Study in France.
€178/year.
India’s bilateral deal.

French public universities charge as low as €178/year. The India-France bilateral agreement gives you an exclusive 24-month post-study permit, a Charpak scholarship designed only for Indians, and a 5-year alumni visa. No other European country has made this commitment to India.

France’s most significant advantage is one no other European country can match: public university fees that are genuinely extraordinary. The French government subsidises higher education so heavily that many top-100 global universities charge Indian students just €178–€243 per year — the same rate as French students. Paris-Saclay (QS top 100) grants automatic exemptions to all students. That’s not a scholarship; that’s the standard fee.

Beyond cost: the 2015 bilateral agreement between India and France gives Indian Master’s graduates 24 months on the post-study APS permit — double what other nationalities receive. Plus a 5-year multi-entry alumni visa and the Charpak Scholarship designed exclusively for Indians. No other European country has made these specific commitments for Indians at a government level.

France leads globally in aerospace (Airbus in Toulouse), luxury goods and fashion (LVMH, L’Oréal in Paris), nuclear energy, and defence technology — career sectors not accessible this way from any other European destination. Your French student visa also covers the entire 27-country Schengen Area.

Private business schools pay Sarem a placement commission. We declare this transparently. For public universities — where we receive no commission — Sarem charges a processing fee for public university applications. This covers the full scope of work — Campus France preparation, document review, SOP writing, scholarship applications, and visa guidance. For private business schools, Sarem is compensated by the institution and there is no student fee.

What studying in France actually costs

France is the most affordable major Western European study destination for Indians — but the total picture includes tuition, Sarem’s processing fee, and living costs. Here is the complete honest breakdown.

The honest fee table — public vs private

France’s system is unique — public universities are heavily subsidised by the French state. What you pay depends entirely on which institution and whether an exemption applies.

CROUS university residences are cheapest at €250–€400/month but have waiting lists — apply immediately after acceptance. Shared flats (colocation) are most common. Paris is by far the most expensive.

French student health insurance is ~€100/year (not monthly) — very affordable. University cafeterias (CROUS) serve meals for €3.30. Transport passes are heavily subsidised for students under 26.

964 hrs/year (~20 hrs/week equivalent). At €11.88/hr minimum wage (2025). Summer full-time meaningfully offsets living costs.

No blocked account required. France requires funds to be disbursed into your bank account — a loan sanction letter alone is not sufficient. This is the most common France visa refusal reason for Indians.

France has more India-exclusive scholarships than any other European country

Charpak, Eiffel, Émile Boutmy — Sarem applies for every eligible award alongside your admission. No separate process, no extra charge.

What students say about our France study consultancy

Real students, real outcomes. These are the students Sarem placed in France — in their own words.

Campus France — End to End

We prepare your complete Études en France file: personal statement, academic narrative, career reasoning. We review it multiple times and prepare you for the academic interview. A weak Campus France file means a weak start.

Fee Exemption Navigation

Not all public universities offer exemptions — and policies change annually. We track which institutions currently offer full or partial waivers, steering you toward programmes where total tuition is €178–€726/year rather than €3,941.

Charpak Scholarship Strategy

We build Charpak applications that win. We’ve had B+ grade students win Charpak because the application quality was exceptional — genuine SOP writing, strong motivation narrative, scholarship interview coaching.

24-Month APS Guidance

Most consultants don’t know the India bilateral agreement exists. We explain APS eligibility, the renewal process, the Talent Passport transition, and what documentation to prepare while you’re still a student.

Loan Disbursement Structuring

The most common France visa refusal for Indians is financial document structure. Banks issue sanction letters; France requires disbursement. We tell you exactly which bank documents to request and in what format.

French Language Roadmap

For public UG programmes or improving post-graduation employment, we map an Alliance Française plan from your current level to entry requirements — and explain honestly where French opens doors even for English-medium students.