Choose France Tour 2026 sees strong student engagement in New Delhi, reflecting growing interest in French higher education

The New Delhi edition of the Choose France Tour 2026 witnessed strong participation from students and families exploring higher education opportunities in France, bringing prospective applicants face-to-face with representatives from leading French universities, business schools, engineering institutions and specialised schools.

The New Delhi edition of the Choose France Tour 2026 witnessed strong participation from students and families exploring higher education opportunities in France, bringing prospective applicants face-to-face with representatives from leading French universities, business schools, engineering institutions and specialised schools. Held at Le Méridien, New Delhi, the Delhi leg of the Tour provided students with direct access to more than 50 French institutions across diverse disciplines including management, engineering, , design, creative arts, hospitality and gastronomy, according to a press release.

The event offered students an opportunity to move beyond online research and receive first-hand information on programmes, admissions, academic pathways and opportunities available in France. The Delhi edition welcomed students, reflecting the growing interest among Indian students in France as a destination for higher education. The strong response also comes at a time when student mobility has emerged as an increasingly important pillar of the India-France partnership.

As per the release, speaking on the occasion, Lisa Amon, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of France in India, said, "Education has become an increasingly important pillar of the France-India Special Global Strategic Partnership. As our cooperation expands across innovation, artificial intelligence, research, industry and other areas of shared priority, developing stronger academic and people-to-people ties is essential to sustaining that momentum. Our ambition to welcome 30,000 Indian students to France by 2030 reflects this long-term vision. It is an investment in the future engineers, researchers, entrepreneurs and professionals who will carry this partnership forward. The Choose France Tour translates that ambition into concrete opportunities by bringing French institutions directly to Indian students, giving them access to internationally recognized programmes, helping them foster connections with industry players, paving the road towards engaging in research and building careers in France, in India, and across the global economy." The engagement at the Tour highlighted the increasing demand for personalised guidance as Indian students navigate international education choices. Through one-on-one interactions with participating institutions and counselling support from Campus France India, students and families were able to explore programme selection, visa procedures, accommodation and student life in France.

As per the release, students interested in pursuing their undergraduate studies in French also had the opportunity to learn about Classes Internationales, a foundation-year pathway that combines French language training with academic preparation before students enter their undergraduate programmes. The initiative is now present across more than 30 French institutions and provides access to more than 200 undergraduate courses. The New Delhi edition comes against the backdrop of growing Indo-French cooperation in education, innovation and student mobility. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to France in June 2026, both countries reaffirmed education and student mobility as priority areas of cooperation, with the Prime Minister inviting French universities to establish campuses in India.

According to the release, the momentum is also reflected in student numbers. According to the latest figures from Campus France, Indian enrolment in French higher education increased by 17% to 9,100 students in 2024-25, making India the 11th-largest source country of international students in France, up from 13th position the previous year. The Tour also reflects the priorities of the Choose France for Higher Education national strategy presented in April 2026 by Philippe Baptiste, French Minister for Higher Education, Research and Space. Building on the Bienvenue en France strategy launched in 2018, it marks a new stage in France's commitment to welcoming talented students, doctoral candidates and researchers from across the world. France is today the eighth-largest host country for internationally mobile students, according to UNESCO.

The strategy places particular emphasis on fields of strategic importance, including health, digital technologies and artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, biotechnology, energy, environment and space. These are areas in which Indian students have shown strong and sustained interest, and in which French institutions offer internationally recognised expertise. India has been a key contributor to this momentum, with the number of Indian students in France rising by 63% since 2018, said the release. The strategy is supported by concrete measures to make the academic journey in France more accessible and better supported. France now offers more than 1,700 programmes taught in English, including around 1,460 courses delivered entirely in English, with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) the leading disciplines. Welcome arrangements are also being strengthened through one-stop welcome desks in major university cities, online residence-permit procedures available in French and English, and the Bienvenue en France label, held by 180 institutions that together host more than 70% of international students in France.

The link with France continues well beyond graduation. Indian graduates can join France Alumni, a global network of more than 650,000 former students coordinated by Campus France, which offers lasting professional, academic and institutional connections with France. For participating institutions, the Tour also served as a platform to understand the aspirations of Indian students more closely and engage with a market that is becoming increasingly significant to France's international education strategy. The range of institutions present, from engineering and aerospace to business, design, hospitality and public universities, also reflected the breadth of academic opportunities available to Indian students.

As per the release, the New Delhi edition was part of the Choose France Tour 2026, organised by the Embassy of France in India in close collaboration with the French Institute in India and Campus France. After Mumbai and Pune, the Tour concludes in Bengaluru on 17th October, completing its four-city journey across India. France has set a target of welcoming 30,000 Indian students by 2030, with initiatives such as the Choose France Tour contributing to greater awareness, direct institutional engagement and informed decision-making among students considering France for their higher education journey. (ANI)