New Delhi: The Choose France Tour 2026 received more than 20,000 student registrations across Mumbai, Pune, New Delhi and Bengaluru, reflecting growing interest among Indian students in pursuing higher education in France.
The New Delhi edition, held at Le Méridien, brought representatives of more than 50 French universities, business schools, engineering institutions and specialised schools into direct interaction with students and families exploring overseas study options.
The participating institutions offered information on programmes across management, engineering, design, creative arts, hospitality and gastronomy, while Campus France India provided guidance on admissions, visa procedures, accommodation and student life.
The response comes amid growing educational ties between India and France, with the latter seeking to welcome 30,000 Indian students by 2030.
Speaking at the event, Lisa Amon, deputy head of mission at the Embassy of France in India, said education had become an increasingly important pillar of the India-France Special Global Strategic Partnership.
“As our cooperation expands across innovation, artificial intelligence, research, industry and other areas of shared priority, developing stronger academic and people-to-people ties is essential to sustaining that momentum,” Amon said.
She said the target of welcoming 30,000 Indian students to France by 2030 reflected the two countries’ long-term ambition to strengthen academic and professional connections. The Choose France Tour, she added, provided students with direct access to French institutions and information on opportunities for study, research and careers.
Indian student numbers rise
According to Campus France figures cited in the event material, the number of Indian students enrolled in French higher education increased 17% to 9,100 in 2024-25, making India the 11th-largest source country of international students in France, compared with 13th place the previous year.
The number of Indian students in France has risen 63% since 2018, the event material stated.
The growth comes as France seeks to attract more international students through its Choose France for Higher Education strategy, presented in April 2026 by Philippe Baptiste, French minister for higher education, research and space. The strategy builds on the Bienvenue en France initiative launched in 2018.
The policy focuses on attracting students, doctoral candidates and researchers to France, particularly in areas considered strategically important, including healthcare, artificial intelligence, digital technologies, quantum technologies, biotechnology, energy, the environment and space.
France offers more than 1,700 programmes taught in English, including around 1,460 delivered entirely in English, according to the material shared for the event. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are among the leading disciplines for English-taught programmes.
The strategy also includes measures intended to improve the experience of international students, such as one-stop welcome desks in major university cities, online residence-permit procedures in French and English, and the Bienvenue en France label. The label has been awarded to 180 institutions that collectively host more than 70% of international students in France, according to the event material.
Foundation pathway for undergraduate students
Students interested in pursuing undergraduate studies in French were also introduced to Classes Internationales, a foundation-year pathway combining French-language training with academic preparation before entry into undergraduate programmes.
The initiative is available at more than 30 French institutions and provides access to over 200 undergraduate courses, according to the event material.
The broader education partnership has also included discussions on expanding institutional collaboration. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France in June 2026, education and student mobility were among the areas highlighted for cooperation, alongside an invitation to French universities to establish campuses in India.
For students and families attending the tour, direct engagement with institutions provided an opportunity to compare courses, understand admission requirements and explore academic pathways beyond online research.
The Choose France Tour is organised by the Embassy of France in India in collaboration with the French Institute in India and Campus France. Following events in Mumbai, Pune and New Delhi, the 2026 tour is scheduled to conclude in Bengaluru on October 17.
Indian graduates can also join France Alumni, a global network coordinated by Campus France that connects former students with professional, academic and institutional opportunities linked to France. The network has more than 650,000 members worldwide, according to the event material.
Leave a comment