STUDY IN FRANCE

Overview

That France is one of the world's most popular study abroad destinations is surely no great surprise. Read our guide to find out everything you need to know about joining the 6.3% of all international students (as of 2010) studying there.
France occupies a distinct place in our collective imagination. From the urbane sophistication and history of its cities, to its legendary food and wine, to the spectacular scenery – think rugged mountains and verdant forests, golden beaches and azure seas, rolling pastures and mighty rivers – everyone has their own idealized conception of France.
Consequently, it is also the world’s most popular tourist destination by far, according to the United Nations World Tourist Organization.

Why study in France?

Perhaps your personal image of France involves its proud intellectual and artistic heritage. This is the nation, after all, which produced thinkers such as René Descartes and Jean-Paul Sartre, authors like Marcel Proust and Albert Camus, filmmakers like Jean-Luc Godard and Jean Renoir, and artists like Claude Monet and Paul Cézanne.
On top of these names we can add a whole host of scientists, mathematicians and other researchers, whose names are slightly less familiar, but whose achievements are no less spectacular for it. A total of 49 Nobel laureates places France fourth in the world.

Universities in France

This academic and artistic tradition continues to this day – there are few countries which invest quite as much money into research and education as France.  Rankings reflect this: a total of 35 French universities make the 2012/13 edition of the  World University Rankings, 22 of which are in top 500.
The nation’s two leading universities, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris and Ecole Polytechnique ParisTech, both make the top 50, cementing their reputation’s as two of Europe’s and the world’s strongest institutions. What’s more, tuition fees at France’s leading universities are among the cheapest in the world, with annual fees averaging under US$1,000 per year for domestic and international students alike.
So is France for you then? Well, if you want to attend a high-quality institution in a nation with a proud intellectual heritage which will have the added benefit of making everyone you know jealous, then is the answer could well be ‘yes’.
Studying at master’s or PhD level? Read our graduate-level guide to France >

Fast Fact

• Presidential republic with bicameral legislature
• President is head of state (currently François Hollande), while government is headed by prime minister, who is appointed by president (currently François Fillon)
• Capital, and largest city by far, is Paris
• French is official language
• As well as metropolitan France, which borders Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Andorra and Monaco, France owns a number of overseas territories, some of which – such as French Guiana in South America – are considered to be part of France (i.e. its citizens belong to the European Union)
• Most popular tourist destination in the world – in 2010, France was visited by 76.8 million people
• Population of 65,312,249 (July 2011 estimate), 62,814,233 of whom live in metropolitan France
• Comparable to Kansas in terms of area
• International dialling code is +33
• Currency is Euro, symbol: €, €1 = US$1.35
• Uses Central European Time (UCT+1), shifting to Daylight Savings Time (UTC+2)
• France produces around 400 distinct varieties of cheese (possibly more, depending on how you count them) and the average French person drinks just over 70 bottles of wine a year

Lifestyle

Learn more about France's top cities for students...

Paris

You will, no doubt, already have your own set of ideas regarding Paris, which may well be the result of a visit to the City of Light. Over 15 million tourists descended on the city in 2010, pulled in by attractions like the Arc de Triomphe and Notre Dame, and world famous galleries like The Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay, or just to experience the city’s celebrated café culture.

But, like any other great city, the only way to truly get to know it beyond the tourist trail, is to live there and intermingle with the people who make the city what it is. Luckily, if a more extended relationship with Paris appeals to you, there is no shortage of universities at which you might study – seventeen public institutions (albeit not all with the same focus) and several prestigious grandes écoles – and resultantly, a large and cosmopolitan student base which goes a long way to giving the city its unique intellectual and creative culture.

A student's guide to Paris >

Lyon

Lyon is a picturesque medieval city (though its history goes back even further than this) situated close to France’s borders with Switzerland and Italy. It is known for the being one of the culinary capitals of France, and is also within spitting distance of the French Alps, for those who like to hit the piste. 

