MSc / FAQ - Tuition fees, cost of living and scholarships
- What is the cost of living when studying at Telecom Bretagne?
- Can Telecom Bretagne help me get a scholarship?
- How do I apply for a scholarship? When?
- What about the partial fee waiver?
- Are tuition fees different for students coming from partner universities?
- Must I pay some part of the tuition fees before I come? What is the payment schedule?
- Higher education is free in some European countries, why should I pay in France?
- Can I work part-time in order to get some funding?
- Is it true that the tuition fees for the Master of Engineering programme are much lower than those for the Master of Science programme?
- What are the differences between an application through Telecom Bretagne's website and an application via the n+i network?
C1. What is the cost of living when studying at Telecom Bretagne?
The great advantage of studying at Telecom Bretagne is that living expenses are about half the cost in big cities in Europe such as Paris or London. Nevertheless, it has to be underlined that living in France is quite expensive compared to some other countries outside Europe.
A single room on Telecom Bretagne's campus and all meals come to about €500 per month (room: €250 - €300, meals: €3 per meal approximately).
For more details, visit the Campus life section and download our Student Guidebook.
C2. Can Telecom Bretagne help me get a scholarship?
Telecom Bretagne does its utmost to help students get financial support. Only the best student files with exceptional academic records are submitted to the "Fondation Telecom" and to other institutions mainly related to sponsor companies. The number of scholarships is limited and varies each year depending on the sponsors' donations to the foundations.
Decisions are generally made in April.
C3. How do I apply for a scholarship? When?
Applying specifically for a scholarship is not necessary but it can be mentioned in the funding section of students' MSc programme online application. After been admitted and their documents (certified hard copies) have been received at Telecom Bretagne, students are informed about a possible scholarship.
It is important to be aware that Telecom Scholarships for Excellence are aimed at outstanding students graduated from renowned universities only.
Please also note that interviews are compulsory for scholarship applicants. Generally videoconference (Skype) is used but meeting Telecom Bretagne's professors is recommended when possible (e.g. during student fairs or when visiting faculty members come to applicants' university in the framework of international partnerships).
C4. What about the partial fee waiver?
Students can be awarded a partial fee waiver (discount/rebate) in order to help them fund their studies. The decision depends on the quality of each student file and is announced along with the admission letter.
When fee waivers are applied, rebates can be as much as 25% and rarely 50%. Partial fee waivers policy is regulated by Institut Telecom in Paris. Therefore intending to negotiate with Telecom Bretagne is irrelevant.
C5. Are tuition fees different for students coming from partner universities?
Generally students from partner universities are awarded a rebate which depends on the agreement between institutions. The value of this rebate is mentioned on the admission letter.
C6. Must I pay some part of the tuition fees before I come? What is the payment schedule?
Yes, students must pay 20% of the tuition fees in advance even in cases where they are anticipating a scholarship. It is important to notice that most scholarships cannot cover all tuition fees and living expenses for 2 years. Coming to France for such a long period of time is not recommended for students who cannot fund part of their expenses.
Payment schedule:
- The initial payment of 20% of the fees can be done after the reception of the admission letter in order to confirm enrollment. The deadline for this first payment is June 1st (i.e. 2 months before arrival).
- The 2nd payment represents 50% of the tuition fees. It is due on December 1st of the 1st year (M1).
- The 3rd and final payment (30%) is due on October 1st of the 2nd year (M2).
C7. Higher education is free in some European countries, why should I pay in France?
It is true, some Masters' programmes are still free or almost free in a limited number of European countries and in French Universities. In French Engineering Schools and Business Schools tuition fees depend on the programmes. Things are changing because governments cannot afford it any more due to the increasing number of international students who chose relatively cheap destinations for their higher education.
It has to be underlined that the real cost of education in French Graduate Engineering Schools is around €20,000 per student per year. This means that a 2-year MSc programme costs the French State €40,000. In some countries such as Australia, the UK and the US, the tuition fees correspond at least to the real cost. In France this is not the case yet. Regarding countries still without fees, the situation is going to change quite soon simply because it is impossible to support higher education for so many people using public funding.
C8. Can I work part-time in order to get some funding?
Working part-time is legal in France for international students who hold a long-stay student visa (maximum: 964 hours per year). However, finding such a job is very difficult and definitely not recommended when studying in a French Graduate Engineering School. Actually, almost full-time dedication to studies is absolutely necessay since MSc programmes are very demanding. Getting the basics and advanced knowledge right in science and French language is a real challenge. Spending too much time working for other purposes is definitely detrimental.
Nevertheless, some MSc students stay in France during holidays between year 1 (M1) and year 2 (M2) and work in Telecom Bretagne's research laboratories. Such opportunities have to be negociated with the professors during M1.
C9. Is it true that the tuition fees for the Master of Engineering programme are much lower than those for the Master of Science programme?
Yes, the tuition fees for the Master of Engineering programme are approxiamately €1,150 per year. Such low fees are made possible thanks to French government subsidies. Nevertheless, due to the limited number of places and severe requirements in Mathematics, Physics and French, competition for enrollment is quite tough.
Students interested in this programme have to apply directly to a specific cluster of Graduate Engineering Schools ("AST Grandes Ecoles"). Online application is open between mid-January and mid-March. Entrance exams are organized in May and interviews take place in June. See Student's profiles section for more information and useful links.
C10. What are the differences between an application through Telecom Bretagne's website and an application via the n+i network?
The application procedures are different but the MSc programmes are the same. Applying through n+i costs €1000 more due to specific registration and services. Additional packages are on offer before the MSc programme starts: a 1-day (€500) or 4-day (€1000) "Cultural Integration Package" (including insurance, transfers etc.) in Paris in July followed by a 7-week "Language Integration Package" (Intensive French language course) in Brest including insurance and transfers (€2000).
Please note that n+i website uses proprietary wording to designate the 2 main types of Master's programmes (not in use in Graduate Engineering Schools and Universities):
- "Master i" means Master of Science
- "Master n+" means Master of Engineering
Following n+i regulations and the agreement with Telecom Bretagne, applications cannot be tranferred from one system to another. Therefore it is not possible to apply directly to Telecom Bretagne if the initial application was made through n+i network.
Payments to n+i are independent from those of Telecom Bretagne. As an exemple, you must pay the €300 deposit directly to n+i. In some cases (scholarship pending, etc.), students can request a delay until they know they can get funding.
