A PRESTIGIOUS French science research institute has provoked anger among foreign students by banning them from using the labs and computers outside of certain hours as a security measure.

According to France Info, about 30 non-EU students at INRIA in Nancy have had their access passes to the research labs taken away from them to protect "the scientific heritage of the nation".

INRIA recruits about half of its students from outside the EU. Those affected by the ban are mostly Iranian and Algerian who have been living in France for years.

The institute said it was following rules handed down by the Ministry of Defence, which has the building on its list of protected sites because of the work done there.