Quick snapshot: What the Campus France Fee is

Campus France charges Indian students a mandatory processing fee of ₹18,500 (≈€220) through the Études en France (EEF) procedure. The Campus France Fee is an administrative processing charge for reviewing your EEF file and scheduling the academic interview — it is not a university application or tuition fee.

The fee is required for study in France longer than 90 days , must be paid online via the Campus France India payment portal (payment.ifindia.in), and is strictly non-refundable . Your EEF application will not be reviewed until Campus France receives payment.

Who must pay — eligibility and common exemptions

If you plan to study in France for more than 90 days , you must complete the EEF process and pay the Campus France Fee. This covers most regular bachelor, master and diploma students applying for a long-stay student visa.

Exceptions you should check immediately:

• Short-stay students (courses under 90 days , Schengen visa) do not pay this fee.
• Some exchange programmes and rare government-sponsored scholarships may be exempt — confirm with your programme coordinator and Campus France India.
• French and EU citizens follow different procedures and are not subject to this fee.

If you hold a scholarship or are part of an exchange, ask the awarding body or the Campus France office whether an exemption applies before you pay.

When to pay: timing, deadlines and timelines for the Campus France Fee

You must pay the Campus France Fee after submitting your EEF application but before the academic interview. Do not wait until the last moment — missing the payment window can delay review and the visa timeline.

Key dates and processing timelines you should plan around:

Why these timelines matter: Campus France begins file review only after payment confirmation. If you miss the usual deadlines, your interview and subsequent visa appointment at VFS will move back accordingly. Paying early gives you buffer time to handle payment problems.

How to pay step-by-step on payment.ifindia.in

Follow these practical steps so you do not get stuck at payment time.

1. Complete and submit your EEF application on the Études en France portal.
2. After submission you will receive a payment link or instructions on the portal to proceed. The payment is processed via the Campus France India portal at payment.ifindia.in .
3. On the payment portal enter your EEF application number and personal details exactly as in your application.
4. Choose a payment method — credit card, debit card or net banking. The portal may offer UPI ; check the option at the time of payment.
5. Complete the bank authentication steps (OTP, 3D Secure, or netbanking confirmation).
6. Download and save the payment receipt as PDF. Take screenshots as backup.
7. Upload the receipt to your EEF account and keep copies in two places (email and local folder).

Payment tips before you click Pay:

• Use a desktop or laptop rather than a phone for the first attempt.
• Ensure your card has international transaction enabled and daily transaction limits allow the amount.
• Keep your bank OTP ready and stable internet to avoid interrupted sessions.
• If UPI is shown, have an alternate card/netbanking ready in case the UPI option fails.

After payment: the portal usually shows a confirmation. Expect formal confirmation from Campus France within 2–3 days . If you do not receive confirmation, upload the receipt on EEF and use the troubleshooting checklist below.

Fee breakdown and total visa-related costs

You should budget beyond the Campus France Fee. Here is the common set of costs students face before departure.

Budget tips: Keep the Campus France Fee, visa fee and VFS fee ready together since their timelines are linked. CVEC is paid later in France, and tuition is paid to the university separately where applicable.

What paying triggers: from review to interview to visa application

Once Campus France confirms your payment, three things happen in sequence:

1. Payment confirmation (2–3 days): Campus France updates your EEF file to show payment received.
2. Application review (3 days expedited or up to 3 weeks regular): Campus France advisors verify documents and eligibility.
3. Interview scheduling (1–2 weeks after review): You get an appointment for the academic interview. The interview may be online or in-person depending on the local office.

After a successful interview the result is usually communicated within 1 week . Only after a positive interview outcome can you proceed to book a visa appointment with VFS/consulate and pay the visa fee.

Note: If your application lacks documents or needs clarification, the review may be delayed. Paying the Campus France Fee does not guarantee a positive interview outcome — it only triggers the administrative process.

Refunds, reapplications and rejected visas — realistic guidance

The Campus France Fee is strictly non-refundable under any circumstances , including visa rejection, deferral, or change of plans. That is the official rule.

What this means for you:

• If your visa is rejected, you must pay the Campus France Fee again to reapply.
• If you defer your admission and need a new EEF file in a later cycle, plan to pay again.
• There is a rare administrative window — requests made within 60 days of payment can be submitted in writing, but refunds are generally not granted. Treat this as an exception, not a plan.