Its well-preserved architecture has earned it UNESCO World Heritage Site status, but there is more to France’s joint second city (there’s some debate whether Marseille or Lyon can lay claim to this title) than spectacular architecture. Its many higher education establishments mean that it boasts a large student population, and, consequently, the vibrant nightlife common to all student cities.

But if it’s more civilized cultural pursuits you’re after, then Lyon will not disappoint on that front either, and those who have one eye on their future career will be glad to hear that it is one of France’s main financial centers.

A student's guide to Lyon >

Toulouse

A historic city situated not too far from France’s south-western borders with Andorra and Spain, Toulouse is known in the modern age as one of the capitals of the European aerospace industry. Its universities are also historic, with the institution that is now split into Université Toulouse 1, Capitole and Université Toulouse II, Le Mirail having been founded in the 13th century.

Toulouse has a large student population, and is known for being a hotbed of alternative culture. But this is France, after all, so if it’s opera, theatre and immaculately preserved architecture you’re after, you won’t be disappointed. And if you want to get out of the city, then the South of France is your oyster, with the proximity of the Pyrenees allowing skiers to get their fix.

Montpellier

If it’s a student-dominated city you’re after, then you could do a lot worse than Montpellier. Around a quarter of the city’s population consists of attendees of its universities, three of which make the 2012/13 QS World University Rankings, and one of which (Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier III) is the seventh oldest in the world.

Its location near France’s Mediterranean coast makes it a good option for sun-worshippers, though it also means you’ll have to brace yourself for a mass influx of tourists in the summer months. The benefit, of course, is that in the off season you can enjoy almost exclusive access to the beaches, and will be left with plenty of time to find yourself some of the more well-hidden pleasures that the South of France has to offer.

Lille

In former times, Lille was one of the main industrial centres of France, which meant that it sadly went through a period of decline as the world entered the post-industrial age. However, in recent years the picturesque city has undergone something of a renaissance and is now considered by many to be one of France’s hidden treasures, with a vibrant cultural scene and a strong commercial backbone.

One of the main advantages of being based in Lille is how easy it is to leave – its location in the north-west of the country means that it can serve as a great base from which to explore northern Europe. You can, in fact, catch an express train directly from Lille to the world’s two most popular tourist cities, Paris and London, or to Brussels, which can serve as a gateway to the Netherlands or Germany. For those who like to travel, then, there is a pretty strong case for Lille!

See which French cities feature in the QS Best Student Cities >

Practical Information

Admission/Entry/Visa requirements

One major benefit which students studying in France will enjoy is the country’s fee system. For the majority of courses at most universities you’ll have to pay only EU€177 (around US$230) a year for a bachelor’s degree (there are exceptions – engineering courses tend to cost more for example).

If this sounds too good to be true it is because, in a way, it is: French universities tend to levy additional administrative charges which are known to bring the price up considerably. That said, the final figure is still likely to be far lower than you would pay in a comparable destination.

You will pay more at France’s highly selective grandes écoles and grands établissements (great schools and establishments), which set their own fees. Some of these operate only at postgraduate level, and some – like Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris – require students to either get through two years of preparatory school (which is nearly as selective as the grande école itself) or to transfer across after two years or so of an undergraduate course.

Visa requirements will depend on whether you come from a country in the EU (students from Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are treated the same as EU students in this case) or from further afield.

Applicants from the EU:

• If you want to start in the first year of a program and you hold a French baccalaureate, you must use the online application system used by French students (APB – admission post-baccalauréat). If you want to enter the system a little further on, you may apply directly to the institution at which you want to study.
• If you have a different high-school qualification you should get in touch with the institutions at which you are considering studying – they may request that you apply directly to them rather than through the system.
• Grandes écoles and grands établissements have their own application procedures, so it’s advisable to get in touch to find out what it is required. You can apply to preparatory classes and to some establishments through APB if you want to enter in the first year.
• You will not need a visa.
• If your course is in French, as is likely, you will need to prove you are sufficiently fluent. You can do this by way of a TCF DAP (Test de Connaissance du Français, Demande d’Admission Préalable), DALF (diplôme approfondi de langue française) or CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) score. Similarly, you’ll need to prove you can speak English if that is the language of tuition – check with the university to see which language test scores they will accept.

