France To Impose Higher Tuition Fees On Non-EU Students Starting September: Report | Education and Career News
Last Updated:
While the fee increase does not affect current non-EU students, however, it comes in the middle of the application cycle for the start of the 2026/27 academic year in September.
Under the new policy, incoming non-EU students will be charged €2,895 per year for bachelor’s degrees and €3,941 for master’s programmes. (AI Image)
Higher education minister Philippe Baptiste has signalled a shift towards systematically charging higher tuition fees to international students from outside the EU. He said “differentiated fees are now the rule, exemption is the exception”, reported The PIE.
Under the new policy, incoming non-EU students will be charged €2,895 per year for bachelor’s degrees and €3,941 for master’s programmes. Previously, universities could waive these fees and instead charge much lower amounts — €178 and €254 respectively, the report added.
Baptiste has stated that large-scale exemptions will no longer be allowed. While the fee increase does not affect current non-EU students, however, it comes in the middle of the application cycle for the start of the 2026/27 academic year in September.
Exemptions and scholarships will be tightly controlled, with fee waivers capped at 10% of students. The government has also stated that 60% of scholarships will be reserved for students in priority areas such as digital/AI, quantum and biotechnology.
At the same time, the government plans to simplify admissions procedures for international applicants, aiming to continue attracting students from abroad, particularly in strategic fields, in order to reach its goal of hosting 500,000 international students by 2027.
ALSO READ | 7 Countries That Offer Free Education, Even For Foreigners
Most students in France spend between 600 and 800 euros per month on essentials such as food, transport, and housing. Costs vary depending on the city, study programme, and type of accommodation. For example, living in Paris is significantly more expensive. Students can reduce expenses by attending public universities and sharing housing with roommates.
Outside the capital, costs are generally lower, though private institutions and living alone in an apartment can increase the budget. According to Campus France India, “Taking all these factors into account, the average monthly student budget is around 1,000 euros in Paris and 800 euros elsewhere.”
Read More