Campus France Tunisia: the complete 2026-2027 guide

Every year, thousands of Tunisian bac holders and students go through Campus France Tunisia to join a university or school in France. The procedure is not complicated, but it is long, tightly scheduled and unforgiving of oversights. This guide explains, step by step, how the « Études en France » procedure works for the 2026-2027 intake, what to prepare and which mistakes to avoid.

Before you start: dates, application fees and the amounts required for the visa change every year. We give orders of magnitude here. Our advisors give you the up-to-date calendar and figures at your first appointment.

What exactly is Campus France Tunisia?

Campus France is the French agency responsible for promoting French higher education abroad. In Tunisia, its offices (attached to the Institut français) manage the Études en France procedure: a single online platform on which you create your file, choose your programmes, have an interview and follow the institutions' responses.

For a student living in Tunisia, this procedure is mandatory to enrol in the vast majority of French public universities and in many schools. It is also linked to the visa: the consulate relies on the Campus France file to process the student visa application.

Private schools that are not connected to the platform sometimes accept direct applications. In that case, you still go through Campus France for the visa part, via a simplified « Je suis accepté » ("I have been accepted") procedure.

DAP or non-DAP: which procedure applies to you?

This is the first question to ask, because the timeline is not the same.

The DAP (demande d'admission préalable, prior admission request)

The DAP mainly concerns candidates who want to enter the first year of a bachelor's degree (L1) at a French university, including health pathways such as PASS or L.AS, as well as certain schools of architecture. It applies to you if you are in your final year of secondary school or if you have your Tunisian bac without having completed a year of higher education.

Key points:

• the file is generally put together between October and December of the year before the intake;

• the number of choices is limited, with precise rules on the choice of universities;

• a French test (TCF DAP, or a DELF/DALF at a sufficient level) is in principle required.

The non-DAP procedure

It concerns everything else: L2, L3, master's, BUT, engineering schools, business schools, art schools… The file is generally put together between October and January, with dates that vary by programme. Some schools have their own entrance exam or interview sessions in addition to Campus France.

If you are unsure which procedure applies to you, ask an advisor before creating your file: choosing the wrong route can cost you a year.

The steps of the Études en France procedure

1. Build your study plan

Before even opening the platform, you need to know what to study, where and why. The admission committees and the Campus France interview assess the consistency of your plan: the link between your current studies, the target programme and your career plan. This is the most frequently neglected step, even though everything else depends on it.

2. Create your account and fill in the online file

You create your account on the Études en France platform (often called the Pastel account by Tunisian students). You enter your background, grades and experience, then upload your documents. We detail this step in our dedicated guide: Campus France Pastel account: creating and filling in your file step by step.

Documents generally requested:

• transcripts and diplomas (bac, higher education);

• certificate of success or enrolment certificate for the current year;

• ID card or passport;

• French test results if required;

• CV and motivation letters tailored to each programme.

3. Pay the Campus France application fees

Once the file is complete, you pay the Campus France application fees. The amount is set every year; without payment, the file is not reviewed and you cannot book an interview.

4. Have the Campus France interview

The interview is individual and generally lasts between 15 and 30 minutes. The Campus France advisor checks your file, your level of French and above all the consistency of your plan. They then write an opinion that accompanies your file. To prepare, read our article Campus France interview: the questions asked and how to prepare.

5. Wait for the institutions' responses

Universities and schools review the files and then respond on the platform, generally between March and May. You may receive an "accepted", a "rejected", an "on hold" or an offer for another programme.

6. Make your final choice

When you have several acceptances, you must choose only one on the platform, within the stated deadline. This choice is final and it is the one used for the visa application.

7. Apply for the student visa

Once your choice is confirmed, you submit the long-stay "student" visa application to the French consulate's service provider. You must in particular prove your resources: a funded bank account, a financial guarantee (attestation de prise en charge) or a scholarship, for a monthly amount set by the French authorities (in the order of a few hundred euros per month). Also plan proof of accommodation for the first period.

How much does the procedure cost?

Rather than figures that change every year, remember the expense items:

• the Campus France application fees;

• the French test (TCF or equivalent) if you do not already have it;

• translation or legalisation of certain documents, if necessary;

• the visa fees and the service provider's fees;

• university enrolment fees, which for a non-EU student depend on the institution (some universities apply differentiated fees, others exemptions).

To live in France, most students budget between €700 and €1,100 per month depending on the city, Paris being the most expensive. Our page Study in France details the advantages and the points to watch.

Mistakes that cost a year

1. Starting too late. The file is prepared from the start of the school year in September, not in December.

2. Choosing unrelated programmes. An inconsistent list weakens the interview and the applications.

3. Copy-pasting the same motivation letter. Committees notice it immediately.

4. Neglecting the French test. A score that is too low can block a DAP.

5. Underestimating the budget. The visa can be refused if resources are insufficient or poorly documented.

6. Not having a plan B. Plan for less selective programmes or another French-speaking destination such as Belgium or Switzerland.

What if I am not accepted?

A rejection is not the end. You can apply to private schools through direct application, try again the following year with a stronger file, or aim for another country. Many Tunisian students also turn to Italy or Germany, where fees are moderate.

How Worldwide Studies supports you

Our advisors help you build a consistent plan, choose the right programmes, write your CV and letters, prepare for the interview and put together the visa file. We keep track of the calendar for you, as it changes from one year to the next.

👉 Fees and dates vary depending on the year and the institution: talk to an advisor to get the up-to-date Campus France calendar and a plan suited to your profile.