Quick Answer to France Post Study Work Visa (APS) for Indian Students: 6 Key Rules Explained
The France post study work visa, called the APS, is a temporary residence permit for master-level graduates of French institutions. The official page describes it as valid for 1 year and not renewable. You apply in the 2 months before your student permit ends, can work as an employee, and for the next permit the job must relate to your studies and pay above 2,800.53 euros gross a month at the time of writing.
"I will finish my master's in France. What happens the day after my student permit ends?" Students usually ask us this late, often in the final semester, when the answer is already shaped by decisions made two years earlier. The France post study work visa is the bridge, and it has a narrow window.
One clarification first: "APS" here means France's Autorisation Provisoire de Séjour, the post-study temporary residence permit, not the German APS certificate Indian students need for Germany. In this guide I cover who qualifies, when to apply, what work you can do, the salary line for changing status, and the mistakes we see most often, based on the official French government pages at the time of writing.
If you have not yet reached France, start with our France student visa process guide, because everything below depends on holding a valid student permit. Families in Gujarat who want help planning this from the first application can talk to our France student visa consultant team in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat and Rajkot.
What the France Post Study Work Visa Is, in Plain Words
The France post study work visa is not a visa in the usual sense. France lets graduates of a French higher education institution stay on after the degree under a temporary residence permit for job search or business creation. The French public service site calls it a residence card for "recherche d'emploi ou création d'entreprise", and many people still call it the APS.
Three facts matter most:
- It lasts one year. The official page describes it as valid for 1 year and not renewable. Some older guides, and some Campus France India pages, speak of one year renewable once, for two years in total. Treat the official public service wording as the safer planning basis and confirm with your prefecture before you rely on a second year.
- It is not a job offer. It gives you time. You still have to find the employer or build the business.
- It is not the 5 year short-stay Schengen visa. Campus France India says that visa for alumni does not allow you to work in France or look for a job.
Photo: Howard Walsh on Unsplash
France Post Study Work Visa Eligibility: Who Qualifies
For the France post study work visa you must hold, from a French institution, one of these: a licence professionnelle, a Mastere Specialise, a Master of Science, or another diploma equivalent to at least a master's degree. A one year Master's in France, a two year Master's and a recognised grande ecole degree normally sit in this group. A standard bachelor's alone does not.
If you are already in France, you must hold a valid student residence permit and have obtained the qualifying diploma within the last 12 months. If you have already left, the official page lets you apply from abroad within 4 years of your diploma. Algerian nationals follow different rules.
The practical test is simple. Check the exact name and level of your degree on your final certificate, not on the brochure you saw before admission. If the level is unclear, ask your university's international office to confirm in writing that it is master level or above. Choosing the right programme at the start matters, which is why we suggest reading our guide to the top courses to study in France with the end goal in mind.
When to Apply for the France Post Study Work Visa
Timing is where students lose the permit. Here is the order we walk families through.
- Final year, month one: ask your institution for the date your degree is formally awarded and for a completion attestation. You need that paper, not just your transcript.
- Know your permit end date. The official page says to apply in the 2 months before the end of validity of your student card. Put that date in your calendar now.
- Gather your file: your current permit, passport, proof of address, the degree or attestation and your photos. The prefecture or the online procedure lists the exact documents for your area.
- Apply before the student permit expires. Do not wait for the ceremony or the final certificate if an attestation is enough.
- Keep your receipt. The authorities say they have up to 3 months to decide on a complete file, so the receipt matters for proving your right to stay.
At the time of writing the official page lists a cost of 150 euros for applying in France, made of a 50 euro stamp and a 100 euro tax. Fees change, so confirm the amount on the French public service site before you apply. For general cost planning during your study years, see our guide to the France student visa cost.
Not sure your degree level or your permit end date works? Send us your final year documents and we will check them with you. Book a free counselling session or call 75740 33366.
