76 best universities in Paris for foreign students. Description, rankings, 2024 fees

The private universities in Paris attract applicants from many countries with a high level of teaching and surprisingly low prices for Europe. Higher education received in France is highly regarded both in all French-speaking and other countries of the world. The process of admission to French universities is as simple as possible.

France, the cradle of revolutions and a recognized trendsetter, has held leading positions in the field of education for centuries. Over 250,000 international students come here every year. One of the most advanced and effective, the higher education system in France is not by chance so popular among applicants from all countries of the world.

The universities in Paris, being funded by the state, allow the students to get education almost free of charge – about 1.5% of the country's GDP is spent on higher education annually. The universities are very loyal to applicants and are ready to accept everyone. The role of entrance exams here is played by an interview and (in some universities) a dossier competition.

In total, there are about 90 state universities in the country. Regardless of whether they are located in the capital or the province, French universities provide the same high quality of knowledge. Higher education in France complies with pan-European standards (LMD), it also has its own national peculiarity: differences in the systems of diplomas, academic degrees, in the division of the educational process into cycles.

The main stages of study at universities are licentiate, master's and doctorate degrees. Students receive a licentiate degree after three years of study at a university, a Master's degree – after five, and a doctorate degree (PhD) – can be obtained after studying at the university for eight years. Thanks to the special equivalence system of French diplomas, the foreign students can change courses by transferring to other universities and faculties. This is also considered one of the advantages of higher education in France.

Despite the fact that English is of international importance, Paris educational institutions, like the whole nation as a whole, are distinguished by a great love for their native language. Nominally, there are over 600 programs in English in the country, but this is only an apparent variety. We are mainly talking about programs in higher schools. In English the students can get a higher education in France in such disciplines as management, economics, hotel and restaurant business, law, as well as a number of technical sciences. If we talk about bachelor's degree programs and programs in state universities of the country, the choice will not be at all great.

• PSL Research University Paris

Originally formed from five institutes, it has grown to 25 self-governing academic and research institutes. It aims to become one of the leading research universities in the world.

One of the educational institutions that make up it, the Higher Normal School, traces its history back to the post-revolutionary National Convention of 1794. It was originally established to teach secondary school teachers in order to ensure consistent national education.

• Sorbonne University

It was created in 2018 as a result of the merger of the University of Paris-Sorbonne, the University of Pierre and Marie Curie and a number of smaller institutions.

The university has three faculties: arts and Humanities, Natural and Technical Sciences and Medicine. Law is taught at the Pantheon-Assas University (Paris 2).

The Sorbonne has several campuses throughout Paris, as well as a satellite campus in Abu Dhabi.

The university is home to eight renowned scientific collections open to researchers. Some collections are also open to the public, such as collections of minerals, paleontology and zoology.

• Institute Polytechnique de Paris

It was officially established in 2019, but its history goes back more than 200 years.

The institution unites five French engineering higher schools: Ecole Polytechnique, ESTA Paris, DANSE Paris, Télécom Paris and Télécom SudParis. Every year the Institute admits more than 8000 students, 35% of whom are international students. The Institute has 10 academic and research departments, including the Department of Biology, the Department of Economics and the Department of Social Sciences and Management.

The process of admission to the Paris universities in general is not very complicated. There are no entrance exams: the admission committee is presented with a certificate of secondary education – but this applies only to the French document. Enrolment in special specialized institutes at universities in Paris can also take place with the use of entrance exams (for example, Score IAE-Message is common).

The foreign students must demonstrate the following skills and knowledge, when applying:

• A fairly high level of proficiency in French (in rare cases – English, education is mainly conducted in the main state language);
• Sustained motivation for development and studying, goals for the future, professional and career plans, aspiration;
• Compliance with the level of knowledge: it is necessary that your academic skills, knowledge and achievements obtained in high school correspond to the chosen specialty.

Additionally, to submit documents, it is necessary to find out the availability and number of available places for foreign students – French citizens have priority when enrolling in the universities in Paris.

The cost of studying in public Paris universities is very modest and for foreign students and residents of the country is less than 1,000 Euros per year. In higher schools and private universities in Paris, it accounts for from 6,000 to 12,000 Euros.

The cost of living in the country varies greatly depending on the city. So, a student in Paris will spend 1000-1500 Euros per month on modest housing, food and basic expenses. In the province, 800 Euros may be enough.

 It is also mandatory to pay a social insurance contribution (approximately 190 €) plus the cost of accommodation and meals: universities in Paris, as a rule, do not have their own residences, so foreign students will have to solve the issue of housing and meals on their own.

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