To non-European students : you will pay other tuition fees if :
- First registration in a Bachelor's or Master's program, or a higher education engineering program.
- You are registered in a higher education institution under the auspices of MESRI (Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation).
- You do not have a residence permit for permanent residence in France
The state shall finance three-quarters of the fees and you pay:
- Annual amount € 2,770 undergraduate courses
- Annual amount € 3,770 master courses.
Like non-EU master students, non-EU doctoral students are not required to pay different tuition fees.
Rent Cost (Student Accommodation and Private Halls)
All University tuition is settled, but where do you live? Fear not, we have you covered. Whether you are looking for student apartments in France or renting out an apartment, we have found the cheapest options to accommodate you as comfortably as possible.
The cheapest ones are the countryside of France and some parts, so Creuse would not be a problem in finding a cheap rural retreat considering it is in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, one of the poorest departments when it comes to property. Its population density is just 22/km². Other cities such as Metz, Versailles, and Montpellier are more expensive compared to other mainland cities in France.
Options for Student Housing
Public University residence halls managed by CROUS (Centre régional des œuvres universitaires et scolaires) – The residences managed by France's regional centers for student services, known as CROUS are publicly owned but subsidized by the French government. The CROUS buildings are the most preferred first choice for cheaper accommodation.
Rent Per Month
Paris- €400
Other towns in France – € 200 on average
Occupants qualify for housing aid from CAF (France's Family Assistance Fund) and the rooms are so close to campus that abundant contact is assured with other students.
Whether you are in an exchange program or a free mover apply for a room in CROUS. If you are:
- A Free Mover : You apply through the website of CROUS. All the information you would need concerning staying accommodation in the CROUS rooms can be found there.
- For a Formal Exchange Erasmus + Program : The international relations service of your host institution will book, recommend, and accommodate you in your lodging.
- On a Scholarship Managed by Campus France : Campus France also takes care of your accommodation and sends the application procedures concerning housing.
In the final two cases, you don't need to communicate with CROUS.
On the Lokaviz website, all the places available in CROUS residences are listed-you can look at them for free.
Private houses run and overseen by private companies - If you can't get a place in CROUS, private residences are the best alternatives. More expensive than in CROUS, they have many advantages: furnished rooms, gym, internet, laundry facilities, interactions with students, etc. However, there are many websites from which you can browse private housing: Fac-Habitat, Studea, Les Estudines, Suitetudes, Accueil, Lokaviz (already mentioned), Student Factory, Kley, Neoresid, Cardinal Campus, and many more.
Private apartments and shared rentals - most of the students would prefer an apartment rental, in most cases, a studio apartment, which could cost around €800 in Paris and €400 elsewhere. Check out SeLoger, Lodgis, or Le Bon Coin to find a suitable apartment size and price. If you're looking for turn-key apartments in Paris or coliving spaces, you might find better deals through online platforms like Homelike.
Most would also like to share apartments. The rent and utility costs will be spread out between the roommates which might not only save you money but, hopefully, new friends as well! Websites that students can use to find opportunities to share an apartment include Appartager, Roomlala, etc.
Living with a family or an elderly resident – To practice your French to feel yourself in a homey space, or just for the sake of experiencing another life situation, you could apply to live with a French family or an elderly person. This method has been in place for a long time, but possibly if you want to cut down costs, this is one of the most practical ways to live in France. Some families will offer you a free stay or at least reduce the cost of rent for childcare, such as helping with homework, language lessons, etc. Intergenerational housing You might also consider intergenerational housing, nonprofits match students in need of accommodation with older residents who want to provide a room for the reassuring presence of students mostly at night. The rent is incredibly humble and often free of charge. For further information on intergenerational housing and how you might become involved, please refer to the nonprofit website Ensemble2generations and the network Cohabilis.
Documents You Need to Rent an Apartment in France
To rent an apartment as a student, you will need :
- ID or Passport.
- Guarantor information – Photocopy ID, photocopy of employment contract, last three payslips, and last tax declaration.
- A letter from your guarantor in French (parents etc.)
- Bank reference from (you must have a French bank account)
Documents required to open a bank account :
- Valid identification - a passport, with a visa for Non-EU citizens
- Evidence of address in France - A lease contract or rent payment receipt and/or a recent (less than 3 months old) electricity, water, or telephone bill are accepted.
- Residence permit or a long-stay visa.
- Deposit to open your account.
- Recent proof of income (on request)
To let an apartment in France as a professional one requires among other things, the following :
- ID or Passport.
- Proof of income (three times higher than the rent).
- Last tax of declaration.
- Residence permit (signed employment contract or work offer letter from your future employer work too).
- Bank reference form.
