Ready for an exciting school year in France? Before you pack your bags and start practicing how to say “Where is the library?” in French, you have to take out insurance.

Insurance will help protect you against the costs of emergencies or lllnesses while you are studying abroad. For example, you will have to consider whether or not you are covered for medical fees, hospitalization, and other health care costs. With the right policies, you should have 100% protection in case of any emergencies and illnesses, including dental care.

You can also look into the student social security plan. What benefits do you automatically receive upon enrollment in a college or university in France? Of course, some schools will have strict eligibility requirements, and will not provide this service to foreign students. IN this case, you can explore the possibility of approaching a private insurance provider or applying for what is called the
Caisse primaire d’assurance maladie (DGR). This type of insurance coverage is given to anyone who does not fall under the compulsory social security plan. For example, anyone who holds a residency card that is valid for more than 3 months can apply for DGR.

Benefits are available the very first day of the month after the date of enrollment. The amount of coverage you get, and the premiums you will pay, depend on various factors. For example, what is your family’s annual income? What college or university are you going to attend? How old are you, and what is your marital status?
For example, if you are under 25, you will pay about 1,050 francs each year. If you have a scholarship from a foreign university, you will pay about 1,590 each quarter. If you are over 25 and do not hold a scholarship, then you must pay at least 3,181 francs.

Benefits include medical transportation, home and emergency help, and the cost of a round trip ticket for a family member who will visit you in case you are required to be in a hospital for 1 to 10 days. However, not all hospitalization costs may be covered. It’s important to read the contract for the list.

France’s educational system is famous for one of its unique offerings, called The Grandes Ecoles .This is considered to be the very highest level of French higher education—the creme de la creme, the most selective and the most prestigious programs, which focus primarily on providing highly specialized training in fields such as: the sciences, engineering, military studies, political studies, government administration, management and business administration.

While the curriculum of the schools in the The Grandes Ecoles is similar to those in other universities, they have higher admission requirements. For one thing, the Grandes Ecoles only accept the students who have been at the top of their class in the last few years of their secondary studies. Furthermore, theyare not under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education.

Schools pass through very strict requirements to be declared a ‘Grande Ecole”. When accepted, they become part of the CGE, also called the “Conference des Grandes Ecoles”. This prestigious organization was established in 1973.

Basic Requirements for Admission

In order to qualify for the Grand Ecoles, you will need to take preparatory classes. To enter those, you will need a basic diploma or the baccalaureat de l’enseignement du second degree. This is normally given after taking seven years of secondary education, or its equivalent.

However, qualifying for admission is entirely different from actually being admitted. The Grande Ecoles have limited slots, since the number of students is determined in part by the demand for new professionals in each sector.

To prepare for the Grand Ecoles, the country’s best students take two or even three years of intense studying, usually called classes préparatoires, given by
the French lycees or in specialized private institutions.

Highest Academic Standards

The preparatory classes are quite rigorous, with heavy workloads and grading systems that follow a scale of 0 to 20. Most professors will give low grades, partially to motivate the students to try harder, and also due to the exceptional standards. However, they will make notes on the transcripts to give a better description of the student’s abilities and work ethic.

Because of the intense competitiveness, most students will apply to several Grande Ecoles, then from the ones they passed in, choose the most prestigious and highly ranked. A number of schools have linked together to give common entrance exams as well.

For centuries, France has been the centre of learning, with students arriving from all over the world. For example, 800 years ago, France’s first University, La Sorbonne, opened its doors during the Middle Ages. It quickly became one of the most prestigious learning institutions in Europe, attracting thousands of students from all over the continent. La Sorbonne specialized in theology, medicine and law.

The Sorbonne still stands until today, after 8 centuries and hundreds of thousands of graduates, and still highly acclaimed due to its esteemed faculty and lecturers.

Government Efforts

The Sorbonne is joined by other fine French educational and research institutions. In fact, in recent years, the French government has paved the way for even greater intellectual accomplishments In the late 1990s, it introduced various policies that would encourage students from around the world to study in France. These policies were created and monitored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education.

Visa Application

These policies include modifying the rules for the issuing of visas, in order to prioritize foreign students and simplify the requirements and procedures they have to follow.

Marketing and Promotion

The government also established the Edufrance Agency, which would act as its marketing arm and promote France’s educational system (particularly its colleges and universities) abroad. Edufrance organizes education fairs and distributes pamphlets and other information materials on studying in France.

Financial Aid

The French government has also released a new system of grants and scholarships which makes it easier for students to apply for financial aid.

Influx of Foreign Students

Because of these measures, France has become an increasingly popular palace for students who wish to study abroad. Some enroll full time in France’s universities and colleges; others participate in foreign language classes or join a student exchange program. As of the year 2000, just two years after France’s policies were first implemented, there was an increase of 12,000 students, leading a total of 162,000 foreign students in the country.