Applying for a Master’s Degree in France: How to Choose a Program
Note: This information is accurate as of September 9th, 2020.
When Maria and I decided that we wanted to pursue master’s degrees in France, we knew that the process was likely to be difficult and unclear at times. Luckily, we gave ourselves plenty of time to research and plan our approach. Upon conducting this research, we were continually surprised by the lack of detailed information on the internet regarding Americans applying to degree programs in France. That’s why we’re going to try our hand at making the most important information available to everyone, just like we did when we participated in the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF).
“Applying for a Master’s Degree in France” is a series of articles aimed at helping foreign students, especially Americans, apply to master’s programs in France by providing the information they need all in one place. In today’s article, we will be telling you how to go about choosing a program that suits your interests, professional goals, and your future in general.
France has a robust and advanced education system that gives students the option to study just about anything they want. Whether it’s film, biology, business, or photography, France is a viable option for foreign students looking to pursue a degree. With that being said, it is up to you to choose what subject matter you would like to study. Often times, it is a good idea to continue on a similar path as your previous education, but it is also possible to study an entirely new subject.
Once you’ve decided on what you would like to study, it’s time to search for programs. France is a big proponent of welcoming foreign students, and an example of their hospitality is the existence of Campus France.
Campus France USA is a service geared towards promoting the French higher education system to Americans. Campus France assists students interested in studying in France long-term, meaning for a period of 90 days or more.
Campus France also provides a master’s degree catalogue that allows prospective students to search for programs by keyword, field of study, or even geographical location. From the catalogue, the school and program websites, the program’s location, the program’s length, and the institution’s contact information are available. This is a great resource for finding a master’s program, and similar catalogues exist for other educational categories like bachelor’s programs, doctoral programs, art programs, and anglophone programs.
Another helpful website for finding master’s programs is appropriately titled “Trouver mon Master,” which translates to “Find my Master.” This website is made for French students looking to further their education, but there is no reason that Americans cannot use it as well! This website is the official, national portal of the master’s programs offered by French establishments, and it has some information that you cannot find on the Campus France portal mentioned above. On “Trouver mon Master,” you are able to search for programs in several ways, including by keyword, university name, and program name. After hitting the search button and choosing a program to look at more closely, you can access information such as enrollment capacity, instruction methods, and even similar programs at other establishments that might interest you.
At the end of the day, there are several ways to learn about the master’s degrees available to you in France. However, using the official portals provided by the French government is the best way to ensure that you are getting the most accurate and up-to-date information. We would recommend using both of these websites in conjunction to ensure that you are getting a complete picture of the programs that you are considering.
If you are interested in getting a master’s degree in France or have already completed one, let us know in a comment what resources you recommend for finding programs.
Check out the other articles in our Applying to a Master’s Degree in France series:
- Important Documents You Need
- How to Complete the Online Application
- Detailed Application Timeline
- Campus France Phone Interview
- Will You be Accepted to a Program in France?
- Accepting an Offer of Admission
2 Comments
Emily
Hey! Your blog is such a great resource, thank you so much for taking the time to put Lish your experiences !
My apologies if you go over this in a different section of your blog, but how did you manage the timeline of applying for TAPIF + applying for a master’s, since the location of your TAPIF placement is unsure? Did you apply for your master’s after your TAPIF placement ?
Jalen & Maria
Hi Emily! We actually did TAPIF during the 2019-2020 academic year and began our master’s in the 2020-2021 academic year. We aren’t doing both at the same time. Thanks for your question and for reading!