I know a girl from China who married a French gentleman, but they have been communicating in "French English" for four years-the girl's English was taught by her husband. I wonder why they don't speak French. When asked, it turns out that this French gentleman thinks French is too difficult to help, so it is better to teach English quickly and conveniently. Therefore, although the girl lived in France for more than a year, she failed to enter the door of France. Finally, we have to get a French training class to learn French ABC.
I knew a doctor from China a year ago. His English is excellent, and he thinks he has no talent for languages. When I first came to France, I saw that it was difficult to communicate with others, so I said, "My French will be better than yours after one year!" " "At that time, I was ashamed and didn't dare to refute. At the end of the year, I haven't seen a complete sentence except for a few simple phrases such as "bonjour" and "Merci". Before I asked, I was deeply touched: the difficulty of French really deserved its reputation! Actually, this doctor is not a special case. Many French students who have been in China for two years can't even speak a few fluent sentences.
The difficulty of French lies not in pronunciation, but in verb shift and gender change. Every verb in French has six inflections in each tense, and the common tense is 10 or above. At the same time, we should pay attention to the coordination of yin and yang and the simple and complex numbers. Coupled with the complex changes in the word order of prepositions and pronouns, as well as negative sentences, interrogative sentences and imperative sentences, every time you express a sentence, you often have to arrange and combine the words in your mind first, and think about which to say first and which to do later, otherwise you will be upset and the speaker will have a hard time, especially the listener.
Personally, I think the most difficult thing to learn French is listening. I have made a lot of efforts, but the results have been minimal. As the saying goes, speaking is better than singing, but I speak better than listening. I can speak and write, but I can't understand. For important things, if I don't understand, I will use the "exhaustive method" to ask people to guess what I just said according to my own understanding. Even so, it's embarrassing. One day, when I went to install the telephone, people asked my address and then asked me, "What? (What floor) "Then I heard:" Quel age? (How old) "My heart says France is also strange. Ask your age when you call, and I'll tell you. The young man became suspicious: "Is it so high? Impossible! " I was also anxious when I heard it: "It's true, don't believe me, look at my passport!" A French MM who eavesdropped next to her finally couldn't help laughing, sipping her mouth and snickering.
Of course, this statement does not unilaterally emphasize difficulties. I just hope to have an objective and correct understanding and evaluation of the difficulty of learning French, and remind those students who are preparing to come to France and have already come to France to have a correct psychological preparation for the difficulty of French and make good plans for the next efforts. The reality is that you can't learn French well no matter how hard you try. Many people study hard, but the effect is not obvious. Sometimes, the helplessness after the exhaustion of kung fu is really frustrating. In France, there are not a few people who can't apply for schools because of language barriers; However, those who enter the major but don't follow the class abound, and only a small proportion (I heard that it only accounts for 5% of the total number of international students) can finally get the diploma. There are still many people who have heard or learned about the difficulty of French in China, but they think they are smart and capable, and they will definitely learn French when they arrive in France. As a result, after I came to France, I worked hard and found that this "the most beautiful language in the world" not only failed to learn well, but also forgot English, so I couldn't apply for a major. Those who barely sign up for the major are flying in class. Continue to stay, the future is dim, and I don't know where the way out is; How can you face your parents, parents, relatives and friends when you go home empty-handed?
It's easy to get a visa to study in France, but if you really want to get familiar with its customs and master a major, you have to work hard. Language is the biggest obstacle. In fact, as long as you learn the language well, all the advantages are yours.
Apply for a visa first
The visa procedures for studying in France are different from those in other countries. The whole visa process involves two departments, one is CELA (French Education Service Center) and the other is VISA-FRANCE.
Students who want to study in France must first register their personal information on the CELA website, register for the French exam, and remit 1000 RMB to the CELA center to determine the exam time, print the admission ticket before the exam, and bring the admission ticket with them during the exam.
Next, fill in the pre-visa application form, fill in the remaining information and confirm the form after receiving the admission notice from the school, and remit 1500 RMB to CELA Center. As it takes a long time for the CELA center to confirm the remittance, we suggest that students remit the registration fee for the evaluation interview to the CELA center when they pay the registration fee for the exam for the first time.