Work Rights on the France Post Study Work Visa
On the France post study work visa, the official page says you may work as an employee without your employer needing a work authorisation. The 60% annual limit that applies to students, around 964 hours a year, does not apply to this permit.
There is a condition, though. For the job to count towards your next permit, the official page asks for two things together: the role must relate to your studies, and the gross monthly pay must be above 2,800.53 euros at the time of writing. That figure is a fixed amount on the page, so check it again when you apply.
The permit also covers business creation. If you launch a company, the next step is usually an entrepreneur or "talent, project holder" type of card, and the prefecture will ask for proof that the project is real and viable. Do not leave that for the last month.
For the student years themselves, our guide to part-time jobs in France explains the rules that apply before this permit starts.
A France Post Study Work Visa Example With Illustrative Dates
These dates are made up to show the logic, not to predict your case. Say your student permit ends on 30 September. Your master's is awarded in July.
- 1 August to 30 September: the 2 month window to apply for the France post study work visa opens.
- Mid August: you submit the file with your degree attestation and keep the receipt.
- Next 12 months: the permit runs. You search, interview and work in a field linked to your degree.
- Month 9 or 10: you have an offer. You check that it relates to your studies and that the gross monthly salary is above the threshold.
- Before the permit ends: you ask for the change of status with the employer's contract.
The mistake we see most often is applying for the change of status in the last week, when a missing employer document cannot be fixed in time.
France Post Study Work Visa Versus the Permits That Follow
| Stage | What you hold | Main condition |
|---|---|---|
| Studying | Student permit | Enrolled; work up to 60% of annual hours |
| Job search | Post-study permit (APS) | Master level degree; apply before the student permit ends |
| Employed in France | Temporary worker or employee card | Job related to studies; gross monthly pay above 2,800.53 euros, at the time of writing |
| Higher-paid role | EU Blue Card | Higher annual salary; the official page cites 59,373 euros a year |
| Own company | Entrepreneur or project holder card | A real, viable business project |
If your first job pays below the line, it is usually better to keep searching on the permit than to accept it and discover the change of status cannot be approved. Ask your counsellor or a prefecture to confirm this before signing a contract.
France Post Study Work Visa Mistakes to Avoid
- Waiting for the diploma ceremony. Your permit does not wait for it.
- Assuming a second year. Plan for 12 months. Treat any extension as a bonus you must confirm.
- Taking a job outside your field. It may work for income, but it can block the next permit.
- Ignoring the 4 year rule if you left France. If you apply from India, you have limited time after your degree.
- Relying on social media posts. Rules change. Read the official pages, or ask us, then check them again.
Plan for the France Post Study Work Visa Early
The France post study work visa rewards students who think about it in the first semester: a master-level course, internships linked to the target job, French language progress and a short list of employers. If your profile is a bachelor's with no French, the plan differs. Say so openly with your counsellor. The Campus France process is also the right time to check how your chosen programme leads to a master's level degree.
Global Colliance has almost 20 years of experience guiding students, with counsellors in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot and Delhi. If you want your course, funds and the France post study work visa mapped together, talk to our France team or call 75740 33366.
France Post Study Work Visa FAQs
How long is the France post study work visa for Indian students?
The French public service page describes it as valid for 1 year and not renewable. Some other guides mention one year renewable once, so confirm your own case with the prefecture.
Do I need a master's degree for the France post study work visa?
You need a French licence professionnelle, Mastere Specialise, Master of Science or another diploma equivalent to at least a master's level. A normal bachelor's degree alone is not enough.
When should I apply for the France post study work visa?
The official page says to apply within the 2 months before your student permit ends. Do it before it expires and keep the receipt.
Can I work full-time on the France post study work visa?
Yes, as an employee without an employer work authorisation, and the student 60% limit does not apply. For the next permit, the job must relate to your studies and pay above 2,800.53 euros gross a month, at the time of writing.
Is the APS for France the same as the German APS certificate?
No. The French APS is a temporary residence permit for job search or business creation. The German APS is a certificate of document checks for student applicants.
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