For many African students, securing admission to a foreign university was once the hardest part of studying abroad. Now, the bigger challenge often comes after acceptance, as tougher visa rules and steep financial requirements threaten to derail their plans. France and the United States have become the latest examples of this shift.
In Cameroon, frustration over new financial requirements imposed by French authorities spilled onto the streets of Yaoundé this week. Dozens of students and parents protested outside the French embassy on Tuesday, objecting to a new rule requiring applicants to prove they can pay their full tuition fees, or show they already have the equivalent funds, before a student visa will be issued. The measure follows a July 9 directive from Campus France Cameroon, the French government’s student mobility agency.
Students say the financial burden extends well beyond tuition. One applicant admitted to a master’s programme in public law at a private French university said he was asked to provide €25,000, including processing fees, an amount he described as far beyond what most families can afford.
Others estimate the total could rise to about €35,000 once proof of sufficient living expenses is included. That amounts to more than 23 million CFA francs that applicants must demonstrate they have before leaving for France.
The timing has made the situation even more difficult. Many students had already secured admission, paid deposits and arranged instalment plans with their universities before the policy was introduced. They now face the challenge of raising the full amount at short notice. Tuition at some private French universities can reach about €14,500, with registration fees of up to €3,500. While many institutions allow payments in instalments, visa applicants may now need to show they possess the entire amount before travelling.
The protest was organised by the Collective for Access to Study Projects. The group says it is not challenging France’s right to set its own visa rules. Instead, it wants authorities to delay implementation until the next admissions cycle, giving affected families time to adjust. Representatives have also questioned why Cameroonian applicants should face stricter financial conditions than students from neighbouring Ivory Coast pursuing the same courses.
Amid growing criticism, the French embassy and Campus France issued a joint statement acknowledging that the policy had been introduced without sufficient advance communication. They clarified that the new requirement applies only to students admitted to certain private higher education institutions. Students attending public universities, those in the AEFE school network and participants in recognised mobility programmes are exempt. Officials have also launched weekly information sessions in Yaoundé and Douala to explain the changes, with further briefings expected in the coming days.
The controversy comes as France prepares to make higher education significantly more expensive for most non-EU students. Under a decree issued by the French Ministry of Higher Education on May 19, 2026, annual tuition at public universities will rise to nearly €3,000 for bachelor’s programmes from the next academic year, up from about €178.
The United States has also introduced measures that make studying there more difficult for many African students. In June, the State Department reduced visa-processing locations across Africa from 50 to 20 regional hubs, meaning applicants from about two-thirds of African countries may have to travel to another country just to attend a visa interview.
Those changes followed a wider tightening of U.S. visa policies. Since mid-2025, Washington has suspended visa processing for nationals of several African countries, with the list gradually expanding to include nearly half the continent. The administration has also introduced visa bonds of up to $15,000 for applicants from selected countries while reducing staffing at embassies and consulates around the world.
Together, France’s tougher financial guarantees and America’s stricter visa policies highlight a growing obstacle for African students. Admission alone is no longer enough. Increasingly, the ability to produce large sums of money upfront and navigate more restrictive visa systems is determining who gets the opportunity to study abroad, raising concerns that years of progress in African student mobility could begin to reverse.
By: Andrews Kwesi Yeboah