After the CELA Center confirms the remittance, mail the interview materials to the CELA Center, wait for the interview time, and bring the original materials to the CELA Center for an interview.
After the interview, students will get an evaluation interview certificate, and wait for the notice from CELA Center on their personal website to determine when to send the materials required for the visa to the VISA-FRANCE visa office.
After the materials are mailed (signed) successfully, wait for the visa date to be determined. On the visa day, you also need to bring the original required materials and a visa fee of 50 euros (equivalent to RMB about 550 yuan) to VISA-FRANCE for face-to-face signing.
After the above procedures are completed, I am waiting for the visa collection notice on CELA's personal website.
The whole visa process takes about 1 month. In order to save time, students are advised to fully prepare the required materials in advance. As the number of students studying in France has gradually increased in recent years, I hope students can remit money in advance so as to mail materials in time.
In addition, according to the regulations of CELA center, the location of visa interview is different:
Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, Yunnan-Chengdu
Hainan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Fujian-Guangzhou
Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi-Wuhan
Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang-Shanghai
The rest of the places are interviewing for visas in Beijing.
If you want to apply for a visa in a different place, you must prepare a temporary residence permit (valid date) for living in a different place for at least 6 months.
And prepare to live there.
Actually, it's easy to go to French town. As long as you learn French first in China and pass the TEF test in France (equivalent to the TOEFL test in English), you will take a big step towards France. Then, I chose a school to study in France. It is best to choose a school that matches the original major for further study, so the chances of being selected are relatively high. Then, you can apply for a visa with all the materials!
The study plan is the key.
Mr. Mark Lamy said that in the process of visa application, whether the study plan is well written is a key issue. When making a study plan, we should pay attention to several aspects
First, be honest. It is absolutely impossible to forge a diploma, but we should also tell them sincerely what to study in France and what to do after graduation.
In 2002, about 60% of overseas students in Shanghai went to France with their bachelor's degrees, and most of them went to France to study economic management courses. Mr Marc Lamy said that actually choosing a discipline with a long history or outstanding academic background in France may be more beneficial to the future of China and even the future of scholars. For example, choosing law, media and sociology are all potential development opportunities.
The first year in France is the most difficult year for international students. We should not only adapt to different cultural habits, but also learn French. Only by passing the French standard exam can we enter the school.
A comprehensive university in France.
At present, there are 90 public comprehensive universities in France, distributed in more than 500 campuses across the country. French universities are "academic, cultural and professional" public welfare organizations in legal nature. Although this legal nature endows French universities with administrative, financial, teaching and academic freedom, diplomas issued by all universities, that is, national diplomas, are of equal value no matter which university obtained them.
The total number of students in French public universities exceeds 6.5438+0.5 million, accounting for about 74% of the students in higher education, of which international students account for about 654.38+00%.
Comprehensive universities cover all disciplines: science and technology, literature, language, art, law, economy, management, health, sports and so on.
An important advantage of a comprehensive university is that its interdisciplinary characteristics can ensure that the teaching and research of the university keep pace with the evolution of knowledge and technology. All professional departments can benefit from the simultaneous adaptation here, offering various professional diploma courses. Higher vocational colleges in France
Higher vocational colleges are also "big schools" if translated literally. This kind of higher professional college called "big school" is a typical French "feature". In other countries' higher education systems, there is no equivalent. /kloc-At the beginning of the 9th century, France established a famous higher vocational college. Form a higher education system parallel to comprehensive universities, and train senior civil servants for various fields of French administrative and public service departments. Today, French higher vocational colleges continue to provide high-level professional education and still maintain a strict selection and elimination rate.
While maintaining its advantages, French higher vocational colleges are gradually opening to more French students, and at the same time, facing the international community, adopting special admission procedures to recruit foreign students. Higher vocational colleges can be public schools supervised by a government department (75% engineer diploma) or schools belonging to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI)-mainly business schools. It may also be a private school.
French colleges and universities
It is mainly a higher education and training institution in some special fields such as art, architectural design, affiliated medicine and social work. There are not only the National College of Advanced Art and the College of Applied Art of the French Ministry of Education, but also the major fine arts colleges supervised by the French Ministry of Culture.
