{"id":948438,"date":"2026-05-09T14:12:24","date_gmt":"2026-05-09T14:12:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/948438\/"},"modified":"2026-05-09T14:12:24","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T14:12:24","slug":"france-expands-e1-meals-to-all-higher-level-students-and-apprentices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/948438\/","title":{"rendered":"France expands \u20ac1 meals to all higher-level students and apprentices"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The French government has introduced a scheme that will provide higher-level students and apprentices with \u20ac1 meals.\n<\/p>\n<p>The scheme is intended to \u201cboost student purchasing power\u201d and will be accessible to all higher education students, regardless of their income, to end the system which was once \u201cdifferentiated by income.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>Until now, the \u20ac1 deal was reserved for scholarship students or those in \u201cprecarious situations\u201d.\n<\/p>\n<p>Before this extension, students paid \u20ac3.30 for the three-course meal.\n<\/p>\n<p>The system will be put in practice across all university restaurant operator \u2018Crous\u2019 and \u201cwhere possible, in other food service outlets\u201d in its network.\n<\/p>\n<p>The \u2018Crous\u2019 network of restaurants operates regional centres for university and school works.\n<\/p>\n<p>Eligibility<\/p>\n<p>The \u20ac1 deal will be accessible to \u201ca wide range of students\u201d, provided they can prove their student status, including:\n<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Students enrolled in higher education;<\/li>\n<li>Apprentices and trainees (who hold a \u2018vocational\u2019 or \u2018trade\u2019 student card);<\/li>\n<li>Doctoral students;<\/li>\n<li>Volunteers engaged in civic service.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The meal offered includes a main course and up to two side dishes (starter, dessert, cheese, fruit, etc.).\n<\/p>\n<p>The French government\u2019s website states: \u201cAdditional charges may apply, with costs varying depending on the establishment.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>Students will be eligible for only one meal at \u20ac1 per service (lunch or dinner).\n<\/p>\n<p>Where university restaurants are open in the evening, this rate also applies to dinner.\n<\/p>\n<p>Adaptation<\/p>\n<p>To support this widespread implementation, Crous isdiversifying its distribution methods, including the uptake of takeaway sales, and are \u201cadapting the offering to cope with increased visitor numbers\u201d.<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"French Minister for Higher Education, Research and Space, Philippe Baptiste having lunch with students in the dining area of the University of Picardy Jules Verne. Source: Philippe Baptiste via X\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.agriland.ie\/uploads\/2026\/05\/philippe-baptiste-3.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/philippe-baptiste-3-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1843375\" style=\"width:1024px;height:auto\"\/><\/a>French Minister for Higher Education, Research and Space, Philippe Baptiste having lunch with students in the dining area of the University of Picardy Jules Verne. Source: Philippe Baptiste via X<\/p>\n<p>The Crous network has emphasised that these \u20ac1 meals will continue to meet quality requirements, including on-site cooking and the use of labelled, organic, or local products when possible.\n<\/p>\n<p>Food poverty<\/p>\n<p>This initiative comes into effect after various student union bodies called for the government to alleviate financial pressure for students.\n<\/p>\n<p>Results from a recent French student union\u2019s survey found 48% of respondents have gone without food for financial reasons and 23% of students do so several times a month.\n<\/p>\n<p>According to Crous, around 667,000 students benefitted from the \u20ac1 lunch scheme in 2024, with the operator providing approximately 46 million meals to students served at both the discounted rate of \u20ac1 and meals at an average rate of \u20ac3.30.\n<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"French Minister for Higher Education, Research and Space, Philippe Baptiste meeting with the Crous team at the Saint-Leu university restaurant. Source: Philippe Baptiste via X\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.agriland.ie\/uploads\/2026\/05\/philippe-baptiste-4.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/philippe-baptiste-4-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1843380\"\/><\/a>French Minister for Higher Education, Research and Space, Philippe Baptiste meeting with the Crous team at the Saint-Leu university restaurant. Source: Philippe Baptiste via X<\/p>\n<p>The French Minister for Higher Education, Philippe Baptiste, has set \u20ac120 million to fund the scheme in 2027.\n<\/p>\n<p>The minister stated on \u2018X\u2019 that the the programme (translated) \u201crepresents a significant shift: nearly three million students will be affected.\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201c\u20ac50 million has been committed starting 2026, and 204 additional full-time equivalent positions will be created to support the teams.\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe social measure was developed in collaboration with stakeholders on the ground,\u201d he concluded.\n<\/p>\n<p>Irish comparison<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile here in Ireland, various Irish universities have put food banks in place to help alleviate food price inflation for students.\n<\/p>\n<p>University College Dublin (UCD) Students\u2019 Union opened a food pantry in September 2025 to help combat \u201cfood poverty\u201d for students.\n<\/p>\n<p>The union said it was \u201ca sad but necessary step\u201d in response to \u201cthe cost-of-living crisis on campus\u201d this academic year.\n<\/p>\n<p>UCD, which according to its annual report recorded an income of over \u20ac905 million in 2025, advises its students to \u201cprepare a personal budget for each year of study\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>UCD\u2019s website details monthly estimates for living costs per student including accommodation, food and other expenses to range from a scale of:\n<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u20ac1,735 \u2013 lowest;<\/li>\n<li>\u20ac2,445 \u2013 median;<\/li>\n<li>\u20ac4,035 \u2013 high.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Elsewhere, the University of Galway runs a \u2018Student Pantry\u2019.\n<\/p>\n<p>The project, funded by its Student\u2019s Union, was started by student Adam Mullins, where food is collected by FoodCloud and then distributed to students attending the university.\n<\/p>\n<p>According to the university\u2019s website, the collections consist of surplus food, food with damaged packaging, end of line items, and \u201cfood that is nearing its sell by and best before date\u201d.\n<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.agriland.ie\/uploads\/2024\/11\/school-lunch-with-sandwich-milk-and-apple-2023-11-27-04-52-52-utc-scaled.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/school-lunch-with-sandwich-milk-and-apple-2023-11-27-04-52-52-utc-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"School lunch with sandwich, milk and apple\" class=\"wp-image-1411414\" style=\"width:896px;height:auto\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The Students\u2019 Union at University College Cork (UCC) also runs a \u2018Food Pantry\u2019 in partnership with FoodCloud.\n<\/p>\n<p>According to the union\u2019s website, the pantry provides \u201cessential food staples and everyday pantry items for all students, available for a contribution fee of \u20ac2.50\u201d.\n<\/p>\n<p>This initiative is designed to \u201cease financial pressure on students while ensuring good-quality food is redistributed rather than wasted\u201d.\n<\/p>\n<p>To further reduce food waste, the union allocates any remaining food to \u201call students for unticketed collection later in the day\u201d.\n<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, Dublin City University\u2019s (DCU) \u2018Office of Student Life\u2019 operates \u2018The Pantry\u2019, where students can take six non-perishable\u00a0food items free of charge, ranging from pasta, spices and canned food.\n<\/p>\n<p>Students can avail of this service once a week.\n<\/p>\n<p>The DCU \u2018Office of Student Life\u2019 also runs a free breakfast service for students across its campuses.<\/p>\n<p>            &#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The French government has introduced a scheme that will provide higher-level students and apprentices with \u20ac1 meals. 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