Looking for more information to study and live in France

[alphapunk2]

Hello,

I am a 16 year old singaporean male looking for information as to studying and living in France. I have a few questions which i am burning to ask.

1. How much would it cost for me to study (university level) in France? Including accomodation, transport, school fees etc, basically everything

2. Is it strictly required of me to be able to speak fluent french? (Currently i am learning basic french language)

3.What are the chances of me changing my citizenship from singaporean to french? (During or after completing university)

4. Is there anyway of me getting any sort of benefits whatsoever such as reduced costs of accommodation, everyday expenses while studying there? (Changing my citizenship while still in university)

5. Do all universities there teach only in french?

[sundaymorningstaple]

If you are a male you cannot change your citizenship until you have done your national service. Otherwise you are a deserter and will be locked up upon returning to Singapore.

[Strong Eagle]

Hello,

I am a 16 year old singaporean male looking for information as to studying and living in France. I have a few questions which i am burning to ask.

1. How much would it cost for me to study (university level) in France? Including accomodation, transport, school fees etc, basically everything

You'll have to do your own research but basically Paris is very expensive, other cities quite expensive, and rural not quite so expensive. You will pay a lot.

2. Is it strictly required of me to be able to speak fluent french? (Currently i am learning basic french language)

Almost mandatory. The French are proud of their language and have even passed laws prohibited English TV programs. It is getting better but the French will still want you to speak French, and it will be essential if you are away from the larger cities where English is more commonly spoken, especially Paris.

3.What are the chances of me changing my citizenship from singaporean to french? (During or after completing university)

4. Is there anyway of me getting any sort of benefits whatsoever such as reduced costs of accommodation, everyday expenses while studying there? (Changing my citizenship while still in university)

5. Do all universities there teach only in french?

You've seen SMS's response about citizenship. As a non citizen you will probably pay more, not less. You really need to search for individual universities and see what each has to offer for foreign students.

Yes - French will be the language. You might find an international university offering English language courses but if so, it will be rare.

[alphapunk2]

If you are a male you cannot change your citizenship until you have done your national service. Otherwise you are a deserter and will be locked up upon returning to Singapore.

I plan to go to university after i finish my NS

[ProvenPracticalFlexible]

1. How much would it cost for me to study (university level) in France? Including accomodation, transport, school fees etc, basically everything

Important thing to note is that France most universities are public and for those tuition fees are low, practically free (annual fee is about 300S$ for a first level degree, as long as you are accepted there is no discrimination between French and foreigners what comes to the tuition fees). Living costs really depends where you stay, student housing is relatively cheap. With say 800 euros a month you should be able to survive. but if you're a pampered Singaporean who doesn't know how to cook your own rice, and expect to eat out every day multiply the that by 5.

2. Is it strictly required of me to be able to speak fluent french? (Currently i am learning basic french language)

Not fluent, but you need to show some level of French (just to get admission to the university). Most schools and universities, which are interested in getting foreign students, usually offer French classes for non native speakers before the academic year starts. If you can get accepted to a university, it would be enough. Wouldn’t worry about that too much, you’ll pick up the language pretty fast when you surrounded by francophones and start watching Rambo and Dirty Harry speaking French.

3.What are the chances of me changing my citizenship from singaporean to french? (During or after completing university)

Normally you have to be a resident for five years, but if you graduate from a French university they require only 2 years of residence before you can apply for citizenship.

4. Is there anyway of me getting any sort of benefits whatsoever such as reduced costs of accommodation, everyday expenses while studying there? (Changing my citizenship while still in university)

Yes, a lot for subsidies and reduced fees for students are available in France. From student housing, cheaper bus, train and flight tickets. Even housing and study allowances to cover all or parts of your living cost, cheap (almost free) student health care etc. France is about same level in these freebies and subsidies as Scandinavia, and if the government tries to cut them down there will be a riot on streets. That is actually an annual event, which you can of course participate if you feel like it.

What you can apply from French government:
http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/france ... _1563.html

5. Do all universities there teach only in french?

No, but if they are public universities at least part of the program will be in French. Also considering your age, be aware that most of the basic programs are fully in French, and it is only the post graduate degrees (bac+4 or +5) that are so called bi-lingual programs where classes are held in French and English.

You of course can go there and do your basic degree in French, but before going for that option you would need to understand the educational system in France. It is not the same as in Singapore. Think first what do you want to study, and do you want to go to France immediately, or would you prefer to study first in Singapore and do an exchange year or post graduate degree in France.

If you are really serious about it, I would recommend you to stop by Alliance Francaise here in Singapore, they can help you and provide information about studying and living in France. http://www.alliancefrancaise.org.sg/

and read the information on : http://edufrance.fr/en/index.htm

After you decided you need to get approved by a university. Admission deadline for academic year starting in September is in February. You can apply from Singapore via the Alliance Francaise.

[alphapunk2]

3.What are the chances of me changing my citizenship from singaporean to french? (During or after completing university)

Normally you have to be a resident for five years, but if you graduate from a French university they require only 2 years of residence before you can apply for citizenship.

1. So after i graduate there i can start work right? Is it mandatory for me to return to singapore to work?

2. Will i have to pay for everything in full amounts (with no subsidies) from the very first day i graduate?

[ProvenPracticalFlexible]

3.What are the chances of me changing my citizenship from singaporean to french? (During or after completing university)

Normally you have to be a resident for five years, but if you graduate from a French university they require only 2 years of residence before you can apply for citizenship.

