France will raise tuition fees for most non-European Union students from the 2026–27 academic year, marking a significant shift in its approach to international higher education funding.
As reported by the Economic Times on Thursday, under the new policy, non-EU students will pay €2,895 per year for bachelor’s programmes and €3,941 per year for master’s degrees.
The reform removes previous flexibility that allowed universities to waive or reduce fees for many international students, replacing it with a standardised national framework.
Higher education minister Philippe Baptiste said the change represents a clear policy direction, stating: “differentiated fees are now the rule, exemption is the exception.”
The government has also limited the scope for reduced fees, allowing exemptions for only up to 10% of international students.
In addition, it plans to allocate around 60% of scholarships to priority fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum science, digital technology, and biotechnology.
The reform has sparked concern within the higher education sector. France Universités criticised the policy, warning it could have wider consequences for access and university independence.
The organisation said the measures could conflict with France’s traditional openness, stating: “At first sight, the proposed measures to generalise the application of differentiated fees appear to be in contradiction with the humanistic values of hospitality and openness that universities extend to students from around the world.”
It also warned that higher fees “will not limit the deterrence effect” on prospective international students and could add administrative pressure through expanded scholarship management systems.
The changes are expected to affect students applying for the 2026–27 academic year, including many who are already in the admissions process.
The policy marks a clear shift toward tighter financial regulation of international education while still attempting to maintain targeted incentives for high-priority academic fields.
