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International · work-study

Work-study, open to international students.

UpdatedMay 2026
Reading~ 7 min

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You train for free, you earn a salary, you obtain a State-issued diploma and you launch your career in France.

Here's how, step by step.

01 Misconceptions vs the 2026 reality

Four false beliefs that stop international students from signing.

Misconception 2026 reality
« An international student can't do work-study. »FALSE — possible under conditions (see below).
« You need a worker visa. »FALSE — the VLS-TS student visa allows work-study up to 964 h/year. Beyond that, temporary authorisation or change of status.
« It's automatic. »FALSE — specific work authorisation required beyond the quota (DREETS).
« It's State-funded. »PARTLY TRUE — funded by the OPCO (skills operator) via the apprenticeship tax paid by the employer.

02 The two possible contracts

Apprenticeship or professionalisation — choice depending on age and project.

Apprenticeship contract

For applicants under 30 (at signing).

  • Duration — from 6 months to 3 years (= length of the programme)
  • Salary — 27% to 78% of the French minimum wage depending on age and year
  • Status — apprentice, full employee rights
  • Contributions — pension, health, unemployment
  • OPCO — 100% of the training fees covered

Professionalisation contract

No age limit.

  • Duration — fixed-term contract of 6 to 24 months, or permanent contract
  • Salary — 55% to 100% of the French minimum wage
  • Status — full-fledged employee
  • Contributions — full
  • OPCO — training fees covered

Indicative 2026 salary : for a BTS work-study student aged 22 in 2nd year, salary is around €980 net/month.

For a Master's, up to €1,400 net/month.

Figures to confirm with your future employer.

03 Conditions for international students

Five steps — EU and non-EU, DREETS formalities when needed.

1
EU / EEA / Swiss national — No specific formalities.
Access to work-study under the same conditions as a French student.
Skip directly to step 4.
2
Non-EU — Year 1 of the student visa — Your VLS-TS student visa allows up to 964 hours of work per year (≈ 60% full-time).
An apprenticeship contract under 964 h is compatible.
Beyond that, work authorisation must be requested from the DREETS.
3
Non-EU — Year 2+ renewal — You can apply for a change of status to a worker residence permit, or keep the student permit with temporary authorisation.
Enerlab Academy supports you through the DREETS procedure.
4
Finding an employer — Our partner-company network hosts our work-study students all year round.
Dedicated employment unit, CV workshops, mock interviews.
Average time to sign : 4 to 8 weeks after admission.
5
Administrative formalities — Contract (CERFA No 10103*10 for apprenticeship, No 12434*04 for professionalisation), training agreement, work-authorisation request if applicable.
Enerlab Academy builds the OPCO file.
Everything is centralised through the apprenticeship office.

04 Concrete financial benefits

Four levers that can be combined on the total cost of your year.

€0 in fees

Your training is funded 100% by the OPCO via the apprenticeship tax.

No upfront payment, no out-of-pocket cost.

Monthly salary

From €460 (BTS, age 18, year 1) to €1,800 net (Master's, age 26, professionalisation contract).

Salary credited to a French bank account.

Housing aid (CAF)

Combinable with the apprentice salary.

APL or ALS depending on housing type, up to €200/month.

Mobility bonuses

Driving-licence aid (€500), transport allowance (50% Navigo reimbursement), equipment aid.

05 Frequently asked questions

Can I sign a contract before getting my visa ?

No.

You must first obtain your VLS-TS student visa and start your studies before signing a work-study contract.

Usual flow : September start on the initial programme, switch to work-study in October-November.

Can an employer refuse because I'm a foreigner ?

Legally, no — unless the work authorisation is not granted (rare case).

In practice, some companies hesitate out of unfamiliarity.

Enerlab Academy provides an employer memo explaining how simple the procedure is.

After graduation, can I stay in France ?

Yes.

The Autorisation Provisoire de Séjour (APS) lets you stay 12 months (24 for Master's degrees) to look for a job.

If you find a permanent or fixed-term contract ≥ 1.5× minimum wage, you automatically switch to a worker residence permit.

What's the average time to find work-study ?

4 to 8 weeks after admission.

Our apprenticeship office contacts you as soon as your admission is validated to start the search alongside the visa formalities.