1. Studying in France
Dr. Frédéric Durand
Director
Malaysia-France University Centre /MFUC
info@mfuc.org

2. Index
1) Why France ?
2) French Higher Education System
3) Opportunities for SPM students
4) Information on Bachelor, Master and PhD in France
5) Life in France / Practical aspects

3. What you may know about France

4. France has good cuisine...

5. Nice fashion and perfumes...

6. A few football players you might know...

7. Famous monuments...
Notre-Dame
cathedral
The Eiffel Tower Le Louvre museum

8. What you may not know about
France...

9. Science: France is a leading country in the space technology...
First launcher for
civil satellite with
the Ariane
Rocket...
Second largest
satellite designer in
the world
and in transportation technology
The French high
speed train just
broke the speed
record on rails:
574,5 Km/hour !
The JumboJet Airbus A-380
conceived and assembled in Toulouse

10. France has many technical achievements...
The highest bridge in the world, Millau viaduct
(343 meters high)...
The smart card technology...
French researchers identified the HIV
virus, responsible for A.i.d.S. disease...

11. France has some of the world's biggest companies...
Many of them are in Malaysia,
where they employ 25,000 people !

12. All this is possible thanks to engineers,
managers, researchers, trained in the
French Higher Education and Research
institutions

13. 1) Why France ?
2) French Higher Education System
3) Opportunities for SPM students
4) Information on Bachelor, Master and PhD in France
5) Life in France / Practical aspects

14. A high quality and accessible university system
France offers a large variety of degree programmes
in a variety of institutions:
88 universities
-
240 engineering schools
-
200+ business schools
-
120 public art schools
-
20 schools of architecture
-
and more than 3,000 specialized schools
-
(social work, paramedical specialties, art and
design, political science, journalism…)
Affordable tuition fees thanks to governmental subsidies
Internationally recognized degree
260,000 foreign students in France per year
No difference between French and foreign students in public universities

15. The French System follows the European one
Duration ECTS
National Degrees
Degrees are authorized and
controlled by the state
All BMD degrees recognised on 60
Doctorate
3 Years
National Level
i.e. Bachelor obtained in Toulouse Doctorate
permits entry in Master in Paris or
60
Lyon
60
Entry in Master: 120 ECTS including research units
60
2 Years
European Degrees
Master
Master
Format adopted by all European
countries: BMD 60
European Credit Transfer System Entry in Masters requires Bachelor i.e. 180 ECTS
(ECTS)
i.e. Bachelor obtained in France permits entry
in Master in Germany, Sweden or the UK
60
Bachelor
3 Years
Bachelor
60
60
Baccalauréat (high School degree) = STPM, A Level, UEC, etc.

16. 2 types main types
of institutions Duration University Grandes Ecoles ECTS
Universities
60
Public
Doctorate
3 Years
Offer: all fields Doctorate
Output: DUT 60
Bachelor
Master 60
Doctorate
Entry in Doctorate requires Masters i.e. 120 ECTS including research units
60
2 Years
Master Master
Master
Grandes Ecoles
60
• Public or Private Entry in Masters requires Bachelor i.e. 180 ECTS
• Offer: one field
• Highly selective Bachelor 1st Year of School 60
• Output: Master
Doctorate
3 Years
Bachelor
University Bachelor
Technology Preparatory 60
Degree Course
(DUT)
60
Baccalauréat (High School Degree) = STPM, A Level, UEC, etc.

17. Number of students in Higher Education in France in
2008
(France: 64 million)
Number %
Universities 1 407 436 63%
quot;Grandes Ecolesquot; 282 680 13%
School of Arts and
56 456 3%
Architecture
Others 481 616 22%
2 228 188 100%
Universities quot;Grandes écolesquot;
School of Arts and Archit. Others

18. Proportion of students in Universities & “Grandes écoles”,
in France in 2008, by discipline
Law & Political sciences 179 125 11%
Economy & Management 288 661 18% 55%
Language & literature 212 219 13%
Social sciences 219 318 13%
quot;Hardquot; sciences 407 866 25%
Medicine & Pharmacy 190 866 12% 36%
others 148 375 9% 9%

