Cost of Studying in France: Tuition Fees, Living Costs, and Total Budget for Indian Students

France is a genuinely strong option for Indian students: internationally ranked universities, comparatively affordable public tuition, and a growing Indian student community. But several widely repeated figures about France’s cost, including on parts of the web, understate what Indian students actually pay, mainly by quoting the EU/EEA student rate instead of the non-EU rate that applies to Indian applicants. This guide corrects that and walks through the real numbers.

Studying in France: the current picture

France welcomed 443,500 foreign students in the 2024/25 academic year. Indian enrollment specifically has been growing quickly: Campus France’s own enrollment count was 9,100 Indian students in 2024/25 (up 17% year over year), while a broader visa/residence-permit count (which also includes exchange and short-term program students) put the figure around 12,000 in 2025. The French government has set a target of welcoming 30,000 Indian students a year by 2030.

Tuition fees: the EU vs non-EU distinction that matters most

This is the single most important thing to get right when budgeting for France. French public universities charge a registration fee, not full tuition the way US or UK universities do, and the state subsidizes most of the actual cost. But since 2019, non-EU students, including Indians, generally pay a higher, differentiated rate than EU/EEA students. A policy change effective for the 2026/27 academic year raised this differentiated rate further and capped how many non-EU students a university can exempt from it (at most 30% of enrolled non-EU students, down from broader discretion previously).

If you’ve seen a guide (including earlier versions of this one) quote EUR 170-243 a year as the tuition Indian students pay at public universities, that figure is the EU/EEA rate, not the rate that applies to you as a non-EU applicant. On top of tuition, almost every student needs to pay the CVEC (Contribution Vie Etudiante et de Campus), a mandatory annual fee of roughly EUR 105 that funds student services.

Private universities and Grandes Ecoles (INSEAD, HEC Paris, ESSEC, and similar institutions) are not government-subsidized and set their own fees, commonly ranging from roughly EUR 3,000 to over EUR 24,000 a year depending on the institution and program; specialized MBA and business programs can run higher still.

For a deeper breakdown of Master’s tuition fees in France, including non-EU fee tiers and program-specific costs, see our full Master’s guide.

Visa costs: the VLS-TS student visa

Most Indian students need the VLS-TS (long-stay student visa), which also functions as a residence permit for your first year.

Holders of a VLS-TS can generally work up to 964 hours a year (roughly 20 hours a week during term).

Cost of living in France

Living costs vary significantly by city. Paris runs notably higher than the rest of the country; cities like Lyon, Toulouse, Lille, Nantes, and Bordeaux are commonly cited as more affordable while still having strong universities.

These are indicative planning ranges, not a fixed quote. Individual lifestyle, accommodation choice, and city all shift the number meaningfully, so treat this as a starting point and confirm current figures where possible.

Accommodation

• CROUS student residences (subsidized): commonly cited around EUR 150-550 a month depending on city and room type; Paris tends to run higher within this range.
• Private rentals: commonly EUR 350-700 a month outside Paris; EUR 800-1,200+ a month in Paris for a studio or shared apartment.

Food and transport

• Groceries: roughly EUR 200-300 a month if cooking most meals at home; higher in Paris.
• Eating out: a casual meal commonly runs EUR 12-18; university restaurants (CROUS) offer subsidized meals at a lower fixed price for students.
• Public transport: a monthly student pass commonly runs EUR 30-75 depending on the city.

Health insurance

Enrolling in France’s national student social security system is generally required and covers a significant portion of medical costs; many students also take supplementary (complementary) private health insurance to cover the remaining gap, commonly cited around EUR 20-50 a month, though this varies by provider and coverage level.

A rough annual budget (tuition, CVEC, living costs, and visa fees only)

This table covers the four largest, most predictable line items: tuition, CVEC, living costs, and visa/validation fees. It deliberately excludes flights, health insurance, and one-time setup costs (like a security deposit or initial furnishings), which are covered separately below and can add a meaningful amount on top.

