France raises financial requirement for Moroccan students seeking study visas

Moroccan students planning to study in France will soon have to demonstrate significantly greater financial resources after the French government raised the minimum proof-of-funds requirement for international students applying for visas and residence permits.

The measure, published in France’s Official Journal on June 24 after being signed two days earlier, will take effect on Aug. 1. It applies to applications for long-stay student visas and student residence permits submitted on or after that date.

Under the new rules, non-European Union students, including Moroccans, must demonstrate monthly financial resources equivalent to 47% of France’s gross monthly minimum wage, known as the SMIC.

Based on the current gross monthly SMIC of €1,867.02, applicants will need to show they have approximately €878 per month available to cover their living expenses. Previously, international students were required to demonstrate fixed monthly resources of €615.

Unlike the previous system, the financial threshold will no longer be fixed. French authorities said it will be updated at least once a year and indexed to inflation, allowing it to increase in line with the cost of living.

The French government said the reform is intended to ensure international students have sufficient financial means during their stay. Officials noted that the previous €615 threshold had remained unchanged since 2002 despite rising living costs across the country.

The change follows recommendations issued by France’s Court of Auditors in a March 2025 report, which concluded that the existing requirement no longer reflected the actual cost of living for international students.

French authorities also said the new benchmark better aligns with existing regulations allowing international students to work part-time while studying. Under French law, foreign students may work within established legal limits, and the government said the new threshold corresponds to roughly 60% of the net monthly minimum wage.

The measure is expected to have particular significance for Morocco, one of the largest countries of origin for international students in France. Thousands of Moroccan students apply to French universities each year, particularly after receiving their baccalaureate results.

The higher proof-of-funds requirement also forms part of France’s broader effort to reform its international student policy. The government has also announced plans under its “Choose France for Higher Education” strategy to increase tuition fees for many non-EU students beginning with the 2026 academic year, although implementation may vary depending on individual universities and available exemption schemes.