Young people in France can benefit from many advantages.

STUDENTS. Public universities are almost free. Students can get benefits and scholarships depending on their parents’ income and/or on merit. They are used to pay for food, transport, and especially the rent which can be extremely expensive in some French cities. In addition, university restaurants offer complete meals (starter-main course-dessert for 3€30). Regarding culture, there are reductions in museums, theaters, and cinemas. For European students under 26, French national museums are free all year-round. The Louvre is free, interesting, isn’t it? The regions have different offers. Mine, for example, offers a Culture and Sportscard. For only 8€ students get more than 200€ in advantages (14€ for the cinema, 16€ to buy books, 32€ for shows, etc.). Each university has a health service and some consultations are free (contraception, screening, vaccination, nutrition, psychological follow-up).

ALL YOUNG PEOPLE. Young people who are not students can also benefit from discounts for transport, culture, and sport. They can take part in civic service in France or abroad. The themes are solidarity, environment, culture & sport, memory, and citizenship, education. Young unemployed people can have access to free training through a Job Center and help for setting up a business. Up to the age of 25, young people can join a specific organization (partner of the Job Center) that supports them in their professional life. They can obtain internship agreements (mandatory in France and often only issued to students) to work in France or abroad. Finally, young people aged 18-28 can go to work in companies located all over the world while benefiting from French benefits (salary, health insurance, etc.) This is the VIE-VIA program.

To conclude, despite the flaws and limitations that still persist in French society, I believe that young French people benefit from a lot of advantages compared to other European countries. They have access to a multitude of offers and good support to help them start their professional life.

Océane Rousteau