France Raises Tuition Fees for International Students: "A Measure of Common Sense"

Paris – 06/03/2026: Philippe Baptiste, the French Minister of Higher Education, defended the recently decided increase in tuition fees for international students. He described the measure as “a measure of common sense” and emphasized that France still covers two-thirds of the education costs. This decision follows the introduction of differentiated tuition fees in 2019, which imposed higher fees for students from non-EU countries.

Starting from the upcoming academic year 2026/2027, students from non-EU countries will now have to pay 2,895 euros for a bachelor’s degree and 3,941 euros for a master’s degree, compared to 178 euros and 254 euros respectively for French and European students. This increase has been criticized by many universities and student organizations, who see it as discriminatory and potentially discouraging for international students.

In response to the criticism, the Ministry of Higher Education has made adjustments. Universities can now exempt up to 20% of their international students from the increased fees, with this quota gradually being reduced to 20% by 2028. This flexibility is intended to allow universities to support talented students from less privileged backgrounds.

Despite these adjustments, the majority of international students remain affected by the increased fees. It is estimated that about 100,000 of the 111,000 international students in France will be affected by the new fees. The government argues that this measure is necessary to ensure the quality of French higher education and to maintain the country’s attractiveness for international students.

The decision to raise tuition fees has been criticized from various sides. Student organizations and unions have called for protests and warn of the potentially negative impacts on international cooperation and the exchange of knowledge. They emphasize that education should be a universal good and that financial barriers could limit access to quality education for students from less wealthy countries.

Despite the controversy, the French government remains firm on its decision and stresses the need to make the financing of the higher education system sustainable. It points out that France still covers a significant part of the education costs and that the measure aims to strengthen the quality and competitiveness of French higher education.

The debate over raising tuition fees for international students reflects broader discussions about access to education and the financing of higher education systems. While some emphasize the necessity of securing education quality, others warn about the social and cultural impacts of financial barriers in education.