National Art College is a high-level school belonging to the nature of higher vocational colleges. The famous ones are: Paris National Academy of Fine Arts (ENSB), Paris National Institute of Advanced Decorative Arts 9 (ENAD), Paris National Institute of Advanced Art and Design, etc. Learn BAC+"X"
According to the French education system, secondary education is finally recognized by Bac. The diploma of high school graduation examination is an admission diploma of French higher education, and its function is equivalent to the college entrance examination in China. In France, once a student passes Bac, it means that he is eligible to enter the higher education stage.
At present, there is no formal diploma equivalence agreement between France and China. Therefore, China students with higher education diplomas must first pass the examination of the French School Diploma Equivalence Committee when they go to France for further study. A bachelor's degree awarded after graduation from a four-year university in China is a "license" if it is translated into French. However, in the French higher education system, the "license" is a three-year higher education diploma, which is unfair to international students in China.
The most effective way to avoid misunderstanding is to add the interpretation of BAC+"X" to the French translation of China diploma according to the usual habits of French people. Bac+4 for undergraduate and Bac+7 for master.
Necessary materials for long-term visas in French universities
1 Visa fee payment voucher, about 450 yuan RMB.
2 1 The visa application form is accompanied by 1 ID photo.
A valid passport with signature (valid for at least 6 months)
Household registration (with French translation)
5. Financial guarantee: deposit certificate provided by French or China banks (the monthly living expenses during studying abroad should be at least 400 euros). If the guarantee is provided by a French guarantor, a copy of the person's ID card or passport is required.
French university registration certificate, indicating the major, academic system and degree studied.
China University's admission notice and college entrance examination transcripts.
Notarial certificate of the highest higher education diploma (with French translation)
Prove that you have enough language skills.
Obtaining the certificate of French proficiency test in the last year when French is used as the teaching language (TEF- this test must be conducted in the French training center).
English proficiency test certificate with English as the teaching language (TOEFL, IELTS, GRE, GMAT)
10 study abroad plan and resume applicants should explain their motivation to study in France in French or English in writing, and clarify the relationship between their education and their future study in France, as well as their employment plans and study abroad after returning to China in the future.
1 1 If I have a job, I need to provide the company's consent certificate.
All documents must be original and attached with copies. Please submit the materials at the French Consulate General in Shanghai on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 14:00- 16:30.
Considering various discount factors related to college students' status, the average monthly living budget of French college students is roughly: Paris 1 100 euros, and 800 euros from other provinces.
Average monthly budget for basic living of French college students.
Rent of private student apartment: 600 euros
Meal fee: 200 euros
Health insurance: 42 euros
Telephone booking fee: 10.49 Euro+consumption
Power subscription fee: 4.2 euros+consumption
Gasoline reservation fee: 2 euros+consumption
Urban transportation cost: 45 euros
School supplies: 45 euros
Entertainment: 100 Euro
Total: 1050 Euro
College student apartment
There are single rooms of 10 to 12 square meters with furniture and toilet facilities, and the bathroom and shower are shared by floors. Public facilities also include public kitchens, work and meeting rooms. The average rent of such houses is between 120 and 300 euros per month.
Examples of daily consumer goods prices
A baguette: 0.8 Euro
Croissants with butter: 1 Euro
A cup of coffee: 2 euros ◆ A sandwich: 3 euros.
A piece of "Camembert" cheese: 1.90 Euro.
Half a dozen eggs: 1.20 Euro
1 kg raw steak: 18.60 euros
Light meals in college students' restaurant: 2.40 euros.
A light meal at a fast food restaurant: 5 euros
Simple meals in small restaurants in the block: 10 to 20 euros.
1 box of 20 cigarettes: 3.50 euros.
1 newspaper: 1.07 euro
1 stamp: 0.46 euro (used in Europe)
Identity photos of the automatic studio: 3.50 euros /4 photos.
Public calling card: 50 units: 7.62 euros; 120 unit: 15.24 euros.
Automatic laundry room rental washing machine: 4.5 euros.
1 movie ticket: 7.60 euros; Student discount price: 4.50 euros.
1 entrance ticket for Louvre museum: 6 euros.
1 Paris-Nice high-speed rail round-trip ticket: 135 Euro.
1 liter unleaded gasoline: 1.07 Euro
1 night 2-star hotel room: 60 euros
1 microwave oven: 120 to 2 15 euros.
