What does a first year in France cost when your money is in riyals? This budget adds up tuition, the funds the visa requires, the fees you pay in the Kingdom, the cash you need on arrival and monthly life in France, then shows how a move in the euro changes the total.
Which exchange rate does this budget use?
One stated rate, and a test of what happens if the euro moves.
Conversions use the European Central Bank reference rate of 29 October 2026, USD 1.1130 per euro, and the official rate of SAR 3.75 per US dollar, which the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) has committed to maintaining. That gives SAR 4.17375 per euro. Amounts are rounded to the nearest SAR 10.
The peg means your budget does not move with the riyal. It moves with the euro against the dollar. Schools, Service-Public and the French consulates all set their amounts in euros, so treat euro figures as the reference and hold a margin. These are arithmetic examples, not forecasts:
| If the euro were worth | SAR per euro | €877.50 a month | €20,000 of costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| USD 1.05 | 3.94 | SAR 3,460 | SAR 78,750 |
| USD 1.1130 (this guide) | 4.17 | SAR 3,660 | SAR 83,480 |
| USD 1.20 | 4.50 | SAR 3,950 | SAR 90,000 |
On a €20,000 year, those moves add about SAR 6,500 or remove about SAR 4,700, more than the fees and deposit together. A family paying in stages should decide early how much to convert.
How much is tuition?
Set nationally at public institutions, by each school in the private sector.
Campus France publishes the 2026-27 fees for public institutions. Saudi students, like other students from outside the European Union, pay the differentiated rate. Campus France adds that the real cost of a place, between €10,000 and more than €15,000 a year, is largely covered by the State. At private institutions, annual fees generally run from about €6,000 to €18,000 or more, depending on the school and the programme.
| Programme | Per year | In riyals |
|---|---|---|
| Public bachelor’s (Licence) | €2,902 | SAR 12,110 |
| Public master’s | €3,950 | SAR 16,490 |
| Private institution, lower end | €6,000 | SAR 25,040 |
| Private institution, upper end | €18,000 or more | SAR 75,130 or more |
Language can decide which row applies to you: Year 1 of a public Licence requires a French result, and not every public programme is offered in English. If you are still choosing, our guide to studying in France in English for Saudi students compares the routes, and our guide to a master’s in France for Saudi students explains what each one leads to.
How much must you show for the visa?
A legal minimum in euros, separate from tuition and proved with documents.
Service-Public, verified 1 August 2026, requires resources of at least €877.50 a month: about SAR 3,660, or SAR 43,950 for twelve months. The rule is a floor for the file, and your own costs in the Paris region may be well above it.
| How you are funded | What Service-Public lists |
|---|---|
| Your own money | A bank certificate showing a sufficient credit balance |
| A parent or other third party | The sponsor’s ID, plus bank certificates of regular transfers or a sworn statement of the sums paid |
| Several sources | A document for each source, assessed according to your situation |
If you hold a Saudi government scholarship, the ministry’s Safeer platform has a financial guarantee service for scholarship students; ask your cultural mission which letter fits your file. Bank statements, sponsor letters and common errors are explained in our proof of funds guide.
What do you pay before leaving the Kingdom?
Small sums, several of them not refundable.
| Item | Amount | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Campus France pre-consular fee | SAR 300 | Bank transfer. Exempt if admitted through Études en France or on a Saudi-French cooperation programme. Amount from the 2022 guide: check your account |
| VFS Global service fee | SAR 118 | Prepaid online to book. Refundable only if you decide not to lodge before biometrics |
| French visa fee | Set in euros | Converted at the chancellery rate on the day you lodge; not refunded if the visa is refused |
| Optional VFS services | Varies | Premium desk, courier and SMS tracking are extras |
| English test, translations, flights | Varies | Get current quotes. Fares and test fees change too often to print here |
Take the visa guide for Saudi Arabia alongside this table for the order of the steps. Your school deposit may fall in the same weeks, so plan these sums together.
