Country guide
Study in France
Capped public tuition, the Campus France pathway, housing subsidies open to international students, and a vast choice from grandes écoles to public universities.
- Tuition
- €2,770–3,770 / year (public, non-EU)
- Living cost
- €800–1,200 / month
- Work rights
- 964 hours / year
Why study in France?
France combines a huge public university system with elite grandes écoles (HEC, Polytechnique, Sciences Po) and strong programmes in mathematics, engineering, business, fashion, and the arts. Paris repeatedly ranks among the world’s best student cities, and cities like Lyon, Toulouse, and Grenoble offer the same quality at lower cost.
Uniquely, France lets international students claim the same housing subsidy (CAF/APL) as French students — often €100–200 per month off your rent — and many universities waive or reduce the differentiated non-EU fees through exemptions and scholarships.
Tuition & costs
- Public universities (differentiated non-EU rates): €2,770 per year for bachelor’s (licence) and €3,770 per year for master’s programmes.
- Many universities partially or fully waive the differentiated fee — in practice a large share of non-EU students pay the EU rate (€170–243/year). Ask each university about exemptions.
- Grandes écoles and private schools charge €8,000–25,000 per year; Eiffel Excellence and campus-specific scholarships can offset this.
- Living costs: €800–1,000 per month in regional cities; budget €1,200+ for Paris. CROUS student housing and restaurants keep costs down.
- Proof of funds for the visa is €615 per month (about €7,380/year) — one of the lowest thresholds in Western Europe.
Language requirements
French-taught programmes require French at B2 level (DELF B2 or TCF); some competitive programmes ask for C1.
English-taught programmes — common at master’s level and in grandes écoles — typically require IELTS 6.0–6.5 or TOEFL iBT 80–90.
Students from the ~70 countries covered by the "Études en France" procedure must apply through Campus France, which includes an interview and document verification.
Intake & application timeline
- Bachelor’s via Campus France / "Études en France": applications open around October and close between December and mid-January for the September intake.
- Master’s programmes: most applications run from November to April, either via the national platform for international students or directly with the school.
- Campus France interviews and visa processing add 2–3 months — begin the DAP/Hors-DAP procedure a full year before your intended start.
Working while you study
Student residence permits allow up to 964 hours of work per year — about 60% of full-time, or roughly 20 hours per week during term.
After a master’s degree, the APS (autorisation provisoire de séjour) gives you 12–24 months to look for work in France. Rules evolve — confirm current conditions with Campus France or the French consulate.