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France adds civic exam to student residence cards
Non-EU students applying for their first multi-year residence card in France must now pass a civic exam and prove A2-level French, under a rule that took effect on 1 January 2026. If you’re moving from a one-year student card to a multi-year one — commonly done between a bachelor’s and a master’s degree — this requirement applies before that card can be granted.
What changed
Since 1 January 2026, any non-EU foreign national applying for their first multi-year residence card (“carte de séjour pluriannuelle”) or first resident card must pass a civic exam.
The civic exam is a 40-question, computer-based multiple-choice test in French, combining knowledge and situational questions, completed within a maximum of 45 minutes. A score of at least 32 out of 40 (80%) is required to pass.
Applicants must also prove French at CEFR level A2 for a multi-year residence card (B1 for a resident card), through an accepted test such as the TCF or TEF, a qualifying diploma (DELF, DALF, DUEF), or certain French qualifications.
The requirement applies only to a first multi-year application — renewing a multi-year card you already hold does not require retaking the exam. Applicants over 65, and holders of certain residence categories outside France’s Republican Integration Contract, are exempt.
Who it affects
- Non-EU students applying for a multi-year student residence card for the first time — typically when moving from a one-year card into a longer programme (for example, bachelor’s into master’s, or master’s into a card covering the rest of a course).
- Students who have only ever held annual one-year cards and haven’t yet applied for a multi-year one.
- Not affected: students renewing a multi-year card they already hold, and anyone in a residence category outside the Republican Integration Contract.
What you should do
- If your one-year student card is due to convert to (or you plan to apply for) a multi-year card, check your French level now — A2 requires documentary proof, not just conversational ability.
- Book a recognised French test (TCF or TEF), or check whether existing qualifications (DELF, DALF, a French diploma) already satisfy the A2 threshold.
- Register for the civic exam early through a Ministry of Interior-approved test centre — the pass certificate doesn’t expire, so there’s no downside to sitting it well ahead of your renewal date.
- Confirm the exact procedure at your local prefecture, since implementation details can vary in the first year of a new national rule.
What hasn’t changed
The exam and language rule apply to the first multi-year card only — your initial one-year student card and its usual renewal are unaffected, and this sits outside the student visa application process itself.