This adds up to roughly EUR 15,000 for a first year outside Paris at a public university, covering just tuition, CVEC, living costs, and visa fees, as noted above. On top of this, budget separately for flights, health insurance (see the section above), and one-time setup costs; Paris and private institutions will run meaningfully higher across the board. This is an illustrative planning figure, not a locked quote; run your own numbers with current fee pages before budgeting.

Scholarships and financial aid

Scholarships can meaningfully offset these costs. Key routes for Indian students include the Charpak Scholarship (Bachelor’s and Master’s) and the Eiffel Excellence Scholarship (Master’s and PhD, with a monthly stipend of EUR 1,200 for Master’s and EUR 2,100 for PhD, effective from January 2026). The CampusBourses tool on the official Campus France website lists many other available scholarships, including several India-specific ones.

Also read: Scholarships for Indian Students to Study in France: Complete Guide

Why choose France for higher studies?

For context on cost specifically: a public-university Master’s in France (EUR 3,950 tuition, roughly Rs 4.3 lakh) compares to UK Master’s tuition commonly starting around GBP 9,000 (roughly Rs 11.5 lakh) and going considerably higher, and to US Master’s tuition that frequently starts well above that too. France’s public-university route is genuinely lower-cost at the tuition-fee level specifically; your total cost of attendance still depends heavily on city, program, and lifestyle, so compare your specific target programs rather than assuming this holds for every course or institution type.

• World-class institutions across a range of fields, from Sorbonne University to INSEAD and HEC Paris.
• A meaningful number of programs taught entirely in English, alongside French-taught options.
• Public university tuition remains state-subsidized, even after the recent non-EU fee increase, and is still generally lower than comparable UK or US options.
• Strong industry-academia links and a growing innovation and startup ecosystem.
• Comparatively good work-life balance and healthcare access relative to some other popular study destinations, though this varies by individual circumstance and city.

Education loans for studying in France

Even with France’s comparatively lower public tuition, private institutions, Grandes Ecoles, and full cost-of-living budgets can add up to a meaningful sum. Many students combine savings, scholarships, and an education loan to cover the full cost.

GradRight helps you compare offers from 18+ lending partners, including Indian banks, NBFCs, and international lenders, in one place. Compare Education Loan Options for France

Also read: Study in France: Process, Requirements, Documents, Visa, and Affordable Universities in France for International Students.

Sources and methodology

This guide references the following for context, current as of the last-updated date above:

• Non-EU differentiated tuition fees for 2026/27 (EUR 2,902 Bachelor’s, EUR 3,950 Master’s): confirmed via Service-Public.gouv.fr (the official French government site) and Campus France’s own tuition-fees page.
• VLS-TS visa fees for Indian applicants (EUR 50 under the Etudes en France procedure) and the 964-hour annual work limit: multiple 2026-dated sources cross-checked against France-Visas guidance.
• Minimum financial resources requirement (EUR 877.50/month from 1 August 2026): confirmed via multiple 2026-dated sources referencing updated Campus France India guidance.
• Eiffel Excellence Scholarship stipend amounts (EUR 1,200 Master’s, EUR 2,100 Doctorate, effective January 2026): confirmed across multiple current Campus France regional pages.
• Total foreign student enrollment (443,500 in 2024/25) and Indian student figures (9,100 Campus France enrollment count, ~12,000 broader visa count for 2025): confirmed via Campus France’s own published figures.

Disclaimer: Tuition fees, living costs, visa fees, and exchange rates referenced in this guide are illustrative planning figures that change over time. This article is for general information only and is not financial or immigration advice. Verify current fees directly with your university and current visa rules on France-Visas or the Campus France website before making decisions.

Related guides

• Master’s Degrees for Indians in France: Visa Costs, Tuition Fees, Cost of Living
• Scholarships for Indian Students to Study in France: Complete Guide
• Study in France: Process, Requirements, Documents, Visa
• Affordable Universities in France for International Students
• Study Loan for Studying in France: Costs, Banks, Interest Rates