Frequently Asked Questions - France Excellence Summer Schools 2020
FAQ
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Who runs this program?
Can I read about previous summer schools?
What is the picture on the flyer?
APPLICATION PROCESS
How to apply?
When to apply?
Which document should I prepare to apply?
What should I do if I made a mistake / want to add information to my application?
I don't find my university in the list (Q.11), what should I do ?
SCHOLARHIP AND FEES
What are the criteria to get a scholarship?
When will I know if I have been awarded a scholarship?
What is included in the tuition fees?
What is included in the scholarship?
What is a partial scholarship?
Why is it so expensive?
How many scholarships are there in this programme?
What percentage of applicants receive a scholarship?
CONTRACT
There is a mistake on my contract (wrong ID number, wrong birth date, etc), what should I do?
VISA
What is the procedure to get the visa?
Does the French Visa cover all the “Schengen area”?
At the TLS agency, they tell me that some documents are missing. What should I do?
Do I have to pay for my Visa?
INSURANCE
What should I do if I want to stay in Europe longer?
QUESTION
I sent an e-mail but got no answer. What should I do?
I would like to communicate with the other participants. Is that possible?
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Who runs this program?
The program Ecoles d’été France Excellence was set up by the French Embassy in China (Science department and University department) in 2016. It has since been implemented in cooperation with CAMPUS FRANCE (the French Agency supporting foreign students in France).
Each year (more and more) French Universities propose Summer School Programs, some of them entirely dedicated to Chinese students, some of them with a more international scope. The Embassy together with Campus France chooses those who fit the high requirements of the Program (English language, high scientific level of master students, comfortable options for accommodation and meals, attractive cultural syllabus, …) to be part of the program. Then, the Embassy is in charge of the promotion of the program and of the registration process in China with the help of Campus France.
Each summer school is independently organized by the local universities. A team, including administrative and teaching staff, builds the scientific and cultural content, proposes local outings and entertainment, and determines a well-balanced schedule.
Can I read about previous summer schools ?
In 2016 a first summer school was organized in Rennes.
In 2017, 14 schools were held across France, covering various domains.
In 2018, 22 summer schools were organized in France. You will find here an overview of the 2018 edition of the France Excellence Summer Schools.
In 2019, 24 summer schools were organized in France.
What is the picture on the flyer?
It is a partial view of the fractal Mandelbrot set (曼德博集合) discovered by the two French mathematicians Gaston Julia and Pierre Fatou in the beginning of the 20th century. It was named after Benoit Mandelbrot another French mathematician who obtained the first computer images of the set in the 1980s. For more information see here.
APPLICATION PROCESS
How to apply?
You first have to fill a form here (your CV (resume) in English is required), you will receive a confirmation email. Your application should be completed by uploading all the required documents online.
When to apply?
The application form should be completed before March 22nd 2020.
Which documents do I need for this application?
During the application process (until March 22nd), you have to upload the following documents:
- Your resume or CV (resume) in English
- Copy of your valid passport. If you currently do not have a passport, please upload the scanned copy of your ID card. When you have your passport, please upload a copy online.
- Copy of the highest degree obtained
- Academic transcript of the highest degree obtained
- Copy of the latest English test (CET, TOEIC, IELTS, TOEFL)
What should I do if I made a mistake / want to add information to my application?
Please do not resubmit an application, contact us at ecoledete@institutfrancais-chine.com.
I don't find my university in the list, what should I do ?
Please select "other".
SCHOLARSHIP AND FEES
What are the criteria to get a scholarship?
There are three criteria: your academic background (the most important), your motivation, and your English level.
When will I know if I have been awarded a scholarship?
You will be informed in April (the same day as the application result).
What is included in the tuition fees?
Most of the schools are all-inclusive, which means courses, accommodation, meals, local transportation and sightseeing. Please find more details at the end of each school’s webpage. The fees DO NOT include the international air ticket (China-Paris and Paris-China), and the visa fees.
What is included in the scholarship?
