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When do you have to pay the cost of tuition as a student in France?

You usually have to pay the whole annual tuition fee at the beginning of an academic year, i.e. September.

Do you need to pay for a French student visa?

As an international student from outside the EU, you may need the VLS-TS visa (“étudiant”). The visa not only entitles you to live and study in France, but you can also work up to 964 hours per year (20 hours per week) and travel freely in the countries of the Schengen area - which is a great chance to explore Europe.

When applying for the VLS-TS visa, you will need to pay 99 euros. This amount will be due after your university application, when you have been accepted by the school - and you will need the visa before you can travel to France for your studies.

Once you arrive in France, you need to validate the visa within 3 months. That costs another 60 euros.

What are the monthly cost of living in France?

Student life in France doesn’t have to be expensive. Even in cities like Bordeaux, Lyon or Toulouse you can get by with 850 to 1,000 euros per month, including accommodation. That is still moderate for European levels. In some smaller towns you might spend even less. But the exception is Paris, the capital: expect to spend 1,250 to 1,400 euros per month at the very least - and consider yourself extremely lucky if you can score a place in a students’ hall of residence.

What are the best universities in France?

Universities in France enjoy a high reputation for research and teaching. Institutions like École Polytechnique or Sciences Po regularly rank high, among the best universities in Europe and the world. If you’re interested in details you can check out the international rankings of French universities.

What are the application deadlines to universities in France?

Traditionally, most universities set their application deadlines between February and April for degrees starting in autumn of the same year. However, in line with France’s most recent reforms for international students, things may be managed differently from 2019 onwards. Consult with the universities to which you want to apply to be absolutely sure.

In what other countries can I study for free?

If you are a citizen of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland you won’t be affected by France’s new tuition fees - but in any case, you have plenty of other options in Europe where you won’t have to pay tuition fees. Germany, Austria, Sweden or Finland are popular choices.

If you are a citizen of a country outside the EEA, there aren’t many countries in Europe where you can study for free. Germany is the most popular option. In Norway, universities are technically for free, but the cost of living are so much higher than elsewhere that it might be more affordable to choose a cheaper country where universities charge tuition. Austria or Poland are affordable alternatives with modest tuition fees of 1,500 to 2,000 euros per year.