7. Reform of differentiated tuition fees for non-EU international students

The regulatory framework regarding tuition fees for non-European students has recently changed with the entry into force of Decree No. 2026-385 of May 19, 2026.
This page outlines the key provisions applicable for the 2026-2027 academic year.

The following are exempt from differentiated tuition fees:

Categories covered by the decree 

• French nationals;
• Nationals of the EU, EEA, Monaco, Andorra, Quebec, or Switzerland;
• Doctoral students, candidates for the *Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches* (HDR), and students enrolled in third-cycle medical, dental, or pharmaceutical training programs, with the exception of short-cycle programs expressly mentioned in the Order of April 19, 2019.
  NOTE: Students in third-cycle pharmacy and dentistry programs should contact the student administration office for confirmation (scolpharma@univ-tours.fr - odonto@univ-tours.fr).
• Refugees, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection, and their children;
• Long-term residents in France and their minor children;
• Individuals with tax residency in France for more than 2 years (linked to a French tax household);
• Students in *Classes Préparatoires aux Grandes Écoles* (CPGE);
• Students enrolled in an engineering degree program;
• Students in an Erasmus Mundus European program (specific fees apply if not scholarship recipients);
• Trainees in continuing education programs;
• Students enrolled in a University Diploma (DU), Inter-University Diploma (DIU), or University Certificate (AU) program – specific fees apply;
• Practitioners with qualifications obtained outside the EU (PADHUE).

Special cases

• Non-EU students arriving for the first time who were admitted by the institution prior to May 19, 2026—regardless of the admission process used (*Études en France*, "green file," "white file," etc.)—in accordance with Article 2 of Decree No. 2026-385 of May 19, 2026, for the 2026/27 academic year.
• Non-EU students enrolled in a dual-degree program with a university outside Europe who pay their tuition fees to the partner university are not affected by the decree.
• Non-EU students enrolled in a dual-degree program with a university outside Europe—or at an offshore campus outside Europe—who pay their tuition fees to the University of Tours may register with a partial waiver (setting tuition fees at the national rate). This waiver is granted as of right if the agreement with the partner university includes a reciprocity clause.
• Non-EU students enrolled at the University of Tours in 2025-2026 who are repeating the year (whether due to academic failure or non-attendance) or continuing their course of study may register with a waiver (setting tuition fees at the national rate) granted as of right.

The following are subject to differentiated tuition fees:

• First-time enrolling students from outside the EU—with the exception of those falling under specific categories—are not entitled to an automatic exemption from differentiated tuition fees. However, they may request a partial exemption (reducing the fee to the standard national rate) based on their personal circumstances; the university administration—the sole authority in this matter—may grant such exemptions, subject to a cap of 30% of the non-EU students enrolled at the University of Tours for the 2026–2027 academic year.

• Students from outside the EU who are enrolled at the University of Tours in 2025–2026 and are changing their study cycle may request a partial exemption on personal grounds; the university administration may grant this, subject to a cap of 30% of the non-EU students enrolled at the University of Tours for the 2026–2027 academic year.

Exemption requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the exemption committee, and decisions are made by the university presidency.

The exemption procedure can be viewed here.
It outlines the application submission process and specifies the exemption criteria.
The schedule for the exemption committees is currently being finalized. The first meeting will take place in late August.

Possible exemptions

Partial exemption upon individual request

The number of exemptions is limited to 30% of enrolled non-EU students.

If you fall into one of the categories below, you may request a partial exemption from the differentiated tuition fees. You will only pay the standard national fees (€178 for a Bachelor's degree, €255 for a Master's degree).

You are not required to pay the differentiated fees before submitting your request. During registration, you can select the deferred payment/pending payment option.

Selecting "pending payment" does not grant you student status (no proof of enrollment, no access to your emails, schedules, etc.).
It is therefore important to submit your exemption request very soon after your administrative registration so that your status can be regularized following the committee's decision. To access the form, click here.

Full exemption upon individual request

If you fall into one of the categories below, you may request a full exemption from tuition fees.

Eligible groups	Criteria	Requested documents
Refugees, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection, and their children	Status	Refugee card, proof of subsidiary protection status, provisional residence permit.
Asylum seekers, beneficiaries of temporary protection	Status	Certificate extending the processing of your residence permit application Provisional authorization to stay in France for 6 months, bearing the mention "beneficiary of temporary protection"

• 1. Status of individual international student
• 2. Admission procedures
• 2.1. Admission procedure - 1st year Degree - Europe
• 2.2. Admission procedures - 1st year Degree - Resident in France
• 2.3. Admission procedure - 1st year Degree - Refugees, BGF... -Dossier orange
• 2.4. Admission procedure - 1st year Degree - Resident outside EU and without "Etudes en France"
• 2.5. Admission procedure - L2, L3, M1, M2 - EU or without Etudes en France
• 2.6. Admission procedure - Resident of an "Etudes en France" country
• 3. French language knowledge test known as "Test de Connaissance du Français" (TCF) for the procedure "Demande d'Admission Préalable" (DAP)
• 4. Administrative registration
• 5. International Students Welcome Desk
• 5.1. Cultural program for international students
• 5.2. Services for international students
• 6. Incoming Scholarships
• 7. Reform of differentiated tuition fees for non-EU international students