Cheapest Universities in France for International Students

France is famous for its excellent education, and it draws many students from around the world each year. But studying there can be costly, especially if you’re not from the European Union. However, there are still some economical choices for those who really want to study in France.

In this article, we’ll talk about the 10 Cheapest Universities in France for International Students. These schools have a lot of programs, from bachelor’s to master’s degrees, in different subjects like business, engineering, and the arts.

Requirements of Studying in France

You will need to have a secondary education diploma or its equivalent to gain admission to a university or college in France.

In most French universities and colleges, classes are taught in French. So, if you want to study at a French-speaking school, you need to show that you can speak French well. You can prove this by taking a language test like DELF or DALF. But if you plan to study in an English program, you’ll need to show you’re good at English, and you can do this with tests like TOEFL or IELTS.

If you’re not from an EU/EEA country, Switzerland, or Monaco, you’ll have to request a student visa to study in France.

Overview of 10 Cheapest Universities in France for International Students

1) University of Grenoble Alpes

The University of Grenoble Alpes is a public research university in Grenoble, France. It started way back in 1339 and has a rich history of being really good academically.

Each year, the university has around 50,000 students who study in bachelor’s, master’s, PhD, and shorter certificate programs.

UGA has created some new and creative master’s programs to help students find good jobs worldwide because it’s closely linked to science and technology.

Tuition fee estimate – €261/year

2) University of Strasbourg

The University of Strasbourg is a public research university in Strasbourg, France. It started way back in 1538 and is one of Europe’s oldest universities. It has more than 52,000 students and 3,300 researchers.

This French university’s history goes back to a German-language university called Universität Straßburg, which began in 1538. In the 1970s, it split into three different universities: Louis Pasteur University, Marc Bloch University, and Robert Schuman University.

Tuition fee estimate – €264/year

3) University of Burgundy

The University of Burgundy is in Burgundy, between Paris and Lyon. The main campus is in the city of Dijon, and there are other campuses in the area.

This university provides 400 different degrees at all levels: bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD. It has 3,000 employees and about 34,000 students, with over 2,900 coming from other countries.

While most classes are in French, there are more and more classes taught in English.

Tuition fee estimate – €315/year

4) University of Nantes

The University of Nantes is in Western France. It started way back in 1460 and is one of France’s oldest universities. Today, it’s a big university with over 38,000 students and more than 3,000 teachers and staff.

It’s considered one of the top universities globally. In the QS World University Rankings 2023, it’s ranked within the top 1000. THE (Times Higher Education Ranking) puts it in 18th place among universities with a lot of research.

Tuition fee estimate – €377/year

5) University of Poitiers

The University of Poitiers is a government-run university in Poitiers, France. It’s part of the Coimbra Group and was established in 1431. Right now, it has over 23,000 students and employs more than 3,000 people.

The University of Poitiers provides a lots of education programs, and they keep changing them to match the needs of different jobs.

Tuition fee estimate – €380/year

6) University of Perpignan

The University of Perpignan is a French university in Perpignan. It started way back in 1349. It’s a university that covers many different subjects and has around 8,945 students who are split into four groups for learning and research, along with three Institutes.

Like many other universities in France, UPVD divides the academic year into two parts called semesters. But for simplicity, they calculate tuition fees for the whole year.

Tuition fee estimate – €500/year

7) University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne

The University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne (URCA) is a government research university in Reims, France. It’s been around since 1548 and is really old.

URCA has more than 25,000 students from different countries. It’s a lively and diverse university that likes having international students.

At URCA, there aren’t long breaks between classes. They keep teaching all year. But when it comes to fees, they figure them out for the whole year.

Tuition fee estimate – €500/year

8) University of Montpellier

University of Montpellier is a public research university located in Montpellier, in south-east of France. Established in 1220, the University of Montpellier is one of the oldest universities in the world.

The university has more than 15,000 students and around 1,450 members of staff. It is a multidisciplinary university with eight faculties and a particular focus on sciences and technological research.

Tuition fee estimate – €500/year

9) University of Toulouse

The University of Toulouse, also called UT1 or Université Toulouse 1 Capitole, is a government research university in Toulouse, a city in the south of France. It’s been around since 1229.

The University offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in Law, Economics, Communications, Management, Political Science, and Information Technology.

Up to 21,000 local and international students enrolled in the University of Toulouse main campus.

Tuition fee estimate – €500/year

10) University of Clermont Auvergne

The University of Clermont Auvergne is a government research university, and its main campus is in Clermont-Ferrand, France. It came together on January 1, 2017, when two other universities, the University of Auvergne and the University of Blaise Pascal, joined forces.

The University of Clermont Auvergne offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in fields such as arts, humanities, sciences, law, economics, management, and engineering.

It has over 35,000 students and is considered as one of the largest universities in France.

Tuition fee estimate – €500/year

I also recommend you to check out my previous posts on 5 Best medical schools in France For International Students and Top 5 Engineering schools in France For International Students.

I hope you enjoyed reading my article. To stay updated with my latest content, kindly follow my Facebook page for more insightful posts.