A programme’s level and entry subjects explain who it is designed for; the applicable fee and exemption decision explain what an admitted student pays. French study information therefore needs both academic and financial detail. An English-taught economics course provides a concrete example below.
The sections below cover degree levels, a specific English-taught programme, public fees and the separate terms of funding.
Checked on 26 October 2026. Fee and CVEC amounts concern the 2026/27 academic year.
What the programme description actually establishes
The French licence–master–doctorat framework distinguishes degree levels. Campus France describes a licence as six semesters and 180 ECTS, followed by four further semesters and 120 ECTS for a master. Institutions determine admission criteria in relation to an applicant’s previous education and the programme requirements. [1]
A Nigerian qualification’s title does not on its own explain its subject coverage. A transcript provides a different kind of information from a graduation certificate: one identifies the courses and results, while the other records the qualification awarded. Translation and academic assessment also perform different tasks.
This matters when two programmes use a similar English title. The entry level, award and curriculum may differ. The published compulsory modules provide a more precise description of academic content than a general statement that a course is “international”.
An English-taught course with subject prerequisites
Université Paris-Saclay’s M1 Economics is the first year of a selective two-year economics master’s taught in English. Its intended academic backgrounds include economics and mathematics. The page describes econometrics and economic theory, and lists 2026 application periods that have already ended at this checking date. The example illustrates a programme; it is not an open-admission announcement. [2]
Academic records named for M1 Economics at Université Paris-Saclay include the following. This is an extract, not a complete application checklist: [2]
- Copies of diplomas.
- Academic transcripts for completed years or semesters since secondary school.
- A motivation letter and a CV.
English-language teaching and subject preparation are separate conditions. Familiarity with English does not establish that a previous degree contains the required mathematics or economics. Nor does one institution’s language-evidence policy establish a countrywide exemption for every Nigerian applicant.
Two fee columns, rather than one national quotation
| National degree level | Standard annual fee | Differentiated annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| Licence | €178 | €2,902 |
| Master | €255 | €3,950 |
These are the published 2026/27 rates for the relevant public-institution framework. Differentiated fees apply to the students within that regime, with exclusions and exemptions. They are not prices for all private schools or every programme using the word “master”. [3] [4]
For study in France for international students, a low advertised public fee is therefore not enough to establish the final charge. The relevant institution, qualification, student category and any applicable exemption all matter. Nationality alone does not supply the complete calculation.
Admission and exemption remain distinct after the 2026 changes
The Higher Education Ministry’s FAQ explains revised individual-exemption arrangements and transitional protection. It specifically states that a simple admission notification through Études en France is not, by itself, a fee exemption. A general fee statement published earlier is also different from an individual decision. [5]
Consider two fictional applicants holding offers for the same course. One also has an explicit applicable exemption decision; the other’s offer says nothing about exemption. Their admission status is not a reason to assume identical charges. This example describes documents, not the eligibility of a particular reader.
A euro-denominated university payment and the naira amount required to fund it are also different measures. The conversion depends on timing, exchange rate and payment conditions. No permanent naira equivalent is attached to the euro rates here.
CVEC is a separate campus contribution
The published CVEC amount is €105 for 2026/27. [6]
These payments also differ from accommodation and food. A registration charge is paid to support enrolment under its rules; it is not a year’s living allowance. Adding unrelated expenses to it without a stated period would conceal rather than explain the cost of the course.
Funding coverage and the period of an award
The general word “scholarship” does not specify a payment schedule, accommodation entitlement or full-course coverage. Those are terms of the actual award. The current call identifies eligible applicants and its timetable; the award letter sets out the funding granted.
Once the academic offer and fee position are known, entry and residence remain subject to their own conditions, described in the France overview and the study-migration explanation.
Questions and answers
Can I submit an Eiffel application directly from Nigeria?
Campus France accepts applications submitted by French higher education institutions. An individual student’s direct submission is not the institutional application required by the programme. The institution has its own selection process and timetable, which is distinct from the deadline for sending institutional applications to Campus France. [7]
Does the France Excellence Eiffel scholarship pay tuition fees?
The programme itself does not pay tuition. Campus France separately describes the registration-fee exemption attached to French government scholarship status for specified national diplomas and accredited engineering qualifications at the relevant public institutions. That exemption has a defined scope; it does not mean that every programme’s training costs are covered. [8]
Do exempt students still need a CVEC attestation?
Students covered by the CVEC procedure obtain an attestation whether they pay or qualify for exemption, and present it for enrolment. Students outside the procedure altogether are a different category. An exemption from university registration fees does not by itself identify which CVEC situation applies. [6]
Sources
- Campus France: French degrees and LMD
- Université Paris-Saclay: M1 Economics
- Service Public: university registration fees 2026/27
- Service Public: differentiated fees 2026/27
- French Higher Education Ministry: differentiated-fee FAQ
- Étudiant.gouv: CVEC 2026/27
- Campus France: France Excellence Eiffel, benefits and applications
- Campus France — Eiffel: implementation, tuition and fees
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