Applicants from outside the EU:

• The application procedure will vary depending on whether or not you are from one of the 31 countries in which CampusFrance runs the CEF procedure. If you are from one of these countries (listed on the CampusFrance website), then you are obliged to use this online application system, which takes you through the entire application procedure, including obtaining a visa, telling you what you need to do and which documents you require. The CEF system can be accessed through the CampusFrance website.
• If you are not from one of these countries then you will need to submit an application for preliminary application at your local French embassy before applying, after which you may apply for your visa. How you will have to apply will depend on your previous qualifications and where you are applying. Contact the establishment(s) you’re thinking about attending to find out the correct procedure to follow.
• The visa you will need – which also includes a residence permit – is called the VLS-TS, which is valid for a year at a time. In order to obtain this visa you will need to present a completed application form and OFII (the French Office of Immigration and Integration) passport photos, your passport, proof of your previous qualifications, a police certificate attesting to your lack of a serious criminal record, proof you can speak French to an appropriate level (if your course is in French – see above) and proof you have sufficient financial means. You will, of course, also need to prove that you’ve been accepted to a university.
• When you arrive in France you will need to contact the OFII, who may request that you undertake a medical examination.

Search universities in France >

UNIVERSITIES IN FRANCE

Universities       Locations

1  Université Pierre et Marie Curie

Paris

2  Université Claude Bernard Lyon I

Villeurbanne

3  École Normale Supérieure

Paris

4  Université Paris Sud - Paris 11

Orsay ...

5  Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne

Paris

6  Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis

Nice

7  Université Paris Descartes

Paris

8  Université Paris 8 Vincennes-Saint-Denis

St-Denis ...

9  Université de la Sorbonne Nouvelle - Paris 3

Paris

10  Université de Poitiers

Poitiers

11  Université de Strasbourg

Strasbourg

12  Université de Technologie de Compiegne

Compiegne

13  Université de Rennes 1

Rennes ...

14  Université de Caen Basse-Normandie

Caen

15  Université d'Angers

Angers

16  Université Paris Diderot

Paris

17  École des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales

Paris

18  Université Lumiere Lyon II

Lyon

19  Université Montpellier 2

Montpellier

20  Université Joseph Fourier

Grenoble

21  Université Blaise Pascal Clermont-Ferrand II

Clermont Ferrand ...

22  Université de Nantes

Nantes ...

23  Université de Franche-Comté

Besançon

24  Université Lille 1

Villeneuve-d'Ascq

25  TELECOM ParisTech

Paris ...

26  École Normale Supérieure de Cachan

Cachan

27  Université Bordeaux I

Talence

28  Université Paris-Sorbonne

Paris

29  Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon

Lyon

30  Université Montpellier 1

Montpellier

31  Université Paris 13

Villetaneuse

32  Université de Rouen

Mont-Saint-Aignan

33  Université Paris Dauphine

Paris

34  École Centrale Paris

Châtenay-Malabry

35  Université Paul Valéry Montpellier 3

Montpellier

36  Université François Rabelais

Tours

37  Université de Limoges

Limoges

38  Université de Bourgogne

Dijon

39  École Centrale de Lyon

Ecully

40  École des Ponts ParisTech

Champs sur Marne ...

41  Université Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée

Marne-la-Vallée

42  École des Hautes Etudes Commerciales

Jouy-en-Josas

43  Université Lille 3

Villeneuve-d'Ascq

44  Université Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense

Nanterre

45  Université de Picardie Jules Verne

Amiens

46  Université de Savoie

Chambéry ...

47  École Supérieure des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales

Cergy Pontoise

48  Université Lille 2

Lille

49  École Polytechnique

Palaiseau

50  Université du Sud Toulon-Var

La Garde ...

51  Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour

Pau ...

52  Institut Polytechnique de Grenoble

Grenoble ...

