Tuition fees benefits
The French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MESRI) in 2019 introduced differentiated enrolment fees for international students enrolling in a public higher education institutions. A comprehensive overview of the implementation of these differentiated enrolment fees, including affected students, enrolment fee amount, and possibility for exemption are defined by decree 2019–344 of April 19, 2019.
In order to enrol in a higher education programme in France, a student must pay registration fees specific to each course of study. International students must pay different registration costs (€2,770 for bachelor's degrees and €3,770 for master's degrees), with several exceptions outlined in the national exemption structure.
Depending on your status and your host institution, you may be entitled to apply for exemption from differentiated registration or tuition fees. The following categories are exempt:
- Recipients of French government scholarships when enrolling in a programme that leads to a national diploma. It should be noted that public universities provide a variety of degrees, not all leading to national diplomas. It is advised that prospective students research the available degrees or get in touch with the university for more information.
- Recipients of foreign government scholarships whose studies are cofinanced by France (in the form of health insurance coverage)
- Recipients of grants from their host institution that offers complete exemption from enrolment fees.
- Students on exchange programme in the framework of partnership between their home institution and French host institution. For example Erasmus+ Exchange programmes etc
We urge the students to check the following list to verify whether your institution is covered by the tuition system. We also strongly advise you to find out about the tuition fees policy of universities by visiting their websites or enquiring before applying for admission or registration process.
List of public institutions affected by differentiated tuition fees
France’s major public postsecondary institutions are listed below. In all of them, a large part of the real cost of education is subsidized by the state. And all of them are covered by the new system of differentiated tuition.
- All of France’s universities
- All 25 institutional groupings
- The three INPs (national polytechnical institutes) in Toulouse, Grenoble, and Bordeaux
- The four écoles centrales in Lille, Lyon, Marseille, and Nantes
- The six INSAs (national institutes of applied sciences) in Lyon, Rennes, Toulouse, Rouen, Strasbourg, and CentreVal de Loire
- The three technological universities in Compiègne, BelfortMontbéliard, and Troyes
- The four ENSs (écoles normales supérieures) in Paris, Cachan, Lyon, and Rennes
- Twenty national institutions, including the Collège de France, CNAM (Conservatoire national des arts et métiers), INALCO (Institut national de langues et de civilisations orientales), and EHESS (École des hautes études en sciences sociales)
- Five French institutions abroad: the French schools in Athens, Rome, and the Far East; the Institut français d'archéologie orientale in Cairo; and the Casa de Velázquez in Madrid
- Twenty five public research bodies, including CNRS, CNES, CIRAD, INSERM, INRA, and IFREMER
Questions
If you still have questions on higher education registration fees or if you want to know if your university or national diploma/degree falls under the exemption category, you can reach out to the University Cooperation team at the French Institute in India at mydegreeinfrance@ifindia.in
