France is an alluring country full of natural beauty, a wide range of climates, big cities, and small towns.
But, as with any country, there are upsides and downsides.
Let’s take a look at the great and the not-so-great that comes with living in France!
Pros
France isn’t one of the best destinations for tourists, students, and professionals for no reason! Even in smaller cities, you can find an international community where you can build networking connections and friendships. And, of course, you can connect and befriend French people, too!
Here are some of the best aspects of being a student in France.
Affordable Education
France has 76 public universities that are subsidised by the government. This meant that tuition is extremely affordable, even for international students.
For international students studying in France at a public university, the cost of tuition is:
- €2,770 per year at the licence (bachelor) level
- €3,770 per year at the master level
- €380 per year at the doctorate level
Even private, unsubsidised institutions are relatively cheap compared to some universities in places like the US, the UK, and Australia. On average, the cost of tuition to study at a private university is between €3,000 and €10,000 per year.
And, scholarships are available to help make these costs even lower.
Quality of Education
While perhaps not traditionally known for its high-quality educational institutions, France does indeed have many fantastic universities.
36 of France’s universities contended in the QS World University Rankings 2021, and 10 made it to the top 300.
In another list, The "Times Higher Education" World University Rankings 2023, 4 of France’s universities made it to the top 100 spots and 6 others made it to the top 350.
Some notable staff and Alumni from French higher learning institutions include:
- Christiane Marie Taubira, Sorbonne University
- Mamadou Diouf, Sorbonne University
- Derek Bok, Sciences Po
- 15 prime ministers of France, Sciences Po
- Henri Becquerel, École Polytechnique
- Fulgence Bienvenüe, École Polytechnique
Transportation Options
Much of France has great options for transportation, whether it be a metro, bus system, or availability of taxis or ridesharing services, even in smaller towns.
You’ll also find that a lot of places are very walkable or easy to traverse via bike or scooter, which you can rent.
Paris is, as expected, extremely connected and it’s very easy to get around with the mixture of metros, buses, and bigger trains that take you to places outside of the city.
Post-Grad Opportunities
After you graduate from the French university system, you are granted one year to stay and look for work. Or, you can continue to study. There are many top-notch jobs in France, whether with an established corporation or a new startup.
You are favoured as a candidate if you a) received your degree from a French institution, b) speak French, and c) are eligible to receive a work permit easily. When you graduate from a French university, you give yourself the best possible chance to seal the deal on a great career!
Furthermore, having a French degree and a French job allows you to think seriously about obtaining a permanent residency in France, which gives you 10 years of permission to live in France.
Cities Outside of Paris Can Be Very Affordable
France isn’t the cheapest country in the world by any means, but it is also not the most expensive.
Cities and towns outside of Paris have an extremely reasonable cost of living.
The average monthly salary in France is €2,340, and the average cost of living is around €1800, which includes rent, utilities, and groceries.
It’s hard to know the exact cost differences between Australia and France, but you can find sites that compare different aspects of life in the two places, and all of them agree that overall, France is more affordable than Australia.
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Cons
Now, for the list of the not-so-good things about France.
Every place has its faults, and France is no different. Thankfully, France is a pretty safe country, so crime and injury are not too big of a worry. The cities might have pickpockets and scams, and perhaps some litter in the streets, but that’s normal for any city.
It’s easy to focus a lot on the bad and imagine the worst, so remember that even though there are some not-great aspects of France, it doesn’t mean it’s a bad place to be.
Language Barrier
The most obvious downside to living in France is that you need to know French. You can ignore this fault if you already know French, are excited to learn French or find learning new languages to be easy.
For those of us who may have a hard time assimilating new languages, it can be a challenge to understand and be understood in France.
True spoken French is different from textbook French, so even if you’ve studied a lot of it in school, you might still have a hard time with slang, pronunciation, or the speed at which people speak.