If you get a scholarship you will not pay the tuition fees (between 20 000 CNY and 30 000 CNY) and you will not pay for the visa fees. However, you still have to buy the plane ticket (round trip ticket to Paris).
What is a partial scholarship?
Some students get a partial scholarship. To offer more grants it has been decided to share some scholarships and to therefore offer half scholarships. In this case, it covers only a part (more than half) of the tuition fees. The partial scholarship amounts to RMB 15000. The applicant still needs to pay the balance of the tuition fees, the visa fees and the plane ticket.
Why is it so expensive?
Meals, accommodation and transportation are far more expensive in France than in China. On the plus side, French course fees are affordable and much cheaper than in many other countries.
How many scholarships are there in this program?
There are around seventy scholarships.
What percentage of applicants receive a scholarship?
It depends on the number of students, between 30% and 40% of students will get a scholarship.
CONTRACT
This document confirms your participation and is mandatory for the visa application.
You are in one of the two situations below:
- If you were granted a full scholarship, then you just have to sign the contract you received. You will send it back with the other documents through the confirmation form and will use it for the visa application.
- If you were granted no scholarship or a partial scholarship from the Embassy, then you must sign the contract and send two original signed copies by EMS to the Embassy. Please print and sign two copies of the filled-out contract and send them (the two copies) back to IFC by EMS exclusively to the following address (please write both French and Chinese characters):
吴霜
法国驻华大使馆
Institut Français de Chine
Secrétariat général
Programme Ecoles d’Eté France Excellence
北京市朝阳区天泽路60号 100600
Tel. : 10 8531 2200
Please note that we do not handle telephone enquiries at the Embassy. If you have an enquiry, please send an email to: : ecoledete@institutfrancais-chine.com We will try our best to reply to you in a reasonable time.
Please send your contract by EMS exclusively. Contracts sent by using Shunfeng or any other 快递 will not be accepted.
Once the two original versions are received, a scan of your contract signed by the Embassy will be returned to you by email to be used for your visa application (Original copies will be available upon request).
You will also be asked to send a scanned version with the other documents through the confirmation form.
All the contracts should be uploaded by using the following form : https://framaforms.org/final-registration-eefe-2019-1554447920 (edition 2019)
Students who were granted a half-scholarship and students without a scholarship have to upload a proof of payment online (bank transfer) by using the link provided above.
To upload your documents, please follow the instructions below :
1- Write your registration number (ex : E10001) and your name (pinyin preferred)
2- To upload your scanned signed contract please use "parcourir" (browse) and then "transférer" (transfer)
3- Upload your proof of payment (bank transfer)
4- Verify all the information and click on "soumettre" (submit) to send the documents.
There is a mistake in my contract (wrong ID number, wrong birth date, etc.), what should I do?
If you notice a mistake in your contract, please send us immediately an email at : ecoledete@institutfrancais-chine.com . We will then send you a new contract with the right information.
PAYMENT
If you were not granted a scholarship from the Embassy or a partial scholarship, then you have to pay the tuition fees (or the balance). Tuition fees (amount specified in the contract) should be paid via a bank transfer to IFC:
Bank Name : Societe Generale法国兴业银行北京分行
Branch : Beijing Branch
帐户名称：法兰西共和国驻华大使馆文化处
Account Name : AMBASSADE DE FRANCE - INSTITUT FRANÇAIS DE CHINE
账号Account number : 6610777700226025
When making the transfer, please put in the reference of your payment: YOUR NAME and YOUR CANDIDATE NUMBER.
The bank transfer should be done as soon as possible.
DOCUMENTS
You will be requested to upload the documents used to complete your registration through an electronic form (similar to that used for applications). The URL of the form will be sent separately.
The requested documents are:
- ID photo (white or blue background, 2 inches)
- Scan of the contract with your signature
- (If applicable) Scan of payment transfer receipt.
- Scan of the insurance contract with all required information and signatures.
VISA
What is the procedure to get the visa ?
First of all, you should make sure that you still have a valid passport with a 6-month validity period after your return from France to China.
