As a student
Studying in France: how long to residence and citizenship
The thing a visa list won't tell you
Time on a French student permit generally does NOT count toward naturalisation — but a French Master's cuts the requirement from five years to two.
Your ladder
- 3 years
Student permit
✕ does NOT count
- 1 year
Graduate permit
✓ counts toward citizenship
Permanent residence at
5 years
Citizenship assessed at
5 years
Still to serve after these rungs
4 years
Some of this time is thrown away — it does not count toward the naturalisation clock.
Run this with your own profile →Sources
- · Titre de séjour étudiant: time on a student permit is generally not counted toward the naturalisation residence period (2026)
- · APS (autorisation provisoire de séjour) graduate permit (2026)
- · Carte de résident after 5 years of regular residence (2026)
- · 5 years' residence; reduced to 2 years for holders of a French higher-education diploma at Master's level
Keep going
- All study and work routes →
- Working in France instead →
- How to find a regulated immigration lawyer in France →
- What buying a home in France actually costs →
Not immigration advice. Orientation only. Immigration rules change often and decisions are discretionary — nothing here is a promise of residence or citizenship. Check your case with a licensed immigration adviser. Rules reviewed 2026-07. (2026-07)