Campus France CV: the guide for your study application in France
The CV in a Campus France application is usually written in French, fits on one page and presents your education, degrees, internships and languages clearly. It supports your study plan: every section should stay consistent with the program you are applying to.
What is the CV for in a Campus France application?
The CV is one of the documents in your “Études en France” application, alongside your transcripts, diplomas and motivation letter. Institutions read it to understand your background in one page: what you studied, what you have already practiced, and whether your profile matches the program you are applying to.
A clear CV does not replace good grades, but a confusing CV can weaken a good application: it is often the first document opened, and it sets the tone. The official procedure is described on the Campus France website, the French agency for the promotion of higher education.
Which sections belong in a Campus France CV?
A student CV for Campus France follows a simple structure, from the most recent to the oldest:
- Identity and contact details: last name, first name, a serious email address, phone number with the international dialing code, city and country.
- Headline or objective: two lines stating the program you target and your plan.
- Education: your studies, from the current degree back to the end of secondary school, with exact titles, institutions, cities and years. Add honors and rankings if you have them.
- Experience: internships, jobs, notable academic projects, even short ones.
- Languages: each with an honest level, ideally on the CEFR scale (A1 to C2), and your test scores (TCF, DELF/DALF, IELTS…).
- Skills: computer skills, software from your field, methods.
- Interests: useful when they say something about you (volunteering, competitive sport, personal projects).
What format for a Campus France CV?
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| Language | French (add an English version if the program is taught in English) |
| Length | 1 page |
| Photo | Optional; simple and recent if you add one |
| Order | Most recent first |
| Language levels | CEFR scale (A1 to C2) + test scores |
| File | PDF, with crisp selectable text |
For the layout, stay simple: a clear structure reads fast, and institutions receive many applications. A professional resume template saves you from layout mistakes: you write, the structure is already there.
How do you showcase a background without work experience?
That is the situation of most applicants, and institutions know it: nobody expects an executive career from a student. What matters is what you did with your studies:
- Academic projects: thesis, final-year project, notable coursework, with the topic and the result.
- Internships, even short ones: what you observed and learned deserves action verbs.
- Commitment: student associations, tutoring, volunteering, event organization.
- Languages and tools: often decisive for studies in France.
Our guide to writing a resume with no experience details how to build each section when experience is scarce.
Consistency with your study plan
Advisers and institutions read your application as a whole: the CV must tell the same story as your motivation letter and your program choices. Before sending:
- Check that the dates and titles on the CV match your official documents exactly.
- Put forward the subjects and projects related to the program you request.
- Have the French proofread by someone you trust: mistakes stand out even more on a single page.
CVticket’s analysis checks your CV’s structure, contact details and writing: run the online ATS test before exporting your PDF, and complete your application with our Campus France motivation letter guide.
The mistakes that cost the most
- A two-page CV for a student background: everything fits on one page.
- A fanciful email address: create a simple address with your name.
- Inflated language levels: one interview is enough to check them, and the application often contains your real scores.
- A scanned PDF or a photo of your CV: the text must stay crisp and selectable.
- The same CV for very different programs: adjust the headline and the order of sections for each request.