53  Université Henri Poincaré

Nancy ...

54  Université de Toulouse II - Le Mirail

Toulouse

55  Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne

Reims

56  Université du Maine

Le Mans

57  Université de Perpignan Via Domitia

Perpignan

58  ESCP Europe

Paris ...

59  École Nationale Supérieure des Sciences de l'Information et des Bibliothèques

Villeurbanne

60  Université Pierre Mendès-France

Grenoble

61  Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines

Versailles

62  MINES ParisTech

Paris

63  Université d'Avignon et des pays de Vaucluse

Avignon

64  Université d'Orléans

Orléans

65  Université Paul Verlaine - Metz

Metz

66  École Supérieure d'Electricité

Gif-sur-Yvette ...

67  Université Panthéon-Assas Paris II

Paris

68  Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris

Paris ...

69  Université Nancy 2

Nancy

70  Université de Bretagne Occidentale

Brest

71  Université Jean Moulin Lyon III

Lyon

72  Université de Cergy-Pontoise

Cergy Pontoise

73  Grenoble École de Management

Grenoble ...

74  École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de St-Etienne

Saint-Étienne

75  Télécom Bretagne

Brest ...

76  Université de Haute-Alsace

Mulhouse ...

77  Université Jean Monnet

Saint-Étienne

78  Université Michel de Montaigne Bordeaux 3

Pessac ...

79  Chimie ParisTech

Paris

80  Rouen Business School

Rouen

81  École Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort

Maisons-Alfort

82  École des Hautes Etudes en Santé Publique

Rennes

83  AgroParisTech

Paris ...

84  EMLYON Business School

Lyon

85  Université Paris-Est Créteil Val de Marne

Créteil

86  ENSTA ParisTech

Paris

87  Université du Littoral Cote d'Opale

Dunkerque ...

88  Institut Catholique de Paris

Paris

89  Université de Corse Pascal Paoli

Corte

90  ESPCI ParisTech

Paris

91  Université d'Artois

Arras ...

92  Université de Technologie de Troyes

Troyes

93  Institut National Polytechnique de Lorraine

Vandoeuvre les Nancy

94  Université Rennes 2

Rennes

95  École Nationale d'Administration

Strasbourg

96  École centrale de Lille

Lille

97  École pour l'Informatique et les Techniques Avancées

Le Kremlin-Bicêtre ...

98  Université de Valenciennes et du Hainaut-Cambrésis

Valenciennes ...

99  École Nationale de l'Aviation Civile

Toulouse

100  École Supérieure d'Ingénieurs en Électronique et Électrotechnique

Noisy-le-Grand

101  BEM Bordeaux Management School

Bordeaux

102  Université Stendhal Grenoble 3

Grenoble

103  ECE Paris Ecole d'Ingénieurs

Paris

104  The American University of Paris

Paris

105  Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Rouen

Saint Etienne du Rouvray

106  Montpellier SupAgro

Montpellier

107  Université d'Évry-Val d'Essonne

Evry

108  École Supérieure d'Informatique, Electronique, Automatique

Paris

109  Université d'Auvergne

Clermont Ferrand ...

110  Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Strasbourg

Strasbourg

111  Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse

Toulouse

112  École Supérieure de Commerce de Toulouse

Toulouse ...

113  École Supérieure de Commerce de Clermont

Clermont Ferrand

114  Université de la Rochelle

La Rochelle

115  École Centrale de Nantes

Nantes

116  École d'ingénieurs des Technologies de l'information et de la Communication

Villejuif

117  Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Rennes

Rennes

118  Euromed Management

Marseille ...

119  ENSAE ParisTech

Malakoff

120  Université du Havre

Le Havre

121  Reims Management School

Reims

122  École Normale Supérieure de Lyon

Lyon

123  Université Catholique de Lille

Lille ...

124  Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Toulouse

Toulouse

125  Université Catholique de l'Ouest

Angers

126  École Supérieure de Commerce de Dijon

Dijon

127  Université de Bretagne Sud

Lorient ...

