No progress over 'illegal' uni fees

A THIRD of universities continue to break the law by charging excessive admission fees for the most sought-after courses, France's national student union Unef has claimed.

The union says 28 out of 94 universities are breaking the rules - the same number as last year - despite assurances by the government that it would take action to stop the practice.

University admission fees in France are set nationally: this year they are €177 for an undergraduate degree, €245 for a masters and €372 for a doctorate.

However, Unef claims a number of universities add hidden fees on top, under a different name, especially for courses that are over-subscribed and have the best job prospects, such as business.

In its annual report, the union says the additional charges range from a few euros at some universities to €4,500 for certain courses at Aix-Marseille 3, €2,750 at Toulouse 1 and €2,255 at Pau.

Unef says this is the seventh consecutive year that it has highlighted the problem to the education ministry. It says the fees act as a barrier for students from middle-income families who are not eligible for a means-tested grant.

Former higher education minister Valérie Pécresse said last year that she was keeping a close eye on excessive fees.

Her replacement, Laurent Wauqiez, told RMC radio this week that he had asked local education authorities to take action against universities found to be breaking the rules. He said the ministry would be "very vigilant on this subject".

He said some of the fees might be legal, provided they are for a specific service and are not compulsory. The ministry claims that France is one of the cheapest countries in the world for going to university.