The beginning of the university year becomes “an almost insurmountable stage, conditioned by family help or forced employment”The Federation of General Student Associations (FAGE) is taking part on Wednesday 4 September. The organisation, which has been publishing its barometer on the cost of returning to school for twenty-two years, is launching “a real warning sign”.
It estimates that a young person enrolled in a bachelor’s degree will pay an average of 3,157 euros (+ 2.79% compared to 2023) in September to cover all his needs, if he does not benefit from any state aid and no longer lives with his parents. Even more affected, a foreign student will pay an average of 4,395 euros, due to transport costs. Subject to differentiated tuition fees, a student from a non-EU country will pay an average of 5,832 euros, according to FAGE.
After four years of tuition freezes, the government announced in the spring its decision to re-index university tuition fees to inflation. Result: to attend classes, a student pays almost 3% more this year than in September 2023. The increase in fees amounts to an additional 5 euros for a bachelor’s degree (175 euros), 7 euros for a master’s degree (250 euros) and 11 euros for a doctorate (391 euros).
“Academic failure factor”
Rents for Crous university residences are also increasing by 3.5%. Finally, the student and university life contribution amounts to 103 euros (+3 euros compared to 2023). Only scholarship students and apprentices are exempt from this contribution and registration fees.
For the resigned Minister of Higher Education, the impact of the increase in tuition fees must be put into perspective. In June, Sylvie Retailleau recalled that the disappearance, since 2017, of the student contribution to Social Security “The fact that the fees paid to obtain a license have increased from 401 euros in 2017 to 278 euros in 2024, or 123 euros less”.
“Although almost 20% of students do not have enough to eat, The government is restricting access to higher education for the most precarious by increasing the burdens imposed on them, without ever increasing their social assistance to the same level.FAGE protests.
In addition to the costs of re-entry, there are daily living costs, driven this year by a 2.5% increase in housing costs, the largest expenditure item for students, details the FAGE study. Rent alone represents on average 45% of a student’s daily expenses, and almost 50% in Ile-de-France (563 euros on average, an increase of +2.51% in one year).
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