France student visa documents: the complete checklist (2026)

Applying for a French long-stay student visa (VLS-TS) is mostly an exercise in completeness: one missing document and everything stalls. Here is the full checklist, in the order you should tackle it, with special attention to the item that causes the most refusals and delays among international students: proof of accommodation.

Exact requirements vary by country and consulate. Always confirm the official list for your situation on France-Visas and, if your country uses it, through the Études en France / Campus France procedure.

1. Identity and application basics

• Long-stay visa application form, completed and signed.
• Passport, valid well beyond your intended stay, with spare blank pages.
• ID photos meeting the official format.
• Visa fee payment receipt.

2. Academic admission

• Enrolment or pre-enrolment certificate from your French institution.
• Études en France attestation if your country runs through the Campus France procedure (interview and file validation included).
• Diplomas and transcripts supporting your academic path, translated when required.

3. Financial means

• Evidence of sufficient resources for the academic year. The reference monthly amount is set by the authorities; consulates commonly ask for bank statements, a scholarship award letter, or a formal sponsorship from a parent with their own proof of funds.
• If sponsored: sponsor's letter, ID, and bank evidence.

4. Proof of accommodation, the tricky one

The consulate expects to see where you will live during your first months in France. Accepted forms include a lease or residence booking, a CROUS accommodation offer, a host's attestation, or a housing certificate from a housing operator backed by a real address.

Two dedicated guides cover this in depth:

• Proof of accommodation for a French student visa: the complete guide
• No accommodation yet? How to prove housing anyway

If you need the document fast, Studhome issues a verifiable housing certificate online, backed by a real address in a Colonies residence, refunded if the visa is refused on the housing ground (see terms).

5. Health cover and travel

• Health insurance covering your arrival period, until French student social security kicks in after registration.
• Flight reservation or travel itinerary: some consulates request it, avoid buying non-refundable tickets before the visa is granted.

6. Minor and special cases

• Applicants under 18: parental authorisation and birth certificate, translated.
• Some consulates ask for a motivation letter or CV; write them specifically for your study project.

The five most common file-killers

1. Weak or missing housing proof: the most frequent gap, and the easiest to fix in advance.
2. Financial statements that don't hold: irregular balances, unexplained transfers, missing sponsor documents.
3. Inconsistencies between documents: names spelled differently, addresses that don't match.
4. Late Campus France processing: start the Études en France procedure months ahead.
5. Expired or short-validity passport: renew before applying, not after.

Suggested timeline

Once in France, remember the VLS-TS must be validated online within 3 months of arrival, a step many students discover too late.