If you face a situation you believe merits an exceptional refund (administrative error, duplicate payment), prepare clear documentation: payment receipt, transaction reference, EEF number and timeline, and raise the issue through the Campus France India contact point available on the portal.

Payment problems: practical troubleshooting checklist

Failed payment or missing confirmation is stressful. Try these steps in order:

1. Wait a few minutes and check bank transaction status — sometimes banks take time to settle.
2. Check your email and EEF account for any automatic confirmation or error message.
3. Confirm OTP and transaction limits (daily or international) with your bank.
4. Try an alternate method: if card fails, use netbanking or another card.
5. Clear browser cache, try an incognito window or use a different browser/device.
6. Avoid repeating payment attempts too quickly — repeated attempts can trigger bank declines.

If confirmation does not arrive within 48–72 hours , prepare a support request containing:

• Screenshot or PDF of the payment receipt (if generated)
• Bank transaction reference or UTR
• Your EEF application number and full name
• Date and time of attempted payment and the payment method used

Submit that via the Campus France India portal support or the official contact option listed on the portal. Keep copies of every message and screenshot.

Documents and receipt checklist to upload on EEF

After payment you must upload the receipt and keep a clean file for review. The minimum items related to payment you should have:

• Payment receipt (PDF) showing amount ₹18,500 , transaction reference and date
• Screenshot of payment confirmation page if receipt PDF not available immediately
• EEF application number (clearly written in your documents)
• Government ID used in EEF (passport page) to match records

How to name and format uploads:

• Use short, consistent filenames: EEF_ Payment .pdf
• Keep files under common formats (PDF, JPG, PNG) and under the portal size limits
• Upload the receipt to the EEF portal immediately after payment and keep a secondary copy in your email

Local backup suggestion: email a copy of the receipt to yourself and save one in a cloud folder. If you need to file a support request, attach the PDF and the bank statement line showing the debit.

Smart tips and common mistakes students make

• Don’t wait until the last day. The typical payment deadline is usually the 12th of the month and delays in confirmation can push back your interview.
• Treat Campus France Fee as separate from your university application fee and tuition. Paying one does not replace the other.
• Do not assume UPI will always work. The portal may show UPI as an option; have a card or netbanking ready.
• Keep multiple backups of receipts. If you reapply you will likely need to pay again.
• If your scholarship or exchange might exempt you, get written confirmation before skipping payment.

Useful links and contact points (what to save right now)

• Official payment portal to save: payment.ifindia.in (Campus France India payment portal).
• Keep your Études en France (EEF) login details handy for uploads and status checks.
• When you need visa booking after a positive interview, use the VFS France appointment page in your city to book the visa slot and pay the visa fee.
• For any doubt about exemptions or refunds, use the contact options inside the EEF portal or the Campus France India office contact listed on the official portal.

Check the official Campus France India pages before you pay to confirm the fee amount, payment methods and any local updates.

FAQs

Q1: Is the Campus France Fee the same as my university application fee? A1: No. The Campus France Fee is a mandatory administrative processing fee for the EEF procedure (₹18,500 for Indian applicants as of October 2024). University application or tuition fees are paid separately to the university.

Q2: I paid but haven’t received confirmation. How long should I wait? A2: Payment confirmation usually appears within 2–3 days . If you have not received confirmation in 72 hours, upload your receipt to EEF and raise a support request with the payment screenshot and transaction reference.

Q3: My visa was rejected. Can I get the Campus France Fee back? A3: No. The fee is strictly non-refundable under any circumstances, including visa rejection or change of plans. You will need to pay again to reapply.

Q4: Does the Campus France Fee cover the CVEC and visa fees? A4: No. The Campus France Fee is separate. CVEC (student life contribution) and the French visa fee (€99) , plus VFS service charges, are different payments you must budget for.

Q5: Can I pay by UPI? A5: The portal may offer UPI as a payment option, but this is not guaranteed. Have a credit/debit card or netbanking ready as backup, and confirm at the time of payment on payment.ifindia.in .

Q6: Who should I contact if my payment was debited twice? A6: Gather both transaction references, receipts and your EEF application number , then use the Campus France India contact option on the EEF/payment portal to report the duplicate payment. Keep your bank transaction screenshots handy when you raise the ticket.