Financing for equity in higher education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to institutions
3. Education resources to students
4. Support for students' living costs
Introduction
Key financing indicators (UIS Data)
In France, between 2000 and 2022, the gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education rose steadily from 51% to 71%, highlighting increased participation in higher education over the two decades. However, from 2017 to 2021, initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of GDP per capita declined from 31% to 27%. Data on initial household funding is not available from the UIS.
Tuition-free status
Public higher education in France is tuition-free or very low-cost due to substantial government subsidies and legal guarantees of free education. Tuition and registration fees depend on the type of higher education institution and the program of study. The rates for public institutions overseen by the Minister for Higher Education were set by the decree of April 19, 2019, and updated on June 9, 2020. While the 1946 Constitution enshrines the provision of free, public, and secular education at all levels as a fundamental duty of the State, in a 2019 decision (No. 2019-809 QPC), the Constitutional Council affirmed that while public higher education institutions may charge tuition fees, these must remain modest and consider students' financial capacities, thereby upholding the principles of free education and equal access. Further reinforcing this commitment, Article L123-2 of the French Education Code mandates that public higher education actively combats discrimination, reduces social and cultural inequalities, and promotes gender equality by ensuring access to the highest forms of culture and research for all individuals with the desire and ability to pursue them. Since the academic year 2019–2020, differentiated tuition fees have applied to non-EU international students in public higher education institutions, pursuant to the decree of April 19, 2019, which introduced higher nationally regulated registration fees for this category of students, subject to exemptions.
Governance
The French State is the primary funder of higher education budgets. In 2019, 20.3% of the Domestic Education Expenditure was allocated to public higher education. The State is still the main funder (67.1% of funding), followed by local authorities (10.2%), households (9.9%) and businesses (9.6%). The Ministry responsible for higher education is the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Space, which allocates and oversees education budgets for public universities and institutions. This ministry ensures the implementation of policies related to tuition fees, scholarships, and funding.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
The central government, primarily through this Ministry, allocates the funding directly to public higher education institutions, not to local or regional governments for redistribution. Local authorities (regions, departments, municipalities) do contribute to higher education funding, but their share is relatively small (about 10,2% in 2019), and these contributions are typically direct support for infrastructure, student life, or specific projects, rather than as intermediaries for central government funds.
2. Education resources to institutions
Funding for private universities in the absence of public institutions
France provides significant subsidies to public higher education institutions. The State budget is organized into missions and programmes under the 2006 Organic Law on Finance Laws (LOLF). Higher education and research are grouped in an inter-ministerial mission, and appropriations are allocated directly to institutions based on multi-year contracts (contrats d’objectifs, de moyens et de performance) between the State and each institution. Private higher education institutions are generally not subsidized by the State in the same manner as public universities. However, students enrolled in certain private institutions that are recognized by the State are eligible for means-tested student grants and some social supports, provided these institutions meet specific criteria and are authorized to receive scholarship students. This support is directed to students rather than the institutions themselves.
Allocation and equity
While the core funding is based on institutional performance and objectives, additional targeted grants and support mechanisms exist for promoting access and success among underrepresented or disadvantaged groups. These include social grants and scholarships for students from low-income backgrounds, which are awarded based on social criteria; funding and support for students with disabilities; and targeted project funding for initiatives that foster diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunities within institutions. These equity measures are generally managed at the national level, with institutions implementing specific actions or projects as part of their contractual obligations with the State. For example, in 2025, student mental health was declared a “major national cause” in France, prompting equity-focused action by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research. Resources were transferred to institutions and associations to ensure fair access to support. Measures included expanding free psychological consultations. Efforts also involved peer support programmes and research projects. Similarly, France’s Ministry of Higher Education and Research has implemented inclusive policies for people with disabilities, supported by the 2024 Finance Bill. Key measures include increased funding for educational support, grants, and doctoral contracts for students with disabilities. Since 2023, universities have received additional funding to improve accessibility.
3. Education resources to students
Admission for vulnerable groups
There is no separate admission criteria specifically reserved for vulnerable groups in higher education institutions; admission is generally based on academic qualifications and the national admissions platform. However, financial support and targeted measures exist to promote access and success for vulnerable groups, particularly those from modest backgrounds and students with disabilities.