What does housing cost?
Rent is the largest monthly line, and the first payment is a double one.
| Option | Monthly rent | In riyals |
|---|---|---|
| CROUS student residence, Paris | €400 to €450 | SAR 1,670 to SAR 1,880 |
| Private studio, Paris | From €800 | From SAR 3,340 |
| Private studio elsewhere in France | From €400 | From SAR 1,670 |
Campus France says to expect the first month’s rent and the security deposit when you sign. The deposit is generally one month’s rent, the legal maximum, and comes back when you leave the place in the same condition. For a studio at €800, that is €1,600, about SAR 6,680, on day one.
Three things can soften this. CROUS opens its reservation platform to students who come on their own; for this year it opened on 7 July 2026, so check the next date early. VISALE, a free rental guarantee, can stand in for the French guarantor landlords ask for, and Campus France advises starting it before you travel. APL or ALS housing aid may then reduce the rent, subject to eligibility on caf.fr. Home insurance is compulsory before you sign. Our guide to student accommodation near Paris covers the search itself.
Which other costs should you add?
The short list that catches people out.
| Item | Amount | In riyals | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa validation tax | €100 | SAR 420 | Online, within three months of arrival |
| CVEC, 2026-27 | €105 | SAR 440 | Proof needed to register. A foreign-government scholarship is no exemption |
| French Social Security | Free | Free | Registration on ameli; costs reimbursed up to 60% |
| Complementary health cover | Varies | Varies | Optional, strongly recommended by Campus France |
| imagine R Étudiant transport pass | €401.30 a year | SAR 1,670 | Under 26, zones 1 to 5, Île-de-France |
Your full first-year budget in riyals
Two lifestyles, one method, nothing hidden.
The lean column uses the visa floor of €877.50 a month and a €450 deposit. The fuller column uses €1,700 a month, the top of AI2’s estimate of €900 to €1,700 for the Paris region with rent included, and an €800 deposit. Both include the SAR 300 and SAR 118 fees, the €100 tax and the €105 CVEC, between SAR 3,150 and SAR 4,610 with the deposit. Flights, the visa fee and insurance come on top.
| First year | Tuition | Lean | Fuller |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public bachelor’s | €2,902 (SAR 12,110) | SAR 59,210 | SAR 101,870 |
| Public master’s | €3,950 (SAR 16,490) | SAR 63,590 | SAR 106,240 |
| Private programme at €6,000 | €6,000 (SAR 25,040) | SAR 72,140 | SAR 114,800 |
| Private programme at €18,000 | €18,000 (SAR 75,130) | SAR 122,230 | SAR 164,880 |
Outside the Paris region, rents fall sharply: Campus France suggests halving Paris figures on average. The visa floor still applies wherever you live.
Can work or an internship lower the bill?
Yes, but only after you arrive, and never in place of the visa funds.
A student residence permit allows up to 964 hours of paid work a year with no separate authorisation (Service-Public F2713). At the French minimum wage of €12.31 gross an hour, about €9.74 net (Service-Public, verified 1 June 2026), working every one of those hours would bring in about €9,390 net, or SAR 39,190. That is a ceiling, not a plan: a full timetable leaves less room, and a job is never guaranteed. Our guide to working while studying in France explains the rules.
Long internships are paid too. Above two months, the legal minimum is €4.50 an hour in 2026, and Service-Public’s own worked example comes to about €660 a month.
And government scholarships?
A Saudi government scholarship changes this budget completely, but it depends on the ministry’s lists and conditions. Each scheme is explained in our guide to scholarships in France for Saudi students. Check the ministry’s conditions before counting on one.
What would AI2 cost in riyals?
One English-taught option near Paris, on the same method.
