The French government's plan to charge students from outside the European Union 16 times more in tuition fees has sparked discontent and highlighted challenges in the country's higher education sector.

The "Choose France" scheme, announced last month, removes an opt-out system that allowed universities to keep fees for non-EU students the same as for EU students. From the 2026/27 academic year, most non-EU students will pay €2,895 for a bachelor's and €3,941 for a master's degree, a 16-fold increase expected to raise an extra €250 million annually.

The European Students' Union and French student federations condemned the move as an "alarming step" that risks institutionalizing access to education based on nationality and financial capacity.

Professor Christian Gollier of the Toulouse School of Economics argues that change is needed, noting that French lecturers earn €30,000 a year, while top global universities offer five to ten times more.

In the Netherlands, EU students pay about €2,500, while international students pay €13,000–€32,000. The Dutch government has reduced English-taught courses, cutting international student numbers by nearly 5%.

The UK, where international fees can reach €44,000, remains Europe's top recruiter of foreign students despite Brexit. A study estimated net economic benefits of €43 billion from these students.

Switzerland, under a December 2024 agreement with the EU, equalized tuition for domestic and international students, with fees around €800 per semester.

Spain and Portugal are seeing surges in international students. Germany offers the lowest fees, at €200–500 per semester. Several other European countries provide cheap or free programs for EU students, but international fees vary widely.

Source: www.dw.com