, attaché for scientific and academic cooperation, French Consulate in Mumbai.
“Over 1,700 programs in France are taught in English, which can be really beneficial for Indian students. Though we see a lot of interest among students from India in pursuing Master’s courses, we are also trying to develop our bachelor’s programs here.”
Macron’s statement has led to more interest in India as representatives from 58 French institutions arrived in the country for the Choose France Tour 2024 across five cities, compared to 48 last year.
France has some excellent universities and offers a wide range of courses, which are much cheaper than countries like the US and the UK
Philippe Maurin, French Consulate in Mumbai
“When you think of studying abroad, students will go to the internet to find more information, but it’s not always easy to understand what the schools are offering,” said Eloïse Ondet, national coordinator of Campus France India.
“The Choose France Tour is a good opportunity for students to meet with French institutions in-person and discuss what it’s like to study and live in the country.”
The Classes Internationales program, launched in September 2024, is an initiative that aims to address language barriers and employment opportunities among France-bound Indian students.
The program has been established for students from India with little to no French proficiency.
It allows them to follow a foundation year in France to train in the French language, with thematic courses relevant to their field of interest. Some will be able to secure scholarships at the program’s end.
“We had our first intake this year, and the students are really happy about the program. The idea of Classes Internationales is that, yes, students will be taught French, but they will also have a team to help with anything they need,” said Ondet.
“It’s a foundation year after which students can start with their bachelor program and even pursue it in French because they can speak and understand it.”
Prominent institutions across France and India have also signed agreements in recent weeks to encourage a deeper knowledge exchange between the two countries.
École Polytechnique, one of the top French institutions for science and engineering, signed agreements with two major Indian Institutes of Technology: IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi.
“There’s a mutual level of interest among students and universities in India and France because it encourages not only student mobility but also research partnerships. We want to keep developing this over the next 20-30 years,” said Maurin.
Though the outflow of students from India to France remains steady, the trend is yet to emerge the other way round.
In April 2024, A panel discussion titled ‘India, place of talents and innovation’ aimed to explore how French students can be encouraged to pursue exchange semesters and internships in India.
The session, which attracted 2000 students across 65 institutions in France, saw 75% of the participating students willing to prioritise India for academic and professional opportunities.
“It’s great to have Indian students in France but we also want French students to come and study in India to maintain the academic links between our two countries. Maybe France needs a Choose India Tour,” stated Charlet.
With international universities setting up campuses in India, French institutions are also encouraged to establish branches here.
“Attracting a record number of Indian students remains the primary target, but at least one French institution is interested in opening a campus in India,” said Charlet.
“They will, of course, need the right investment, and it’s important for them to have stability in their decisions in a country like India.”
In July 2023, India’s Ministry of External Affairs announced that Indians holding a master’s degree or higher from French educational institutions would be eligible for a five-year validity short-stay Schengen visa.
Though the policy is expected to help 1000-1500 Indian students, as reported by The PIE, it has not yet had its intended effect.
“We thought we would be swamped with applications, but that has not been the case. The policy is aimed at young professionals, so we hope the number of applicants will improve in the coming years,” said Sami Bouakaze, deputy head of mission, French Consulate in Mumbai.
According to Bouakaze, India’s approval rate for all types of visas to France stands at 85-90%, indicating minimal refusals, but students need to be better informed about the process.
“We are doing great when it comes to processing visas for Indian students, but I think the problem arises when students second guess the documents they have been asked to submit,” said Bouakaze.
“When we ask for certain documents, students have many questions about them. So if we ask them for document A, some think they can pass off document E as document A. We are mandating certain documents because we need a complete student file.”
The sixth largest host country for international students, France’s growth in India is not without its challenges.
“One of the major challenges in France not being identified as a study destination in India is because the price of education is low and subsidised by the government, the impression becomes that the education is not of good quality,” said Ondet.
“But it’s quite the contrary as France has some of the best schools in the world. If you look at our country’s size and rankings, we are doing really well on the global stage.”
