planéaStudying in France as an international student means dealing with a lot of paperwork, often in French. This page explains the key steps, rights and aid in plain English, with links to the official French sources. It is general information, not legal advice: always check the official websites, because rules depend on your nationality and your residence permit.
1. In your first 3 months: two compulsory steps
Validate your student visa (VLS-TS). If you arrived with a long-stay visa that serves as a residence permit (VLS-TS, "étudiant"), you must validate it online on the official ANEF website within 3 months of arriving in France. A fee is paid online (check the current official amount). After the deadline, validation may no longer be possible. → Details (French)
Register with French health insurance. Registration is free and compulsory if you stay more than 3 months. You register on the dedicated website for international students, once you are enrolled in your institution. The permanent number can take several weeks: keep your temporary certificate. → Details (French)
2. Tuition fees
Since the 2026 school year, non-EU students in public universities pay differentiated tuition fees, roughly €2,900 in a bachelor's and €3,900 in a master's according to the sources we consulted (confirm with your university). A decree of May 2026 caps the share of students a university can exempt (about 30% in 2026, then 25% in 2027). Students exempted in 2025-26 are protected until the end of their cycle if they stay in the same programme. → Details (French)
3. Housing
- CROUS student residences (limited places): ask your university's international office. → Guide (French)
- Visale guarantee: a free guarantee for tenants with no guarantor in France. It requires a valid residence permit (student VLS-TS or student card). Apply before signing the lease. → Details (French)
- Housing benefit (APL): rules changed on 1 July 2026 for non-EU students: it is now reserved for those who meet the conditions for a social-criteria scholarship, with some exceptions (for example apprenticeships or professional activity). EU/EEA/Swiss students keep access. → Details (French)
4. Working while studying
With a student permit you can work up to 964 hours per year (about 20 hours a week on average) without an additional work authorisation. Algerian nationals follow a specific regime. → Guide (French)
5. Aid you can ask for
- Emergency aid from CROUS: open to French and international students, after a social assessment. → Details (French)
- €1 meals at CROUS restaurants: open to all students. → Details (French)
- Free psychologist sessions (Santé Psy Étudiant): up to 12 sessions per year. → Details (French)
- Complementary health insurance (C2S): free or low-cost if your income is modest and your residence stable. → Details (French)
- French government scholarships (including Eiffel): for international students at master's and PhD level, applied for through a French institution via Campus France. → Details (French)
6. Plan your first weeks
Use our checklist for arriving in France (in French) and our budget simulator. For your situation in one minute, take the free diagnostic and choose "Autre pays" for nationality.
Need help?
Your university's international student office, the CROUS social services and specialised associations can guide you. If you spot a mistake on this page, please tell us.