French universities to increase fees for international students

Non-EU citizens studying at French universities will face higher tuition fees starting the new academic year in September. Current annual fees are €2,895 for bachelor’s degrees and €3,941 for master’s degrees. Standard fees for French and EU/EEA students are far lower, at €178 for bachelor’s and €254 for master’s. The French government sets foreign-student fees each year and has announced increases for 2026/27 without naming the exact amounts. Higher international tuition fees have been in place since April 2019. Universities may exempt up to 30% of international students from the increased fees, including students covered by agreements with foreign institutions. Exemptions granted for 2025/26 continue through the enrolled program if students pursue a corresponding program, and exemptions granted before May 21, 2026 remain valid.

"Non-EU citizens who study at universities in France currently have to pay €2,895 a year for a bachelor's degree, while those studying for a Master's will be charged €3,941 per year. This is almost 10 times the amount that French and EU students pay, but is still significantly cheaper than British or American universities - for example, undergraduate fees for study at a British university for a British student is set at £9,790 for the 2026/27 academic year."

"The fee for foreign students are set each year by the government - the French government has announced that the fees for 2026/27 academic year will increase, although it has not yet specified the precise amount. Higher tuition fees for international students enrolled at a French university have been in place since April 2019."

"France's university institutions will be able to exempt up to 30 percent of international students from the increased fees in the 2026/27 academic year, including those covered by an agreement with a foreign institution granting tuition fee exemptions to French students studying there. International students who have been granted an exemption from tuition fees for the 2025-2026 academic year will benefit from it until the end of the academic programme in which they are enrolled."

"To continue receiving this benefit, they must pursue a "corresponding" program at the institution that granted them this exemption. Furthermore, students who obtained an exemption from tuition fees for the 2026/2027 academic year prior to the decree's effective date (May 21st, 2026) will retain this benefit."

Read at The Local France