Studying abroad is an exciting and world-expanding opportunity for you as a student to combine classic education with real-world experiences.
Learning a promising career while exploring a new country, making international friends and connections from all over the world, and increasing your independence is a winning combination.
There are many, many different areas of study one can choose when attending university, so this list is generalised for a broad range of specialities.
France is an exciting country to study in as an international student. It is a global hub for many industries and people who are just exploring the world.
Of course, Paris is the most international city, but many different places in France can offer wonderful experiences in and outside the classroom.
Best University for Sciences
Université Paris-Saclay in Gif-sur-Yvette
This university has facilities from Paris to Orsay and has been around in different forms since 1971, but this new iteration as an institution aiming to be the best research-focused university in the world was established in 2019. As a result, the structure has a modern approach with very new facilities and technology.
The scientific programmes offered at Saclay are broad and include engineering and technology, life sciences and medicine, natural sciences, and social sciences. Specific areas of study include computer science, biotechnologies, chemistry, mathematics, earth science, environmental protection, economic and social administration, and communications. Being a student at the university allows you to access many laboratories and research facilities in France. Université Paris-Saclay ranks among the top 20 most productive research universities in the world!
Costs for Université Paris-Saclay are the public university rate, so they are very affordable especially compared to institutions in Australia, the UK, and the US.
The fees are:
- €170 for a year in the bachelor’s cycle
- €243 for a year in the master’s cycle
- €380 for a PhD year
Many of the Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes are taught in English.
Best University for Medical
Sorbonne University in Paris
Sorbonne University was founded in 1257. The College of Medicine (Faculté de Médicine) is associated with the AP-HP (Assistance Publique–Hôpitaux de Paris), the Sorbonne University Hospital Group (Charles-Foix, Pitié-Salpêtrière, Rothschild, Saint-Antoine, Tenon, Trousseau, La Roche-Guyon) and the Quinze-Vingts National Ophthalmology Hospital.
The College of Medicine encourages multidisciplinary research for a well-rounded education. Programmes at Sorbonne College of Medicine that have high rankings include biology and biochemistry, cardiac and cardiovascular studies, cell biology, chemistry, endocrinology and metabolism, gastroenterology and hepatology, immunology, infectious diseases, microbiology, molecular biology and genetics, neuroscience and behaviour, oncology, pharmacology and toxicology, psychiatry/psychology, public, environmental, occupational health, radiology, nuclear medicine, and medical imaging, and surgery.
Sorbonne College of Medicine is a public university, so it has extremely affordable tuition, detailed as:
- €170 for a year in the bachelor’s cycle
- €243 for a year in the master’s cycle
- €601 for one year of an engineering program
- €380 for a PhD year
The one downside of studying medicine at Sorbonne is that the classes are offered only in French, so C1 French plus French medical terminology is required. The university offers French classes to those who need to improve their language skills.
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Best University for Engineering
Institut Polytechnique de Paris in Palaiseau Cedex
Institut Polytechnique is made up of five schools: École Polytechnique, ENSTA Paris, ENSAE Paris, Télécom Paris, and Télécom SudParis. It offers Bachelor, Master, and PhD programs.
While the collaboration of these five schools under the name “Institut Polytechnique de Paris” is new, being established in 2019, the schools themselves are historic.
École Polytechnique (aka l’X) was founded in 1794, ENSTA Paris was founded in 1741, ENSAE Paris in 1942, Télécom Paris in 1878, and Télécom SudParis in 1979.
Alumni of the Institut Polytechnique includes three Nobel Prize winners, a Fields Medalist, three Presidents of France and many CEOs of French and international companies.
The most sought-after studies in the Institut are biomedical engineering, biomechanics, biophysics, cybersecurity, data and AI, integrations, circuits, and systems, optical networks and photonic systems, solid mechanics, radio systems, virtual and augmented reality, and general engineering.
The Institut has an excellent reputation with many employers and research facilities worldwide, meaning you will have more opportunities to work with those entities if you study at the Institut.
Since each school is run independently, the tuition fees vary. The lowest is around €4150 and the highest is €18,200 per year, however, there are scholarships and income-based tuition plans available.
The Bachelor of Science course is comprehensive and currently has about 74% of those enrolled coming from another country. It is also taught entirely in English. Each of the five schools has programs that are offered in English, but all recommend having an understanding of French for easier integration.
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Best University for Business
INSEAD Europe in Fontainebleau
INSEAD (Institut Européen d'Administration des Affaires) is one of the leading schools in the world for business. It is among the top 20 universities that have ultra-wealthy members of alumni.
It is a Grandes Écoles which is similar in designation to Ivy League schools in the US, Oxbridge in the UK, and the C9 League in China. The MBA program in particular is taught in English and has produced more CEOs in the world than any other program except Harvard.
Because of its exclusivity, the class sizes are smaller which means more individualised attention. And, because of its reputation, tuition at INSEAD is close to €100,000, but financial assistance and payment programs are available.
