French Visa Shake-Up Sparks Outrage Among Cameroonian Students

Dozens of Cameroonian students and parents peacefully protested outside the French Embassy in Yaoundé on Tuesday, opposing new financial requirements for Cameroonian students admitted to private institutions in France, just ahead of the autumn academic intake. The demonstration followed a statement from Campus France Cameroon on July 9, informing students that they must now provide proof of full payment of their tuition fees or demonstrate possession of the corresponding funds before a visa for France can be issued. This new measure has caused significant distress, as many students had already submitted their applications.

The immediate impact of this policy has been severe. Yvan Odjo, a Master's degree candidate in public law at a private French university, recounted his rejection due to the new requirements. He stated, "We were asked for 25,000 euros, including processing fees, a sum that, in reality, a family cannot cover." Another parent, speaking anonymously, described the move as "brutal" for his son, who is already enrolled at a private university in Lyon. The parent explained, "The cost is around 14,500 euros; we were due to finish making the instalment payments in May, and we were fully prepared, having already paid the 3,500-euro registration fee required by the university."

The organizers of the silent march, represented by Salomon Ondoua from the collective for access to study projects, called for an inclusive dialogue regarding the decision. Ondoua emphasized the need to consider the repercussions of this policy, suggesting either postponing the decision until next year or advocating for fairness for all students. He highlighted the disparity, stating, "It is not right for a Cameroonian student to face greater difficulties studying in France than, for example, an Ivorian student." Officials from Campus France are expected to address the press concerning student mobility before the end of the week, according to a source at the French Embassy in Cameroon.

This immediate visa requirement comes in the broader context of increasing costs for non-European Union students in France. A decree from the French Ministry of Higher Education, dated May 19, 2026, has already established that most non-EU students will face sharply higher tuition fees from the start of the next academic year. Under this decree, enrolment at a French university for non-European students is set to cost nearly €3,000 per year for a bachelor's degree, a significant increase compared with the current €178.