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Studying in France

Heavily subsidised public higher education, a 964-hour annual student work allowance, and world-class university cities — paired with paperwork that rewards exact preparation. Paris remains a different budget from most of France.

26 of 26 sections confirmed against their official source. Last confirmed 2026-08-08.

Overview

French public higher education remains heavily subsidised. For 2026-2027, standard national registration fees are EUR 178 for a licence, EUR 255 for a master's and EUR 398 for a doctorate. Applicable non-EU international students subject to differentiated fees pay EUR 2,902 for a licence and EUR 3,950 for a master's; the doctorate remains EUR 398. Exemptions and institution-specific policies can change what an individual student actually pays.

Universities may waive differentiated fees, but the scope has tightened: the May 2026 rules cap the relevant exemption share at 30% for 2026-2027, 25% for 2027-2028 and 20% thereafter. If a waiver is essential to your budget, get the institution's written decision rather than assuming last year's policy still applies.

Living costs vary sharply. Paris is substantially more expensive than many major university cities such as Lille, Toulouse, Montpellier, Rennes or Clermont-Ferrand. Build the budget around the city and housing type rather than the national tuition headline.

France is administratively demanding, but most problems are predictable if you follow the official sequence and keep copies of every document.

Source: https://www.campusfrance.org/en/tuition-fees-France

Study System

France uses several application routes, and the correct one depends on nationality, country of residence, level and programme. Residents of one of the 73 countries/territories covered by the Études en France procedure generally use that Campus France route where it applies. First-year undergraduate applications can involve Parcoursup or a DAP depending on the applicant; do not assume every international bachelor's applicant uses the same platform.

For the national first year of a master's (M1), Mon Master is the main platform for eligible applicants, including people residing in France or the EEA and international applicants living outside Études en France countries. Applicants residing in a country covered by Études en France generally use Études en France or, for some programmes, the institution's specified route. Always check the programme's own admissions page.

Grandes écoles, engineering schools, business schools and specialist institutions can have separate admissions calendars and much higher tuition.

Most enrolled students must complete the CVEC procedure each academic year. The CVEC is EUR 105 for 2026-2027; exempt students still normally need to obtain the corresponding attestation before enrolment.

Source: https://www.campusfrance.org/en/application-higher-education-france

Visa & Immigration

EU/EEA/Swiss citizens do not need a student visa or student residence permit. Most third-country students coming for more than three months use the long-stay student route, commonly a VLS-TS mention étudiant, which functions as a residence permit once properly validated after arrival.

The financial-means rule changed on 1 August 2026. Third-country applicants must now show monthly resources equal to at least 47% of the gross monthly full-time SMIC in force on the date of application. With the gross monthly SMIC at EUR 1,867.02 from 1 June 2026, that is currently about EUR 877.50 per month. Because the threshold is indexed, always recalculate from the current SMIC when you apply rather than copying today's euro amount indefinitely.

France-Visas and, where applicable, Études en France set the document and fee route for your country. Avoid generic processing-time promises: appointment availability and case handling vary by consulate and season.

After arrival, validate the VLS-TS online within three months through the official online service and pay the required tax. Renewals/status changes use the current ANEF/prefecture procedure applicable to your title.

Source: https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000054300340

Residence Permit

Validate a VLS-TS student visa online within three months of arrival. Do it early: validation is what turns the long-stay visa into the residence document you rely on in France. The current validation tax for a student VLS-TS is EUR 50.

For later renewal or a change of status, follow the current ANEF or prefecture procedure for your residence title and submit within the official filing window. The validation itself is completed online through the official government service.

Register with the French health system when eligible, keep proof of address current, and save copies of your visa, validation confirmation, enrolment documents and residence applications. French administration frequently asks for the same evidence more than once.

Source: https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F2231

Healthcare

Non-EU international students who need French health coverage generally register free of charge with Assurance Maladie through etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr after enrolment.

EU/EEA/Swiss students normally use a valid EHIC for medically necessary state healthcare during a temporary study stay, subject to the EHIC rules. Students from other systems should keep adequate private/travel cover for the period before French health registration is effective.

