I did see a very similar question to this but it applied to working visas not student visas, but my situation is that I will be studying in France next year for 5-6 months using a student visa. Can I leave the Schengen zone after the end of my student visa, by travelling through the UK and Ireland and then re-enter the Schengen zone using a tourist visa to travel around France and surrounding countries again (only for three weeks).
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Whether it is for studies, for work or for any other purpose, a visa for 5-6 months is almost certainly a national long-stay visa. It means that the rules detailed in Getting a tourist Schengen visa after working visa fully apply to your situation.
Concretely, the time spent under the French long-stay visa does not count towards the 90 days limit for short stays in the Schengen area. If your nationality allows you to visit the Schengen area without a visa, you could therefore leave to the UK and return for three weeks (or even stay in the Schengen area). If you do need a visa, you will need to apply for one before returning to the Schengen area but it should not be refused solely because you already spent too much time there.
Do make sure you get an exit stamp, as it can be useful to prove you did not stay in the Schengen area between the end of your long-stay visa and your next visit.
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Don't forget the exit stamp! – Gayot Fow Nov 15 '14 at 18:05
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@GayotFow I have been wondering about that for some time. The way I understand the regulations, the onus is on you but you should be OK. You might have a bit of explaining to do as you don't have an entry stamp to show you entered the Schengen area in the last 90 days but you do have your long-stay visa to account for it. But I don't know if border guards have specific directives on that and I don't know anybody who tried. – Relaxed Nov 15 '14 at 19:09
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It's explicit in Article 5 of Regulation 610 that an exit stamp is needed if they want to have the study period excluded under the 90/180 rule. It also counts as evidence the person didn't overstay, hence it's vital. And they WILL look for the leftward arrow. – Gayot Fow Nov 15 '14 at 21:17
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@GayotFow Which regulation do you mean? This one? – Relaxed Nov 15 '14 at 22:22
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Yes, that one :) – Gayot Fow Nov 15 '14 at 22:26
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@GayotFow I don't follow. Article 5 from this regulation seems irrelevant. Other part of it do amend article 5 of the Schengen Borders Code, which is very relevant, but, reading the consolidated version, I don't see where it explicitly says that you need an exit stamp. – Relaxed Nov 15 '14 at 22:35
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"...Periods of stay authorised under a residence permit..." The person cannot benefit from the rule if the period cannot be calculated. Two dates are needed. – Gayot Fow Nov 15 '14 at 22:57
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@GayotFow The period of stay authorised under a long-stay visa is defined by the visa's period of validity or am I missing something? Thinking about it, even if you did not stay in the country for the whole time, it does not matter for the purpose of the regulation, precisely because that stay would not count even if you did. It can therefore be assumed you stayed until the very last day and you don't need to prove you left the area before that date. I can see a few interpretation difficulties but it certainly does not say explicitly that an exit stamp is required. – Relaxed Nov 15 '14 at 23:08
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@GayotFow I think I finally understood your point, I will add a note to my answer about that. – Relaxed Nov 15 '14 at 23:15
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Why put it explicitly in the rule then? Seems an obvious point to advise the OP, but it's your answer. Done here :) – Gayot Fow Nov 15 '14 at 23:15
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@GayotFow But the rule is not very explicit about that… – Relaxed Nov 15 '14 at 23:21