CVEC for international students in Bordeaux: the 2026-2027 amount, who's exempt (scholarship holders, refugees, some Erasmus) and how to get your certificate.
The CVEC (Contribution de vie étudiante et de campus, a mandatory student-life and campus contribution) must be settled before you can enrol at any French higher-education institution. For the 2026-2027 academic year, it costs €105 (official source: etudiant.gouv.fr). You pay it — or claim your exemption — online at cvec.etudiant.gouv.fr, which generates a certificate your university will ask for to validate your enrolment. Some profiles are exempt: scholarship holders, refugees, asylum seekers, and Erasmus+ exchange students who don't pay tuition fees in France.
What is the CVEC, and why can't you enrol without it?
As you prepare to enrol at a university in Bordeaux, you'll keep bumping into four letters: CVEC. Don't panic — it's not a hidden trap. The CVEC for international students is a contribution that funds health services, sport, culture, prevention and social support on your campus (etudiant.gouv.fr). In plain terms, it pays for the student services you'll actually use: the health centre, student societies, sports activities.
Here's the key point: its certificate is mandatory to finalise your administrative enrolment (the formal registration step that gets you your student card). No CVEC certificate, no student card. That's why you deal with it before enrolling, not after.
How much is the CVEC in 2026-2027?
For the 2026-2027 academic year, the CVEC costs €105 (etudiant.gouv.fr). It's a single national amount: the same in Bordeaux, Lille or Paris.
One warning: this amount is revised every year (indexed to inflation). A figure you spot on an old forum or a last-year article may well be wrong. Always check the current amount directly on the official site cvec.etudiant.gouv.fr before you pay.
Who has to pay, and who is exempt?
You're liable as soon as you enrol in initial training (a degree course, as opposed to an exchange) at a higher-education institution in France. But several profiles are exempt — they don't pay, yet still have to collect an exemption certificate. Here's the key table:
| Your profile | CVEC 2026-2027 | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| International student in a degree programme (paying tuition fees in France) | Pay: €105 | Payment on cvec.etudiant.gouv.fr |
| Scholarship holder on social criteria (Crous, the French student-services agency) or French-government scholarship (BGF) | Exempt | Still collect the exemption certificate |
| Refugee student or holder of subsidiary protection | Exempt | Status shown on the residence permit |
| Asylum seeker authorised to remain in France | Exempt | — |
| Erasmus+ exchange student not paying tuition fees in France | Not liable | You stay enrolled at your home university |
That last case matters for many of our readers: if you come on an Erasmus+ exchange and stay enrolled (and pay your fees) at your home university, you're in principle not required to pay the CVEC in France (etudiant.gouv.fr). If instead you do a full degree enrolment at a French university with tuition fees, you're liable like everyone else. If you're unsure of your exact status, ask your host institution's registration office (the scolarité).
How to get your CVEC certificate, step by step
Whether you pay or you're exempt, the process runs through the same website and ends with the same certificate (carrying a 12-character number your university will ask for).
- Log in at messervices.etudiant.gouv.fr with your student account (the same ecosystem as the Crous). From there you reach the CVEC platform.
- Go to cvec.etudiant.gouv.fr and click "Obtenir mon attestation" (Get my certificate).
- Enter your city of study (Bordeaux) and your situation. The site detects whether you're exempt (scholarship holders are recognised automatically) or need to pay.
- Pay the €105 online by card, or download your exemption certificate straight away if you qualify.
- Download your certificate and note your CVEC number. You'll type that number into your administrative enrolment (or present it to the registration office).
Big-brother tip: keep your certificate both as a PDF and as a screenshot on your phone. On enrolment day you don't want to be hunting for a lost email.
Good to know: if you paid by mistake, a refund window runs from 1 September 2026 to 31 May 2027 for the 2026-2027 year (current terms on cvec.etudiant.gouv.fr).
The CVEC is only one of your start-of-term tasks. So you don't forget anything (bank account, health insurance, housing), follow our Bordeaux settling-in guide, which walks you through everything in the right order.
FAQ — CVEC for international students in Bordeaux
Is the CVEC really mandatory to enrol? Yes. The CVEC certificate (payment or exemption) is required to validate your administrative enrolment at a French higher-education institution. Without it, your enrolment can't be finalised.
I have a scholarship — do I still need to do it? Yes. Even when exempt, you must log in and collect your exemption certificate. Scholarship holders on social criteria (Crous) and French-government scholarship holders are recognised automatically, and the certificate is issued immediately.
I'm on an Erasmus+ exchange — do I pay the CVEC? If you stay enrolled at your home university and don't pay tuition fees in France, you're in principle not liable for the CVEC (etudiant.gouv.fr). Confirm your exact case with your host university's registration office.
Where and when do I pay the CVEC? Online at cvec.etudiant.gouv.fr, before your administrative enrolment. It's best to settle it as close as possible to your actual enrolment at your chosen institution.
Can I get a refund if I paid by mistake? Yes, a refund window exists (for example, for 2026-2027 it runs from 1 September 2026 to 31 May 2027). Check the current terms on cvec.etudiant.gouv.fr.
CVEC sorted, the big one is left: housing. Check whether you qualify for the CAF housing benefit (APL), secure your lease with the free Visale guarantor, and stay alert to student housing scams with our housing anti-scam hub. And finally, find verified student housing in Bordeaux on Studroof. Need a hand with your arrival paperwork? Take a look at our student services.
This article is informational and does not replace official sources. The CVEC amount and rules change every year: always check your situation on cvec.etudiant.gouv.fr and etudiant.gouv.fr. Last updated: July 2026.