French statutory health insurance reimburses according to regulated rates and care pathways rather than simply paying every bill in full. Many students buy complementary cover (a mutuelle) for part or all of the remaining eligible costs. Declaring a médecin traitant is important for the normal coordinated-care reimbursement pathway.

Source: https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F675

Insurance

Health-cover arrangements depend on nationality and status. EU/EEA/Swiss students should normally arrive with a valid EHIC; other international students should have adequate cover for the period before French social-security registration becomes effective. A mutuelle is optional complementary health insurance, not a substitute for establishing the underlying health-coverage position.

Home insurance (assurance habitation) is separate. A tenant of an unfurnished or furnished main residence generally needs to insure against rental risks and may have to provide the landlord with an insurance certificate. Do not present home-insurance proof as a universal French university-enrolment requirement; it is primarily a housing obligation.

Source: https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F31300

Housing

CROUS residences remain one of the cheapest housing options and are heavily oversubscribed, so apply early. In the private market, Visale can provide an eligible tenant with a free rental guarantee and is particularly useful when a landlord asks for a guarantor.

The old advice that CAF housing aid is broadly available to all international students is no longer accurate. From 1 July 2026, a non-EU/EEA/Swiss student holding a residence permit issued for studies can receive personal housing aid only in specified cases, including receipt of a qualifying social-criteria scholarship, carrying out professional activity, or being in an apprenticeship/professionalisation contract. Separate protected categories such as refugees/stateless persons and certain spouses have their own rules. Check CAF/Service-Public against your exact status before building APL/ALS into your budget.

Paris is a much tighter and more expensive market than most other French university cities. Never transfer money for an unseen private rental without verifying the landlord, contract and property.

Source: https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F35848

Bank Accounts

A French bank account is convenient for rent, wages and many local services, but avoid treating a French IBAN as universally mandatory. SEPA rules prohibit unjustified IBAN discrimination, and some French services can pay to eligible non-French SEPA accounts even though local administration may be easier with a French account.

Banks normally ask for identity, legal stay where applicable, enrolment and address evidence. Account fees and student offers vary, so compare rather than assuming a student account is automatically free.

Keep a RIB/IBAN document available for administrations and employers that request bank details.

Source: https://www.campusfrance.org/en

Taxes

If you work in France, salary tax and social contributions are generally handled through payroll, including withholding at source where applicable. Whether you must file your own annual income-tax return depends on your tax household and circumstances rather than simply on being a student.

A young adult who is not attached to a parent's French tax household will generally file personally when the filing conditions apply. A qualifying student under 25 can in some circumstances remain attached to a parent's French tax household, in which case the student does not file a separate return and the relevant income is handled on the parent's declaration.

Student employment, internship gratification and scholarships have different exemption rules. For example, qualifying student-job earnings and internship gratification can benefit from statutory exemptions up to specified limits, while social-criteria scholarships are not taxable but scholarships paid for defined work or research can be. Check impots.gouv.fr or Service-Public for the tax year concerned rather than treating all scholarships or all internship pay identically.

CAF housing benefits are not ordinary taxable salary, but CAF uses resource information for benefit calculations. Report changes when the benefit rules require it.

Source: https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F1228

Transportation

Every region runs its own network and its own student pass, and the discounts are substantial. In Paris the Imagine R card, for under 26s, is far cheaper than a standard Navigo. Elsewhere the local operator will have an equivalent.

For trains, the SNCF Carte Avantage Jeune, for 12 to 27 year olds, pays for itself quickly and caps the price of most journeys. Book weeks ahead; TGV fares rise steeply as the train fills.

Cities are compact, walking is normal, and shared bicycles and scooters are everywhere. Cycling infrastructure in Paris, Strasbourg and Bordeaux is genuinely good and improving.

Long distance coaches undercut trains substantially if you have the time.

Source: https://www.campusfrance.org/en

Phone & Internet

Getting connected in France is cheap and competitive, and a French number smooths your admin since banks and services send verification texts. You can buy a prepaid SIM (carte prepayee) on arrival with your passport, though the market leans heavily toward cheap monthly no-commitment plans (forfait sans engagement) that are often better value than prepaid. The main networks are Orange, SFR, and Bouygues Telecom, with low-cost brands like Free Mobile, Sosh (Orange), and RED (SFR) offering large data allowances for very little; Free Mobile in particular is popular with students for a big-data plan at a low flat price. A no-commitment forfait usually needs a French bank account (a RIB) to set up the direct debit, so you may start on prepaid or a prepaid-style plan until your account is open, then switch. Home internet (the box) is fast and cheap fibre in cities, often bundled; if it is not included in your rent, installation can take a couple of weeks, so ask what the flat already has. Coverage is strong in cities, weaker in deep rural areas.