19. 1) Why France ?
2) French Higher Education System
3) Opportunities for SPM students
4) Information on Bachelor, Master and PhD in France
5) Life in France / Practical aspects

20. The SFERE Programme University Grandes Ecoles
2 Years
Master Master
Sponsored by JPA, Telekom and
Petronas
1st Year
Bachelor of Grande Ecole
Fields: engineering and
In France
3 Years
management
University
15 months pre-U in France Technology Preparatory
Degree Course
Admission in IUT or Grande (DUT)
Ecole
Achievement of Bachelor or
Master 15 months
Pre-U
SPM

21. • Telekom – TM • Petronas
• Starting date : 1995 • Starting Date : 2004
• Number of students : Around 50 • Number of students: Around 50
• Entrance Level: SPM • Entrance level: SPM
• Fields of study : Engineering, IT, • 2009 expected input: Around 10
• Business & Management • Fields of study: Petroleum sciences &
• Objective: Master / Engineer engineering;
• Duration of studies: 1 year for Pre U, 5 years • Business and Management
for Master / Engineer • Objective: Bachelor (for Business &
Management)
• Master/ Engineer (Engineering)
• JPA • Duration of studies: 1 year for Pre U, 3 years for
Bachelor or 5 years for Master /
• Starting date : 2000 Engineer
• Number of students : Around 300
• Entrance level: SPM
• 2009 expected input: Between 40 and 50
• Fields of study : Sciences & Engineering
• Objective: Master/ Engineer
• Duration of studies: 1 year for Pre U, 5 years
for Master/Engineer

22. Colmar City:

23. MFI-Prefrance Programme University Grandes Ecoles
2 Years
Master Master
Sponsored by MARA and JPA
1st Year
Bachelor of Grande Ecole
In France
Field: engineering
3 Years
20 months pre-U in University
Technology
Malaysia Degree
(DUT)
4 months bridging
programme in France
Admission in IUT
4 months Bridging programme
Possibility to continue to
Master, in University or
20 months
Grande Ecole
Pre-U In Malaysia
SPM

24. Some of the students in the IUT of Nice:

25. Key success points of the foundation programmes
1. A strict selection of candidates in Malaysia
2. A customized Pre U programme to prepare the students
(language, science, culture…)
3. No exam between the Pre U and the Academic Programme
4. A detailed and individual orientation process,
based upon the general field of study chosen by each student
5. A strong monitoring system (academic, personal, administrative
aspects) with pedagogical reports every semester and quick action
in case of problem, until the end of studies
6. A complete package managed by SFERE and Campus France for
housing, medical insurance, & all administrative issues linked to
their stay in France

26. 1. These programmes are very successful
Very high success rate (more than 95% for Malaysia)
2. They are becoming more and more attractive to
malaysian students
More applicants every year. France as their first choice
3. They can easily be translated to Post Graduate
programmes (Master /PhD)
(70 universities /Grandes Ecoles involved in the
programmes)

28. The Bachelor level
Requirement: STPM, A-level, UEC or equivalent
Duration: 3 years or 6 semesters (180 ECTS)
Courses offered in numerous fields (academic or
technical)
Most courses taught in French, minimum requirement
level B2
Application process: forms to be collected from the
French Embassy / MFUC, deadline January 31st of each
year
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
Lectures +
tutorials Bachelor
End of Lectures + Lectures + degree
High tutorials tutorials Possibility of
school internship
STPM, A- Lectures + Lectures + Lectures +
level, Professional
UEC… tutorials + tutorials + tutorials +
hands-on industry industry bachelor
projects placement placement degree

29. Bachelors and professional bachelors available
in any field of study
• Agronomy, agroalimentary
• Management and business
• Architecture and urban planning administration
• Art, culture, design and fashion • Mathematics
• Natural sciences • Sports
• Tourism and hospitality
• Communication
• Transport and logistics
• Computer sciences
• Economics, law, politics
• Education
• Engineering science
• Health, community services
• Humanities and social science
• Literature and languages

30. The Master level
Duration: 2 years (admission requires Bachelor), 120 ECTS
The Specialisation can be either research or professional
oriented
● Staff: academics, researchers and external experts
● Mandatory internship period / thesis
● Language: French or English
Research or
specialty
Mention
professional internship
Bachelor Courses Courses Courses Redaction of Thesis Master
Defence of Thesis
Semester 1 Semester 2 Semester 3 Semester 4

