France has announced plans to replace its national university admissions platform, Parcoursup, in 2028 following weeks of student protests over university access, school funding and the rising cost of living.
The government announced the proposed reforms on Monday, October 26, 2026, after mounting pressure from students demanding greater transparency in university admissions and improved access to higher education.
Higher Education Minister Philippe Baptiste said the government would introduce substantial changes to Parcoursup in 2027 before replacing the platform the following year. The system allows prospective students to apply for university places and receive admission decisions.
According to the Associated Press, a record 1.05 million people applied through Parcoursup in 2026. However, students have criticised the platform over unclear selection criteria and unequal access to their preferred courses.
Under the proposed changes, universities and other higher education institutions will be required to publish more detailed admission criteria for the 2027 application cycle. Applicants will also receive explanatory information when their applications are rejected and will be able to request reasons for individual decisions.
The government has also pledged to create 15,000 additional higher education places across 2027 and 2028, with most expected to be in vocational and technical programmes. Student grants are also expected to increase in line with inflation from the beginning of the 2027 academic year.
Beyond university admissions, the government announced measures to improve learning conditions, including smaller classes in some first-year secondary school settings, 500 additional teaching jobs and the cancellation of planned cuts to secondary school teaching positions.
It also proposed up to €4 billion in low-interest loans for regional authorities to renovate schools by 2030, alongside a separate €1 billion state plan for university renovations by 2029.
The reforms follow demonstrations that began in September and intensified on October 17, when protests over education funding and living costs escalated into violence in several parts of the country.
Although some student representatives welcomed the government’s concessions, others argued that the proposals fell short of their demands. One student group highlighted the gap between the government’s promise of 15,000 additional higher education places and its demand for 250,000 more places.
The replacement admissions system is still being developed, with further recommendations expected from a committee involving students and teachers.
The planned changes place university access, admissions transparency and the affordability of education at the centre of France’s wider debate about educational opportunity.
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