Scholarships, grants and loans for vulnerable groups
Ministerial Circular of 8 June 2020 details the operation of the grants awarded to higher education students. Grants based on social criteria from the Ministry of Higher Education are awarded to students according to family income, number of dependents, and distance from home to university. To keep the scholarship, students must show academic progress, attend classes, and take exams. Each year, a government decree sets the income limits for eligibility, dividing students into eight levels (from 0 to 7), with annual amounts ranging from €1,454 to €6,335 (2025), depending on the level. International mobility grants are also available to scholarship recipients undertaking study abroad, helping to remove financial barriers to global learning opportunities.
Circular of October 8, 2014, details the conditions for allocation of specific annual aid. To benefit from this aid, students must meet the diploma, study, and nationality conditions stipulated by the regulations for higher education scholarships based on social criteria. One-time aid addresses serious social situations when an annual allowance cannot be awarded during the academic year. These situations require occasional assistance to allow the student to continue their studies, as attested by a social assessment.
Refugees and those with protection status under the age of 28 can apply for grants managed by CROUS (the national student welfare office) if they are enrolled in initial higher education. These grants are awarded based on social criteria, primarily financial need, and can cover monthly stipends, exemption from university registration fees, and access to subsidised meals and student housing. They can also apply for Specific Annual Aid (ASAA) or Emergency Financial Aid.
Finally, the state-guaranteed loan can provide you with up to €20,000 in funding. The student loan is available to all students, whether they receive a scholarship or not, with no means-testing and no requirement for parental or third-party guarantors. It also offers the option of deferred repayment.
Merit-based and targeted scholarships
Merit-based scholarships are awarded to students who already receive a needs-based grant and who have demonstrated high academic achievement. Eligible students who obtained a “very good” distinction (mention très bien) in the French baccalauréat may receive additional financial support of up to €900 per year, for a maximum duration of three academic years, subject to continued enrolment and satisfactory academic progress. The scheme recognises academic excellence while remaining strictly linked to social eligibility criteria.
While most public grants and loans in France are based on social criteria and are open to all genders, there are some notable scholarships and support programmes specifically for women, particularly in business and STEM fields, but through organisations and foundations, and not the state. For instance, HEC Paris offers two scholarships of up to €15,000 for female applicants: the Women’s High Potential Scholarship for non-French degree holders, and the 30% Club Scholarship for Master's in Management candidates. Both consider eligible applicants automatically.
4. Support for students’ living costs
Families with two or more children under 20 receive a monthly allowance that increases with each additional child and is adjusted according to household income, starting at €148.52 in 2025. In addition, families with students in higher education may benefit from tax relief through the family quotient system, which grants additional tax shares for dependent students up to age 25, as well as from a fixed annual tax reduction for higher education enrolment (set at €183 per student).
Transportation
There is no universal, direct national government grant specifically for daily transportation costs for all students in higher education. However, some regional or local authorities offer subsidised or discounted public transport passes for students. These are not typically managed by the central government but by local governments or transport companies.
Accommodation
Students may be eligible for housing support such as Personalised Housing Assistance, Social Housing Allowance, or Family Housing Allowance, all provided by the National Family Allowances Fund based on social criteria like income, family situation, and housing type, with the applicant's assets also taken into account. Students who receive this aid are no longer considered dependents for family benefit purposes. The Regional Centres for University and School Services (CROUS) offer affordable student housing, with priority given to international students holding scholarships from the French government or from foreign governments in developing countries. Announced in March 2023 and implemented at the start of the 2023–2024 academic year, France’s grant reform aims to “help more, help better” students from modest backgrounds. To ease student living costs, the government froze CROUS rent and meal prices, maintaining €1 meals for grant holders.
Textbooks
The national government does not directly provide a specific allowance for textbooks. Some universities and student associations offer textbook lending schemes or second-hand book sales, but these are institutional or local initiatives, not national programmes. Students facing financial hardship can apply for emergency assistance through CROUS, which can be used for various essential expenses, potentially including textbooks.
This profile was reviewed by Léonard Moulin, Researcher at Ined.
