Particle.news
Download on the App Store

France Loosens Exemptions on Non‑EU Student Fees as September Hike Stands

An advisory rebuke signals the policy remains contested.

Overview

  • France’s higher‑education ministry raised the exemption ceiling Tuesday, setting a path from 30% of non‑EU students this fall to 25% in 2027 and 20% thereafter.
  • Most non‑EU students would pay €2,895 a year for a bachelor’s degree and €3,941 for a master’s starting September 2026, far above today’s €178 and €254.
  • Student unions and university staff rallied in Paris, Marseille and Lyon Tuesday to oppose the plan and to highlight the strain on foreign students.
  • The higher‑education council Cneser issued a broad no vote on the draft, though its opinion is advisory and does not block the decree.
  • At the Cneser meeting, two of three France Universités delegates abstained and one voted no, signaling divided university leadership on the measure.