Study abroad in France: the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) covers medically necessary treatment under French rules, but not repatriation. German citizens need no visa, as an ID card or passport is enough. Campus France puts monthly living costs at 600 to 800 euros.
Study abroad in France at a glance
| Item | Details (as of October 2026) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance | The EHIC is valid in France, repatriation is not covered | European Commission, German federal portal |
| Visa | Not required, registration may be requested after three months | German Federal Foreign Office, Your Europe |
| Tuition at public universities 2026/27 | Licence 178 euros, Master 255 euros per year, waived for Erasmus+ students at the host university | etudiant.gouv.fr, Erasmus+ |
| Living costs | 600 to 800 euros per month | Campus France |
| Auslands-BAföG (German study abroad grant) | Possible, responsible office: Kreisverwaltung Mainz-Bingen | German Student Services (DSW) |
All details are general information, not individual advice. The linked official pages are authoritative.
How are you insured in France?
EHIC and your statutory health insurer
France is an EU member, so the EHIC applies there. It is on the back of your German health insurance card. According to the German federal portal, it entitles you to medically necessary care, especially emergency care and ongoing treatment of chronic conditions, on the same terms as people insured in the host country. The German Federal Foreign Office confirms that statutorily insured travellers in France receive necessary treatment with the card or a replacement certificate.
The card is tied to statutory health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, GKV). Whether your cover continues unchanged during your semester abroad depends on your enrolment in Germany and on your insurer. Get the arrangement confirmed in writing before you leave and check that the card is valid until the end of your stay. If you have private insurance, start with our guide Health insurance during a semester abroad (in German).
What does your German insurer pay?
With the card, treatment is billed under the rules of the host country. According to the Federal Government Commissioner for Patients, your insurer does not cover co-payments made abroad, although they count towards your co-payment limit. Keep all receipts. If you pay for treatment yourself first, the German federal portal says your insurer reimburses at most what comparable treatment would have cost in Germany, minus an administrative deduction. Inpatient treatment in the EU and planned treatment need prior approval.
The French student social security scheme
According to Campus France, students from an EU country with a valid EHIC do not have to enrol in the French student social security scheme. The card should be valid at least until the end of the academic year. Without the card, enrolment is required. The page carries no date, so ask your host university to confirm the rule.
Private travel health insurance and repatriation
The card does not replace travel health insurance. Treatment that can wait until you return and repatriation to Germany are not covered. The German Federal Foreign Office advises travel health and repatriation insurance for the whole stay. The federal portal names higher co-payments abroad and repatriation costs as a residual risk that private travel health insurance can cover. What you need depends on your contract, your university and the length of your stay. For background, see Travel health insurance for Erasmus, the USA and Work and Travel (in German).
Do you need a visa for France?
No. The German Federal Foreign Office lists no visa requirement for German citizens in France. A passport, a provisional passport or an ID card is accepted. Documents other than the provisional ID card may have expired up to one year ago. Note that internal border checks take place at land borders and at air and sea ports.
For stays of more than three months, the European Commission names three conditions: enrolment at a recognised institution, comprehensive health insurance and sufficient resources. After three months, the host country may ask you to register. Keep these documents ready:
- A valid ID card or passport
- Proof of enrolment at the host university
- Proof of comprehensive health insurance, which for statutorily insured students is the EHIC
- Proof of sufficient resources, the European Commission names no fixed minimum amount
The Federal Foreign Office notes that France has applied the middle of three terror alert levels since June 2026 and that protests and strikes may occur. According to the page (as of 24 October 2026), there is no travel warning. Check the current travel and safety advice before you leave.
What does a semester in France cost?
Tuition fees
According to etudiant.gouv.fr (page of 26 June 2026), public universities charge annual registration fees of 178 euros for the Licence and 255 euros for the Master in 2026/27. These rates also apply to nationals of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland. The student levy CVEC of 105 euros is added. As an Erasmus+ exchange student you pay no fees for tuition, enrolment and examinations at the host university, although small charges, for example for insurance or the student union, may apply. According to etudiant.gouv.fr, the CVEC does not apply to exchange students who pay no registration fees in France.
