I have a lot of questions about med school in France. I've tried the internet but I can't really find any useful information. I know you have to know French to get in, which I plan on learning. I already know some conversational French and I can read it pretty well. Does med school in France cost? I saw somewhere that it was free to study in France, but I'm not sure.
There are academic fees but they're very low...i.e. a couple hundred euros or so. Housing in Paris is quite expensive, but appears to be reasonable in the rest of France.
Also, I was wondering how long med school is.
Six years.
Another question,(I have A LOT, lol) what are the requirements for becoming a citizen in France? I'm thinking of staying there to practice. Can you have dual citizenship or do you have to relinquish American citizenship?
You can get French citizenship after having lived in France for five years. This period can be reduced to two years if you have a degree from a French institution. France has no problem with dual citizenship with the US and you would not be asked to relinquish your American citizenship.
And this is a totally random question, but my mom told me that French people do not like Americans. Is this true? Is it really as bad as everyone says?
I'm sure you could find people in France who are anti-American. But, unlike what some people claim, you would have to look a bit. If you run into problems it's a lot more likely to be due to the usual interpersonal conflicts that you'd run into anywhere. A much bigger issue is that you'd have to contend with significant cultural differences. The odd anti-American that you might run into should be the least of your worries.
I'm Canadian. But most Parisians I meet initially assume I'm American and they treat me just fine (but perhaps even better when they know I'm Canadian
).
And, does anyone know the easiest school to get into for a foreign student in France? Which schools accept the most foreign students? Also, what are the requirements to get into med school in France? Do you have to have certain classes, take certain exams? And how would I got about getting a student visa and things like that? Ok, I think that's all. Lol.
There are two hurdles. The first is that you'd need to apply through a French embassy or consulate to be allowed to take part in the first year competition at a French med school. If you have half decent grades covering all the usual pre-med courses (i.e. two or three years of a typical science degree) at a reputable university, this should be no problem. The only caveat is that a lot of foreign students want to study in Paris so you might not be able to get a spot at a Paris school. That shouldn't be a big deal unless you really want to be in Paris. Besides, you get to give a first and second choice on your application and only one of your choices can be a Paris school.
More importantly, though, is that you'd have to make it past the competition in first year. It's a really unpleasant process that almost negates all the pluses of studying medicine in France. You'll be packed in overcrowded classes in underfunded buildings and get little to no support from professors and school administration. It will be stressful and frustrating. It only lasts one year (two if you have to repeat it) but there's nothing positive about it.
As for applying, unless things have changed, you need to apply through a French embassy or consulate. You would pick up an application package there in November/December and fill out the appropriate forms and get everything back to them by some time in January. Please check with your consulate for the correct dates and any changes that may have been adopted in the application procedure.
You will also be asked to take a language test in March or April. After you've passed the language test and been granted a spot by a French med school, your consulate or embassy will prepare a student visa for you.
I hope this helps.
p.s. If you don't already speak some French or have a strong interest in France, you might want to be careful about taking this route. Some people love France and others hate it. I spoke French prior to coming to Paris but it still took me a while to get used to it.