InternationalStudentsFrance
The complete guide

Where should international students study in France?

Compare cities by housing cost, universities, transport, visa rules, and student life. Real data. No fluff.

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Click a city for the full breakdown — housing, unis, transport and more.

Lille

Hauts-de-France, France

France's student capital of the north — affordable, energetic, and surprisingly international.

Students

100,000+

Monthly Budget

€913

Studio Rent

€700/mo

Safety Rating

5/10

Sciences Po LilleSKEMAEDHEC+2 more

Paris

Île-de-France, France

The world's most iconic student city — unmatched universities, culture, and career opportunities.

Students

600,000+

Monthly Budget

€1,064

Studio Rent

€1,230/mo

Safety Rating

4/10

HECSciences Po ParisÉcole Polytechnique+2 more

Lyon

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

France's gastronomic capital and fastest-growing student city — rich in culture, tech, and career opportunities.

Students

120,000+

Monthly Budget

€1,062

Studio Rent

€840/mo

Safety Rating

4/10

EM LyonSciences Po LyonINSA Lyon+2 more

Bordeaux

Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France

France's most beautiful city — world-class wine, architecture, and a thriving student scene at affordable prices.

Students

100,000+

Monthly Budget

€980

Studio Rent

€850/mo

Safety Rating

5/10

KEDGE Business SchoolSciences Po BordeauxBordeaux INP+1 more

Toulouse

Occitanie, France

France's #1 student city in 2025 — sunny, energetic, and home to the world's aerospace capital.

Students

120,000+

Monthly Budget

€900

Studio Rent

€750/mo

Safety Rating

5/10

TBS EducationINSA ToulouseISAE-SUPAERO+1 more

Montpellier

Occitanie, France

France's youngest and most international city — free public transport and a vibrant Mediterranean lifestyle.

Students

80,000+

Monthly Budget

€880

Studio Rent

€700/mo

Safety Rating

4/10

Montpellier Business SchoolSciences Po MontpellierSupAgro

Strasbourg

Grand Est, France

Europe's political heart — study where the EU is shaped, in a bicultural French-German city.

Students

60,000+

Monthly Budget

€950

Studio Rent

€720/mo

Safety Rating

5/10 est.

EM StrasbourgSciences Po StrasbourgINSA Strasbourg

Nantes

Pays de la Loire, France

France's most liveable city — creative, green, and affordable with strong engineering and business schools.

Students

60,000+

Monthly Budget

€900

Studio Rent

€650/mo

Safety Rating

4/10

Audencia Business SchoolÉcole Centrale NantesIMT Atlantique

Grenoble

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

France's best student city for tech and engineering — nestled in the Alps with exceptional research institutes.

Students

60,000+

Monthly Budget

€800

Studio Rent

€620/mo

Safety Rating

4/10

Grenoble École de Management (GEM)Sciences Po GrenobleGrenoble INP+1 more

Rennes

Bretagne, France

Brittany's vibrant capital — affordable, compact, and a rising hub for digital and cybersecurity careers.

Students

70,000+

Monthly Budget

€820

Studio Rent

€630/mo

Safety Rating

6/10 est.

Sciences Po RennesINSA RennesESC Rennes+1 more

Aix-en-Provence

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France

Provence's elegant student town — sun-drenched, walkable, and connected to Marseille's career opportunities.

Students

40,000+

Monthly Budget

€1,050

Studio Rent

€900/mo

Safety Rating

6/10 est.

Sciences Po AixKEDGE Business School (Aix campus)École Centrale Marseille

Nice

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France

The glamorous Riviera student experience — world-class business schools, Mediterranean sunshine, and tech giants at Sophia Antipolis.

Students

30,000+

Monthly Budget

€1,100

Studio Rent

€980/mo

Safety Rating

5/10 est.

SKEMA Business School (Sophia Antipolis)EDHEC Nice campus

Quick Comparison

Key numbers side by side

MetricLilleParisLyonBordeauxToulouseMontpellierStrasbourgNantesGrenobleRennesAix-en-ProvenceNice
Monthly Budget€913€1064€1062€980€900€880€950€900€800€820€1050€1100
Studio Rent€700/mo€1230/mo€840/mo€850/mo€750/mo€700/mo€720/mo€650/mo€620/mo€630/mo€900/mo€980/mo
Shared Room€400–550/mo€600–900/mo€450–650/mo€420–600/mo€380–530/mo€380–520/mo€380–530/mo€370–520/mo€350–480/mo€350–490/mo€450–650/mo€500–720/mo
EU Tuition / yr€178€178€178€178€178€178€178€178€178€178€178€178
Non-EU Tuition / yr€2895€2895€2895€2895€2895€2895€2895€2895€2895€2895€2895€2895
Student Transport€30/mo€32.8/mo€34/mo€20.8/mo€30/mo€0/mo€28/mo€24.9/mo€35/mo€32/mo€8.3/mo€35/mo
Part-time Work964 hrs/year (~18.5 hrs/wk)964 hrs/year (~18.5 hrs/wk)964 hrs/year (~18.5 hrs/wk)964 hrs/year (~18.5 hrs/wk)964 hrs/year (~18.5 hrs/wk)964 hrs/year (~18.5 hrs/wk)964 hrs/year (~18.5 hrs/wk)964 hrs/year (~18.5 hrs/wk)964 hrs/year (~18.5 hrs/wk)964 hrs/year (~18.5 hrs/wk)964 hrs/year (~18.5 hrs/wk)964 hrs/year (~18.5 hrs/wk)
Safety Rating5/10 (Numbeo safety index: 49)4/10 (Numbeo safety index: 42)4/10 (Numbeo safety index: 42.5)5/10 (Numbeo safety index: 50.2)5/10 (Numbeo safety index: 50.1)4/10 (Numbeo safety index: 38.9)5/10 est. (Numbeo safety index: ~52)4/10 (Numbeo safety index: 41.5)4/10 (Numbeo safety index: 38.8)6/10 est. (Numbeo safety index: ~55)6/10 est. (Numbeo safety index: ~58)5/10 est. (Numbeo safety index: ~50)
🎓

Tuition fees are the same across all French public universities

EU students pay €178/year and non-EU students pay €2,895/year — regardless of whether you study in Paris or any other city. Your choice of city should be driven by cost of living, career goals, and vibe.