There are six things the advisor is evaluating throughout the conversation. They are not announced. They are observed through how you answer every question.
The coherence of your academic project Does your program choice make sense? Does your background logically lead to this degree? Can you explain the connection between where you have been academically and where you want to go? This is the most important thing they assess and the area where most students fail.
Your knowledge of your chosen program and school Do you actually know what you applied for? Not just the name of the school but the content of the program, the duration, the language of instruction, what makes that institution specifically relevant to your goals. Students who copied and pasted applications without researching almost always fail at this point.
Your French level Even if your interview is conducted in English, as it is in Nigeria, Ghana, and anglophone Cameroon, the advisor will still assess your French proficiency, especially if your target program is taught in French. If your interview is in French, you need to be able to explain your project, answer questions, and hold a conversation comfortably. B1 is the minimum. B2 is comfortable. Anything below B1 is a serious problem for a French-taught program. If your program is in English and your interview is in English, demonstrating at least A1 to B1 French shows the advisor you are prepared for daily life in France, but to be honest, i didnt speak any French during my interview.
Your financial plan Can you actually afford to study in France? They will ask how you plan to cover tuition and living costs. Your answer needs to be specific and realistic. Vague answers like "my family will support me" without any numbers or detail raise immediate flags.
Your professional project What do you want to do after your degree? Where do you want to work? The career goal you describe needs to connect logically to the program you chose. An answer like "I want to have a good job" is not a professional project.
Your seriousness and intention Are you someone who has genuinely researched and planned this? Or are you someone who applied to six random programs because a friend told you France was a good idea? The advisor can tell the difference within the first five minutes.
It is not weak French. It is not a complicated academic background. It is not nervousness.
It is incoherence.
When the story you tell in the interview does not hold together, when your background, your program choice, your career goal, and your reason for choosing France do not form a logical sequence, the advisor cannot validate your file. Their job is literally to certify that your project makes sense. If it does not make sense to them after 30 minutes of conversation, they cannot do that.
This is why the section of this guide on connecting your background to your program is the most important section. Read it carefully regardless of your field.