Yes. In the event of a visa refusal justified by the official letter from the consulate, EDAM will:

• Refund 100% of the tuition fees paid,

• Retain only €400 in administrative fees.

No other penalty is applied: therefore, you do not take any major financial risk.

* The refusal must be submitted before the course start date indicated on your certificate.

Yes. EDAM is a Qualiopi certified organisation, and our programmes are designed to meet administrative requirements:

• Weekly hours are clearly indicated on the certificate (e.g., 20 hrs/week for the Intensive Plus);

• Precise start and end dates of the course (6, 8, or 10 months);

• Complete academic and attendance file: school certificate, attendance certificate, quarterly transcripts, all usable in your visa or residence permit renewal application.

Every year, hundreds of students obtain or renew their residence permit in France with the documents provided by EDAM.

We understand that consular delays can be unpredictable. In the event of a visa delay:

• we will postpone your course start date once free of charge;

• we will modify your enrolment certificate (with new dates) once free of charge to meet the requirements of the consulate or Prefecture.

You thus keep your place in the programme without any additional fees.

For first-time student visa applications from abroad, we strongly recommend payment in full. This allows us to include the mention "Tuition Paid in Full" on your certificate.

This statement reassures the administration about your financial capability and increases the credibility of your file.

• For residence permit renewals in France or certain specific situations, instalment payment facilities may be considered on a case-by-case basis (e.g., 50% upon enrolment, the balance before or at the start of lessons).

• In all cases, the payment schedule must remain compatible with the requirements of the consulate / Prefecture, so as not to weaken your file.

• VLS-T (Temporary Long-Stay Visa):
  

• Generally valid for 4 to 12 months;

• In principle not renewable in France;

• Often not eligible for CAF (housing benefit);

• limited work rights; Suitable for short stays (often ≤ 8 months), exchange programmes, or gap years.

• VLS-TS Student Visa:
  

• Also valid for 4 to 12 months;

• Renewable at the Prefecture to continue your studies in France;

• Eligible, subject to conditions, for CAF and part-time work (approx. 20 hrs/week);

• This is the reference visa for our 10-month programmes. During the interview or by email, we can help you choose the programme duration most consistent with the type of visa you are aiming for.

Yes. For the Prefecture, attendance is an essential criterion:

• you must attend lessons regularly and keep to the timetable;

• any absence must be justified (medical certificate, administrative summons, etc.);

• your progress is monitored via continuous assessment, tests, and mock exams.

For your file, EDAM provides a set of compliant school documents:

• enrolment certificate and school attendance certificate (with dates and hours);

• quarterly attendance records and certificates;

• teaching reports and results from internal assessments.

⚠️ Important EDAM does not issue a "level certificate" equivalent to an official language diploma. For any procedure requiring recognised proof of level (multi-year card, resident card, naturalisation, etc.), it is essential to present an official diploma such as DELF, DALF, or TCF. Our internal assessments serve to prove your seriousness and presence in training, but they do not replace these official exams in any way.

No, it is not necessary to wait until September:

• enrolment is open all year round;

• for complete beginners (A0), we organise a special intake every month (a 4-week module);

• from level A1 up to B2, you can start lessons almost every Monday, following a placement test.

Before confirming your enrolment, we will ask you to take a quick placement test (10–12 minutes) so we can place you in the right group.

Yes, within clear and realistic limits:

• we provide you with information and contacts for student residences, host families, and partner flatshares; making contact and booking remain your responsibility;

• via our partners, you can benefit from support for:

• opening a bank account;

• CAF procedures;

• the Navigo transport card;

• certain Prefecture procedures (booking appointments, file verification, etc.);

• our team remains available to answer your practical questions throughout your training.

No. French law does not allow a tourist visa (or any short-stay Schengen visa, Type C) to be changed into a long-stay student visa (VLS-TS) directly from within France. The general rule for obtaining a student visa is as follows:

• you must return to your country of residence (or nationality);

• submit a new student visa application to the French consulate (often via Campus France and France-Visas);

• and then use the EDAM enrolment certificate in that application file.

Even if you are enrolled at EDAM, the Prefecture cannot regularise a tourist stay by changing it into a student stay. Submitting an application with this intention may, on the contrary, cause problems for your future applications (suspicion of circumventing visa rules).

EDAM can:

• inform you about the correct procedure;

• provide you with the necessary school documents when your enrolment is finalised;

but the school cannot bypass or change the rules set by the consulate and the Prefecture.