Cost of food, utilities, health insurance, and transportation
Now that we've talked about university tuition and housing fees, we get to the good stuff – living necessities. Not shocking at all: eating out and pretty things in France do indeed cost money. We have put together a handy chart showing approximately how much necessities cost, so you can plan and save your dosh.
| Home Expense |
Price |
| Rent |
€400 to €1,200 monthly |
| Groceries |
€400 monthly |
| Electricity |
€39 monthly |
| Gas for heating/stove |
€48 monthly |
| Internet |
€26 monthly |
| Transportation (car maintenance) |
€145 monthly |
| Cellphone plan |
€16 monthly |
| Regular purchases of coffee, baguettes, croissants |
€67 monthly |
| Tickets for the movies |
€16 |
| Health insurance top-up (hospital-only plan) |
€24 monthly |
| Inexpensive restaurant meal |
€13.50 |
| Fitness Club for 1 adult |
€34.45 monthly |
| Preschool, private, full day, monthly for 1 child |
€642.68 |
| Meal for two people, mid-range restaurant, three-course |
€50 |
| Water (0.33 liter bottle) |
€1.67 |
| Water (⅕ liter bottle) |
€0.69 |
| Eggs (12) |
€2.98 |
| Local Cheese (1kg) |
€15.17 |
| Chicken Fillets (1kg) |
€10 |
| 1 pair of jeans |
€77.91 |
| Medical Expenses |
Price |
| Average cost of health insurance |
€40 |
| Generalist consultation |
€6.60 |
| Specialist consultation |
€7.50 |
| Psychiatrist consultation |
€11.10 |
| Cardiologist consultation |
€14.17 |
| Filling a cavity |
€5.78 – €14.46 |
| Root canal |
€28.20 |
| Teeth cleaning |
€8.68 |
| Prescription medicine |
Varies |
| 30 Ibuprofen, 200mg each |
€1 |
Note : Prices on medical care are due to health insurance. Without it, they are each up to 70% more costly.
In France, a doctor has to certify you require ambulance service otherwise you have to pay for ambulance transport. According to French law, any person with an emergency is to be treated regardless of their payment capability.
Any prescribed medication by doctors is covered by insurance.
Cost of living with your family
If you're doing your PhD or want to take your family with you to live with you in France, you will find that you need to know the price of everything for at least five people. Here are some costs and experiences of a family having lived in France for one year:
| Home Expense |
Monthly Expense |
Per Person Expense |
| Groceries |
€550-650 per month |
€110-130 per person |
| Eating out |
€40 per month |
€20 per person |
| School lunch for kids |
€120 per month, 2 kids |
€20-30 per person |
| Home Expense |
Monthly Expense |
| Electricity and gas |
€60 per month |
| Telephone and internet |
€40 per month |
| Water |
Included in rent for them |
| Health and medical |
€450 per month |
| Clothing |
€50 per month |
| Transportation |
€50 per month |
Tax cost as a working student
Any income from a student under 26 is tax-free up to €4,618 (2019 income)
Any other student with a contract d'apprentissage is also tax-free up to €18,255 (2019 income).
If you earn more than this you only need to declare the excess sum.
Paris vs Metz – cost of living differences
As you might have known by now, Paris is one of the most sought-after cities in France and probably worldwide. Meaning living there will be overly expensive, mainly if you are a student. So let's compare the living cost of Paris and one of the least expensive cities in France: Metz.
|
Metz |
Paris |
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant |
€13.00 |
€15.00 |
| Loaf of fresh white bread |
|
|
| Eggs (12) |
€1.52 |
€3.86 |
| Water 1.5 litres |
€0.40 |
€1.06 |
| Utilities |
€158.08 |
€163.14 |
| Internet |
€19.75 |
€26.78 |
| Fitness Club |
€25.00 |
€38.60 |
| Preschool, 1 kid, 1 month |
€600 |
€837.11 |
| 1 pair of jeans |
€53.33 |
€89.38 |
|
Metz |
Paris |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) |
€500 |
€1,219 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) |
€983.33 |
€2,741 |
| Average monthly net salary (after tax) |
€1,950.00 |
€2,576.32 |
Student Tips Living in France
If some prices frightened you here are a few tips and tricks to make money-saving and living in France possible for a student.
- Many students take advantage of agencies to find a place because of the money paid for the apartments in advance.
- Leboncoin is the largest website where you can sell new and second-hand clothes across the whole country, even a part on the site about accommodations.
- Blablacar is the largest worldwide long-distance ride-sharing community, which connects drivers with empty seats to people going to the same destination.
- CROUS again, not only accommodates students in housing but also provides restaurants where you can eat for less than 5 Euros.
- Velib bike-sharing company. You can rent a bicycle for 10 Euros a week, which not only will save a lot of money but is a great form of transportation and exercise as well as it is eco-friendly.
- Smartphone apps for Paris : RATP, Le Parisien Sortie, L'internaute Restos, Free Wifi Paris.