France · Bachelor's
Université Paris Cité
Bachelor in Health (PASS — Premiere Année d'Accès Spécifique Santé)
Université Paris Cité
Course Overview
Université Paris Cité's PASS (Parcours d'Accès Spécifique Santé) is the official first-year health-studies pathway in France — the gateway year leading into Medicine (Médecine, 9 years total), Dentistry (Odontologie, 6 years), Pharmacy (Pharmacie, 6 years), or Midwifery (Maïeutique, 5 years). PASS replaced the old PACES system in 2020. Paris Cité (formed in 2022 from the merger of Université Paris Descartes and Université Paris Diderot) is consistently ranked France's top medical university and #1 in francophone medical education globally. PASS year 1 is a brutally competitive screening year — typically 10,000+ applicants competing for ~2,500 second-year medical / dental / pharmacy / midwifery places at Paris Cité. The full pathway: PASS year 1 → DFGSM / DFGSO / DFGSP year 2-3 → DFASM / clinical years 4-6 → Internat residency (Médecine) of 3-6 years depending on specialty.
Sri Lankan applicants who target French Medicine are a small but determined group — typically Bio Science A-Level students with strong A-level Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, often from international schools with French-language exposure. The selling points versus a UK / Australia Medicine BSc: tuition at €2,940/year for the full degree (versus £35,000-£50,000/year at UK medical schools), Médecine de France is recognised across the EU and respected globally, France's 12-month APS post-undergraduate permit converts cleanly to the Passeport Talent / Carte de Séjour Salarié on completion of residency, and the EU Blue Card pathway opens at full medical qualification. **Critical caveat: French Medicine requires fluent French (DELF B2 minimum, ideally C1 by year 2) — PASS is taught and assessed in French. Lanka Scholar typically advises a gap-year French intensive (Alliance Française or in-country) before applying.** Returnees route into the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) registration process and into senior medical posts at Asiri, Hemas Hospitals, Lanka Hospitals, Nawaloka, plus academic posts at the Colombo and Peradeniya medical faculties.
Entry Requirements
Academic
- check_circle Sri Lankan Cambridge / Edexcel A-Levels: 3 A-Levels with Biology, Chemistry and Physics or Mathematics required, minimum grade B (A preferred). Plus 5 O-Level / GCSE passes including English and Mathematics.
- check_circle Sri Lankan GCE A/L: 3 passes in the Bio Science stream — Biology, Chemistry, Physics required at A or B.
- check_circle IB Diploma: 36+ points with HL Biology and HL Chemistry (grade 6+).
- check_circle Application via Études en France (Campus France) — Lanka Scholar handles the consular pre-interview prep.
- check_circle Strong motivation letter (in French), CV, two academic references, transcripts. Medical volunteer experience or hospital shadowing strongly valued.
English Proficiency
- check_circle PASS is taught and assessed 100% in French — DELF B2 minimum at application, DALF C1 recommended.
- check_circle Pre-departure French preparation through Alliance Française Colombo is strongly advised (typically 6-12 months intensive before September intake).
- check_circle English IELTS / TOEFL is not the gating requirement — French DELF is.
- check_circle Sri Lankan applicants without DELF B2 should first complete a French Diplôme d'Études en Langue Française intensive — Lanka Scholar can structure this pre-departure pathway.
Estimated Cost of Study
| Expense Category | Amount (€) | Approx. LKR |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition Fee (per year, non-EU/EEA) | €2,940 | Rs. 1,015,000 |
| Living Expenses in Paris (12 months) | €14,000 | Rs. 4,830,000 |
| Student Visa, Residence Permit & CVEC | €500 | Rs. 173,000 |
| Health Insurance, Books & Pre-Med Materials | €1,500 | Rs. 518,000 |
| Total Year 1 Investment | €18,940 | Rs. 6,536,000 |
*LKR conversion based on current bank rates. Subject to change.
Career Outcomes & PR
Paris Cité Médecine graduates qualify for France's Passeport Talent / Carte de Séjour Salarié on completion of residency (Internat). EU Blue Card pathway opens at fully qualified doctor level (~€45,000+ starting consultant salary). Full medical practice rights across the EU. Paris-based hospital placements (AP-HP — Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris): Hôpital Necker, Pitié-Salpêtrière, Cochin, Saint-Louis. Sri Lankan returnees route into Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) re-registration, then senior medical and consultant posts at Asiri, Hemas Hospitals, Lanka Hospitals, Nawaloka, plus academic posts at the Colombo, Peradeniya, Jaffna, Sri Jayewardenepura, Kelaniya, Ruhuna, and Eastern Sri Lanka medical faculties. EU-qualified doctors are highly valued in Sri Lankan private healthcare.
Related Programs
Ready to Start Your Journey?
Our counsellors have helped hundreds of Sri Lankan students secure placements in France. We handle everything from applications to visa processing.
ඔබට සුදුසු විශ්වවිද්යාලයක් තේරීම, අයදුම්පත් යොමු කිරීම, SOP සකස් කිරීම සහ වීසා ලබා ගැනීම ඇතුළු සෑම පියවරකදීම, ඔබ වෙනුවෙන් සියලුම වගකීම් විශ්වාසවන්තව අප භාර ගනිමු.