Education in France
France is more than just cheese and the Eiffel Tower. Here a high standard of education is genuinely combined with a way of life that many fall in love with from their very first term. For us, Kyrgyzstanis, this country was for a long time one of the most budget-friendly in Europe. But in 2026 everything changed, and now, when choosing France, you’ll need to keep the calculator close at hand. Let’s calmly work out what’s what.
What’s good and what’s not
Let’s start with the news that can’t be passed over in silence. From the 2026/2027 academic year, France has raised tuition fees for students from non-EU countries. Previously a Bachelor’s cost 178 euros a year and a Master’s 254. Now the figures are: 2 895 euros for a Bachelor’s and 3 939 for a Master’s. Yes, the increase is noticeable. But even with this rise, French education is still markedly cheaper than in the USA or Britain. And the quality has stayed high: 48 French universities feature in the world rankings, and in mathematics, luxury, aerospace and AI the country remains among the leaders.
There are downsides, of course. Life in Paris and other major cities is expensive. And another blow: from 1 July 2026, international students from non-EU countries may lose their right to APL housing assistance unless they hold a social scholarship. Previously APL covered part of the rent for almost everyone. Now — no longer. With the new tuition fees, the total annual budget in Paris can easily reach 15–20 thousand euros. That’s how it is.
What programmes even exist
Let’s start with the gentle entry — summer camps and language schools. Ideal for a first acquaintance. A four-week summer school at the University of Pau, for example, costs 950 euros. For teenagers aged 12 and up there are two-week programmes with a family stay from 1 680 euros. It helps you test the waters.
Secondary education in France comes in both state and private boarding schools. The prices vary: from 3 500 to 8 500 euros a year in schools under contract with the state, and from 26 000 to 40 000 in elite private boarding schools. Expensive, especially for our families, but in return the child receives the French Baccalauréat and then, into the country’s best universities — without extra entrance exams.
Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees are the main stream. Under the new rules a Bachelor’s for non-Europeans costs 2 895 euros a year, a Master’s — 3 939. But there is an important nuance: universities have the right to exempt up to 30 percent of international students from the increase — especially those on exchange or holding a scholarship. So there is a chance.
Grandes Écoles are a different song altogether, the height of the craft. Unlike ordinary universities, which you can enter with almost any school certificate, the Grandes écoles are elite institutions with fierce competition. There are about 230 in all, but only a few dozen are truly prestigious. HEC Paris, ESSEC, ESCP, Sciences Po. They produce presidents, top managers and corporate leaders. Getting in there as a foreigner is a hard task, but a realistic one if you prepare deliberately.
MBA. France is among the world’s top three for business education. It is home to two schools in the global top 10 according to QS 2026: HEC Paris (fifth place) and INSEAD (eighth). The cost bites: at HEC Paris the full MBA programme is about 78 000 euros, at INSEAD — close to 100 000. But the return matches: 94 percent of HEC graduates find work within three months, and the median salary reaches 96 000 euros a year.
What student life is like
If you choose Paris, be ready to spend on housing. A room in a CROUS dormitory — 300–600 euros a month, private housing — from 800 to 1 500. Outside Paris — in Lyon, Toulouse or Montpellier — life is cheaper: CROUS — 200–400 euros, a total monthly budget of 900–1 300 euros.
Good news — from 4 May 2026 a single rate for meals in university canteens was introduced: just 1 euro for a full lunch for all students, including foreigners. This seriously eases the wallet.
Social life is in full swing. International fairs, wine-and-cheese evenings, flag parties. Associations like the Erasmus Student Network organise boat parties on the Seine, Latin American dancing, language cafes. You won’t be bored.
Transport is an art form of its own. Trains, the metro and buses run with minute-by-minute precision. There are discounted travel passes for students, and sometimes the semester fee already includes free travel around the region.
What you won’t find anywhere else
The French take hierarchy seriously. It is customary to address professors and administrators with all their titles — «Monsieur le Professeur». And they are direct — they may seem a little brusque until you get used to it.
The Grandes écoles — we’ve already mentioned them; they are a universe of their own. Their graduates dominate the business elite, public administration and science.
CROUS — a state system that gives students cheap housing (200–600 euros), meals for 1 euro, sport, culture and healthcare. In many countries such a thing simply doesn’t exist.
And one more important principle — the balance between study and life. Working hours are strictly limited, and it is not the done thing to constantly check your work email after hours. The French know how to do this.
What matters for Kyrgyzstanis
Scholarship programmes are open to our compatriots. The Embassy of France in Kyrgyzstan offers a social scholarship that covers the cost of the visa. There is also a language assistant programme — you spend a year teaching French in schools and colleges across the country, earning about 1 100 euros a month. You apply through Campus France and the embassy.
An important point: the Kyrgyz-European Faculty at Balasagyn KNU awards double diplomas with the University of Poitiers. You study in Bishkek — then a year or two in France, and you have diplomas from both countries. It significantly cuts the cost of the journey.
The French embassy actively cooperates with our universities and holds conferences about studying in France. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with them.
In short
France has stopped being the budget option it was a couple of years ago. But it remains a country with a powerful education system and a unique culture. If you are ready to pay almost three thousand euros a year for a Bachelor’s, to learn to navigate the bureaucracy, to learn French to a B2–C1 level and to live in a country that values discipline and formalities — a French diploma will become your ticket to the international job market.
If you still have questions about choosing a university, preparing for the Grandes écoles or finding scholarships — come to our specialists. We’ll help you map out a route without the unnecessary stress.