AI2, the Applied Institute of Artificial Intelligence, teaches 100% in English on its Écouen campus, 22 minutes from Paris Gare du Nord by Transilien line H. Its first-year figures, using the method above, look like this:
| First year at AI2 | Tuition | Lean | Fuller |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor in Applied AI, Year 1 | €9,000 (SAR 37,560); AI2 scholarships possible | SAR 84,670 | SAR 127,320 |
| MSc Year 1, after scholarship | From €10,500 (SAR 43,820), standard €12,500 | SAR 90,930 | SAR 133,580 |
| 18-month direct entry, after scholarship | From €11,300 (SAR 47,160), standard €13,000; IoT from €11,800 | SAR 94,260 | SAR 136,920 |
The 18-month fee covers the whole format: 1,000 hours in 12 months (500 h Year 2 on campus, 280 h online platform modules, 220 h company project; IoT 920 h), then a six-month internship. The two-year MSc charges each year separately, with Year 2 at €13,000. The Fast-Track, Data Science only, starts in February 2027, lasts 11 months and costs €12,500 (SAR 52,170), or €11,000 (SAR 45,910) for applications before 15 November 2026. The final Bachelor year is €9,900.
Every international candidate is assessed automatically for the AI2 scholarship, with no form: the award is stated in your admission letter, applies to the first year of enrolment, and cannot be combined with other discounts. It lowers tuition, but it does not count towards the €877.50 a month for the visa. Tuition can be paid in instalments, and paying the year in full may count towards the award. Full rules are on AI2 tuition fees and AI2 scholarships.
Work-study is possible from Year 2, not in MSc Year 1 or the Fast-Track: the employer’s training fund then pays tuition and you earn a salary, but it depends on finding an employer and is never guaranteed. Visa guidance is included in tuition, while housing, insurance, travel and visa fees are not. Follow only the payment instructions in your admission documents. Intakes are February, May and September 2027; the priority deadline is 30 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to study in France from Saudi Arabia?
A first year starts near SAR 64,000 for a public master’s, including tuition, twelve months at the visa minimum, fees and a deposit. At a private institution it runs from about SAR 72,000, and much higher in the Paris region at top fees.
How much money do I need for a French student visa in riyals?
At least €877.50 a month, about SAR 3,660, or SAR 43,950 for twelve months at the rate of 29 October 2026. Tuition comes on top.
Is the Saudi riyal rate to the euro fixed?
No. The riyal is pegged to the US dollar at 3.75, so its value against the euro moves with the euro-dollar rate. Keep a margin in your budget.
How much is the Campus France fee in Saudi Arabia?
The Campus France KSA guide of September 2022 gives SAR 300 by bank transfer, with exemptions for students admitted through Études en France and Saudi-French cooperation programmes. Confirm the amount in your account.
What does rent cost in Paris for a Saudi student?
Campus France quotes about €400 to €450 a month for a CROUS room and at least €800 for a private studio, about SAR 3,340. Expect a deposit of one month’s rent when you sign.
Is health insurance free for students in France?
Registering with French Social Security is free. It reimburses costs up to 60%, and Campus France strongly recommends adding a complementary plan, which you pay for yourself.
Can I pay for my studies by working in France?
Part of them, at most. A student permit allows 964 hours of paid work a year, but a job is not guaranteed and earnings cannot replace the funds you show for the visa.
Sources consulted on 30 October 2026: Campus France: tuition fees 2026-27 · Student housing · CVEC · Health and Social Security · Campus France KSA: pre-consular guide, 2022 · Admissions · Find an accommodation · France-Visas: Saudi Arabia · Service-Public F2231 (verified 1 August 2026) · F2713 (verified 7 October 2025) · F2300, minimum wage (verified 1 June 2026) · F32131, internships (verified 1 January 2026) · Saudi Ministry of Education: scholarship · Île-de-France Mobilités: imagine R Étudiant · SAMA: exchange rate policy · ECB: euro reference rates · AI2: tuition fees 2027 · AI2: scholarships
Apply online: AI2 admissions reviews your file, holds an online interview and states your entry year, tuition and any scholarship in your admission letter, so your riyal budget starts from real numbers. Priority deadline for February 2027: 30 November 2026.