Some French people absolutely cannot stand when they meet a non-French-speaker, but you’re more likely to find someone who can also speak English or who is excited to practice English with you.
A lot of people in the cities do speak English.
Strikes
France is the land of “vive la révolution!” It all started in 1789 and you could say that attitude has been present ever since.
While it’s admirable that the French people feel safe and empowered enough to make their voices heard and their distaste known, it does cause some inconveniences from time to time.
The most recent example of this is the universal strike in response to raising the retirement age. Protesters all over the country took to the streets with flares, posters, and extremely large numbers to show their displeasure with the decision.
The metro workers also strike quite regularly, so you sometimes need to cancel plans or make alternate transportation arrangements if your leg of the metro is not running.
Other sectors with striking workers include education, gas and electricity, petrol and oil, steelworkers, pharmacists, dock workers, labourers, truck drivers, and aviation.
The demonstrations (called manifestations in French) can be intense if you attend, but you can always be sure to circumvent an area where protests are happening to avoid getting involved.
The people of France do not want France to collapse. Even though it might be scary to hear about all the protests and strikes going on, the chances are that you as an individual will be minimally affected. The protests aim to show the power of the people, not cause anyone harm.
And, if you’re really interested in activism, this con is actually a pro!
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Driving
Driving in another city can be daunting, never mind a different country altogether!
If you have an Australian driver’s license, you can apply for an International Driving Permit to be able to drive in France.
The inconvenient part is learning new road signs and traffic patterns unique to the French style of driving. Especially in the cities, French driving can be considered… a bit chaotic to say the least. If you’ve ever seen a video of cars navigating around the Arc de Triomphe, you know how intimidating it can be to drive in a French city.
In many places, you will also need to consider that you might need to rent or purchase a parking space, either in a designated lot or on the street.
Used cars in France tend to retain their value which is good for the seller, but not so much for the buyer. If you want to buy a car, even a used one can be a big investment.
Consider also the fees that go with transferring ownership and paying taxes.
French Bureaucracy
The French bureaucracy can be intimidating, difficult to work with, and extremely slow. It seems like a rather hit-or-miss experience, where some people have extremely good luck and attentive advocates, and others are left in the dust.
One problem is that there are not a lot of adept English speakers in the departments of the government that people who need visas tend to work with.
There are many questionable aspects of French life that nationals look upon with a sense of pride, but l’administration is not one of them. The red tape and hoops that foreigners and residents alike need to deal with when doing anything bureaucratic are anything but efficient.
Private Institutions are Expensive
While public universities are very affordable, private institutes are a bit pricier.
The cost of private institutions typically costs between €3,000 and €10,000 per year. If you compare this cost of tuition to many universities in the US, the UK, and Australia, it may still be more affordable, unless you have scholarship opportunities that can bring the costs way down.
Paris is Expensive
If you’re going to France for studies, there is a very fair chance that you want to go to Paris. After all, it’s the city of lights, love, fashion, and multiculturalism.
While more affordable than other cities of comparable size in the world, it is still the capital, a tourist hotspot, an international hub, an industrial goldmine, and very expensive.
The average price of rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Paris is €950-2200 per month, unfurnished. You can find better deals, but you might have to have connections or choose somewhere inconvenient or a little less safe to find them.
A private room in a shared apartment, suite-style, is more reasonable at €600-800 per month, furnished.
Studying in France for Australian Students
France is known for its rich history, art, architecture, and cuisine. Studying in France can allow Australian students to immerse themselves in French culture and language, broaden their horizons, and gain a deeper understanding of the world.
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France is located in the heart of Europe, making it an ideal base for exploring other European countries during breaks and weekends. Australian students can take advantage of cheap flights and train tickets to explore nearby countries such as Spain, Italy, and Germany.
Now that you know the biggest pros and cons of living in France, you can make a more informed decision on whether you’d like to attend university there. No matter your choice, make sure you research well about the city and institution you choose so you don’t run into any unfavourable surprises!
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