Foreign Students in France Face Rising Tuition Fees and Policy Changes Ahead of 2026 Academic Year

French higher education institutions are preparing to implement significant tuition fee increases for non-European Union students starting in the 2026–2027 academic year, following a government decision to end what officials describe as a long-standing financial loophole. The policy change, announced by Higher Education, Research and Space Minister Philippe Baptiste in an interview with Le Parisien on April 20, 2026, will raise annual fees for most international students from outside the EU to between €2,900 and €3,900, representing approximately a 16-fold increase from current rates.

Under the current system, EU/EEA/Swiss students pay substantially lower fees set by national ministerial decree. For the 2026 academic year, these rates are €170 for bachelor’s programs, €243 for master’s degrees and €380 for doctorates at French public universities. However, since a 2019 reform, a differentiated fee structure has applied to non-EU nationals, and the upcoming changes mark a substantial escalation in this tiered approach.

The fee increases are part of broader financial adjustments affecting international students in France. Concurrent legislation passed by the National Assembly on February 2, 2026, will eliminate the Aide Personnelle au Logement (APL) housing allowance for non-EU, non-EEA students beginning in July 2026. This measure, which provides monthly assistance ranging from €100 to €250, is projected to save approximately €200 million, nearly 1% of the total APL budget.

French higher education institutions are preparing to implement significant tuition fee increases for non-European Union students starting in the 2026–2027 academic year, following a government decision to end what officials describe as a long-standing financial loophole. The policy change, announced by Higher Education, Research and Space Minister Philippe Baptiste in an interview with Le Parisien on April 20, 2026, will raise annual fees for most international students from outside the EU to between €2,900 and €3,900, representing approximately a 16-fold increase from current rates.

Under the current system, EU/EEA/Swiss students pay substantially lower fees set by national ministerial decree. For the 2026 academic year, these rates are €170 for bachelor’s programs, €243 for master’s degrees, and €380 for doctorates at French public universities. However, since a 2019 reform, a differentiated fee structure has applied to non-EU nationals, and the upcoming changes mark a substantial escalation in this tiered approach.

The fee increases are part of broader financial adjustments affecting international students in France. Concurrent legislation passed by the National Assembly on February 2, 2026, will eliminate the Aide Personnelle au Logement (APL) housing allowance for non-EU, non-EEA students beginning in July 2026. This measure, which provides monthly assistance ranging from €100 to €250, is projected to save approximately €200 million, nearly 1% of the total APL budget.

Additional financial burdens include increased costs for residency procedures. The fee for applying for French nationality will rise from €55 to €255, while residence permit and visa applications will see a €100 increase. A new €40 tax will also be levied for exchanging a foreign driver’s license for a French one. These changes accompany announcements from specific institutions such as the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, where license-level students will face annual fees of €2,895 (up from €178) and master’s students will pay €3,941 (up from €254), reflecting the sixteen-fold increase cited in government plans.

French higher education institutions are preparing to implement significant tuition fee increases for non-European Union students starting in the 2026–2027 academic year, following a government decision to end what officials describe as a long-standing financial loophole. The policy change, announced by Higher Education, Research and Space Minister Philippe Baptiste in an interview with Le Parisien on April 20, 2026, will raise annual fees for most international students from outside the EU to between €2,900 and €3,900, representing approximately a 16-fold increase from current rates.

Under the current system, EU/EEA/Swiss students pay substantially lower fees set by national ministerial decree. For the 2026 academic year, these rates are €170 for bachelor’s programs, €243 for master’s degrees, and €380 for doctorates at French public universities. However, since a 2019 reform, a differentiated fee structure has applied to non-EU nationals, and the upcoming changes mark a substantial escalation in this tiered approach.

The fee increases are part of broader financial adjustments affecting international students in France. Concurrent legislation passed by the National Assembly on February 2, 2026, will eliminate the Aide Personnelle au Logement (APL) housing allowance for non-EU, non-EEA students beginning in July 2026. This measure, which provides monthly assistance ranging from €100 to €250, is projected to save approximately €200 million, nearly 1% of the total APL budget.

Additional financial burdens include increased costs for residency procedures. The fee for applying for French nationality will rise from €55 to €255, while residence permit and visa applications will see a €100 increase. A new €40 tax will also be levied for exchanging a foreign driver’s license for a French one. These changes accompany announcements from specific institutions such as the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, where license-level students will face annual fees of €2,895 (up from €178) and master’s students will pay €3,941 (up from €254), reflecting the sixteen-fold increase cited in government plans.