France allows students to work alongside their studies — including international students. The rules are clear and protective; here they are without decoration, plus the practical judgment the rules don't give you.
The legal frame
| Who | The rule |
|---|---|
| EU/EEA/Swiss students | Free access to the labour market — same as French students. |
| Non-EU students (student residence permit / VLS-TS) | The permit itself authorises part-time work up to 964 hours per year — about 60% of full-time — with no separate work permit needed (source: Service-Public.fr, the official French administration portal). |
Work is paid at least at the French minimum wage (SMIC) like any employee, with a written contract and payslips — informal work protects nobody and risks your permit. Always check the current rules on Service-Public.fr, the authoritative source.
What jobs are realistic
For English speakers still building French: tutoring and language services, hospitality in international venues, campus jobs, delivery and logistics, and — best of all once you're a year in — internships and part-time roles in international companies, where your English is the asset. Lyon's dense corporate fabric makes the last category genuinely accessible, and your growing French widens the menu every semester.
The honest arithmetic
964 hours a year is roughly 18-20 hours a week in term time — the legal ceiling, not a recommendation. An English-taught degree with daily language practice is a real workload; most students who thrive treat work as 8-12 hours a week of budget support and CV building, not as a parallel career. Plan your budget so that work is a cushion, not a requirement for eating: visa files anyway require you to show resources for your studies.
Where LIBS helps
The school's environment — an international cohort, Lyon's job market, the Concierge Desk's paperwork help for contracts and bank matters, and career guidance toward international-business roles — is built so that the work you do during your degree points at the career after it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a separate work permit as a non-EU student?
No — the student residence permit (VLS-TS validated) itself carries the right to work within the 964-hour annual limit, per Service-Public.fr.
Can I work full-time during summer?
Your hours are counted within the same annual 964-hour envelope — many students concentrate hours in holidays. Check the current official rules for your case.
Do internships count differently?
Internships within your curriculum follow their own framework (internship agreement signed by the school). They are the highest-value “work” a student can do — treat them as part of the degree, not a side job.
Related guides
Careers after the degree
Where an international business degree leads.
Student life in Lyon
The city, its scale, its budget logic.
Student visa guide
The permit that carries these rights.
Talk to a LIBS advisor
Tell us where you are and where you want to study — you'll get answers in writing.