Source: https://www.hilivsolution.com/blog/articles/international-student-in-france-tips-2026

Food

Eating well in France is central to student life, and the CROUS restaurant network is a major budget advantage. Since 4 May 2026, the EUR 1 CROUS meal is available to all eligible students in CROUS university restaurants, not only scholarship holders or students formally recognised as being in financial difficulty. An active Izly account/student status is used to access the tariff, and the offer is generally limited to one EUR 1 meal per service.

Cook from supermarkets and markets otherwise. Prices vary sharply by city and neighbourhood, and central convenience stores can be much more expensive than larger supermarkets. Tap water is safe; restaurants will provide a carafe d'eau on request.

French meal times are relatively structured, with lunch commonly around midday and dinner later than in northern Europe. University restaurants are especially useful at lunch, so check the opening calendar around weekends and university holidays.

Source: https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/actualites/A18811

Culture

France rewards students who learn its social codes, summed up in the idea of savoir-vivre. Politeness is structural, not optional: greet with bonjour before asking anything in a shop or office, say au revoir on leaving, and use vous with strangers and older people until invited to switch to the familiar tu. A greeting between friends is often la bise, a light kiss on each cheek, though this has softened. Meals matter and have etiquette: wait until everyone is served, keep your hands (not elbows) above the table, and a small gift like wine or flowers is appreciated if invited to someone's home. The French value debate and directness in conversation, but avoid opening with money or personal-income topics. Daily rhythm runs late and August empties out as much of the country takes holiday, with many small shops closed. Bureaucracy is a genuine feature of life here and rewards patience, complete paperwork, and politeness. Learning even basic French transforms your experience: while English is understood in universities and big cities, daily life, administration, and friendships open far more with the language, and the effort is noticed and respected.

Source: https://www.hilivsolution.com/blog/articles/international-student-in-france-tips-2026

Student Life

The CVEC you paid funds student health, sport, culture and associations, so use them. University sport is nearly free, and the associations run everything from theatre to hiking.

The CROUS restaurant universitaire serves a full meal for a couple of euros, and it is the single most effective budgeting tool available to a student in France.

Term is punctuated by long holidays and the year ends in June. The rentree in September is a national event with its own vocabulary and its own administrative panic.

France takes lunch, argument and the two hour dinner seriously. It also takes strikes seriously, and a transport strike during your exam week is a normal event to plan around rather than a crisis.

Source: https://www.campusfrance.org/en

Language

There are many English taught master's programmes, particularly in business and engineering schools, and you can earn a degree without French. Bachelor programmes at public universities are overwhelmingly in French and require proof of proficiency, usually the TCF or a DELF or DALF diploma.

Living in France without French is a different proposition. The prefecture, the CAF, the landlord and the doctor will use French, and the administration is unyielding in a way that rewards the language.

Universities run French courses for international students, often free or nearly so, and the Alliance Francaise is everywhere. Begin before you arrive.

French politeness is procedural. Say bonjour on entering a shop and before asking anything of anybody. Omitting it reads as rudeness, and much of what visitors interpret as coldness begins here.

Source: https://www.campusfrance.org/en

Student Discounts

Student discounts in France are extensive but eligibility varies by age, residence and operator. Your university student card is the basic proof for many local cultural, sport and campus offers.

In Île-de-France, the imagine R Étudiant pass is available to qualifying students under 26 who live in the region and meet the study conditions. The regional public price for 2026-2027 is EUR 401.30 per year including the EUR 8 application fee, before any departmental/social subsidies or reimbursements that may reduce it.

SNCF offers youth discount products such as the Carte Avantage Jeune for eligible ages, but prices and conditions can change, so check SNCF Connect rather than relying on a fixed figure in a guide. Museum and monument discounts also vary: some national sites have free-entry rules tied to age and EEA residence, while others offer student or youth reductions. Check the venue's official page before assuming 'under 26' automatically means free admission.

