How I Ended Up Studying in France

Recently, I received a message from one of my blog readers asking if I could share the story of how I decided to study in France. So that’s exactly what this article is about.

How It All Started

Two or three years before finishing high school, the idea of studying abroad first appeared in my head. I think I must have seen something on YouTube or Instagram — and just like that, the thought was planted.

I started doing some research online to understand how everything works. In Poland, studying abroad is not very common, so I had to look for all the information on my own.

And there is a lot to figure out. You start wondering:

• What final exams do I need to pass?
• Does the country accept my high school diploma?
• Are there entrance exams?
• Are there programs offered in English? If so, what language level is required?
• What documents are needed?
• Do I need a visa?
• Are the studies paid?
• Can I even afford living there?

And the list just keeps growing.

At the beginning, I had to decide which countries to focus on. I chose the USA, Ireland, the UK, and the Netherlands, since at that time my French practically didn’t exist and those seemed like the best English-speaking options in my opinion.

I checked the entire application process, sent a few emails to universities that interested me, and after long research, I realized that the chances of receiving a scholarship are generally low. It’s not impossible, but it can be complicated, and sometimes luck plays a big role. Besides the cost of living, tuition fees were required in all of those countries.

So I completely forgot about the idea — until the summer before my final year of high school.

Language Preparation

That spring, I had ankle surgery and spent the last months before my final year of high school taking individual online classes with my school teachers. When you have one-on-one lessons and 100% of the teacher’s attention focused on you, it quickly becomes obvious what you truly know — and what you don’t. At the same time, you learn much more because everything is personalized.

During my French lessons, I was speaking far more than before — and it turned out I was actually quite good at it. One day, while talking about my study plans, I mentioned that I was planning to stay in Kraków but had once thought about studying abroad.

My French teacher asked if I had ever considered France. I said no. When I had done research a few years earlier, I had only looked at English-speaking countries or programs taught in English. I assumed France didn’t offer many bachelor’s programs in English, so I never even considered it.

The topic ended there, and during the summer I didn’t really take any concrete steps. But I did start learning French more seriously, motivated by the fact that I was actually making progress.

At that time, my level was around A2.

Campus France Meeting

After the summer, my teacher mentioned an organization called Campus France that offers information sessions about studying in France at the French Institute in Kraków. I don’t fully remember what made me decide to go there, but I did.

I explained that I had once considered studying abroad and had briefly thought about France, but quickly gave up because I felt my French wasn’t good enough.

The advisor confirmed that bachelor’s degrees in France are mostly taught in French, and programs in English are rare and often offered by private (and paid) universities. However, she also explained that the most commonly required level to apply is only B2.

For me, at that time, “only B2” did not feel like only. And I knew that the studies themselves wouldn’t be at B2 level — more like C1 or even C2. No one would simplify the language just for me.

A few days later, there was a Journée Portes Ouvertes at the French Institute where I randomly filled out a quiz about French bulldogs and dropped it into a box without thinking much about it.

To my surprise, I won second place — and the prize was a French language course at the Institute.

You can’t imagine how funny it feels to win a prize in a game when you didn’t even know the rules — or what the prize was.

After this I signed up for a B1–B2 trimester course. You might wonder why I didn’t choose A2–B1 since I still had a lot to improve. Honestly, the schedule didn’t fit, and I thought maybe it would be better to challenge myself.

It wasn’t easy, especially at the beginning. The classes were conducted entirely in French, which I wasn’t used to. I had to quickly adapt to learning French grammar in French and speaking much more than before. But looking back, jumping into the deep end was one of the best decisions I made.

I’m convinced that this challenge helped me achieve 92/100 on the DELF B2 exam with relatively short preparation.

Besides the course, I studied a lot on my own and later took a few individual online lessons to prepare for the speaking section of the exam — the only part that’s really difficult to practice alone.

The Application Process – Parcoursup

Around January, I started selecting universities on Parcoursup. The process of choosing programs (voeux) took me a long time because I did extensive research on everything — cities, cost of living, scholarships, study programs and courses, exchange opportunities, and more.

In addition to that, I had to complete and upload all the required documents, translated into French, on the Parcoursup platform. It was quite a lot of administrative work, and I had to make sure everything was submitted correctly and on time.

Then came the waiting period.

At the same time — in May — I was also taking my final high school exams and the DELF B2 exam. So it was definitely an academically intense few months.

Application Results

When the responses arrived, I was happy to see to be accepted every city I applied to with are Paris, Strasbourg, Montpellier, and Grenoble. After all those months of preparation seeing those acceptances felt incredibly rewarding.

In the end, I chose the program Informatique et Mathématiques Appliquées avec LAS in Grenoble. I really liked the curriculum and the additional LAS option. But I won’t lie — I also fell in love with the city itself because of the mountains.

Looking back, I truly believe that was an excellent decision. You don’t choose a university only because of the city, but moving somewhere that matches your lifestyle makes a huge difference.

For me, being surrounded by mountains, trail runners, climbers, skiers, and outdoor-oriented people feels like being in my natural environment — among people who share similar interests and passions.

The Final Steps

By the end of June, from an administrative point of view, everything was ready. I was officially enrolled at the university — I just had to apply for accommodation and book a flight.

It might seem like everything had already been perfectly planned and that the decision had long been made. But when I look back at that period, I realize that the real decision to move to France happened the moment I booked my flight.

I had already spent months preparing, researching universities, comparing programs, and going through the entire application process. But clicking “confirm” on that flight felt different. It felt like a final commitment — like truly saying: I’m doing this.

I wasn’t the type of person who had dreamed since childhood about studying abroad. I hadn’t been planning it for years. During my final year of high school, I simply started taking small steps out of curiosity, wondering whether it would even be possible to organize everything on my own.

At the same time, I also applied to AGH University in Kraków — and I was accepted there as well. So when I had to choose between staying in Poland or moving to France, that was the real turning point.

I remember that it wasn’t an easy decision. It meant leaving home, studying in a foreign language, adapting to a different culture, lifestyle, and environment. Now I’ve met many people who have done the same, so it’s not something impossible or rare. But I want to emphasize that it’s not easy either.

Even if today it doesn’t seem that intimidating anymore, I remember how many doubts and internal struggles I had back then. And I think it’s completely okay to have them.

Final Thoughts

Studying abroad is one of those decisions that truly changes your life — and your perspective. It opens you up to unique and sometimes challenging experiences. Studying in a foreign language, understanding humor, cultural nuances, and inside jokes — it completely changes the way you see communication and even the concept of language itself.

Meeting people from so many different countries, hearing their stories, and experiencing cultural differences firsthand is fascinating for me. I don’t think staying in my hometown would have given me the same opportunities — or at least not so easily.

And of course, all the hiking, climbing, and weekend trips made possible by Grenoble’s location in the mountains have been an incredible part of this experience.

To finish, I just want to say: you don’t have to be a genius, passionate about one subject since childhood, or speak multiple languages fluently.

What you really need is organization, discipline to handle the application process (and a lot of patience - really, a lot), and enough maturity to live independently in another country and build your own life there.

I truly believe that if I could do it, you can do it too. ;)

For those who don’t know yet, I am part of the Campus France Poland Ambassadors, a project in which I help share information about studying in France. To get more tips from other students, check out Campus France Poland Ambassadors

For more information check: Parcoursup, L’Etudiant, Campus France