France charges €170–€600/year tuition at public universities for both EU and non-EU students — making it one of the most accessible academic destinations in Europe. Here is the complete country guide.
At a Glance
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Public university tuition (EU) | €170/year (license), €243/year (master) |
| Public university tuition (non-EU) | €2,770/year (license), €3,770/year (master) — many waivers |
| Grandes Écoles tuition | €600–€20,000/year (HEC, Polytechnique premium) |
| Living costs (Paris) | €1,100–€1,700/month |
| Living costs (Lyon, Toulouse, Lille) | €700–€950/month |
| CAF housing aid | €100–€200/month for international students |
| Work hours during studies | 964 hours/year (~20/week) |
| Post-study work visa | 12-month APS (Autorisation Provisoire de Séjour) |
| English-taught programs | 1,700+ programs across levels |
| Top scholarships | Eiffel Excellence (€1,181/month), Charpak, France Excellence |
The Two-Track French System
French higher education has two parallel tracks. Public universities (Sorbonne, Sciences Po Paris, Aix-Marseille, Bordeaux) charge €170–€600/year and educate 80% of French students. Grandes Écoles (École Polytechnique, HEC, CentraleSupélec, INSEAD) are elite institutions with competitive entrance, higher fees, but strong scholarship availability. Both tracks are accessible to international students.
Eiffel Excellence: The Scholarship Most Internationals Miss
The Eiffel Excellence Scholarship from the French Ministry pays €1,181/month for master’s candidates (€1,400/month for PhD), plus international travel, health insurance, and additional cultural activities. Deadlines are early January for the following academic year. Acceptance rate is roughly 12–18% — competitive but not insurmountable.
The CAF Housing Aid Nobody Tells You About
CAF (Caisse d’Allocations Familiales) provides housing assistance to international students. Most students qualify for €100–€200/month off their rent. Apply within 6 months of arrival — the paperwork is bureaucratic but the savings are €1,200–€2,400/year.