Source: https://www.iledefrance-mobilites.fr/aide-et-contacts/forfait-imagine-r/quest-ce-que-le-forfait-imagine-r-quels-sont-les-tarifs

Part-time Jobs

A standard non-EU student residence status generally authorises salaried work up to 964 hours per year, equivalent to 60% of full-time annual working time, without a separate work authorisation for ordinary employment within that allowance. Because the limit is annual, track your cumulative hours rather than relying on a simplistic '20 hours every week' rule.

Different rules apply to some nationalities. Algerian nationals, for example, fall under the 1968 Franco-Algerian agreement and have a different student-employment framework.

Course-linked internships use a convention de stage and their own legal framework. Do not count an internship as ordinary casual work without checking which rules apply.

Source: https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F2713

Internships

Internships in France are stages and are tightly regulated. The essential document is the convention de stage, a three-way agreement between you, the educational institution and the host organisation. A normal student internship must be embedded in the educational framework; do not accept an informal 'internship' outside the convention system.

In 2026, when the legal duration threshold is exceeded (more than two months, or more than 308 hours during the same academic year), the minimum gratification is EUR 4.50 per hour from the first hour of the internship. A collective agreement can require a higher amount.

Many French degrees use a stage as a direct bridge into employment. Alternance is a different work-study model based on an employment contract and should not be confused with a conventional stage. Use your institution's internship/careers office early because competitive placements fill well before the start date.

Source: https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F32131

Graduation & Beyond

France offers a specific post-study route for eligible non-EU graduates. A graduate of a French institution with a qualifying licence professionnelle, Mastère Spécialisé, labelled Master of Science, master's degree or equivalent can apply for the residence card/VLS-TS marked recherche d'emploi ou création d'entreprise, subject to the exact eligibility rules. Some nationalities covered by bilateral agreements can instead have an APS route, so 'APS' should not be used as the universal name for every graduate.

The job-search/company-creation status lasts one year and is designed to find work or establish a business connected with the studies/research. It is not an unrestricted casual-work year: salaried employment under this status must be related to the studies and currently pay more than EUR 2,800.53 gross per month; the ordinary 964-hour student ceiling does not apply to qualifying employment on this title.

If you already have an appropriate job offer, you may be able to move directly to a salaried or talent residence category instead. Apply before your student status expires and use Service-Public/ANEF for the route matching your diploma and nationality.

Source: https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F2229

Post-study Work

For an eligible graduate in France, the residence card or VLS-TS recherche d'emploi ou création d'entreprise normally gives one year to look for a qualifying job or create a business linked to the studies. The title is non-renewable as a simple job-search year; the goal is to switch to an appropriate work, entrepreneur or talent status once the next basis is secured.

During this year, salaried employment is permitted without the employer obtaining a separate work authorisation, but the job must be related to your studies and must currently pay more than EUR 2,800.53 gross per month. The usual 964-hour student limit does not apply to that qualifying employment.

If you leave France after graduating, eligible graduates can in some cases apply for this post-study route from abroad within four years of obtaining the qualifying French diploma. Nationality-specific agreements can alter the route, particularly for Algerian nationals and countries with migration agreements, so check the official nationality-specific rules rather than assuming the standard title applies identically to everyone.

Source: https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F17319

Useful Apps

A handful of apps make daily life in France easier. For getting around, SNCF Connect handles all train booking and your Carte Avantage Jeune, while each city has its own transit app (Ile-de-France Mobilites and Bonjour RATP in Paris, TCL in Lyon, RTM in Marseille, and so on) for local passes and live times; Citymapper is excellent in the big cities. For campus life, Izly is the CROUS payment app you top up to pay for resto U meals, and your university uses a digital workspace (ENT, often on Moodle) for coursework. For payments, Lydia is the near-ubiquitous French app for splitting bills and sending money between friends, set up with a French account. For food delivery, Uber Eats and Deliveroo operate in cities. For second-hand furniture and gear on arrival, Leboncoin is the national marketplace, and Vinted for clothes. For carpooling between cities, BlaBlaCar is a cheap and popular French original. Add your bank's app, a translation app, and Doctolib, which almost everyone uses to book medical appointments online.

