For many African students, securing admission abroad is no longer the hardest part. New financial demands in France and tighter visa rules in the United States are raising the cost, risk, and uncertainty of studying overseas.
In Cameroon, students and parents have protested outside the French embassy in Yaoundé after new financial requirements threatened to prevent successful applicants from taking up their university places.
Student visa applicants in Cameroon may now need to demonstrate access to as much as €25,000, including tuition and processing costs, before receiving a visa to study in France. The requirement followed a July 9 announcement by Campus France Cameroon directing applicants to prove that they had paid their tuition fees in full or had enough money to cover the entire cost.
The measure came after some applicants had already submitted their documents, paid registration fees, and agreed on installment plans with their institutions.
Protesters have asked French authorities to delay the requirement until the next admission cycle and allow applicants who began the process under the previous conditions to complete it.
France Raises Tuition for Non-EU Students
The dispute comes as studying in France becomes more expensive for students from outside the European Union.
In May, the French government ordered universities to raise tuition fees for most non-EU students from the start of the next academic year.
Under the new structure, a bachelor’s degree at a French public university will cost nearly €3,000 per year, up from €178. Some private university programmes cost about €14,500, while registration fees can reach €3,500.
Although universities may allow families to settle the balance in installments, applicants may now have to prove that they possess the full amount before traveling.
US Tightens Rules for Foreign Students
Meanwhile, the United States is introducing tighter conditions for international students, exchange visitors, and foreign journalists.
Under the new regulations:
a)Admission periods for students and exchange visa holders would not exceed four years (though extensions may be possible)
b)The period students have to leave the US after completing their studies would fall from 60 to 30 days
c)Graduate students would be prohibited from changing their “educational objectives” during their programmes or transferring to another institution without authorization
d)Foreign journalists would receive admission periods of up to 240 days (down from multiple years)
Those seeking to remain beyond their approved period would need to apply to the Department of Homeland Security for an extension or leave the country and seek readmission.
The measures form part of President Donald Trump’s broader immigration crackdown since returning to office in January 2025.
The Bottom Line
African students face rising financial and regulatory barriers in both France and the United States. France has raised non-EU tuition fees to nearly €3,000 per year and now requires proof of up to €25,000 in available funds before granting student visas. The US has shortened student visa admission periods to four years and reduced the post-study departure window from 60 to 30 days. Students in Cameroon have protested the new French requirements, asking for a delay until the next admission cycle.
