France for International Students 2026: Higher Tuition, Lost Housing Aid, and Free Language Support
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published May 16, 2026 • Student Life
Non-EU students starting in France from September 2026 face tuition of €2,895 for a bachelor's and €3,941 for a master's — up from €178 and €254 — while APL housing aid ends on 1 July 2026 for those without a French government scholarship.
- Current non-EU students keep their existing tuition rates; the increases apply only to new 2026/27 enrolees.
- Up to 10% of students per institution may still receive fee waivers, prioritising scholarship holders and priority-discipline fields.
- The Eiffel Excellence Scholarship (€1,200/month for master's students) and free French language programs remain available to offset costs.
- Even at the new rates, French public-university fees stay below typical US, UK, Australian, and Canadian international student tuition.
What changed in France for international students in 2026
France pushed through two opposing shifts in 2026: higher tuition and tighter housing aid on one side, ongoing language support and scholarship funding on the other. On 21 April 2026, Higher Education Minister Philippe Baptiste announced new tuition rates for non-EU students starting from the 2026/27 academic year: €2,895 a year for a bachelor's and €3,941 for a master's at public universities, per ICEF Monitor . The earlier reduced rates of €178 and €254 are gone for new non-EU arrivals.
The 2026 Finance Act also removes APL housing aid eligibility from non-EU students who do not hold a French government scholarship, effective 1 July 2026, as detailed by studyinfrance.org . EU, EEA, and Swiss students keep their access. Use our France APL CAF Calculator to estimate how much CAF housing subsidy you can still claim.
A separate 2024 immigration law had proposed a student deposit, annual proof of "real and serious" study, and forced tuition hikes, but the Constitutional Council struck down those provisions on 25 January 2024, according to Campus France . The 2026 tuition increase reached students through a ministerial directive, not the immigration law.
The new cost structure for non-EU students
The new fees apply to students enrolling in 2026/27. Current students keep their existing rates.
| Degree level | New non-EU fee (2026/27) | Previous reduced fee | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | €2,895/year | €178/year | ICEF Monitor |
| Master's | €3,941/year | €254/year | ICEF Monitor |
| Doctorate | €380/year (regulated rate) | €380/year | Campus France |
The Ministry projects €250 million in extra revenue from the change, with 60% of scholarships redirected to health, digital and AI, quantum, biotechnology, environment, energy, space, food, and communications, per ICEF Monitor .
Minister Baptiste framed the policy to The PIE News with the line "differentiated fees are now the rule, exemption is the exception."
Who still gets a fee waiver
- Up to 10% of non-EU students per institution
- Priority for scholarship holders and students in financial hardship
- Priority disciplines: health, digital and AI, quantum, biotechnology, environment, energy, space, food, IT, and communications
- Current non-EU students continue at their original tuition rate
Housing aid (APL/ALS) ends for most non-EU students on 1 July 2026
The CAF (Caisse d'Allocations Familiales) pays APL or ALS housing aid each month to qualifying tenants. Students currently receive roughly €100 to €250 per month depending on city, rent, and income, per studyinfrance.org .
From 1 July 2026, non-EU students lose this aid unless they hold a CROUS needs-based scholarship or a French government scholarship. The reform forms part of the 2026 Finance Act and saves the state over €100 million from 2026 onwards, according to studyinfrance.org .
How to apply while you still qualify
- Open a French bank account and secure a lease in your own name
- Register on the CAF website and submit ID, lease, enrolment proof, and IBAN
- Wait 4 to 6 weeks for processing
- Confirm whether your residence is "conventioned" (APL) or not (ALS)
CROUS scholarships themselves remain restricted: they go to EU and Swiss citizens, residence permit holders, and Ofpra-recognised refugees, per Livin France . Most non-EU students do not qualify directly.
Financial aid and language support still in place
Several support routes survived the 2026 changes and offset part of the higher tuition.
Eiffel Excellence Scholarship
The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs funds the France Excellence Eiffel scholarship for foreign master's and PhD students. Key figures from Campus France and Sciences Po :
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Monthly grant (Master's, 2026) | €1,200 |
| Age cap, Master's applicants | 29 |
| Age cap, PhD applicants | 35 |
| 2026 application opening | 1 October 2025 |
| 2026 application deadline | 8 January 2026 |
| Results published | From 30 March 2026 |
| Extras | International and national transport, insurance, housing search, cultural activities |
| Tuition coverage | Not included |
| Application channel | Through the French host institution, not directly by the student |
Free and low-cost French language programs
Campus France lists French+ programs for the 2026 sessions, including French+Sciences (3 to 4 weeks at FLE centres in Montpellier, Brest, Besançon, Rouen, and Chambéry), French+Gastronomy, and French+Hospitality. Some institutions offer free French as a Foreign Language (FLE) courses to incoming exchange students. For example, the University of Lille provides an intensive week before each semester plus extensive in-semester courses at no cost, with ECTS credit.
