Top Universities and Colleges in France - Courses, Fees, Scholarships, Admission Requirements & Grades

Home to about 100 top-class universities, France is one of the most popular study-abroad options for overseas students. It comprises of several renowned universities such as the University PSL, Institute Polytechnic de Paris, Sorbonne University, which are ranked among the top 100 universities in the world. Some of the most pursued majors in France include MIM, BBA, MS, MBA and more.

In order to get into these French universities, all aspiring candidates must appear for at least one of the following English proficiency exam(s): IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, Duolingo. A number of universities in France also require another entrance exam like GMAT/GRE scores.

Currently, France is hosting more than 400,000 international students, which has been observed as the highest growth in 15 years.

As part of a major initiative to strengthen educational ties between the two nations, President Emmanuel Macron declared that France is committed to accepting 30,000 Indian students to its universities by 2030. He emphasized his determination to see this goal through to completion. 

Universities in France: Highlights

Parameter	Statistics
Number of universities in France	100+
Tuition fees of universities in France	Up to INR 10L: 57 Up to INR 40L: 74
Top streams in France	MIM, BBA, MS, MBA/PGDM
English language exams required	IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, Duolingo
Entrance exams required	GMAT/GRE

Why study in France?

France is a very favorable destination for overseas students, as it is home to several globally renowned universities. It is a hub for Business & Management courses and is known worldwide for the same. Prospective students can also choose from a variety of courses such as MIM, MS, MBA, BBA, B.Tech and more. The top job sectors in France for international students consists of Medicine, Law, IT Professions, Engineering, Teaching and Research.

All international applicants require a long-stay French visa to pursue a degree course in France as a student. Such visas let students stay in the country for 4-12 months and can be renewed according to the student’s duration of studies. Usually, the cost of a visa in France sums up to about INR 7,000 for Indian students.

Most French universities allow international students to work on-campus while studying in the university and pick up part-time jobs during their term breaks. France also provides a one-year stay-back permit to all international students as a post-study work permit. However, this cannot be renewed. To be eligible, students must hold a bachelor’s/master’s degree.

Here’s all you need to know about studying in France.

Top Universities in France

As per the table listed below, it can be observed that University PSL, Institute Polytechnic de Paris, Sorbonne University as well as University Paris – Saclay are some of the top-ranked universities in France and are also part of the top 100 universities in the world.

University Name	QS World Rankings 2024	THE Ranking 2023-24
University PSL	#24	#40
Institute Polytechnic de Paris	#38	#71
Sorbonne University	#59	#75
University Paris -  Saclay	#71	#58
Ecole Normale Superieure de Lyon	#184	#251-300
Ecole des Ponts ParisTech	#192	#401-500
University Paris City	#236	#152
University Grenoble Alpes	#294	#301-350
Sciences Po	#319	#501-600
University Paris 1 Pantheon - Sorbonne	#328	#801-1000

Here’s detailed information about top-ranked universities in France:

Best Business & Management Universities in France:

University Name	QS Subject Rankings
HEC Paris School of Management	#10
ESSEC Business School	#30
ESCP Business School - Paris	#45

Best Engineering Universities in France:

University Name	QS Subject Rankings
Institute Polytechnic de Paris	#21
University Paris - Saclay	#22
University PSL	#41

Read more:

Top-ranked universities in France

Top-ranked MBA universities in France

Top Cities in France to Study in

Paris is not only one of the most popular tourist destinations but also a hub of globally renowned universities and is a favourable location for international students looking for study abroad options. According to the QS Best Student City Rankings, Paris stands tall at position #6. Apart from this, most of the popular French universities are situated in the cities of Lyon, Montpellier, Toulouse, Grenoble, Lille, Nice, Nantes and more.

Top Cities in France	Count of Universities
Paris	45
Lyon	30
Montpellier	15

Top Courses in France

France is known for its Business & Management centered universities and the most pursued course in this country is MIM. BBA, MS as well as MBA are some of the popular courses for international students in France.

Top Courses in France	Count of Universities
MIM	39
BBA	33
MS	30
MBA/PGDM	29
BHM	5
Executive MBA/PGDM	5
Others PG	5
M.A.	4
B.A.	3
B.E./B.Tech	3

Admission Requirements in France

Entrance exams accepted by universities in France:

Several universities in France require GMAT/GRE scores as an entry requirement and international students must fulfill this criterion to secure admission.

Entrance Exams Accepted	Count of Universities
GMAT	17
GRE	15

English language requirements by universities in France:

To get into a university in France, all international students are required to provide a proof of proficiency in English language, as an admission requirement. Most of the French universities accept IELTS/TOEFL/PTE/Duolingo score(s) for their English language requirements.

English Language Exams Accepted	Count of Universities
IELTS	73
TOEFL	59
PTE	11
Duolingo	13

Cost of Studying in France

The cost of studying in France is relatively affordable as compared to other popular study abroad options for Indian students. The annual tuition fee of a major chunk of universities in France stands below INR 10L, making France an ideal choice for international students.

First-Year Tuition Fee Range	Count of Universities
Up to INR 10L	57
INR 10L – 20L	16
INR 20L – 40L	1
INR 40L+	6

Cost of Living in France

The cost of living in any country is inclusive of accommodation facilities, meals, travelling as well as cost of utilities, and personal expenses. When it comes to France, the cost of living for Indian students is usually around INR 70,000 per month. However, the expenses are very subjective, depending on the lifestyle and purchasing power of the student residing and pursuing a degree course in France.

Scholarships Offered by Universities in France

Opting to study abroad is a major step that students take for their career and managing the expenses including the tuition fee and living costs play a deciding factor in this decision. Here is where scholarships dive in and help students study in their dream college by cutting down a portion of their expenses. A lot of universities in France, such as HEC Paris, Montpellier Business School, Rennes School of Business and more offer scholarships to their international students.

Scholarship Name	Maximum Disbursement Amount
K.C. Mahindra Scholarships for Post-Graduate Studies Abroad	INR 8,00,000
Narotam Sekhria’s Scholarships	NA
Haini Zeini Scholarships	INR 82,500

Jobs in France

Business & Management is one of the most popular education as well as job sectors in France. Other popular job industries for international students in France are Medicine, Law, IT Professions, Engineering, Teaching, and Research.

University Name	Average Salary
HEC Paris	INR 91,96,983
Institute Polytechnic de Paris	INR 99,84,660
Sorbonne University	INR 58,24,035
Ecole Normale Superieure de Lyon	INR 71,55,243
Ecole des Ponts ParisTech	INR 70,72,042

Conversion Used: 1 USD = INR 83.22

Anushree Sinha01-29-2024 11:58