Campus France requires candidates for studies in France to have the full tuition fees before applying for a visa; a decision that raises concerns and questions.
According to a communication from Campus France, Cameroonian students admitted to certain private schools in France will be required to pay the full tuition fees before submitting the visa application. Alternatively, the student must have the full tuition fees in a blocked bank account before applying for the visa. However, the measure contains exemptions, particularly concerning supervised mobility programs, where the student starts the training in Cameroon and continues in France under the supervision of an organization.
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The measure, made public during a Campus France information meeting on July 4th, has sparked controversy. It raises questions about students applying for mobility who pay the full tuition fees but do not subsequently obtain the visa. Admission to a private French school being different from entry into France, a young Cameroonian can therefore have the full tuition fees and be prevented from entering France. In this case, the question of reimbursement arises.
But, if the school that received the tuition fees commits to refunding them, the experience of some students shows that induced fees are often not reimbursed. The candidate whose visa is refused is thus exposed to losing part of the amounts paid. This is how students who have already paid Campus France fees, a deposit to their school, and passed their educational interview before the publication of this measure find themselves in difficulty. The decision does not specify their fate. It does not specify whether they are obliged to settle the remaining amounts for those who advanced to have their visa file processed.
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At this level, while no French authority text requires such a condition, some still think that France is expressing its intention to progressively tighten the entry conditions for Cameroonian students on its territory. For this entry, young applicants were required to present proof of payment or partial or full availability of tuition fees. It was necessary to justify having sufficient funds to cover financial matters related to the training. Campus France guides the public at its information sessions to understand the new decision.
