Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University approved on Monday an increase in registration fees for some non-EU students, despite strong opposition. Adopted under budget constraints, the measure exempts exiled students and those from the least developed countries. Teachers and students denounce it as discriminatory and unrealistic.
During a board meeting on Monday, Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University voted to lift the exemption on differentiated registration fees for some non-EU students. The vote resulted in 18 in favor, 15 against, and 3 abstentions, according to information provided to AFP.
This decision, enabled by the national 'Bienvenue en France' strategy launched in 2019, had not been implemented by Paris 1 until now. It targets extra-European students, excluding 'exiled students' and those from the 44 least developed countries listed by the UN. Fees will now rise to 2,895 euros for a bachelor's degree (from 178 euros previously) and 3,941 euros for a master's (from 254 euros), based on Campus France data.
The university attributed the move to ongoing budget pressures from the state, stating it was 'voted reluctantly' and hoping to revisit it once finances stabilize.
Opposition is strong. Around 100 teachers, researchers, and staff published a tribune on Afrique XXI, labeling the changes 'discriminatory patches' with 'catastrophic' effects. Marie-Emmanuelle Pommerolle, a lecturer in political science at Paris 1 and signatory, called the increase a 'red line,' highlighting its burden on students from the Maghreb, Africa, or Latin America, already facing visa and living costs. 'Asking them to pay 4,000 euros seems unrealistic,' she said.
An assembly of 200 people had opposed it the previous week. Luz Duchowney, a student board member for the Le Poing Levé association, described the announcement as a 'huge attack' and vowed continued mobilization. In a statement, Le Poing Levé rejects the Sorbonne adopting 'national preference' in student admissions.