Campus France Pastel account: creating and filling in your file step by step

The Pastel account is the name most Tunisian students give to their personal space on Campus France's Études en France platform. This is where everything happens: your background, your documents, your programme choices, booking the interview and the universities' responses. A well-completed file saves time and reassures admission committees; a rushed file can be blocked or poorly assessed. Here is how to create and fill in your Pastel account, section by section.

This guide complements our article Campus France Tunisia: the complete 2026-2027 guide, which presents the whole procedure and its timeline.

Why is it called a "Pastel account"?

The address of the Études en France platform contains the word pastel: it is the online tool of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs used by Campus France offices in several countries, including Tunisia. Whether you read "compte Pastel", "boîte Pastel" or "compte Études en France", it is the same personal space.

Step 1: create your account

1. Go to the Campus France Tunisia website and open the Études en France platform.

2. Choose Tunisia as your country of residence.

3. Enter your surname and first name exactly as on your passport or ID card.

4. Use a personal e-mail address that you check every day. Avoid a parent's or friend's address: all the important notifications will arrive there.

5. Note your username and password somewhere safe.

One account per person. Creating a duplicate can lead to the file being blocked. If you already have an account from a previous year, ask Campus France how to reactivate it rather than opening a new one.

Step 2: fill in the file sections

Personal information

Civil status, contact details, family situation. Check the spelling: an error in your name can cause problems at the visa stage.

Background and diplomas

Enter each year since the bac (or the final year of secondary school if you are currently taking the bac): institution, field, year, result. Do not leave any gaps: a blank year must be explained (internship, work, illness, preparing for a competitive exam…). Committees are more wary of an unexplained gap than of a repeated year that you own up to.

Grades

Enter your overall averages and, when requested, the grades for the main subjects. They must match exactly the transcripts you upload.

Language skills

Enter your French test (TCF, DELF, DALF) with the score and date. If you have not taken it yet, register quickly: sessions fill up fast in autumn. See our guide TCF Tunisia.

Experience and activities

Internships, summer jobs, volunteering, associations, personal projects: anything that shows your motivation and maturity counts, especially for a master's or a school.

CV and study plan

You will have to write a text about your study plan and career plan. Be concrete: which profession are you aiming for, why this programme, why in France, and what will you do next?

Step 3: upload the documents

Golden rules:

• legible colour scans, not blurry photos taken with a phone;

• one file per document, clearly named ("releve_notes_bac.pdf");

• documents in Arabic accompanied by a translation into French when requested;

• check the maximum file size allowed before uploading.

Usual list: passport or national ID card (CIN), transcripts for the bac and higher education, diplomas or certificates of success, enrolment certificate for the current year, French test certificate, CV and possibly recommendation letters.

Step 4: choose your programmes

Depending on your procedure (DAP or non-DAP), the number of choices and the rules differ. For each programme:

• read the description (prerequisites, language, number of places);

• write a specific motivation letter: why this programme, this institution, this city;

• check the programme's own deadline, which may be earlier than the general closing date.

A good balance: a few ambitious programmes, several realistic ones and at least one or two "safety" programmes.

Step 5: submit the file and pay

Before submitting, reread everything. Once sent, the file is checked by Campus France Tunisia; some sections can no longer be changed. You then pay the application fees as indicated. The amount changes every year: check before paying.

After validation, you can book your interview. Prepare for it seriously: this is often where the quality of the Campus France opinion is decided. Our article Campus France interview lists the most frequent questions.

Step 6: follow your account until the visa

After the interview, check your Pastel account at least twice a week. The institutions' responses appear there, as well as any requests for additional documents. When you have one or more acceptances, you make your final choice on the platform, then move on to the visa application.

The most common mistakes on Pastel

• A name entered differently from the passport.

• An e-mail address that is not checked.

• Incomplete or illegible transcripts.

• The same motivation letter for all programmes.

• A background with unexplained years.

• Waiting until the last week to submit, when the platform is overloaded.

Need help with your file?

At Worldwide Studies, we review each section, help you choose consistent programmes, write your letters and prepare for the interview. Also see our page Study in France.

Checklist before submitting

• Surname and first name identical to the passport.

• Every year since the bac filled in, with no unexplained gaps.

• Grades matching the uploaded transcripts.

• French test entered (or registration planned).

• A different motivation letter for each programme.

• Documents legible, in colour, clearly named.

👉 Opening and closing dates change every year: contact an advisor to find out the current calendar and have your file reviewed.