128  Université de Technologie de Belfort-Montbeliard

Belfort ...

129  École des Mines d'Alès

Alès

130  École Nationale Supérieure d'Ingénieurs de Caen

Caen

131  Audencia Nantes School of Management

Nantes

132  Université de Nîmes

Nîmes

133  École des Mines d'Albi-Carmaux

Albi

134  École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Montpellier

Montpellier

135  École Supérieure de Chimie, Physique, Electronique de Lyon

Villeurbanne

136  École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Nancy

Nancy

137  École Supérieure des Sciences Commerciales d'Angers

Angers ...

138  Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse III

Toulouse

139  Université Montesquieu Bordeaux IV

Pessac

140  L'École de design Nantes Atlantique

Nantes ...

141  SKEMA Business School

Lille ...

142  École de Management de Normandie

Le Havre ...

143  École Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse

Toulouse

144  Institut Supérieur d'Électronique et du Numérique

Lille

145  École des Mines de Nantes

Nantes

146  École Supérieure d'Electronique de l'Ouest

Angers

147  TELECOM & Management SudParis

Evry

148  École Supérieure d'Ingénieurs en Génie Electrique

Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray ...

149  École des Mines de Douai

Douai

150  École Nationale des Sciences Géographiques

Marne-la-Vallée ...

151  Agrocampus Ouest

Rennes

152  École Nationale de la Météorologie

Toulouse

153  École Nationale Supérieure de l'Electronique et de ses Applications

Cergy Pontoise

154  École Nationale Supérieure de Techniques Avancées Bretagne

Brest

155  Institut Polytechnique de Bordeaux

Pessac

156  École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Lille

Villeneuve-d'Ascq ...

157  Université Bordeaux Segalen

Bordeaux

158  Institut Polytechnique des Sciences Avancées

Ivry sur Seine ...

159  Institut d'Optique Graduate School

Palaiseau ...

160  École Centrale de Marseille

Marseille

161  Université Catholique de Lyon

Lyon

162  Groupe Sup de Co Amiens Picardie

Amiens

163  École Supérieure d'Agriculture d'Angers

Angers

164  EDHEC Business School

Roubaix ...

165  Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace

Toulouse

166  École Supérieure de Commerce et Management

Futuroscope

167  École Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Saint-Etienne

Saint-Étienne

168  École Spéciale des Travaux Publics, du Bâtiment et de l'Industrie

Paris

169  Groupe ICN École de Management

Nancy ...

170  Institut Supérieur d'Électronique de Paris

Paris

171  EPF École d'Ingénieurs

Sceaux

172  École Nationale Supérieure des Arts et Industries Textiles

Roubaix

173  École Nationale Supérieure Agronomique de Toulouse

Toulouse ...

174  Institut Français de Mécanique Avancée

Clermont-Ferrand

175  Aix-Marseille Université

Marseille

176  École Internationale des Sciences du Traitement de l'Information

Cergy Pontoise ...

177  Groupe ISA

Lille

178  ESME Sudria

Ivry sur Seine

179  Groupe ICAM - Institut Catholiques d'Arts et Métiers

Lille ...

180  École Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Brest

Plouzané

181  École Supérieure Angevine d'Informatique et de Productique

Angers ...

182  Université Toulouse I Capitole

Toulouse

183  ESC Bretagne Brest

Brest ...

184  École Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'Etat

Vaulx-en-Velin

185  École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Rennes

Rennes

186  École Nationale Supérieure de Mécanique et d'Aérotechnique

Futuroscope

187  École Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Tarbes

Tarbes

188  École Nationale de la Statistique et de l'Analyse de l'information

Bruz ...

189  Supméca - Institut supérieur de mécanique de Paris

Saint-Ouen

190  Institut Supérieur d'Agriculture et d'Agroalimentaire Rhone-Alpes

Lyon

191  Institut Textile et Chimique de Lyon

Lyon

192  VetAgro Sup

Lyon ...

193  École Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Metz

Metz

194  École Supérieure des Techniques Aéronautiques et de Construction Automobile

Levallois-Perret ...

