Specialised medical programmes

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The University of Bordeaux, in partnership with the Bordeaux University Hospital (CHU) and the Regional Health Agency (ARS), can welcome foreign medical interns doing a specialisation and foreign specialists for specialised medical training.

Photo : Medical imaging © IHU / Production du Désert
Medical imaging © IHU / Production du Désert

Admission prerequisites

Diploma of Specialised Medical Training (DFMS)

Doctors and pharmacists are eligible to apply for a Diploma of Specialised Medical Training (DFMS) if they:

  • are foreign (or dual) nationals (OUTSIDE the European Union, European Economic Area, Swiss Confederation and Principality of Andorra)
  • hold a diploma allowing them to practice medicine or pharmacy in their country of origin or in the country where they obtained their degree
  • are currently specialising
  • will have at least 2 hospital semesters remaining as of 1st November of the academic year applied for
  • have at least level B2 in French, proven by a certificate issued by a qualified organisation or have done all their medical studies in French (confirmed by a certificate issued by the institution of origin)

Courses are chosen from among those taught for the Diploma of Specialised Studies (DES) corresponding to the specialised training chosen by the applicant. The training length varies from a minimum of 2 semesters to a maximum of 6 semesters (the length of the DFMS may not exceed, in any case whatsoever, the end of the applicant's specialisation in his/her country of origin).

Diploma of Advanced Specialised Medical Training (DFMSA)

Doctors and pharmacists are eligible to apply for a Diploma of Advanced Specialised Medical Training (DFMSA) if they:

  • are foreign (or dual) nationals (OUTSIDE the European Union, European Economic Area, Swiss Confederation and Principality of Andorra)
  • hold a diploma allowing them to practice medicine or pharmacy in their country of origin or in the country where they obtained their degree
  • hold a specialist diploma
  • have at least level B2 in French, proven by a certificate issued by a qualified organisation or have done all their medical studies in French (confirmed by a certificate issued by the institution of origin)

Courses are chosen from among those taught for the Diploma of Specialised Complementary Studies (DESC); they can also involve part of the training provided within the framework of the Diploma of Specialised Studies (DES), corresponding to the specialised training chosen by the applicant. The training lasts one or two semesters.

How to apply

Step 1: Application n°1

  • 1 - Applicants must download and complete application form n°1 on the Campus France website in their country of origin, then submit it along with copies of the required supporting documents (see the detailed list in annex A of application form n°1) on the website or cultural centre of the French Embassy or Consulate in their country of origin.  

The application must be submitted by 15th January at the latest (strict deadline).

  • 2 - At the same time, the applicant must send pages 1 ad 2 of application  n°1 by e-mail to the Strasbourg Faculty of Medicine, Midwifery and Health Sciences before 15th January.
  • 3 - The French Consulate/Embassy or Campus France services forward all application no 1 to the Strasbourg Faculty of Medicine, Midwifery and Health Sciences, which checks the admissibility of the applications and informs the applicants.

Answers are sent by e-mail, to each applicant, by 30th March.

Do not submit original documents, only photocopies. Any incomplete application or an application that does not meet the requirements will be rejected.

Step 2: Application n°2

  • 1 -  If application n°1 is accepted, the applicant must download and complete application n°2, attaching the same supporting documents as for application n°1 + proof of a minimum B2 level in French.
  • 2 - The applicant must complete as many applications as the number of faculties applied to: a complete application must be sent directly to each faculty, following the instructions which will be indicated before 16th March 2025.
  • 3 - At the same time, the applicant must send the 'simplified' application (only pages 1 and 2 of application n°2) + proof of level B2 in French, by e-mail to +med-dfms-dfmsa@unistra.fr before 28th February 2025.
  • 4 - The Strasbourg Faculty checks the admissibility of the applications and forwards the lists of admissible applicants to the faculties concerned.
  • 5 - The local coordinators of the specialities rank the applications according to their own criteria and send the ranking to the Strasbourg Faculty.
  • 6 - The Strasbourg Faculty of Medicine, Midwifery and Health Sciences assigns the applicants according to:
    • the ranking made by the local coordinators of the specialities
    • the applicant's list of priorities for the faculties of assignment
    • the limit of open positions for each speciality and in each faculty
  • 7 - The Strasbourg Faculty informs the applicants, by e-mail, of the outcome of their application by 30th June and the host faculties draw up the hosting agreements for the successful applicants. The agreements will be sent to the applicants between July and September.
  • 8 - The successful applicants should return the agreement signed and completed by themselves and by their faculty of origin (if they have applied for a DFMS) to their host faculty in France with a copy for the Faculty of Strasbourg. The applicant must provide a copy of this agreement as well as the assignment e-mail to the French Embassy in his/her country in order for the French visa to be issued.
  • 9 - Assigned applicants register at their French host faculty and take up their duties by 1st November.

Do not send any original documents, only photocopies.

IMPORTANT: if you do not send the 'simplified' application (only pages 1 and 2 of application n°2) to Strasbourg, your application will not be accepted.

Please note:

The organisation of medical speciality diplomas is centralised by the University of Strasbourg Faculty of Medicine and Midwifery.

Learn more (in French)

Contact (Bordeaux)