Low cost of studies in France

Tuition fees in public higher education institutions

When you decide to study in France, you access quality trainings accessible to the highest number. University registration fees are low in France, because the government covers a part of trainings provided in public institutions. The real cost of studies is equal to anywhere else in the world, which is about 10,000€ per year. The difference comes from the fact that in France, the governement covers a large part of it.

Tuition fees for the academic year 2019/2020

European students (from a UE country, the Economic European Area or Switzerland)

The French government will continue to cover most of your training cost in a public higher education institution. Tuition fees are similar to the academic year 2018/2019, i.e.:

• 170 euros for a full year Licence course;
• 243 euros for a full year Master’s course;
• 601 euros for full year in Engineering training in an institution supervised by the ministry in charge of higher education;*
• 380 euros for a full year Doctorate (PhD) course.

* Excluding courses started on September 1st, 2018 in “Ecoles Centrales” in Lille, Lyon, Marseille and Nantes, and “Ecole des Mines” in Nancy, where registration fees are 2,500€

Good to know

• Engineering schools supervised by the Ministry of Defense  (ENSTA Paris Tech, ISAE, Polytechnique, etc.), Finance (Mines Paris Tech, schools from Institut Mines Telecom, etc.) and Agriculture (AgroParisTech, Montpellier Sup Agro, etc.) have different fees. Check out tuition fees and registration fees on the dedicated website of your school.
• are also examination test fees to access engineering schools.

Non-European students

If you were already registered in a public institution for the academic year 2018/19, and you want to continue with the same university course, tuition fees don’t change. The French government continues to cover most of your cost of training.

If you will arrive in France for the academic year 2019 with a VLS-TS visa for studies or if you were already registered in a public institution in 2018/2019, and you are changing course (starting a Master’s course after a Licence course, or starting a Doctorate/PhD after a Master’s course), the French government will cover 2/3 of your cost of training. Your tuition fees will be:

• 2,770 euros for a full year in Licence course,
• 3,770 euros for a full year in Master’s course,
• 3,770 euros for a full year in Doctorate (PhD) course.

Students included in the differential registration fees payment process

Non-European students who register for the first time in a higher studies cycle in France have to pay differential registration fees. These fees are for institutions supervised by the French ministry of higher education.

Students not included in the differential registration fees payment process

• Students who are nationals of a country included in the European Economic Area or Switzerland;
• Students who are Canadian nationals with a residence in Quebec, in accordance with Franco-Quebecer agreements;
• Students coming to France as part of a partnership between universities planning this exoneration, including students who are not nationals of a EU country welcomed as part of an exchange programme such as Erasmus+;
• Refugee students or benefitting from subsidiary protection, who will become naturally exempted;
• Foreigners with the status of resident in France or in the European Union, and foreign students present in France for private life and family reason;
• Students already registered in a higher education course (Licence, Master or Doctorate) continuing this course in 2019;
• Students currently registered in a preparatory course to join a Licence, Master or Doctorate course (such as a FLE training) and joining a course in 2019.

Are also exempted students holders of a scholarship from the French government or benefitting from an exemption of registration fees granted by the embassy of France in their country of origin or residence. Universities may also grant scholarships or exemptions.

Vous êtes concernés par les frais d’inscription différenciés (c’est-à-dire par les nouveaux montants des frais d’inscription) si …

… vous avez la nationalité d’un pays hors de l’Union Européenne, de l’Espace Economique Européen, de Suisse ou du Canada (résident au Québec uniquement) et que :

1. Vous arrivez en France à la rentrée universitaire 2019 avec un visa VLS-TS pour études ;
2. Vous vous inscrivez dans un établissement d’enseignement supérieur public, dépendant du ministère en charge de l’Enseignement supérieur. C’est le cas de toutes les universités par exemple.
3. Vous étiez déjà inscrit dans un établissement public en 2018/19 et que vous changez de cycle en passant de la Licence au Master ou bien en passant du Master au Doctorat ;

Vous n’êtes pas concernés par les frais d’inscription différenciés (c’est-à-dire par les nouveaux montants des frais d’inscription) si …

• Vous avez la nationalité d’un pays de l’Union Européenne (UE), de l’Espace Economique Européen (EEE) ou de la Suisse ;
• Vous avez la nationalité canadienne et êtes domicilié au Québec ;

• Vous avez la nationalité d’un pays hors UE-EEE-Suisse et ...

1. … si vous étiez déjà inscrits dans un établissement public en 2018/19 et que vous restez dans le même cycle d’études : c’est-à-dire si vous passez en Licence 2 ou Licence 3 ; si vous passez en Master 2 ou si vous poursuivez votre doctorat.
   
   
2. … si vous étiez inscrit en 2018/19 dans une formation préparatoire à l’entrée en Licence, Master ou Doctorat (comme une formation en Français Langue Etrangère -FLE) et que vous commencez votre cycle d’études en 2019/20. 
   
   
3. … vous venez étudier en France dans le cadre d’un partenariat entre universités qui prévoit une exonération des frais d’inscription. C’est le cas des programmes d’échanges Erasmus + notamment.
   
   
4. … vous venez étudier en France avec une bourse du gouvernement français (BGF) ou avec une bourse d’exonération attribuée par l’ambassade de France de votre pays d’origine ou du pays où vous résidez.
   
   
5. … vous venez étudier en France avec une bourse ou une bourse d’exonération attribuée par l’établissement où vous serez accueilli. 
   
   
6. … vous avez le statut de réfugié ou que vous êtes bénéficiaires de la protection subsidiaire.
   
   
7. … vous avez le statut de résident en France ou vous êtes en possession d’une carte de séjour « vie privée et familiale ».

Vous avez encore des interrogations? Consultez la FAQ Choose France.

What public institutions are included in this scheme?

Here is the list of most public higher education institutions in France with the most part of their tuition fees covered by the State:

• Most of the French universities;

• Most of the communities of universities and institutions;
• The Institut National Polytechnique in Toulouse;
• All four “écoles centrales” (Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes);
• All six national institutes of applied, or INSA (Lyon, Rennes, Toulouse, Rouen, Strasbourg and Centre-Val de Loire);
• All three universities of technology (Compiègne, Belfort-Montbéliard, Troyes);
• All four “écoles normales supérieures”, or ENS (Cachan, Lyon, Rennes);
• 9 engineering schools and institutions exterior to universities, 
• 20 major institutions, such as the Collège de France, the Conservatoire national des arts et métiers (Cnam), the Institut national de langues et de civilisations orientales (Inalco) or the école des hautes études en sciences sociales (Ehess) ;
• All five French institutions abroad: the French school in Athens, the French school in, the French school in the Far East, the French institute of Eastern archaeology in Cairo, and the Casa de Velázquez de Madrid ;
• The 25 public entitites of research, including the CNRS, CNES, CIRAD, INSERM, INRA, or IFREMER.

Feel free to view the official ministerial list to check if your institution is included.

Tuition fees in French private institutions

Tuition fees in private institutions, including in business schools, are higher than in the public sector. In general, fees reach 3,000 to 10,000 euros per year. Check out the website of each institution to view the exact fees of your training.

18% of students in France are registered in private institutions. “Private” means that the institution was not created by the French government. The amount of funding thus varies depending on institutions. In some cases, the French State may officially acknowledge an institution and authorise an issuance of State degrees. The government then has the right to supervise training courses offered, which is a guarantee in regard of quality and service. For instance, the five Catholic Institutes (Paris, Lille, Angers, Lyon and Toulouse) and some business or engineering schools are private institutions acknowledged by the French government.