Welcome to France

France is the largest country in Western Europe, covering 555,000 sq.km (almost one fifth of the total area of the European Union), with a fast maritime zone (exclusive economic zone extending over 11 million sq. km).  It lies at the heart of Europe adjacent to nine countries: Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, England, Monaco, and Andorra.

The geography of France is one of the most diversified in Europe. With Northern plains, ancient hills, and lofty mountain ranges, and with four bodies of water at its doorstep (the North Sea, the English Channel, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Mediterranean), France boasts 5,500 kilometres of shoreline. It has a population of over 63 million people and its currency is the Euro.

Unlike Australia France is a unitary republic but local government plays a more important role than is usually the case in Australia. France is made up of 22 regions, which are subdivided into 96 departments. As if this were not enough France also has the highest number of local authorities in Europe, more than 37,000!

While some familiarity with English can be found in France it is not recommended that you try and get by without some French over anything other than a short period. This applies even if your course is being taught in English. French life, like Australian life, is basically conducted in the native language of the country.
France has a large and vibrant tertiary sector with 87 public universities located around the country, the oldest being the Sorbonne in Paris, founded in 1179. Over 1.5 million students are commonly enrolled in French universities. You should also note that fees for international students are usually the same as those paid by French citizens, thus fees to study in France are generally lower than elsewhere in Europe and much lower than those Australia charges to its international students. There are also many more opportunities for funding your study in France than you might expect.

Apart from time you might spend studying you should note that France offers an extremely wide variety of experiences both cultural and natural. Festivals are common across the country and the French countryside is justly renowned for its beauty and variety, from mountains and varied coastlines, to forests and plains.