🇫🇷 Study in France 2026: Complete Guide
Complete guide to studying in France: real non-EU tuition (€2,850-3,941/year), Sorbonne and Paris-Saclay, the July 2026 housing aid change for non-scholarship students, the APS post-study visa, and work rights.
Why Study in France?
France remains one of Europe's best value study destinations at public universities, non-EU international students pay a government-subsidised rate of roughly €2,850 to €3,941/year for a Bachelor's degree, a fraction of comparable-tier universities in the UK, US, or Australia, while still hosting genuinely world-ranked institutions like PSL University (QS #28), Paris-Saclay (QS #70), Sorbonne (QS #72) and the prestigious grandes écoles system (Sciences Po, HEC Paris, École Polytechnique).
⚠️ Change effective 1 July 2026: under the 2026 Finance Act, non-EU students who are not scholarship holders are no longer eligible for the CAF housing allowance (APL/APL), a subsidy that previously helped offset rent significantly. EU students and non-EU students holding an official French government scholarship remain eligible as before. If you're planning to study in France without a scholarship, budget an additional €150-200/month to account for this change.
Top Universities
Sorbonne University
QS #72 (2026), founded 1257, 11,500 international students from 150+ countries, statutory public tuition
Université Paris-Saclay
QS #70 (2026), France's leading science and engineering research cluster, strong in mathematics, physics and life sciences
See the full France university tier breakdown →
Tuition Fees
Non-EU students at public universities pay statutory differential fees introduced in 2019: roughly €2,850/year for a Bachelor's (licence), rising to around €3,941/year for some Master's programmes, still a genuine outlier globally since the true cost of education is closer to €10,000/year, with the French state covering the rest even for international students. Grandes écoles (Sciences Po, HEC Paris, École Polytechnique) charge substantially more, often €10,000 to €57,700+ for a full programme (HEC Paris's two-year Master in Management runs approximately €57,700 total), but come with elite corporate networking. A mandatory CVEC (Student and Campus Life Contribution) fee of €105 applies on top of tuition for the 2026/27 academic year, regardless of university type.
See the full real-cost breakdown & savings strategies →
Living Cost
€800 to €1,500/month depending on city, Paris runs highest, Lyon, Toulouse, Grenoble and Montpellier are meaningfully more affordable while still hosting strong universities. Remember to budget the extra €150-200/month if you're a non-scholarship non-EU student, since APL housing aid is no longer available to this group from 1 July 2026.
Scholarships
Eiffel Excellence Scholarship (€1,200/month for Master's, €2,000 to €2,100/month for PhD, prestigious, government-funded, and institution-nominated, tuition itself is not covered), Charpak Scholarship (a France-India specific programme offering a monthly allowance plus partial tuition support, historically popular with Indian applicants; confirm current terms with Campus France India), plus departmental and Erasmus+ funding at individual universities.
Student Visa
VLS-TS (French Long-Stay Student Visa): Apply via Campus France (Études en France portal) if your country is one of the 65+ EEF-connected nations; otherwise apply directly through France-Visas. The visa costs €50 for EEF applicants (€99 for non-EEF applicants) and requires proof of at least €615/month in financial resources, a figure that has not increased for 2026. After arrival, you must validate your visa with OFII within 3 months, a mandatory step that activates your right to housing aid applications (where still eligible) and bank account setup.
Full France student visa guide →
Work While Studying
Up to 964 hours per year (roughly 20 hours/week), one of the more generous and clearly-defined student work allowances in this guide, authorised automatically by your residence permit with no separate work permit needed. The minimum wage (SMIC) is approximately €12/hour gross as of 2026. Mandatory internships (stages), common in grande école curricula, pay a legal minimum of around €4.35 to €4.50/hour.
Post-Study Work Visa
APS (Autorisation Provisoire de Séjour), a post-study residence permit allowing Master's graduates to search for work or start a business, valid for 12 months and renewable once for up to 24 months total. If you secure qualifying employment paying at least 1.5 times the minimum wage (roughly €2,700 gross/month as of 2026), you can convert directly to a multi-year Passeport Talent without leaving France. Bachelor's-level graduates have more limited options and typically need an employer willing to sponsor a separate work permit.
PR / Permanent Residence Pathway
Graduates who secure qualifying employment can transition to a Talent Passport or standard work permit, building toward permanent residency after 5 years and citizenship eligibility as early as 2 years post-Master's for some applicants. France's large multinational corporate base (particularly around Paris and Lyon, home to companies like Airbus, LVMH, and TotalEnergies) gives STEM and business graduates real options. From 2026, permanent residence applications also require a B1 French language level plus a civic knowledge exam, a meaningfully higher bar than in previous years.
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How much does public university actually cost for non-EU students in France?
Non-EU students pay a statutory differential rate introduced in 2019: roughly €2,850/year for a Bachelor's degree and up to around €3,941/year for some Master's programmes. This is still a genuine bargain since the true cost of a French degree is closer to €10,000/year, with the government covering the rest. EU students pay the much lower domestic rate (around €170-243/year), which is sometimes mistakenly quoted as the rate for everyone. Grandes écoles like HEC Paris or Sciences Po charge substantially more than either public rate.
Do I need to speak French to study in France?
For most Bachelor's programmes, yes, the majority are French-taught. However, over 1,600 programmes across France are now taught fully in English, especially at Master's level in business and engineering, and grandes écoles increasingly offer English-track admissions.
What is the difference between a public university and a grande école?
Public universities (Sorbonne, Paris-Saclay, PSL) are broad, research-focused, and charge the same statutory fee to all students regardless of programme. Grandes écoles (HEC Paris, Sciences Po, École Polytechnique) are highly selective, require separate entrance exams (concours) or dedicated international tracks, cost significantly more (often €10,000 to €57,000+ for a full programme), and offer stronger direct corporate recruiting pipelines.
Can international students still get housing aid (APL) in France?
Not automatically anymore. Under the 2026 Finance Act, from 1 July 2026, non-EU students who are not official French government scholarship holders are no longer eligible for the CAF housing allowance (APL). EU students and non-EU scholarship holders remain eligible as before. Budget an extra €150-200/month if this change affects you.
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🌍 Study Abroad HubThis guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute immigration or admissions advice. Rules change frequently. Always verify current requirements with official government and university sources before making decisions.