French government withdraws proposed BTS and preparatory class fees

The French government has announced it will withdraw a proposed measure from the 2027 budget that would have introduced registration fees for students in BTS (vocational training) and CPGE (preparatory classes to grandes écoles).

The original proposal sought to charge non-scholarship students 178 euros annually for BTS programs and 270 euros for preparatory classes. Education Minister Edouard Geffray stated that the government would take the initiative to retract the measure following discussions with the Prime Minister and labor unions.

The decision comes in response to intensifying protests and blockades by high school and university students protesting for increased resources. The withdrawal of the measure, specifically Article 54 of the finance bill, is expected to deprive the national education budget of approximately 30 to 33 million euros in revenue.