The Bienvenue en France label covers 187 certified institutions as of 23 April 2026. Certified institutions must offer FLE courses through their own Qualité FLE-labelled centre or an ADCUEFE member centre, plus structured support such as airport pickup, banking partnerships, and integration activities, per the Campus France label criteria .
CVEC and what your €105 buys
The CVEC (Contribution Vie Étudiante et de Campus) is set at €105 for 2025/26, per Campus France . All students enrolling at public or private higher education institutions in France must pay it once per academic year unless exempt.
Exempt students:
- CROUS needs-based scholarship holders
- French government scholarship recipients
- Refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection
- Asylum seekers
The contribution funds campus health services, sports facilities, cultural events, and student social support. Related: top universities in France and Eiffel Excellence Scholarship guide.
What this costs you in year one
Combine the fees, mandatory contributions, and the loss of housing aid. The arithmetic below uses verified figures only. Browse all universities in France.
| Line item | Master's student (2026/27) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition (non-EU) | €3,941 | ICEF Monitor |
| CVEC | €105 | Campus France |
| Long-stay student visa (VLS-TS) | around €99 | Citizen Remote |
| Lost APL aid (if previously €150/month over 12 months) | +€1,800 out of pocket | studyinfrance.org |
Rent, food, insurance, and personal expenses sit on top. The €1,800 figure assumes you would have received €150 per month under the old APL rules and now pay it from your own pocket from July 2026.
Reactions from inside France
Trade unions, student federations, and university leaders pushed back hard. According to The PIE News , France Universités, the rectors' association, called the reform "yet another blow to university autonomy."
Student federation FAGE described the differentiated fees as "Dangerous, discriminatory, and incoherent," while UNEF called the move "Xenophobic" and a tool to "select those who can pay," per ICEF Monitor . FAGE president Suzanne Nijdam told L'Etudiant the measure is a "definitive shutting out" of thousands of prospective international students.
In March 2026, 20 unions representing professors, researchers, and students coordinated rallies across France against state underfunding, with further protests scheduled for 1 May 2026, per ICEF Monitor .
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming the 2024 immigration law applies: the Constitutional Council struck down the student-specific provisions on 25 January 2024, per Campus France
- Assuming current non-EU students must pay the new €2,895/€3,941 rate: the new rate applies to new enrolees from September 2026 only
- Applying for APL after 1 July 2026 without a CROUS or French government scholarship if you are non-EU: you will be rejected under the 2026 Finance Act
- Trying to apply for the Eiffel scholarship directly: only French host institutions submit applications, per Campus France
- Skipping the CVEC: academic registration is not finalised without proof of payment or exemption
- Picking an institution outside the 187 Bienvenue en France-certified list when you need strong onboarding: the label requires concrete services, not only marketing
How France compares on cost
Even at €3,941 for a master's, French public-university tuition stays below typical US, UK, Australian, and Canadian rates for international students, per ICEF Monitor . The Eiffel grant of €1,200 a month also remains one of the most accessible government-funded packages in Europe for non-EU master's students, per Campus France .
The withdrawn APL housing aid affects monthly cash flow rather than upfront fees, so plan your rental budget without it from July 2026. See our full guide to French student housing and CAF subsidies.
Sources
- ICEF Monitor: France directs universities to charge higher tuition fees to non-EU students starting September 2026
- The PIE News: France hikes non-EU tuition fees, move dubbed "blow to university autonomy"
- Campus France: Immigration law: no changes for international students
- Campus France: France Excellence Eiffel scholarship program
- Campus France: 10 things you need to know about the CVEC
- Campus France: French+ programs registration is open for 2026 sessions
- Campus France: 187 institutions certified with the Bienvenue en France label
- Campus France: Criteria of the Bienvenue en France label
- Sciences Po: Eiffel scholarship for Master's students
- studyinfrance.org: Housing Aid (APL, ALS): Eligibility and How to Apply
- studyinfrance.org: 2026 Budget Update: APL Housing Aid for International Students
- University of Lille: Learning French for international students
- L'Etudiant: Le ministre veut mettre fin aux "exonérations massives" des droits d'inscription pour les étudiants étrangers
- Livin France: How to get a CROUS grant as a foreign student
- Citizen Remote: France Student Visa 2025 Requirements