What changed on 1 August 2026

France-Visas states that long-stay student visa applications submitted from 1 August 2026 must include evidence of resources corresponding to at least €877.50 per month. Campus France's dated guidance confirms the transition from the earlier €615 monthly figure for applications submitted through 31 July 2026. This article is a dated explanation of that change, reviewed on 4 October 2026. Applicants should use the current official instructions for the category and place of application.

The immediate practical issue is that an older student checklist or budget may contain the previous amount. A university offer, an earlier Campus France step, or a saved draft application does not by itself answer which threshold applies to the visa submission. Check the relevant submission date and the current consular guidance. Where the timing is unclear, ask the responsible office rather than assuming that beginning preparations before August preserves the earlier financial requirement.

Recalculate the plan before collecting evidence

Start by checking the period for which financial evidence is required in your case. The monthly threshold is not a complete estimate of the cost of studying in France. Tuition, programme charges, travel, deposits, and other expenses may need separate provision. A personal budget should therefore distinguish the immigration resource test from the money needed to complete the course and establish a household. Treating one figure as an all-inclusive study budget can conceal a substantial shortfall.

For illustration only, twelve months at €877.50 totals €10,530. This arithmetic does not mean every applicant must present one bank balance in exactly that amount; the acceptable evidence and relevant period depend on official instructions. It is a useful way to see the scale of the revised monthly figure. If your programme is shorter, longer, or funded through several sources, organise the evidence around the actual requirements and funding arrangements rather than this example.

Map each source of support to documents

Students may rely on personal resources, family support, scholarships, loans, or a combination permitted by the applicable guidance. Identify which source covers which part of the plan and what document demonstrates availability. A scholarship announcement and a formal award letter can carry different evidential weight. A promise from a relative should be supported in the manner the consulate requests. Follow the generated France-Visas checklist and any relevant local instructions on format and content.

Keep ownership and access clear. Money held in a family member's account should not be described as the student's personal balance without explaining the support arrangement. A loan approval should be read for conditions that must be satisfied before disbursement. A scholarship may pay tuition directly while providing a separate living allowance. These distinctions matter because the authority needs to understand the resources available for the stay, and the student needs a budget that works in practice.

Update documents that were prepared under the old figure

Review any sponsor letter, bank evidence, scholarship confirmation, or budget created before the change. The task is not simply to replace a number in a covering letter. Check whether the underlying funding actually meets the current requirement and whether the evidence remains sufficiently recent under the instructions. If a sponsor increases support, document the real commitment. Do not alter an issuer's document or present anticipated funds as already available.

Where evidence is in another currency, make the presentation understandable without assuming an exchange rate will remain fixed. Preserve the original records and use any conversion method the consulate specifies. A modest planning margin may help a household manage exchange movements, but this article does not prescribe a financial strategy or an additional legal threshold. The important point is to distinguish the official minimum from your own practical budget and to keep the evidence accurate at submission.

Keep academic and immigration stages connected

Admission to a French institution and completion of relevant Campus France procedures are important parts of the study plan, but they are not the visa decision. Make sure course dates, tuition information, accommodation plans, and financial evidence refer to the same programme. A deferred start or changed campus can affect the budget and supporting documents. Inform the appropriate institution or authority of material changes through its prescribed process rather than leaving different stages with conflicting information.

France-Visas also encourages students to scan the requested supporting documents during the online application process. A clear scan helps the submission process, but a readable document still needs to be the correct document. Check that every page, signature, currency, and account holder can be identified where required. Save a complete copy of the final application so that any later clarification can refer to the evidence actually submitted rather than an earlier draft.

What applicants should take from the change

The verified news is the effective date and the revised monthly resource minimum stated by France-Visas. It should not be expanded into a claim that all French visa categories use the same amount or that meeting the financial threshold guarantees approval. Student applications also involve the wider requirements of the route. For a residence renewal or another category, consult the current instructions specific to that procedure rather than assuming this visa announcement alone resolves the case.

The practical response is to check timing, rebuild the funding picture, and align the evidence before submission. Students whose plans were prepared using €615 per month should revisit them carefully. Keep the official source with the application record and verify the figure again if applying later, because thresholds can change. A realistic budget and a clear explanation of actual support make the revised requirement easier to address without confusing visa evidence with the full cost of studying abroad.

Sources & further reading

Official sources checked Oct 4, 2026. Follow the current government instructions when applying.

  1. France-Visas: student campaign and revised resource thresholdwww.france-visas.gouv.fr
  2. Campus France Japan: application of the threshold from August 2026www.japon.campusfrance.org
  3. Campus France USA: student visa financial evidencewww.usa.campusfrance.org