195  École d'Ingénieurs en Génie des Systèmes Industriels

La Rochelle

196  École Nationale Supérieure d'Ingénieurs de Bourges

Bourges

197  Groupe Sup de Co Montpellier

Montpellier

198  École Supérieure de Commerce de Saint-Etienne

Saint-Étienne

199  TELECOM École de Management

Evry

200  École Supérieure d'Ingénieurs Léonard de Vinci

Paris

201  École Supérieure des Technologies Industrielles Avancées

Bidart

202  Esitpa, École d'Ingénieurs en Agriculture

Mont-Saint-Aignan

203  École Nationale Supérieure d'Informatique pour l'Industrie et l'Entreprise

Evry

204  École des Ingénieurs de la Ville de Paris

Paris

205  Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire, Agroalimentaire et de l'alimentation de Nantes-Atlantique

Nantes

206  Arts et Métiers ParisTech

Paris ...

207  École Supérieure d'Ingenieurs en Informatique et Génie des Télécommunications

Fontainebleau

208  Ecole Catholique d’Arts et Métiers

Lyon

209  Centre Universitaire Jean-François Champollion

Albi ...

210  École Nationale Supérieure de Mécaniques et des Microtechniques

Besançon

211  Institut Polytechnique LaSalle Beauvais

Beauvais

212  École Supérieure de Commerce de Chambéry

Le Bourget-du-Lac

213  École Louis de Broglie

Bruz

214  École Supérieure de Commerce de Pau

Pau

215  IFP School

Rueil-Malmaison

216  École d'Ingénieurs de Purpan

Toulouse

217  École Nationale Supérieure de Céramique Industrielle

Limoges

218  TELECOM Lille 1

Villeneuve d'Ascq

219  École Supérieure du Bois

Nantes

220  École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Clermont-Ferrand

Clermont-Ferrand

221  École Supérieure de Chimie Organique et Minérale

Compiègne

222  Institut Catholique de Toulouse

Toulouse

223  Hautes Études d'Ingénieur

Lille

224  École Supérieure d'Ingénieurs des Travaux de la Construction de Caen

Epron

225  Institut Supérieur des Matériaux et Mécaniques Avancés du Mans

Le Mans

226  École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie et de Physique de Bordeaux

Bordeaux

227  École Nationale Supérieure de la Nature et du Paysage

Blois

228  École d'Électricité, de Production et des Méthodes Industrielles

Cergy

229  Campus Adventiste du Salève

Collonges-sous-Saleve

230  EIL Côte d'Opale

Longuenesse

231  École Nationale d'Ingénieurs des Travaux Agricoles de Bordeaux

Gradignan

232  École Supérieure de Fonderie et de Forge

Sèvres

233  École de Biologie Industrielle

Cergy

234  École Supérieure d'Ingénieurs des Travaux de la Construction de Cachan

Cachan

235  École Supérieure d'Ingénieurs des Travaux de la Construction de Metz

Metz

236  École Supérieure d'Agro-développement International

Cergy Pontoise

237  3iL Ecole d'ingénieurs

Limoges

238  Institut Supérieur du Bâtiment et des Travaux Publics

Marseille

239  École Nationale d'Ingénieurs du Val de Loire

Blois

240  École des Métiers de l'Environnement

Bruz

Academic Ranking of World Universities 

 France                                                    

National Rank  Institution World Rank Region Regional Rank

1

Pierre and Marie Curie University - Paris 6

40 Europe 6

2

University of Paris Sud (Paris 11)

43 Europe 8

3

Ecole Normale Superieure - Paris

70 Europe 20

4-5

University of Paris Diderot (Paris 7)

101-151 Europe 33-58

4-5

University of Strasbourg

101-151 Europe 33-58

6-7

Joseph Fourier University (Grenoble 1)

152-200 Europe 59-79

6-7

University of Paris Descartes (Paris 5)