Living costs
Campus France cites a monthly budget of 600 to 800 euros for food, transport and housing and notes that it depends on the location and type of accommodation. The page carries no date. Housing costs differ markedly between Paris and other cities, so ask your host university about student residence prices.
Funding: Erasmus+ and Auslands-BAföG
Your university sets the monthly Erasmus+ grant, which depends on country groups. The National Agency at the DAAD names no amount, so ask your international office. For more, see Planning Erasmus and a semester abroad (in German).
Auslands-BAföG, the German study abroad grant, is available for part of a degree abroad. According to the German Student Services, the Kreisverwaltung Mainz-Bingen (Office for Educational Funding) is responsible for France, telephone +49 6132 787-3230. According to the leaflet (as of January 2026), you need a permanent residence in Germany, funding starts at the earliest in the month of application, and you should apply online about six months before you start. It includes a one-off travel allowance, a health insurance supplement and tuition fees of up to 5,600 euros for a maximum of one year. Details are in Auslands-BAföG: requirements, amount and supplements (in German).
Worked example: For a five-month Erasmus+ semester and a monthly budget of 600 to 800 euros, living costs come to 3,000 to 4,000 euros. If you enrol as a free mover in a Master at a public university, add the 255 euro registration fee and the 105 euro CVEC, 360 euros in total, which gives 3,360 to 4,360 euros. Travel, travel health insurance and your home university semester fee are not included. The total is a guide, not a commitment.
Steps before you leave
- Ask your insurer to confirm in writing how you are insured during your semester abroad before you sign the learning agreement.
- Check the validity of your EHIC and order a new card in good time if needed.
- Ask the host university whether the card exempts you from the French student social security scheme.
- Take out travel health and repatriation insurance if your cover does not include repatriation and treatment that can wait.
- If you receive funding, submit your Auslands-BAföG application to the Kreisverwaltung Mainz-Bingen about six months before you start.
- Ask your international office about the Erasmus+ grant and the host university fees.
- Keep your ID card or passport, proof of enrolment and proof of insurance ready for a possible registration after three months.
Frequently asked questions
Does my EHIC work in France?
Yes, for medically necessary treatment in the French system. Treatment that can wait and repatriation are not covered. Without the card, Campus France says you must enrol in the French student social security scheme.
Do I need a visa for France?
No. German citizens need only an ID card or passport. After three months, France may ask you to register.
Do I have to pay tuition fees in France?
Not as an Erasmus+ student for tuition, enrolment and examinations. As a free mover at a public university, fees in 2026/27 are 178 euros (Licence) or 255 euros (Master) per year plus the CVEC of 105 euros.
Who handles Auslands-BAföG for France?
The Kreisverwaltung Mainz-Bingen, Office for Educational Funding. It also covers Andorra and Monaco.
Does my insurer pay for repatriation?
The German federal portal describes no statutory benefit for repatriation and names repatriation costs as a residual risk that private travel health insurance can cover. Ask your insurer about the scope of cover.
Sources
- German Federal Foreign Office, France: travel and safety advice (page of 24 October 2026)
- European Commission, Your Europe: Studying in another EU country (last changed 30 September 2026)
- European Commission, social security FAQ: European Health Insurance Card (undated)
- German federal portal, health insurance abroad (last updated 6 December 2022, in German)
- Federal Government Commissioner for Patients, leaflet on cover abroad (undated, in German)
- Campus France, health, healthcare and healthcare mutuals (undated)
- Campus France, what is the cost of life in France (undated)
- etudiant.gouv.fr, registration fees 2026/2027 (26 June 2026, in French)
- etudiant.gouv.fr, CVEC (2026/2027, in French)
- European Commission, Erasmus+: studying abroad, fee waiver
- DAAD, National Agency for Erasmus+ higher education: studying abroad with Erasmus+ (undated, in German)
- German Student Services, Auslands-BAföG leaflet (as of January 2026, in German)
Sources accessed on 25 October 2026.
Related guides
- Health insurance during a semester abroad (in German)
- Auslands-BAföG: requirements, amount and supplements (in German)
- Semester abroad in Spain (in German)
- Semester abroad in Italy (in German)
- All countries for your semester abroad (in German)
You can find the online check at check.academycon.de.
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
