France Student Visa: Income Threshold Now €877/Month
Since 2002, the minimum financial resources required for non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals to obtain or renew a student residence permit in France had been fixed at €615 per month. Decree no. 2026-526 of 22 June 2026 ends 24 years of stagnation.
From 1 August 2026, the threshold will be aligned with the gross minimum wage (SMIC), at approximately €877.50 per month. The amount will be reviewed at least once a year by ministerial order, with no new decree required.
From €615 to €877.50/Month: Three Points of the Decree
✅ A threshold set at 47% of the gross minimum wage (SMIC). The new Article R. 422-2 of the CESEDA, effective 1 August 2026, sets the financial resources requirement at 47% of the gross SMIC. This rate replaces the previous reference to the scholarship maintenance allowance, frozen since 2002. The threshold rises from €615 to €877.50 — an increase of €262 per month.
✅ Automatic annual indexation. The amount will be updated at least once a year by ministerial order and indexed to inflation. This mechanism marks a break with 24 years of stagnation.
✅ Both initial applications and renewals are affected. The decree applies to all applications submitted from 1 August 2026, whether first-time or renewal. It also covers France’s overseas collectivities: Wallis-et-Futuna, French Polynesia, and New Caledonia.
From 1 July 2026 (Decree no. 2026-552 of 27 June 2026), non-EU/EEA/Swiss students who are not scholarship holders lose access to French housing benefits (APL, ALS, ALF). Key exception: students on work-study contracts (contrat de professionnalisation or apprenticeship) and those in paid employment retain their eligibility.
Our Analysis
The €262 monthly increase has a direct impact on your employees’ files. For companies managing foreign employees whose spouse or children are in France under a student permit, the level of resources to be demonstrated changes on 1 August.
Proof-of-funds documents prepared on the basis of €615 must be updated before any new application or renewal is submitted. The new threshold applicable from 1 August 2026 is €877.50 per month.
Before 1 August: Three Steps to Take Now
- Update your admission and renewal checklists before 1 August 2026. The threshold rises from €615 to approximately €877/month.
- Identify employees whose spouse or children are in France under a student or work-study permit. These files are subject to the same increase as first-time applications.
- For nationals from countries covered by a specific bilateral agreement, verify whether the new threshold applies under the same conditions. Residence rules may differ from the standard CESEDA framework.
Anticipate compliance across all new applications and renewals. France Immigration manages 400+ international student files every year.
Frequently Asked Questions
The decree sets the threshold at 47% of the gross monthly SMIC — approximately €877.50 as of 1 August 2026 based on the current SMIC. This amount is not fixed: it will change automatically with each SMIC uprating, updated at least annually by ministerial order, and potentially more often. The SMIC has been uprated twice in some years depending on inflation. The €877.50 figure is a starting point, not a definitive amount.
No. The decree applies only to residence permit applications submitted from 1 August 2026, including both initial applications and renewals. Files already under review at that date are not retroactively affected.
Yes. Any non-EU/EEA/Swiss national admitted to France under a student permit is subject to the new threshold, regardless of the parent’s or spouse’s situation. Mobility teams managing family files must integrate the new threshold into their renewal processes.
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- Mandatory formalities to complete
- The administrations responsible for the procedures
- Required documents
- Immigration statuses