152-200 Europe 59-79

8-14

Claude Bernard University Lyon 1

201-302 Europe 80-125

8-14

Ecole Polytechnique

201-302 Europe 80-125

8-14

Industrial Physics and Chemistry Higher Educational Institution - Paris

201-302 Europe 80-125

8-14

Paul Sabatier University (Toulouse 3)

201-302 Europe 80-125

8-14

University of Bordeaux 1

201-302 Europe 80-125

8-14

University of Montpellier 2

201-302 Europe 80-125

8-14

University of the Mediterranean (Aix-Marseille 2)

201-302 Europe 80-125

15-19

Ecole National Superieure Mines - Paris

303-401 Europe 126-170

15-19

Henri Poincare University (Nancy 1)

303-401 Europe 126-170

15-19

University of Paris Dauphine (Paris 9)

303-401 Europe 126-170

15-19

University of Provence (Aix-Marseille 1)

303-401 Europe 126-170

15-19

University of Rennes 1

303-401 Europe 126-170

20-23

Ecole Normale Superieure - Lyon

402-501 Europe 171-208

20-23

University of Lille 1

402-501 Europe 171-208

20-23

University of Nice Sophia Antipolis

402-501 Europe 171-208

20-23

Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2 University

402-501 Europe 171-208

International Study in France

Why study abroad in France?

As one of the UK’s nearest neighbours, France is an obvious choice for study abroad, with easy travel with Eurostar via Paris to many parts of the country.

• France's 83 public universities are funded by the national government, which closely regulates the 'national diplomas' granted by the universities. This system allows the universities to offer students an excellent education at a very affordable price.
• French universities are of high quality, with two Parisian institutions ranked in the Top 100 of the 2011 QS World University Rankings: Ecole Normale Supérieur (ENS) (33) and Ecole Polytechnique Paris Tech (36).
• Some 33 undergraduate programmes are entirely English-taught and a total of more than 450 at either undergraduate or masters level.

Entry and visa regulations

UK residents do not need a visa and may apply directly to the institution(s).

• Students seeking to enter the first year of higher education in France apply through the online post-baccalauréat admission process Admission post-bac (APB) in common with all French students.
• Applications for the 2012–13 academic year have closed – dates for the 2013–14 academic year have yet to be confirmed but are likely to be from late January to mid-March 2013.

Funding your study

Annual tuition rates at France’s public institutions are set by law and are identical for home and international students.

• The rates for the 2011–12 academic year range from £144 for an undergraduate course to £200 for a masters. Additional fees may be assessed for specific services.
• Tuition rates at private institutions – particularly schools of business and management – are higher (from £2,400 to £8,000 a year).
• Some specific scholarships exist for certain courses of study (doctors, engineers, etc) – details from the cultural service of the French Embassy in the country of origin.

There is a well-established student housing system of Cités Universitaires (student residences) run by CNOUS/CROUS.

• UK students can apply for a grant from the local Caisse d’Allocation Familiale (CAF) to receive a student rebate for part of the rent.

Grants can be awarded on social criteria – details from CROUS.

• A claim must be made between the 15 February and 30 April for a course starting in the next academic year.
• France is not a cheap country. Typical prices (in GBP, May 2012) are:
• 
  
• Meal in an inexpensive restaurant: £7.00.
• Domestic beer (0.5 litre draught): £2.50.
• Cappuccino (regular): £1.20.
• Coke/Pepsi (0.33 litre bottle): £1.20.
• Milk (regular), 1 litre: £0.65.
• Loaf of white bread (500g): £0.70.
• One-way ticket (local transport): £1.00.
• 1 minute of prepaid mobile tariff local: £0.15.
• Cinema, 1 seat: £6.50.
• Rent per month, apartment (1 bedroom) in city centre: £517 (average).

Health and safety

France’s health care system is among the best in the world.

EU students with an European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) are exempt from the requirement to take out health insurance.

Generally considered a safe country in which to live, with the expected exemptions for certain inner city areas and in the case of Paris, suburbs.

Helpuful links

Get more information on studying in France from Campus France, the French national agency for the promotion of higher education, international student services, and international mobility.