Regulation of Private Higher Education: What Does the Senate-Reviewed Bill Contain?

Paris – 01.06.2026: The French Senate is reviewing today in its first reading the bill to regulate private higher education. This step comes after reports of misconduct in some private educational institutions and aims to ensure more transparency and quality in this growing sector.

Over the past ten years, the number of students in private universities has risen from 490,000 to nearly 790,000, representing about a quarter of the total student population. This development was facilitated by the increase in high school graduates and the success of vocational training since 2018. However, this rapid growth has led to a variety of institutions with different legal forms, business models, and educational offerings, making oversight challenging.

The bill provides for the introduction of two levels of recognition:

– Recognition: Open to all private institutions, both for-profit and non-profit, as well as training organizations. This recognition certifies the overall quality of the training offer following an independent evaluation that also covers the institution’s strategy, governance, administration, and social policies.

– Recognition of general interest: Reserved for non-profit institutions that contribute to public service tasks.

A central goal of the law is to ensure the quality of private higher education by including recognized and partner institutions on the Parcoursup platform. In the future, only these recognized institutions will be listed on Parcoursup, providing students with clear guidance.

Additionally, the supervisory powers of the General Inspectorate for Education, Sport and Research (IGESR) will be extended to the entities that oversee training organizations. The Qualiopi certification will be applied to all training programs awarding a professional qualification, regardless of their funding source.

Concrete protective measures will be introduced for students and trainees. An enhanced right of withdrawal before the start of training will be guaranteed, including full reimbursement of any amounts already paid, except for strictly regulated enrollment fees. Advance payments and ancillary costs will be capped, and clauses contradicting this will be void. Violations can be subject to fines. For trainees, reservation fees will be prohibited, and a proportional refund in the event of early termination will be assured.

The bill also includes measures for public institutions, including the possibility of a global accreditation for public universities, allowing them to be accredited by major fields of study rather than individual degrees. Furthermore, the three-year experimental phase for public experimental institutions will be extended to give them time to consolidate their model.

Today’s examination in the Senate is another step toward a comprehensive reform of the private higher education sector, aiming to promote quality and transparency while protecting student rights.