The visa application should be made through TLScontact Visa Application Centre. The different visa application centers as well as the French Consulates have been informed about the Summer Schools France Excellence Program. It takes between 3 days and one week to process your visa application. Therefore to avoid any inconveniences, it is highly recommended to apply for your visa as soon as possible and not less than two weeks before your departure. The online registration is on the website: https://fr.tlscontact.com/cn/splash.php to get an appointment.
You must ask for a “Visa pour études court séjour” / 短期停留 (90天以下). Here are the documents needed to complete your visa application:
- Visa application form (from TLS website)
- Valid Passport (and with a 6-month validity period after your return from France to China)
- 2 ID pictures (white or blue background, 2 inches)
- Airline reservations (itinerary)
- Contract signed by both parties (copy) – valid as lodging certificate
- Bank statements (last 3 months)
- Insurance certificate (Schengen, valid for the entirety of your stay)
When applying for your visa, please stick to this list of documents. Normally, TLS is informed of the France Excellence Summer Schools program.
Please indicate the name, address and telephone number of the French university when you are asked to provide some information about your contact in France.
Please find below the process to apply for your visa :
1. Before selecting your type of visa, please select the nearest TLS centers from where you live.
2. Before applying you need to create an account (注册). You can also click on "选择签证受理中心" to make sure that you have choosen the right TLS center before applying. If you want to know the complete visa process, you can click on "申请流程".
3. To select your visa type, please click on "签证类型及材料"
4. Then scroll down and select "留学"
5. Now select "短期停留 90天以下"
Does the French Visa cover all the « Schengen area »?
Yes.
At the TLS agency, they tell me that some documents are missing. What should I do?
If you transmitted all the documents on our list, then there should be no problem. Sometimes, the TLS agencies do not receive all the necessary information about our program. You should ask them to take your application anyway Please refer them to the Summer School program and ask them to process your visa anyway.
For instance, in your case, you do not need further lodging certificate nor registration certificate. All these are included in the documents we ask for.
Do I have to pay for the Visa?
Whether you receive a scholarship, a half-scholarship or no scholarship, you will not have to pay for the visa fees. However, you will still have to pay for TLS service fees.
INSURANCE
As soon as you confirm your participation and provided we have enough information about your status, you will receive an email regarding your insurance during your stay from Campus France. You should follow the procedure described to activate your contract. In the email you will find the insurance certificate that you may use for the visa application (see further). Please note that this insurance is valid only for the summer school period (if you wish to stay longer, you need to organize another insurance policy to cover the extra period) and bring it with you during your stay.
In addition you will find attached to the Campus France email a copy of the insurance guide (in English) with all the information needed for your stay (cover, procedure, accredited practitioners and healthcare centers).
What should I do if I want to stay longer in Europe?
Buy your own insurance policy for the extended period.
TRANSPORTATION
Each school proposes a general meeting point at the nearest airport. Some schools will welcome students at Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport (CDG), while others will welcome students at the airport (or nearest airport) to where the schools take place.
However, you are free to organize your own itinerary. You may arrive in France prior to the summer school and/or remain afterwards for a short period. In some cases, even if you only attend the school, it may be more convenient/comfortable to use transfers to arrive directly in the summer school city by airplane, to avoid waiting in Paris and train transfers. Hence, we ask you to inform us and the school about your itineraries: i.e.: arrival/departure time and flight numbers, use of standard meeting point or date/time of arrival at the school site, as soon as possible and at least 2 weeks before your departure.
Please wait for the registration to be confirmed before buying your tickets. Other practical details such as the school contacts, security phone numbers, Wechat contacts, etc. will be communicated in advance to facilitate your arrival.
QUESTIONS
I sent an email but got no answer. What should I do?
The program is rather successful: we receive a lot of questions and try our best to answer all of them. Please be patient. Wait one week before sending your question again.
I would like to communicate with the other participants. What should I do?
Once we have the complete lists of all the participants we will create dedicated Wechat groups. In these groups, you will be free to talk with the other students. A member of the school's team will also be in the group to answer all your relevant questions.