The Preparation of the Application File to the University 1/3

University application file… The puzzle of an incomprehensible file! For this reason, the UEE has devoted a series of 3 articles to help you apply for your file.

Whether you are an exiled student or a resident, European or French, you would be faced with the difficulty of mapping out your future by choosing the field of your university studies. Still, once this has been solved, a new puzzle is triggered: “building your application file.”

In general, the exiled student who comes to France is not sufficiently informed about building his or her file to convince the university to accept his or her application.

It would help if you asked yourself several questions to put together a solid and acceptable application file.

• What documents will the candidate need to have translated? Does this translation need to be sworn?

First of all, the diploma: Exiled candidates with a diploma, bac or any other proof of previous studies outside France. The existence of this diploma is substantial. If this diploma is not written in French, a translation must be made, which must be sworn.

• How to recognize one’s diplomas in France?

ENIC-NARIC France must recognize all diplomas.

This is the body in charge of making the equivalence of foreign diplomas through a comparability certificate that details the diploma’s recognized scientific level according to scales compatible with the French and European certification framework. One or two diplomas/s can be submitted at one time, which costs 80€ for a single submission. If you are recognized by OFPRA as a refugee or an asylum seeker, it is free.

For more details on the procedure for issuing a certificate, see our article.

• What if your degree is not comparable? Or what if the institution issuing the degree is not on the list of institutions eligible for equivalency by ENIC-NARIC?

Please read the article to find equivalence by experience. See our article on the procedure for recognition by experience.

• What other documents do you need?

It is important to accumulate all the evidence of what you have learned, transcripts, and, if possible, a detailed explanation for each subject in your former course.

Once the diplomas are translated, and the ENIC-NARIC Certificate of Comparability is obtained, you should make one or more cover letter(s) (LM – Motivation Letter – Lettre de Motivation) if you want to target several universities, it is best to write a reference LM and change it for each application.

The preparation due to the SCI is similar to that of the CV; we must adapt it to our background and the targeted degree/school. An article for the SCI and CV templates will be published soon.

Students going towards a master’s degree must write a very well-oriented study project, which will be seen as an overview that will enforce your application. An article will be published on the preparation of a study project.

Please note that reading your application several times is important and even indispensable! Either by yourself and or by several people who master the language. A lack of syntax or spelling mistake may devalue your application and may deprive you of a potential chance of being accepted.