The Best Universities in Paris for International Students

Paris is popular with international students. Read our guide to get an overview of the best universities in Paris and their tuition fees.

Yordan

5 minute read

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Updated on 31 Jan 2024

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Studying

Paris is one of the most popular study destinations in the world and it’s no wonder why — The city is packed with history, art, and culture.

But if you’re looking for the best universities in Paris, where should you start? We’ve compiled a list of some of the most prestigious and highly ranked universities in Paris, so you can make an informed decision about your studies.

Read on to discover the best universities in Paris for international students!

First things first, why is Paris such a popular city for international students? Here’s a list of just a few of the reasons why Paris is a great destination to pursue higher education:

Quality Education: Universities in France offer a high quality of education and research opportunities in a variety of fields. Paris itself has 9 universities that feature in the QS World University Rankings 2024.

Networking in a growing economy: Due to the high concentration of successful entrepreneurs and top international companies in Paris, there’re numerous opportunities for finding your dream job after graduation.

Culturally Vibrant: Paris consistently ranks as one of the top student cities because the city is home to a big expat community, top museums, magnific architecture, stellar cuisine, vibrant festivals, and more!

International students in Paris can study in English, although the course options are limited for undergraduate students. The top universities in Paris offer more courses taught fully in English at a Master’s or post-graduate level.

Paris has numerous educational institutions, ranging from large public ones to smaller, private, and specialized schools. We've chosen 5 of the most popular universities among international students in Paris:

The Paris Sciences et Lettres, or Université PSL, is among the most prestigious public research universities in France. 22% of the students at Université PSL are international.

Does Paris Sciences et Lettres offer education in English?

Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL) offers 60 programs, 43 of which are taught in English.

Undergraduate programs are partially taught in English and choices include Sustainability Sciences, Organisational Sciences, and Mathematics and Computer Science.

The graduate programs are taught completely or partially in English and include courses in the field of science and engineering, social sciences, economics, and management.

Tuition fees at Paris Sciences et Lettres

All students need to pay the CVEC fee (contribution to student and campus life) before they register at any higher education institution in France.

The public status of the university means that the tuition fees are exceptionally low — €243 per year for all programs, to be exact.

PSL is the only university in Paris that applies the same tuition fee for all students, regardless of their country of origin.

Institut Polytechnique de Paris is a conglomeration of the 5-top Engineering universities in France — École Polytechnique, ENSTA Paris, ENSAE Paris, Télécom Paris and Télécom SudParis.

Does Institut Polytechnique de Paris offer education in English?

The only undergraduate program you can pursue in English is a Bachelor of Science. This program allows you to get a double specialization in the following disciplines:

• Mathematics and Physics
• Mathematics and Computer Science
• Mathematics and Economics

Some Master’s programs taught in English include:

• Biology and Health,
• Chemistry and Interfaces,
• Computer Science for Networks,
• Cybersecurity,
• Economics,
• Machine learning, Communications, and Security
• Nuclear Energy

Tuition fees at Institut Polytechnique de Paris

The tuition fees at Institut Polytechnique de Paris vary per program and will set you back €6,243 per academic year on average. The university also offers scholarships for international students to help offset the costs.

Prepare for student life by understanding the cost of living in Paris before your departure.

Sciences Po is a great university for international students wanting to study in Paris. Nearly half of the students are international, coming from over 150 countries.

Does Sciences Po offer education in English?

Students at Sciences Po have the opportunity to study various Bachelor's and Master's programs taught entirely in English.

At the Bachelor level, students can choose from regional specializations, such as Europe-Asia or Europe-Nother America. Students undertaking a dual Bachelor’s degree program at partner universities, such as Columbia University or the National University of Singapore, can take courses taught in English.

Master's degree students have much more choices in the fields of international affairs, management and innovation, law, public affairs, and urban studies.

Tuition fees at Sciences Po

The tuition fees at Science Po for students from outside the EEA is €13,190 per year for undergraduate students and €18,260 per year for master’s students. Students enrolled in a 1-year master's program can expect to pay between €15,020 – €25,000.

The tuition fee for EEA students depends on the household income and can be up to €18,260.

The Sorbonne University is one of the most prestigious universities in the world that offers rigorous academic and research programs. Here, you can be certain that you’ll get top-quality education in the science and engineering disciplines.

Does Sorbonne University offer education in English?

Most of the courses at Sorbonne University are taught in French and there’re no undergraduate programs in English. Master’s students in have 9 courses to pick from in the Faculty of Science and Engineering. Courses include Physics, Cloud and Network Infrastructure, and High-Performance Computing.

Most of the French-taught courses require you to have B2 or C1 level proficiency in French. Luckily, bachelor's and master's students who want to study at this prestigious university can enroll in the intensive French language course for free!

Tuition fees at Sorbonne University

The typical university fee is €10,000 per year. But considering Sorbonne is a public university, the tuition fees are heavily subsidized by the French government.

In general, EU students need to pay a registration fee of:

• €170 per year for Bachelor’s
• €243 per year for Master’s

Non-EU students need to pay one-third of the total tuition fee as the rest is subsidized by the French state. Bachelor's students need to pay €2,770 per year on average and master's students need to pay €3,770 per year on average.

Université Paris-Saclay is a research-intensive academic campus and serves as the principal training and research center for the Paris-Saclay technology cluster.

The university has 5 faculties: Science, Sports Science, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Law, Economics and Management. There are also 3 technical institutes and 1 engineering school. Overall, the university is great for students pursuing courses in the fields of Science and Engineering, Social Sciences and Humanities, and Life Sciences and Health.

Does Université Paris-Saclay offer education in English?

A majority of the undergraduate programs at Université Paris-Saclay are taught entirely or partially in French; you’re required to have a B2 or C1 level of French. But the university does offer a couple of Master's programs taught in English.

Tuition fees at Université Paris-Saclay

The registration fee needs to be paid before the academic year. For the academic year 2022-2023, both EU and non-EU students need to pay the same registration fee: €170 for bachelor students and €243 for master students.

Besides this, the yearly tuition fees for master's programs are approximately €4,500 for EU students and between €5000 and €9000 for non-EU students.

Now that you know about the best universities in Paris, make sure you apply for your French student visa and for student housing on time. If you’re looking for inspiration, check out the best student neighborhoods in Paris and pick the right one, depending on closeness to university, liveliness, and rental prices.

Please reach out to content@housinganywhere.com if you have any suggestions or inquiries about the content on this page.