Hoddy Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 The cost of university education is close to my heart at the moment and this afternoon's budgets has brought it into even closer focus.Am I right in thinking that French university education is free ? Do they get maintenance grants ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lehaut Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 We have two sons in higher education in France. Neither of them have paid for their university, prepa or Grande Ecole education. Depending on your situation and your revenue fiscal de réference (ie you must be in the french tax system) number of children/number of children in higher education and distance from Uni, you could get a Borse, plus assistance for paying for the lodgings. Bear in mind that if they pass the BAC, the children have a right to go to Uni. According to one Prof at Caen, only 10% make it to the second year, so there are a lot of "tourists" in the first year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Why not have a look at the Belgian universities; Louvain la Neuve or Liege (the latter for Medicine and related, Science and Engineering? Fees are low and the quality not bad at all.Avoid soft subjects though.Also check out Maastricht, classes in English but I am not sure of the fees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoddy Posted July 8, 2015 Author Share Posted July 8, 2015 Thanks for the useful information LeHaut. Wooly, I'm concerned about one of my grand daughters who has just done her GCSEs. She would have had some help if she decided to go to university in 2017, but under the new regulations announced today, she won't. I feel so sad when my (and most MPs) degrees were paid for by the state. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Yes, I got four lots of grants and scholarships which enabled me to buy a nice little boat, run a car and generally have a pretty good standard of living. But those days are over.I guess we will have to start savings accounts for our grandkids when they are born, either for school or higher education or both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoddy Posted July 8, 2015 Author Share Posted July 8, 2015 Cripes. I didn't have to pay and I got a small maintenance grant but it didn't run to cars and boats. It's a bit late for me to start saving now my eldest grand daughter is 16 though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoneySuckleDreams Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 No1 Son did a year of Medicine in Toulouse - mostly free of charge although we had to help out with some costs. He got a bourse - which is means tested - and he gets his own allowance from CAF. It "almost" covered everything. He didn't make it into the 2nd year though as he didn't make the top 80 (out of around 800 who started the year). To be honest not many do and those that stay on try for a few years to make the cut to move on. He switched to Sports Science in Nancy and because my own personal situation changed he didn't get a bourse. So our funding had to increase, mainly for rent. There is a way to claim the money you give against Tax you pay, but it also means that they have to go down the Tax declaration route, and we found out too late for this year so I don't know exactly how it works.No2 son has just passed his BAC so he is on his way into Uni land as well, although he is considering the Royal Engineers as a career.I have heard that Holland is a good place to go to Uni, I'm not sure of the costs but a lot of the courses are now taught in English Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mogs Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Our daughter is now going into her 3rd year at Uni. She hasn't had to pay any fees so far. In order for her to get the bourse we give income details and as salaried she only gets the minimum awarded because of distance from home to Uni. She also receives a CAF payment. We took out a 3yr student loan to get her started which we've been paying back but she could have started paying when she left Uni and found work, at least this way she won't be in debt as she starts her career. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 [quote user="HoneySuckleDreams"]No1 Son did a year of Medicine in Toulouse - mostly free of charge although we had to help out with some costs. He got a bourse - which is means tested - and he gets his own allowance from CAF. It "almost" covered everything. He didn't make it into the 2nd year though as he didn't make the top 80 (out of around 800 who started the year). To be honest not many do and those that stay on try for a few years to make the cut to move on. He switched to Sports Science in Nancy and because my own personal situation changed he didn't get a bourse. So our funding had to increase, mainly for rent. There is a way to claim the money you give against Tax you pay, but it also means that they have to go down the Tax declaration route, and we found out too late for this year so I don't know exactly how it works.No2 son has just passed his BAC so he is on his way into Uni land as well, although he is considering the Royal Engineers as a career.I have heard that Holland is a good place to go to Uni, I'm not sure of the costs but a lot of the courses are now taught in English[/quote]And of those 80 who pass first year medecine.......probably 75-80% will be those who are re-sitting their first year. And for those who decide to try their luck at doing that first year all over again, then if they fail, I have known several who head up to Nancy, seems to be the place of choice for failed toubibs. And then sometimes they still have a year of prépa before they start say, training to be a kiné. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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