Study in Perpignan, France

About Perpignan

Perpignan is a city in the far south of France, near the Mediterranean coast and the Spanish border, in the Occitanie region. It had 121,616 inhabitants in 2023, according to INSEE, the French statistics office.

The city has strong Catalan roots: the town hall welcomes visitors with "Bienvenue, Benvingut", in French and Catalan. For students, Perpignan is a smaller alternative to the big French university cities, with a university and French courses for foreigners.

Studying in Perpignan

Our directory lists three schools in Perpignan: one university and two language schools. The Université de Perpignan Via Domitia (UPVD) is a public university with its main campus in Perpignan and branch sites in Narbonne, Font-Romeu and Carcassonne. Its faculties and institutes include an engineering school, an IUT (university institute of technology), an IAE management school and a Franco-Catalan cross-border institute (IFCT). Most degree teaching is in French: Campus France recommends level B1 or B2 for bachelor's and master's studies, though French is not required for programmes taught in English.

For French as a foreign language, the university runs the Centre universitaire d'études françaises (CUEF), which has more than 40 years of experience, offers immersion courses in general French and French for specific purposes all year round, and holds the Qualité FLE label. Among private providers, ALFMED states that it has more than 15 years of experience and native-speaker trainers, teaches on site or by video, prepares for exams such as DELF and DALF, and holds an Erasmus accreditation for 2021-2027. Roussilangues is the other language school in our directory. Campus France recommends choosing a centre with the "qualité FLE" label.

Cost of living for students

• Tuition at public universities (2026-27): €178 a year for a bachelor's and €255 for a master's for EU, EEA and Swiss students; €2,902 and €3,950 for other international students. Every student also pays the CVEC student life contribution, €105 for 2026-27. Private language schools set their own prices.
• Housing: according to Campus France, a room in a Crous university residence costs about €350 a month on average outside Paris, but places are hard to get. The university also points students to Lokaviz, the Crous platform for private rooms and flats.
• Food: the French spend about €300 a month on food on average, and a meal in a university restaurant costs €1.

Getting around and daily life

Sankéo is Perpignan's public transport network, with bus lines across the city and surrounding area, and it offers special fares for students. The main campus on avenue Paul Alduy is served by lines A, C and 13 at the "Campus" stop.

Students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland need a long-stay student visa for studies of more than three months; European students do not need a visa. International students may work up to 964 hours a year, the equivalent of 60% of full-time hours.

Frequently asked questions

Can I learn French at the university in Perpignan?

Yes. The university's Centre universitaire d'études françaises (CUEF) runs French courses for foreigners all year round and holds the Qualité FLE label.

Is there a university in Perpignan?

Yes, the Université de Perpignan Via Domitia, a public university with its main campus in Perpignan and sites in Narbonne, Font-Romeu and Carcassonne.

How do students get to the Perpignan campus?

By Sankéo bus: lines A, C and 13 stop at "Campus" on avenue Paul Alduy, and Sankéo has special fares for students.