Affordable fees in France, chance for students to study in English!

The French government has taken a wonderful decision. Last month, the French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ms. Katherine Colonna, announced an ambitious plan. France has decided that At least 20,000 Indian students will be studying there by 2025. The cost of studying in France is much less than in other countries of Europe. The average fee for undergraduate courses is Rs. 13,500 (170 Euro) per annum. Engineering students get approx Rs. 50,000 (620 Euro) and Rs. 36,000 (450 Euros) has to be paid. The average fee for postgraduate courses is around Rs. 21,000 (260 euros). …This is a boon and golden opportunity for Indian students.

Paris is a wonderful city for tourists. Wandering along the Seine River, savoring Paris’s famous sweet bread quaisson, or soaking up the mysteries and romanticism of this historic city’s past and present, it’s fun for everyone. On a happy Friday afternoon, enjoying a coffee and McCroon like Simon de Bauer or Sartre in a cafe reminiscent of a bygone era, or passing through the Roy DiCasteto room where Ernest Hemingway once wrote his short stories Everyone, walking around thinking is unmatched. Or take a leisurely Sunday dive into the history of the books and their eponymous shop Shakespeare & Company, just like ‘Emily in Paris’! People visiting Paris as tourists upload their photos on Instagram doing the same thing.

And imagine that you or someone could spend many months or even years spending your days and nights in Paris, especially as a student, what to say! After all, time and youth are your companions at this age – a student life that has elegance, prestige and is not too expensive.

In fact, students from England, America, Brazil and many other countries have been studying in Paris universities for a long time. But it has never been a practical option for Indian students due to linguistic problems.

But now the situation has changed. France wants its universities to echo the vibrancy, culture and intellect of the students of India. That is why last month France’s Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Ms. Catherine Colonna announced an ambitious plan. In this, France has decided that by 2025 at least 20,000 Indian students will be studying there.

This is a boon and golden opportunity for Indian students.

Sixteen years ago, in the name of studying abroad, the only option before me was England and America. At that time these were the only two countries where it was considered good to study. And a big reason for this was that English was the spoken and spoken language of these countries. At that time, students from India rarely went abroad for at least graduation. Yet my father and I chose the University of St Andrews in Scotland, UK for my further studies, bypassing the prevailing norms and traditions. At that time going abroad to study was not so easy. Ordinary students had no idea how to apply and choose the best university for themselves; What to write in a personal statement and describe your objectives. Information regarding IELTS preparation, funding arrangements etc. was also not easily accessible. The whole process was excruciating but also fun and fulfilling as it opened the way to a bright future full of possibilities and experiences.

Now the situation has changed a lot. The youth who are willing to study abroad also know what they have to do for it. Due to increasing competition, desire to pursue education abroad and availability of resources, a large number of students are going to England and America. This is also evident from reports that it is taking a long time to get student visas for England, USA, Australia and Canada this year.

But now with France opening its doors to Indian students, they have more options and opportunities than ever before. Especially because most of the courses there will be taught in English and this will remove the language barrier. Obviously, passing English proficiency tests such as TOEFL or IELTS may be mandatory for admission to degree courses. According to the information received, about 6,000 Indian students are currently studying in higher education institutions in France.

But why France, when because of the language of this country, Indians feel a bit stranger, something different? But why not France? Isn’t the 21st century the era of connecting with new cultures and making the world a village?

France is known for its rich history, traditions, movements, literature and art, as well as Notre Dame, Louvre Museum, Macroon and Vibrant. Living and studying here is a matter of pride and a great opportunity in itself. But more importantly, the cost of education in France is much lower than in other countries of Europe. In France, access to higher education is a right that is considered extremely important and enforced very seriously. This is evident from the tuition fees of French universities. The average fee for undergraduate courses is Rs. 13,500 (170 Euro) per annum. Engineering students get approx Rs. 50,000 (620 Euro) and Rs. 36,000 (450 Euros) has to be paid. The average fee for postgraduate courses is around Rs. 21,000 (260 euros).

My personal experience is that in any university in England a student has to pay almost three times this amount as fees. Apart from this, the cost of living there is also very high. Much more is spent on fun and travel. Studying in America is even more expensive. There the fee for students from other countries is around USD 50,000 (approximately Rs 40 lakh). The fees for business management courses at private universities, including the prestigious Grand Ecol in France, are much lower than in the US. Why in America, studying in France is also cheaper than many Indian private colleges.

Many courses are available in French universities. Close to 1,700 courses are taught in 32 universities and 15 business schools in the country. And their educational level is not less than anyone in the world. Alumni of the universities here have so far received 72 Nobel Prizes. The pluralistic culture of the French academic world can be a matter of pride for anyone. Of the students doing PhD from there, 42 percent are foreigners.

Paris is considered to be one of the best cities in the world for students to live in and if an Indian student does not like the culture there even after studying there, he can return to India and he will be guaranteed a job here. In order to encourage Indian students to study in France, the government there has decided to assure them that when they return to India, they will be given a job in one of the nearly 1000 companies operating in India that are either French Or who have affiliation with a company in France. And this list is very long. These include Airbus, Renault, Decathlon and L’Oreal. These companies will also be interested in employing students studying in France because they will be culturally friendly to them.

Because of the attractiveness of education in France, it is no wonder that it has become more popular among Indian students than the very expensive English ones. France may even overtake the US in this regard, where post-study opportunities are dwindling, where visas have to be churned out, and where racial hatred is on the rise. Overall, France is calling on Indian students and whether they think with their heart or mind, this is an opportunity for them that they should not miss.