The essentials

  • Erasmus+ covers students from the EU, EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway), Switzerland, North Macedonia, Serbia and Türkiye ;
  • UK students no longer participate in Erasmus+ since 1 January 2021 — they use the UK's Turing Scheme instead ;
  • Monthly grants in France range from €350 to €600 depending on city cost of living and home country ;
  • Apply through your home university's international office, not directly to the French institution.

Who is eligible for Erasmus+ in France in 2026?

Erasmus+ is open to students enrolled at a higher-education institution in a participating country. Your home university must have an inter-institutional agreement with the French university you want to attend. The programme covers undergraduate, master's and doctoral students, and increasingly short doctoral mobility (3-12 months).

Participating countries in 2026

  • All 27 EU member states ;
  • EEA countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway ;
  • Switzerland via the bilateral Swiss-European Mobility Programme (effectively Erasmus equivalent) ;
  • EU candidate or associated countries: North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye ;
  • Limited mobility ("Erasmus Mundus" and partner-country windows) for students from elsewhere — through specific bilateral agreements only.

UK students: the Turing Scheme since Brexit

The UK left Erasmus+ on 1 January 2021 and replaced it with the Turing Scheme. Turing offers UK students mobility to any country worldwide (not just Europe), with similar grant amounts. The application is run by the home UK university, the same way Erasmus is.

Practically, for a UK student going to France in 2026:

  • You apply through your UK university's international office under the Turing Scheme — not Erasmus ;
  • Your French host university still treats you as an exchange student under existing agreements ;
  • You will need a French long-stay student visa for stays over 3 months — UK students no longer have free movement ;
  • Healthcare is no longer covered automatically — you need a UK GHIC card for short stays, or French PUMa registration if you're staying long enough.

How to apply

Applications run a year ahead of the actual mobility. Concrete deadlines vary by university but the typical calendar is:

  • October-December of the year before mobility: home-university selection process — application form, motivation letter, transcripts, language proof ;
  • January-March: nomination of selected students to the host French university ;
  • April-June: signing of the Learning Agreement (your study plan) and host enrolment ;
  • July-August: visa application (non-EU only), accommodation booking, last-minute admin ;
  • Late August / early September: arrival in France, registration at the host university.

The cornerstone document is the Learning Agreement, which lists every course you'll take in France and how it will count back home. Get it signed by all three parties (home, host, you) before you leave — changing courses once you're in France is administratively painful.

Grant amounts in 2026

Erasmus+ grants for studies in France are set by your home country's national agency, with EU-wide minimum and maximum brackets. France is classed in the highest cost-of-living tier ("Group 1"), so grants are at the top of the range.

Indicative monthly Erasmus+ grants for France
Home country group Indicative monthly grant for France
Group 1 (Western/Northern Europe)€350-450
Group 2 (Southern Europe)€450-550
Group 3 (Eastern Europe)€500-600

A top-up of €250/month is available for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, students with disabilities, and those who travel by train or low-carbon transport ("green travel" supplement). Doctoral students follow a different scheme based on day rates.

In practice, Paris is significantly more expensive than the grant covers — most students need additional funding from family, savings, part-time work or a French CAF housing grant.

Finding accommodation

Apply for university accommodation as soon as you're nominated — places are limited and demand is high. The main options:

  • CROUS (regional student halls) — subsidised rooms at €200-450/month, allocated by social criteria. Apply through trouverunlogement.lescrous.fr ;
  • University halls through your host institution ;
  • Private student residences (Studapart, Adèle, Studea, Cardinal Campus) — €600-1,200/month including services ;
  • Private flatshares on La Carte des Colocs, Roomlala, Appartager — typical €500-900/month in major cities, more in Paris ;
  • Direct rentals on SeLoger, LeBonCoin, PAP — usually need a guarantor.

If you don't have a French guarantor, the public Visale scheme covers students under 30 free of charge. See our full student accommodation guide.

The APL housing grant

All students in France — including foreign Erasmus students — can apply for APL, a means-tested housing benefit paid by the CAF. Application takes 1-2 months and requires a French bank account. Typical APL for a student paying €600 rent in a French city: €100-200/month. Apply on caf.fr as soon as your lease is signed. See our APL guide.

First-week admin checklist

A typical Erasmus arrival in France involves a sequence of bureaucratic steps. Doing them in order saves headaches:

  1. Validate your visa (non-EU only) on ANEF within 3 months of arrival ;
  2. Sign your lease and complete the état des lieux at move-in ;
  3. Open a French bank account — need ID, visa, and proof of address ;
  4. Get a French SIM card — pre-paid options at Free, Orange, Lebara ;
  5. Register at your host university and collect your student card ;
  6. Apply for APL through caf.fr ;
  7. Register with French health insurance (PUMa) for stays over 3 months — students under 28 register through their institution.

Most French universities run an integration week (semaine d'accueil) that walks you through these in groups — attending it cuts the admin time roughly in half.

Healthcare during your stay

EU/EEA/Swiss students stay covered by their home country's social security through the EHIC for the duration of their Erasmus stay. Carry your card with you to receive care under the same conditions as French students.

UK students post-Brexit need a GHIC for short stays (under 6 months); for longer stays, you may need to register with the French system or take out private insurance. The university's international office can advise based on your specific situation.

Non-EU/EEA students arriving for a full academic year register with French Sécurité Sociale through the simplified student procedure on etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr. The process is free and takes a few weeks. A mutuelle complémentaire top-up insurance is recommended on top — student-targeted offers from LMDE, Heyme or Smerep cost €15-30/month.

For more, see our healthcare in France hub.

Making the most of Erasmus in France

  • Use the ESN network (Erasmus Student Network) — every French university has a chapter that organises trips, language tandems, integration events ;
  • The Carte Jeunes Européenne (under-30 European Youth Card) gives discounts on transport, museums, restaurants across Europe ;
  • Courses in English: most major universities now offer dedicated English-taught programmes, especially at master's level — useful if your French isn't B1 yet ;
  • Join your host's French as a Foreign Language (FLE) classes — typically free or low-cost for international students ;
  • Travel: a Carte Avantage Jeune (€49/year) gives 30% off SNCF train tickets for under-27s.

Plan to come at least one week before classes start — sorting your housing, bank account and admin in your first week leaves the rest of the semester free for what you came for.