Article source: "Budget étudiant : combien coûtent les études à l’université ?", Hippolyte Loechner, l'Etudiant, 28/02/2022.
The cost of higher education is one of the most important criteria when it comes to choosing a university course. Some courses in France are quite expensive, especially at private institutions, but studying at a public university remains the most financially accessible option.
France has the lowest university tuition fees in Europe: the State covers most of the costs, which are estimated at more than 10,000 euros per year, according to the French ministry of higher education.
Enrolment fees are set nationally every year for all public universities. The annual fee for 2022-2023 will be 170 euros for an undergraduate degree and 243 euros for a master’s degree.
An additional 92 euros is charged for the CVEC, the student life and campus contribution, which must be paid once a year by all students who are registered in the French higher education system, except for those doing vocational qualifications, such as a BTS (Brevet de Technicien Supérieur, the equivalent of the UK’s Higher National Diploma), a DMA (Diplôme des Métiers d’Art, a diploma in art and design ), or an accountancy diploma. The CVEC helps to develop and strengthen the services provided by universities, such as social support, cultural activities, sport, and access to healthcare.
Students who have a maintenance grant, or receive one at any point during the academic year, are exempt from both enrolment fees and the CVEC.
Housing, Food, Transport
Tuition fees are not the only costs to anticipate in the coming academic year. Housing alone represents the biggest portion of a student’s monthly expenses. According to a study carried out by the UNEF (the national student union) the average monthly rent for student accommodation in France during the 2021–2022 academic year is 550 euros. Yet there are significant regional disparities. Renting in Paris costs approximately 850 euros per month, whereas the average rent in Le Mans is only 350 euros.
On top of this, students have to cover everyday expenses: transport, food, cleaning supplies, leisure activities, phone and internet plans, etc. In a study published in August 2021, another French student union, the Fage (la Fédération des associations générales étudiantes) singled out the Île-de-France region around Paris as particularly expensive, with living expenses of about 605 euros per month, compared to 551 euros in the rest of the country.
The bigger the city, the more substantial the monthly budget. These costs can be kept down, however, thanks to various benefits and welfare programmes provided by the State, such as the APL (the French personal housing allowance) or student grants.
Translated by Justine Drancourt and Maëlle Fontaine
Editing by Sam Trainor