So after i graduate there i can start work right? Is it mandatory for me to return to Singapore to work?

That would be true only if you applied and received a French passport. Otherwise it's not that simple, with a student visa you can get an internship or work part time (pretty much same rules as in Singapore). In order to get a work visa you would need to secure a job and the company can then apply for work visa and residence permit. It is not automatically guaranteed. But yes it is possible.

Easy way out is of course to marry a eu-citizen. When you spend some 3-5 years studying, I'm sure you can find a wife. That will guarantee you the same rights to work as any citizen of EU.

You are not required to come back to work in Singapore, there's a whole world out there you can look for jobs. Unless of course you have a Singapore government scholarship that states you have to serve a bond of X years.

[alphapunk2]

oh so after i graduate i am basically free to do anything for how long?

[madura]

4. Is there anyway of me getting any sort of benefits whatsoever such as reduced costs of accommodation, everyday expenses while studying there? (Changing my citizenship while still in university)

There's a thread on scholarships for Singaporeans which might be useful for you, you can try your luck and check if there is any specific to France:

http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/showt ... ?t=1331698

[Petales Soufflez!]

Hello,

I am a 16 year old singaporean male looking for information as to studying and living in France. I have a few questions which i am burning to ask.

1. How much would it cost for me to study (university level) in France? Including accomodation, transport, school fees etc, basically everything

2. Is it strictly required of me to be able to speak fluent french? (Currently i am learning basic french language)

3.What are the chances of me changing my citizenship from singaporean to french? (During or after completing university)

4. Is there anyway of me getting any sort of benefits whatsoever such as reduced costs of accommodation, everyday expenses while studying there? (Changing my citizenship while still in university)

5. Do all universities there teach only in french?

Alphapunk2,

There are many different types of higher education institutions in France. The public universities in general cost almost nothing (e.g. Paris I's fees for 2008/9 are less than 200 euros), the semi-public like Sciences Po will be between 530 and 5300 euros (depending on your household income) and the Écoles de commerce, écoles d'ingénieurs etc will be very costly.

But since you will leave after NS, do not speak French and assuming that you will not be going on scholarship, you will probably not qualify for anything but the Premier Cycle (Bac + 1 & 2). Most Universities have their own board for the équivalences, you present your Singapore Paper qualifications etc and they decide if they will take you in. Everything at this level will be in French, though if you do courses like LEA (e.g. Paris III) or Langues Orientales (INALCO), you'll be able to gain a little respite as you can do another language like English, Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese etc at the same time. Or do Maths - less language to deal with.

Student accommodation is expensive and rare in Paris, though it may be easier and cheaper in the provinces. There are student hostels both public (CROUS) and private, but you usually get priority when you are doing the higher cycles e.g. Bac + 3 onwards. You can try to rent a room chez l'habitant or find another student with whom you can rent a small flat. To have an idea of prices, you can check out www.pap.fr or even the English magazine FUSAC.

If you manage to get them to accept that you have little or no income, you may qualify for housing aid from the CAF. But your papers must be in order, you must be admitted to a school, your room has to be of a min size etc and if you are renting your landlord has to be willing to declare his rental income to the tax office.

Transportation-wise students under 26 get good discounts so that shouldn't be a problem and increasingly you can rent bikes etc in most cities.

If you're lucky you may find small jobs babysitting or translating, foodwise, if you stick to the discounters like Leader Price, ED you'll survive. Before I became the Cordon Bleu cook that I am today, I used to survive on grilled sausages and white rice. If in Paris, register with the SSAF Singapore's Student association and you'll get a free meal or 2 every year. A hamburger in McDonald's go for a euro nowadays.

Internships in general do not pay, but you may need to do them in the course of your studies. Times are bad, even normal grads may have to go on internships and CDDs to be employed, I wouldn't count on them as a 1er cycle student.

Citizenship. Goodness, the grass is not that green on the other side, not that it's any of my business. I left for Paris 13 years ago and though I've not regretted it, I do not see why people think it's so wonderful here. In any case, it will not be easy to get French citizenship certainly not when you're here just for your studies. People who have worked 5 years continuously may qualify for residency, but citizenship? Maybe after you've 1st qualified for residency and after a few years holding on to it.

If you have children born in France (and both parents are not French), they will qualify for citizenship and you may not be expulsed. But you will not obtain citizenship for that. If you marry an EU citizen, after 2 years of marriage, you may qualify for citizenship though. Hope though that you'll find your love when you're there and not have to contract a mariage blanc.

French is easy if you have a good ear and do not stick to the Chinese or English-speaking communities. I was fluent in less than a year though I had DELF before I left, my Bachelor's degree included some French and I was in France for Postgrad studies in Political Science which required alot of reading, presentations etc.

Hope this helps.

[loathed]

sorry to hijack, but just wanna ask something...

im looking at france as a potential place to study. however, i want to do the french bac (equal to completion of high school) before i apply for a uni in france. is there a way an international student can study and then sit for the french bac...either locally or in france itself?

cheers.

[Petales Soufflez!]

You should contact Alliance Française in Singapore on this. You could also check out the CNED (distance learning) website.