According to students reporting on what it was like to study in France, the country offers a great multicultural study experience, bringing together cultures from all over the world. Students appreciate the beautiful, developed cities and the great variety of social life available. Impressions about French culture and city life were overall more positive than the European average. Even the smaller cities offered opportunities for fun student activities.

Students were also pleased with the close proximity to other European countries and major cities, commenting on opportunities to explore the country and its surroundings. Reviewers seem pleased with the events organized by universities in France and the friends they made during their international study experience. Students rarely complain about the weather in France, considering it better than in many other parts of Europe.

“A semester in Paris and particularly in Sorbonne was a breath-taking experience for me. First, the city of Paris invited me to try thousands of adventures. Every minute there was a discovery. Being a student in Paris is a great advantage as you can visit museums, events, cinema and more, with discounts. Secondly, Sorbonne has an open-minded yet classical spirit: I enjoyed the lectures and library a lot. Thirdly, in Paris and in Sorbonne you can meet interesting people. Fourth, Cite U was a perfect place to live a student life: I had a single room, so I had privacy, and at the same time I could eat in the canteen, walk in a beautiful Cite U park, watch movies, theatre plays and use the media library for residents.” – student from Russia

“Tours is a great city: it is perfect for a students’ life and it is also very safe for young people. It is not very big, but it is very pretty: you can easily make new friends and enjoy your weekend with lots of French people and Erasmus students like you.” – student from Italy

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Student in ParisStudents who studied in France were generally happy with the international reputation of their universities and the generally high academic standards. Universities in France provide good opportunities to conduct research in modern facilities and offer a wide range of study subjects. Most classes are conducted in French, but there exists a good amount of courses taught in English. Students were happy with the opportunity to advance their French language skills through rewarding social interactions.
“It’s interesting to study in an elite school for a while. The studying climate is very inspiring and the students are highly motivated. There are lots of student associations to work on projects that are important to you, where you can find other people with similar interests and views. The classes are not necessarily better than at your home university. But most of the professors are interested in you as a person, and will support you in your academic goals.” – student from Austria

“Most international students speak in the local language (French) and not in English, classes at the university are held in French, too, so the language skills improve quickly. There are students from all over the world, though, so it’s easy to find a language buddy to learn other languages than French.” – student from Poland

Possible challenges of studying in France

Most students’ comments show that studying in France is a generally enriching experience. However, there are some challenges incoming students should take into account. Some students report they did not like the teaching style of professors in the country, having found French teachers too conservative and not open to discussions. Students also complained more than the European average about the services provided by universities in France.

For more information about the International Student Satisfaction Awards and universities in France, visit the StudyPortals country report. Students who would like to study in France can also compare more than 500 English-taught master’s degrees as well as more than 200 bachelor’s programs, taught in French, English and other languages

Tuition Fees In France For International Students

How much does it cost to study in France?

The tuition fees at public universities are set by the French government and are the same across the country.

If you are a citizen or already a permanent resident of a country within the EEA, not much has changed – you will still be charged very low amounts for your tuition:

• 170 euros per year for Bachelor’s (Licence) programmes,
• 243 euros per year for Master’s programmes,
• 601 euros per year in Engineering courses in at certain institutions,
• 380 euros per year for Doctorate (PhD) programmes.

However, all other international students will now be charged higher amounts for Bachelors and Masters degrees. The new tuition fees for international students, starting September 2019, are:

• 2,770 euros per year for Bachelor’s (Licence) programmes,
• 3,770 euros per year for Master’s programmes,
• 380 euros per year for Doctorate (PhD) programmes – the same amount as for Europeans.

Note that the values above refer only to public universities; the cost of tuition at private universities can be higher. They generally range from 3,000 to 20,000 euros per year.

Are there scholarships for international students?

Yes, and the French government announced that they would increase the availability of scholarships alongside the new higher tuition fees. The official CampusBourses tool offers an overview of grants scholarships to study in France.

When do you have to pay the cost of tuition as a student in France?

You usually have to pay the whole annual tuition fee at the beginning of an academic year, i.e. September.

Do you need to pay for a French student visa?

As an international student from outside the EU, you may need the VLS-TS visa (“étudiant”). The visa not only entitles you to live and study in France, but you can also work up to 964 hours per year (20 hours per week) and travel freely in the countries of the Schengen area – which is a great chance to explore Europe.

When applying for the VLS-TS visa, you will need to pay 99 euros. This amount will be due after your university application, when you have been accepted by the school – and you will need the visa before you can travel to France for your studies.

Once you arrive in France, you need to validate the visa within 3 months. That costs another 60 euros.