Did you know that France currently hosts at least 250,000 international students? That is the seventh-highest number of international students in one country. One of the things that attract most of these people to pursue their education in France is the ethnic diversity of this country. It is quite easy to get along with the locals while learning their culture.
France also has some of the best medical schools in the world. If you are looking to start or continue your medical career by studying at French universities, you are in the right place. In this article, we will explore some of the cheapest medical schools in France offering high-quality education.
Until this year, students from European Union and those from other countries paid the same tuition fee (less than $220 for Bachelor’s Degrees and around $360 for Master’s Degrees). Most of the fee was integrated into the country’s annual budget. Although this is still the case, international students (those from non-EU countries) are expected to start paying higher fees as of the 2019/20 academic year.
But, as you will notice, some universities in this list did not adhere to those regulations hence the reason why they remain the cheapest medical schools in the country. Note that the total payment may vary slightly due to some additional fees specified by the university.
Cheap French Medical School
1. Paris Descartes University Medical School
Paris Descartes University is one of the institutions that did not adhere to the fee regulation changes proposed by the French government. As such, both EU and non-EU citizens still pay the same amount per year. Since the fee for the European Union students is generally low (almost ten times lower than the proposed fee for international students), then this remains one of the cheapest universities in France offering medical studies for any foreigner. Here are the current rates for the 2019/20 academic year, as indicated on the university’s website.
The average cost per year
- Bachelor’s and national degrees – $187
- Master’s degrees – $267
- Doctorate – $417
- Habilitation to supervise research – $417
- Cost of living (dependent on your spending habit) – $1000 per month on average
Read More: 8 Steps to Become a Doctor in France
2. Claude-Bernard University
The main programs offered at Claude-Bernard University are in the fields of medicine and pharmacy. With an acceptance rate of nearly 100%, the university admits one of the largest freshman groups in France. It has a student population of just over 28,000 are coming in every academic year. Most students are attracted to join Claude-Bernard University due to its budget and availability of enough research facilities. Below is the average cost of studying at this university for international students.
The average cost per year
- Bachelor’s Degree – $217
- Master’s Degree – $306
- The cost of living is between $677 and $1,244 per month
3. Aix-Marseille University
Aix-Marseille University is one of the oldest universities that are still fully operational in France. After its establishment in 1409, AMU has constantly grown to meet the ever-rising demands. It has over 74,000 students, with 14% of them coming from over 128 countries. Among other colleges, it has a school of medicine Marseille which was established in 1645. As shown below, Aix-Marseille University is one of the cheapest medical schools in France.
The average cost per year
- Bachelor’s Degree – $217
- Master’s Degree – $295
- The cost of living varies between $562 and $1,059 per month.
Check Also: Study in France for Free (3 Tips)
4. University of Strasbourg
The university has over 46,000 students, 20% of which are admitted from over 100 countries. It is located in the Alsace region, where the cost of living for a student is around $800 on average per month. The University of Strasbourg offers one of the best medical educations in the country ranks high internationally. The most important thing in this context is the fact that both local and international students still pay the same tuition fee regardless of the course. As such the university remains quite affordable, especially for medical students since this is the course that has always been associated with high tuition fees. Here are the average costs as stipulated on the university’s website.
The average cost per year
- Bachelor’s Degree – $670
- Master’s Degree – $300
- The cost of living – $650 to $1000 per month
5. University of Burgundy
Situated in Campus Montmuzard, the University of Burgundy was established in 1722 and had over 27,000 students. It is a multidiscipline university with ten faculties, four schools, and five institutes. Given that most universities in the country cost over $2,000 in the new regulations, this is one of the cheapest medical school in France. The university has admitted over 3,000 students which is about 10% of the total population.
The average cost per year
- Bachelor’s Degree – $850
- Master’s Degree – $1000
- The cost of living – $500 to $1000 per month
As earlier stated, the French government offers the most affordable studies for any international student as compared to countries like the United States and the United Kingdom. However, with the introduction of the new regulations which saw most universities raise their tuition fee for non-EU students, it has become quite hard to find an affordable institution for medical students.
The five universities mentioned in this article did not adhere to the new proposal, and hence they have a different fee system from the rest. However, you might find that some of them are very competitive basically because of the cost. The cost of living will, of course, depend on your spending habit. But as you can see from the average statistics, it rarely exceeds the $1000 mark per month. Application to these universities is made online, and you will need a Visa from the university if you are not from within the European Union.
We hope that this article on cheap medical schools in France was helpful. Make sure to also check out the Available Programs in Europe!