1 vacuum cleaner: 60 to 1 10 Euro.
1 electric iron: 25 to 45 euros
1 TV: 1 10 to 200 euros.
1 CD player: 55 to 190 euros.
1 certificate of deposit: 19.82 euros.
3.
1) Try to find a contact person in France, no matter whether this person is your relative, friend, classmate, netizen or any other relationship, it is very necessary for someone in France to provide you with information, advice and help. Problems that are more difficult for you than going to heaven may be solved by a phone call, such as getting to know the school, getting an application form, finding a house and so on. People living in the local area always have various ways to solve these problems.
2) For some qualified students, it is great to go to France first if they have the opportunity to attend summer camp or business trip. Seeing is believing, even if the time is short, your personal feelings will be of great help to the preparation for studying abroad in the future. Of course, this opportunity is not for everyone.
3) Students should carefully consider before registering and fully consider the difficulties they will encounter when registering. For example, in the first stage, due to the large number of registered students, the applications of foreign students are often rejected or postponed. It is suggested that students lay a good foundation in China first, and it is more practical to go abroad in the second and third stages, because at that time, students have a certain professional foundation and a more specific plan for the future, and they will quickly adapt to the new environment when they arrive in France.
4) Don't just ask to stay in Paris. The conditions for studying in other provinces are also very good. Housing is cheap and convenient, school conditions are usually more modern, foreigners are more hospitable, and administrative organs in other places are more humanized. In short, the schools in Paris are already overcrowded, and it is easy to be admitted and passed when studying in other places. In the first few years in France, other places should be the first choice.
5) The management of French schools, embassies and other administrative institutions is very organized. The materials they give you often have requirements such as reply date and documents to be prepared. Don't despise them. Anyone who doesn't follow the rules will bring himself unnecessary trouble. In addition, when contacting these institutions, you should keep the manuscripts of letters sent to them and letters received, which may be used as proof. When contacting, you must not send the originals of long-term valid certificates such as graduation certificates, but only copies. Usually, you only need to provide some one-off documents, such as the teacher's recommendation letter, proof of financial resources and other originals. It's best to send it by registered mail with a receipt to avoid losing it.
6) When choosing a school to register, try to make more preparations and choose more schools that can register, because the school will not accept students because of the complete materials, but will conduct various necessary screening. If you are rejected by the school and then contact the school, it will be too late. Therefore, it is suggested that students choose more schools at the same time, just in case.
7) Learn French well at home and prepare to study the language abroad for one year. Few people really pass the language barrier in a few months, and they can finish their language study and enter the university smoothly in one year, which is very proud.
8) Get in touch with French culture as much as possible in China, such as movies, exhibitions, books, parties and surfing the Internet. Every time you come into contact with French people and French culture, you will learn more about France, and this little accumulation will have a positive impact on your future life in France.
Running a university is not free, but the cost is very low. The registration fee for public universities ranges from 137 to 894 euros per year, while the fee for private schools generally ranges from 3050 euros to 7000 euros.
When applying for a visa at the visa office of the French embassy, students need to provide proof of their first year's property, about 60,000 RMB, as a deposit for studying abroad, so as to ensure that students have enough living expenses during their study in France, such as renting a house and buying food.
In France, public schools and private schools do not need proof of property of international students.
The full guarantee of funds may not be enough for all the expenses during your study abroad. If you are in other provinces, you will need about 45,000 RMB for a public university last year. If you are in Paris, it will take 67 thousand years, mainly transportation, internet access, mobile phone, meals and rent are the most expensive. But international students can start working in a year or two. As waiters, everyone can be self-sufficient. So don't worry too much. (I'll tell you a salary standard, generally part-time, 5-6 hours a day, 550 euros a month; The whole project costs at least 1000 euros)
Public universities are free of tuition and only charge registration fees. This is no problem. After Sarkozy took office, he heard that there would be reforms, but there are no specific measures yet. Therefore, this policy should not be changed. Housing subsidies for foreign students outside the EU may be cancelled. French public universities only need to pay 300-500 registration fees each year, and do not need to pay tuition fees. This is the biggest attraction of studying in France. This is very common for students studying for a master's degree or even a doctor's degree.