Italy or France: which is better value for a Russian student in 2026/27

There is no single winner. Italy may work out cheaper where regional support is available and family income is properly documented. France publishes national rates, and exemptions from the higher fee exist in defined cases. Compare actual offers from named universities, not marketing claims that one country is cheap.

• In Italy the fees charged by a public university depend on its own rules, the programme and often the family’s financial situation.
• For 2026/27, France has published rates of €2,902 for a bachelor’s degree and €3,950 for a master’s for non-EU students at some public institutions; exemptions and other rates are checked separately.
• After a Russian school education, the Italian route usually requires the missing twelfth year to be made up; in France a Russian school leaver may apply to the first year, but the university makes the decision.
• Scholarships are not awarded automatically: level of study, nationality, programme and a separate deadline are checked in every call for applications.

Italy or France in brief

The table shows what to check; it does not replace costing a specific offer. In both countries a private university, a business school or a specialised programme may cost considerably more than the public rate.

What study in Italy costs

The official Study in Italy portal states that public universities usually charge less than private ones, and that the amount payable may depend on the degree course and on the declared family income. There is no single national price that applies to every international student. A budget therefore needs three lines: the tuition fees for the specific programme, the compulsory regional charge and any other university charges.

Even where a university uses an income-based scale, Russian financial documents must meet its requirements for content, translation, legalisation and deadlines. An incomplete set of documents may mean the highest band rather than a reduction. Check the conditions on the page of the university you choose before you apply.

Scholarships available in Italy

Funding in Italy is not one programme. MAECI, Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, runs a government call for applications for foreign students, but the 2026/27 call is aimed mainly at master’s study, AFAM programmes (Higher Education for Fine Arts, Music and Dance), research and language courses; it cannot be treated as a general scholarship for undergraduate study. The 2026/27 call closed on 26 March 2026, so the next cycle must be checked against a new official announcement.

Regional authorities and universities publish calls of their own. These may take account of family income, academic record, residence and timely registration. Eligibility for a Russian citizen is confirmed only by the region’s or the university’s current call. It is worth building a funding strategy alongside the list of programmes rather than after enrolment.

What study in France costs

Campus France has published the 2026/27 rates for non-EU students at public institutions under the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research: €2,902 a year for a bachelor’s degree and €3,950 a year for a master’s. These figures cannot be carried across to the Grandes Écoles, business schools and specialised programmes, which set their own fees.

Exemptions from the higher fee exist. Some are tied to government scholarships or to agreements; others may be granted by the institution itself. An exemption is not automatic: the applicant must check the chosen institution’s rules and show that they qualify.

Scholarships in France for students from Russia

Campus France Russie confirms a programme run by the French Embassy in Russia for Russian students applying to French master’s programmes for 2026/27. Under the published terms the award was €860 a month and covered the visa fee and the Campus France procedure fee, together with insurance and help with accommodation. Applications closed on 20 February 2026; that is a fact about the 2026/27 cycle, not a promise of the same terms in the next one.

Beyond the embassy programme, universities and schools run calls of their own. No single rule covers them: in some cases the funding application is built into the application for a place, in others it is submitted separately, and who may apply depends on the programme and the level.

Applying with a Russian qualification

After school

Italian rules are built on 12 years of prior education. Because Russian schooling lasts eleven years, the missing year is usually covered by a successfully completed first year of university study, a suitable post-school qualification or a Foundation Year. The university still checks the subjects and the documents.

Campus France Russie states that a Russian school leaver may apply to the first year of a French university on the same basis as other applicants. That is a right to apply, not a promise of a place: language, academic results, motivation, fit with the programme and the availability of places are all assessed.

After a bachelor’s degree

For entry to a master’s, both countries assess the degree, the academic transcript, and the subject content of the previous degree. The name of a Russian bachelor’s degree does not by itself decide eligibility: what decides it is the content of the previous programme and the requirements of the specific master’s programme.

Italy or France: who each country suits

Italy makes sense for an applicant ready to assemble financial documents in advance and to match regional calls against named universities. France may be stronger for someone who has settled on a particular French institution, who has the French required and who understands that institution’s fee model.

If the choice still rests only on a country’s average price, it has been made too early. Compare three to five real programmes first, then add the cost of living, the funding available, the requirements for prior education and the application timetable. A route across Europe can start with the EDMONT country overview.