Source: https://www.hilivsolution.com/blog/articles/international-student-in-france-tips-2026

Emergency Numbers

The European emergency number, 112, works everywhere and connects you to everything, in English.

France also runs specific numbers, which are faster if you know which you need. Ambulance and medical emergencies, the SAMU, is 15. Police is 17. Fire and rescue, the pompiers, who also attend many medical emergencies, is 18.

If you are deaf or hard of hearing, 114 accepts SMS and text.

Pharmacies rotate an on duty night service, the pharmacie de garde, posted in every pharmacy window. Pharmacists in France give real advice and can handle a great deal without a doctor.

Source: https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en/etudiant

Airport Arrival

Your first weeks in France are easier if you do the formalities in the right order. If you hold a VLS-TS student visa, validate it online within three months of arrival and pay the current student validation tax (EUR 50). Keep the confirmation: it proves the visa has been validated for residence purposes.

Complete the CVEC procedure where it applies; the amount is EUR 105 for 2026-2027. Then finalise university enrolment, arrange health-system registration as appropriate, and keep your address/bank details ready for the services that request them.

Do not automatically apply for CAF housing aid on the assumption that every international student qualifies. Since 1 July 2026, many non-EU students on a study residence permit are excluded unless they fall within one of the specified eligible categories, such as receiving a qualifying social-criteria scholarship, working, or being in an apprenticeship/professionalisation contract. Check your exact status first.

Documents requested by a French authority may need an authorised French translation depending on the document and procedure. Follow the specific authority's checklist rather than translating every foreign document by default.

Source: https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F35848

Government Websites

Campus France runs the Études en France procedure and publishes education guidance. France-Visas is the official visa portal. VLS-TS validation is completed through the government's online validation service; ANEF and prefectures handle many residence renewals and status changes.

CROUS manages the CVEC, student residences and university restaurants. CAF administers housing aid. Assurance Maladie handles statutory health insurance, and Service-Public provides official practical explanations of French law and administration.

Prefer current government pages and legal texts over old university PDFs or blogs. France changed both the student resource threshold and housing-aid eligibility in summer 2026, so a page that was accurate earlier in the year can already be stale.

Source: https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/

Packing Checklist

Pack for a varied climate, since France runs from a mild wet north to a hot Mediterranean south, but do not over-buy, as clothing is affordable and the second-hand market (Leboncoin, Vinted) is strong. Bring layers, a warm coat, and a waterproof for the north and the cooler months; the south is hot in summer but the north and the interior get properly cold and grey in winter. Comfortable walking shoes matter in cities built for it. The documents matter more than the clothes: passport with the visa, university admission and enrolment papers, birth certificate and any records the university asked for translated by a sworn translator (traducteur assermente), several passport-size photos, your accommodation attestation, and insurance proof, since French administration is strict about complete, correctly translated paperwork. Bring prescription medication with documentation and a European two-pin plug adapter if yours differs. Do not overpack bedding, kitchenware, or towels; they are cheap at IKEA or second-hand. Bring an international card and some euro cash to cover the gap before your French account is open, and keep digital and paper copies of every important document, since you will submit them repeatedly.

Source: https://psl.eu/en/lifepsl/student-services/after-your-arrival-france

Embassies

Two different things get confused under embassies, so keep them straight. Before you arrive, if you are a non-EU student, the France study route runs mainly through the Etudes en France (Campus France) procedure and the French consulate responsible for your home region, which issues the student visa; follow the consulate's document list closely, since requirements vary by country. After you arrive, the relevant mission is your own country's embassy or consulate in France, which you turn to for passport renewal, emergency travel documents, notarial services, or help in a crisis; most are in Paris, with some consulates in other cities. Registering with your own embassy, where it offers a citizen service, means it can reach you in an emergency. For anything about your right to stay, study, or work in France once you are here, the authority is not an embassy but the French state: the ANEF portal and your local prefecture handle visa validation and residence permits, your university and CROUS handle enrolment and student life, and the CAF handles housing aid. Knowing which body owns which question saves a lot of time in a system where the wrong office means starting over.

Source: https://www.study-abroad.org/blog/fr-student-visa-guide/

Focused France guides

Official resources

Student cities in France

Universities in France