31. The Grandes Ecoles
They offer specialised degrees in various fields
(business, engineering, art, political science,
paramedical specialties,…)
Public or private institutions
Very selective entrance exam, only 10% admitted,
special entrance procedure for foreign students
Offer high quality specialised
degree at Master level, MBA and
some at Doctorate level
Language: French or English

32. The Doctorate level
• Duration: 3 years (up to 4 years)
• Requirement: holding a Master and having
a research proposal
• Write and defend your thesis in French or
in English
• Several possibilities of scholarships:
Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education,
French regions, French foundations,…

33. 1) Why France ?
2) French Higher Education System
3) Opportunities for SPM students
4) Information on Bachelor, Master and PhD in France
5) Life in France – Practical aspects

34. General Organisation of academic year
• Intake: September
• Terms: 2 Semesters (30
ECTS/semester)
• Final exams: January and
June
• Grading system: points out
of 20
– 16/20: excellent
– 14/20: good
– 12/20: quite good
– 10/20: pass

35. Cost of studying in France
Studying cost to student's
Living cost for student's expense:
Life-Style
➢Tuition in Public: RM 1,000 to
Transportation (bus, metro...)
2,000/year (average cost
supported by the state:
RM40,000 per year per
Groceries, Books, etc.
student)
Food
➢Tuition in Private: RM20,000 to
45,000/year
Phone, Internet access
➢Medical cover: RM1,000 to
Accommodation (room, studio) 2,000/year
Around RM 4,000/month Average global cost in public:
RM 2,500/year
Total cost for one academic year (10 months):
RM 42 500 in public institutions

36. Financial aspects:
− Students are allowed to open a bank account (passport and visa is
required)
− They are allowed to work up to 20h/week
− Scholarships available, mostly at the postgraduate level (Eiffel,
doctoral grant) or specific programmes (SFERE, Pre-France, N+i)
Visa requirements:
− To be made in the French consulate
− Requires admission letter from the university
− Check with the consulate for other documents (birth certificate,
pictures, resource certificate, etc.)
Application procedures
− Through the embassy / MFUC for the Bachelor degrees
− Directly with the university for other technological degrees

37. Housing?
Most students live in apartments, individual or shared
Possibility to get a room in a student residence or in a family
Transportation?
Within the city: bus, tramway, underground,
bicycle, motorcycle or car
Between cities: train, TGV, car
Many discounts available for students

38. Islam in France
* The second religion of the country (6 million Muslims)
* 1,685 mosques and prayer halls
Great Mosque
of Paris
Institute of
Islamic World

39. Where to live in France? LILLE
AMIENS ARRAS
LE HAVRE VALENCIENNES
ROUEN
REIMS
CAEN PARIS METZ
BREST RENNES NANCY
LE MANS STRASBOURG
ORLÉANS
MULHOUSE
ANGERS
DIJON
NANTES
POITIERS BESANÇON
LA ROCHELLE CLERMONT
Most big cities have a university LIMOGES FERRAND LYON
CHAMBERY
Paris is very beautiful and nice
ST-ETIENNE
but many other cities are very GRENOBLE
nice too, with monuments, arts BORDEAUX
AVIGNON
and a great student life
PAU MONTPELLIER AIX NICE
Some regions are famous in TOULOUSE TOULON
their field: Toulouse and MARSEILLE
PERPIGNAN
aeronautics, Brittany and
telecommunications, Montpellier CORTE
and agronomy,…

40. Each region offers a different aspects of France…
Seaside
Countryside in Central France
The Alps Vineyard

41. Each city has its atmosphere and cachet….
Weekly markets Historical town centre
Avignon theatre festival Dunkerque carnival

42. Brittany
Lille, Northern France

43. Paris…

44. Loire region
Centre of France

45. Aveyron, South-West
French Riviera

46. Useful websites
Malaysia-France University Centre www.mfuc.org
Campus France www.campusfrance.org
Alliance Française kl.alliancefrancaise.org.my/
CNOUS http://www.cnous.fr/
Contact us: info@mfuc.org

47. Thank you,
Terima Kasih !
Merci…