Best University for Economics
Sciences Po in Paris
The École Libre des Sciences Politiques (ELSP) was founded in 1872, and is known today as Sciences Po, for short.
While the main campus is located in Paris, there are smaller locations all over France, in Dijon, Le Havre, Menton, Nancy, Poitiers, and Reims. Each campus has a focus on a certain geographic area of the world for intensive studies on these different places, so you are not limited to learning only about European economics!
Utilising these alternate campuses also allows you to study different languages and study in the areas of focus of that campus.
Some of the campuses (Paris and Reims) also offer dual-degree programs with other nearby institutions.
Sciences Po offers an undergraduate programme, a graduate programme, and a PhD programme.
Many of the programmes offered at Sciences Po, not just the Economics programme, are ranked quite highly on both the French and Global scales.
It is a private institution and as such, it is more expensive than the public universities in France, though there are financial aid opportunities available. Tuition is listed as follows:
- €14,210 for a year in the Bachelor's cycle
- €19,670 for a year in the Master's cycle
- €380 for a PhD year
Half of the students at Sciences Po are international. To have this international draw, Sciences Po offers many of its classes entirely in English. There are intensive French courses available for those who need them to learn while studying in France, but it’s not necessary to know French upon enrolment or arrival.
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Best University for Culinary
Le Cordon Bleu in Paris
There are many locations of Le Cordon Bleu schools worldwide, but how can you beat learning to prepare the most prestigious haute French cuisine directly in the heart of France?
Even while the universal palette evolves, traditional French cooking and baking techniques are the gold standard for evaluating the education and skill of a chef. Even if you don’t plan on becoming a French chef in your professional culinary career, learning the tried-and-true methods of this world-renowned cuisine can greatly assist you in building a successful career.
Some alumni of Le Cordon Bleu in Paris include Julia Child, Giada De Laurentiis, Dame Mary Berry, Gastón Acurio, Renatta Moeloek and Jesselyn Lauwreen.
There are several paths you can choose to study in the institution, from specialised courses in cooking, pastry, baking, oenology, gastronomy, nutrition, and even restaurant, hospitality, and catering management. You can choose a specific path, or enrol in the Grand Diplôme® which teaches everything.
And, you can also take supplementary courses after your graduation and after having real-world work experiences, such as The Art of Sugar, Advanced Gastronomy, and Food Hygiene. For less-intensive training, there are many one-time workshops offered as well.
Tuition varies depending on which program you enrol in.
The Grand Diplôme is €52,000 for the entire 9-month course, including fees and equipment. To add an internship, it becomes €54,000.00
- Cooking diploma: €31,900.00
- Pastry diploma: €28,000.00
- Baking diploma: €16,000.00
- Gastronomy diploma: €8,500.00
- Oenology certificate: €2,900 for the three-week course
Classes are taught in French and English, so French fluency is not required, however, Le Cordon Bleu offers a discount for French classes. If you want to enrol in an internship, A2 level French is required.
Best University for Arts
Beaux-Arts de Paris in Paris
Beaux-Arts de Paris was originally founded in 1648, but after several reformations, it reached its current iteration in 1863.
The institute is part of the Écoles des Beaux-Arts, which is simply referring to the group of influential art schools in France.
Beaux-Arts de Paris offers a 3-year undergraduate degree, followed by a 2-year graduate degree.
Tuition is extremely reasonable, especially considering the location and education you receive surrounded by historical art to study! It is €438 per year.
All courses are taught in French only, so having a level of B2 or higher in the language is strongly recommended, or you risk not absorbing the information fully.
There are many courses to choose from in technical skills, applied skills, honing your personal style, internship, and studying abroad.
Notable alumni include Henri Matisse, Claude Monet, Wahbi al-Hariri, Théodore Ballu, Antoine Bourdelle, and many others.
Best University for Fashion
ESMOD International
ESMOD has many locations in France: its Fashion Design schools (in Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon, Rennes and Roubaix (Lille)) and its Fashion Business schools (in Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon and Roubaix). Additionally, ESMOD has many international partnerships in East and West Asia and Africa.
By attending ESMOD International, you have many opportunities to network and travel around the world for your studies.
Fashion design and the business aspects of fashion are both offered as undergrad and post-grad degrees.
The fees for each year in each program vary slightly, but you can expect tuition to be around €13,000 to €15,000 per year in the Paris location. Rates are slightly lower in the other locations, but they do not teach the entire program, only the first two years.
Classes taught in English are available only at the Paris location. Some alumni from the institution include Reem Acra, Franck Sorbier, Olivier Rousteing and Seo Eunkyo.
There are many universities and educational institutions for higher learning in France. Many are extremely welcoming to international students and offer high-quality education. And, there are many courses taught in English in France! So, if your dream is to study abroad or see more of the world, France might just be the right place for you to go!
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