France rejected a Turkish student’s long-term student visa application for an Erasmus program at Sorbonne University after her biometric photograph wearing a headscarf was not accepted and she was required to submit a photograph with her head uncovered.

The student, who is pursuing a double major at Galatasaray University, had been accepted to study at Sorbonne University through the Erasmus program and had also qualified for a grant. She applied for the French visa three times through VFS Global, France’s authorized visa application center in Türkiye, but none of her applications resulted in a visa.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA) on condition of anonymity, the student said some of her friends had obtained French visas during the same period with photographs wearing headscarves, which she described as contradictory treatment.

"I have friends who received their visas during the same period. They submitted photos wearing headscarves. I was told that my photo was not accepted because of my headscarf. There is a contradiction here,” she said.

The student said her first application, along with those of several other students, was rejected on grounds related to "insecurity,” which she said was linked to her accommodation and study program in France.

She said her accommodation and study program had been arranged through Erasmus and that she had submitted supporting documents.

For her second application, she applied together with a friend whose application was accepted, while hers was rejected again. A different reason was given for the second rejection, prompting her to submit a third application to obtain a clear written explanation.

Her application file, submitted through VFS Global to the French Consulate General in Istanbul, was returned on Sept. 14, 2026, with a document stating that her photograph needed to show her with her head uncovered.

The student said she had wanted to study at Sorbonne because of its importance for her academic career and future opportunities.

"I was very excited that Sorbonne would be on my résumé. I thought it would open other doors for me as well. It felt terrible to have an opportunity I earned taken away from me this way,” she said.

She said being asked to remove her headscarf also reminded her of accounts she had heard about Türkiye’s Feb. 28 process.

"People hear about what happened during the Feb. 28 process and think they would react more calmly if something like that happened to them. But when someone directly says something like this to you, it feels very different. You feel trapped. Removing my headscarf is not an option for me, but the person in front of me expects me to do it,” she said.

The student described wearing a headscarf as a religious choice and said she found the request deeply upsetting. She also claimed that treatment at the visa application center could vary depending on the staff member and that other headscarf-wearing students had faced similar pressure.

She noted that many students wearing headscarves study at Galatasaray University and other French-language universities in Türkiye.

"Our education is 100% in French. Naturally, we want to go to universities in France. If I was accepted to Sorbonne, why should I have to go to another country?” she said.

After three unsuccessful applications, the student said she did not plan to apply again but wanted the issue addressed for future students.

"If there is a rule, the authorities should explain it clearly. Everyone should know what they will face. Staff at visa application centers should also be instructed on how students should be treated,” she said.