Studying and living in France comes at a cost for students. Here are some financing routes to help you carry out your project at the Bachelor’s and Master’s levels.
To learn more about research funding opportunities at the doctoral and post-doctoral level and beyond, check out our dedicated sections:
Choosing to study in France is an opportunity to benefit from a quality education accessible to the highest possible number of students.
Tuition fees in French universities are low because the State covers most of the costs of education offered by public establishments. The actual cost of studies is the same as elsewhere. The difference is that in France, whether you are French or a foreigner, the State will bear most of it.
The average annual investment is 14,000 euros per student, which is covered by the French State.
Annual tuitions fees in public universities in France for non-European foreign students:
Students who are enrolled in dual-degree programs in Egypt (French-language programs and the UFE) are often exempted from the difference in fees that applies to foreign students.
Scholarship holders from the French government are, for their part, exempted from registration fees in public establishments as high as 5,000 euros.
The tuition fees in private establishments, notably business schools, are substantially higher than in public universities. In general, they range from 3,000 to 10,000 euros per year. Visit each establishment’s website to find out the exact amount of tuition fees for your chosen program.
A student’s average monthly budget in France is between 800 and 1,100 euros in Paris, and from 600 to 900 euros outside the capital.
France offers students numerous discounts and financial aids regarding:
Housing in student dormitories in France costs between 250 and 500 euros per month. Housing in private dormitories costs between 700 and 800 euros per month in Paris, and from 350 to 550 euros per month outside the capital.
The Campus Bourses catalog provides information on scholarships offered to foreign students.
This tool lists all the aids delivered by states (French and foreign), local governments, businesses, foundations and higher education establishments. Filter your search by nationality, area and level of study to find aids that match your profile.
Every year, the Rifaa Al Tahtawi scholarship program enables the endorsement of Egyptian students to pursue their Master’s degree (second year) in France.
Over 200 students from all Egyptian and international universities in Egypt apply every year, particularly in French-language programs and those enrolled at the Université française d’Egypte (UFE).
The Tahtawi scholarship is intended for Egyptian students who wish to pursue their second year of Master’s (M2), the fifth year of college, in a higher education establishment in France. They have the opportunity to go study in programs taught in French or in English. The scholarship is open to all Egyptian students (currently studying or graduates) who can show proof of having completed four years of higher education in Egypt.
The recipients are entitled to a monthly allowance of 860 euros for ten months, an exemption from registration fees in public establishments of up to 5,000 euros, an aid for student university housing reservation, as well as social coverage (social security and health insurance).
The call for applications is open in January 2024.
Excellence-Major scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic excellence to foreign baccalauréat (high school diploma) holders from French schools worldwide, allowing them to pursue high-level studies in France.
Headed by the Agence pour l’enseignement français à l’étranger (AEFE – Agency for French Education Abroad), the program awards about 200 scholarships every year. In total, over 800 students of nearly 80 different nationalities are supported throughout five years of demanding studies in France (generally until the second year Master’s level).
Developed by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Eiffel Excellence scholarship program provides education to future foreign decision-makers in the public and private sector every year, in priority areas in science, technology, humanities and social sciences.
The recipients are endorsed for 12 to 36 months in degree programs at the Master’s and Ph.D levels in France. Applications are presented only by French higher education establishments.
The French Ministry of Higher Education and Research also awards scholarships based on social criteria to some foreign students. To be eligible, they must have resided in France for at least two years and registered a local tax residence status.
Some higher education establishments also offer scholarship programs to foreign students who enroll to obtain a degree. To qualify, visit the website of different higher education establishments or contact their foreign office department.
French regions and cities award scholarships to foreign students who follow a degree program in their jurisdiction.
They also award doctoral and post-doctoral grants, which are managed by higher education and research establishments.
Regional host scholarships may also be awarded to foreign students as part of exchange agreements with establishments from other countries.
The Erasmus+ program is the European program for education, training, youth and sports. Since its creation in 1987, it provides funding to projects brought forth by establishments, organizations, associations, local governments, etc., who contribute to these fields.
The program’s terms of participation and the opportunities offered vary according to countries, which are classified in two groups: member countries and third-party countries. In its capacity as third-party country, Egypt may take part in certain actions of the Erasmus+ program.
The program is divided into 3 key actions:
As such, in the framework of bilateral agreements between French and Egyptian higher education establishments, the Erasmus+ program can finance:
Moreover, Erasmus Mundus joint Master’s degrees award scholarships to the best students in the world for a one or two-year period, regardless of their area of study. To qualify, these students must conduct their Master’s in at least two countries participating in the program.
Numerous French higher education establishments offer joint Master’s degrees.
Nearly 30,000 students stay in France as part of Erasmus+ every year, France being the 4th Erasmus host country.
In Egypt, there is a mobility agreement between the University of Beni Suef and the University Paris-Saclay. The Nile University and the École Nationale Supérieure de Mécanique et des Microtechniques (ENSMM) have also partnered up for a joint Erasmus Mundus Master’s program in mechatronics engineering.
For more information on the program, contact your establishment’s foreign office to find out if it has Erasmus+ partnerships or reach out to Egypt’s National Erasmus+ Office (NEO).
