Summer doesn’t necessarily mean vacation time for French students. One in two students will not take a holiday this year in July and August due to lack of resources.
According to a Diplomeo survey conducted among 3,407 students, 52% of students will not go on vacation this summer. This proportion even reaches 54% among 17-19 year-olds. Among those surveyed, more than 7 out of 10 students in preparatory classes for grandes écoles will allow themselves a summer break, compared to just 37% in engineering schools and 47% at university.
The Diplomeo survey also reveals that students in private institutions are more able to take vacations (52%) than those in public institutions (47%).
Among the students who will not take vacations, the reasons are mainly economic. 65% of them will use the summer break to work, while nearly one in two students who do not go on vacation cannot afford to do so (48%). According to Diplomeo, 71% of 17-19 year-olds have a summer job, compared to 59% of those over 25.
*Student vacations are mainly spent with family*
Conversely, students who are going on vacation this summer are making the most of it. Nearly one in two will go away for several weeks, while only 5% will leave for just one weekend. When it comes to travel companions, parents are the most popular choice. 51% of students go with family, 48% go (also or only) with friends, and 34% with their partners. France remains the preferred destination for students, with 60% of surveyed students taking a break in the country, while 41% will go to Europe and 17% to another continent.
To afford their vacations, students do not all have the same budget. Four out of ten young people have a budget between 200 and 500 euros, while 22% have less than 200 euros to spend and 16% have more than 1,000 euros. For the majority of them, this budget comes from a summer job (43%) or savings made during the year (36%). A third of students receive financial help from their parents to afford vacations.
