🇫🇷France

France offers relatively low tuition at public universities alongside globally ranked grandes écoles like Sciences Po and Sorbonne University, with a growing number of English-taught programmes for international students.

Popular Places

Eiffel Tower

Paris

Iconic iron tower and symbol of Paris.

Hotels from ~$100-400/night

Louvre Museum

Paris

World's largest art museum, home to the Mona Lisa.

Hotels from ~$100-400/night

Palace of Versailles

Versailles

Opulent royal palace with elaborate gardens.

Hotels from ~$90-350/night

French Riviera (Nice)

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur

Mediterranean coastal region known for glamorous resort towns.

Hotels from ~$100-450/night

Mont Saint-Michel

Normandy

Tidal island commune with a medieval abbey.

Hotels from ~$80-300/night

Universities in France

Paris

Sorbonne University

Formed in 2018 from the merger of Paris-Sorbonne University and Pierre and Marie Curie University, Sorbonne University is one of France's leading research universities, particularly strong in the humanities and sciences. Located in Paris, France. International students: 11,500 international students out of over 53,000 total (as of: reported 2024). Admission requirements — Academic: Most programmes are taught in French, requiring B2/C1-level French verified via DELF/DALF. English language: ENGLISH TAUGHT PROGRAMMES: TOEFL 80+ or IELTS 6.5+ Acceptance rate: International-applicant acceptance rate around 20%.

18%intl. students

Paris

Sciences Po

France's premier institution for political science and international affairs, based in Paris with regional campuses such as Reims for its Euro-American programme, Sciences Po is highly selective and internationally oriented. Located in Paris, France. International students: Not surfaced in this search pass; the Reims Euro-American programme is often 70%+ non-French (as of: reported 2024). Admission requirements — Academic: French-taught programmes require C1-level French; non-native English speakers admitted to a Master's must obtain C1-level English certification before graduation even if their entry score was lower. English language: ENGLISH TAUGHT TRACKS: IELTS Academic 7.0, TOEFL iBT 100, or Cambridge C1 Advanced; GENERAL RANGE: IELTS 6.5-7.0 or TOEFL 90-100 depending on programme Acceptance rate: Estimated 10-15% (no official figure published).

70%intl. students

Paris

PSL University

A federation of elite Parisian grandes écoles and research institutions, including ENS, Dauphine, and Mines Paris, PSL University is consistently ranked among France's top institutions. Located in Paris, France. International students: Not surfaced in this search pass. Admission requirements — Academic: Undergraduate: valid high school diploma from accredited boards; Master's: 3 years of prior study for Year 1 entry, 4 years for Year 2 entry, plus TOEFL/TOEIC/GMAT/IELTS/Cambridge for language proficiency. Minimum GPA of 3.0 recommended. English language: UNDERGRADUATE: IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 79 iBT; POSTGRADUATE: IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 79 iBT Acceptance rate: Not surfaced.

18%intl. students

Paris

Université Paris-Saclay

A large research-focused university cluster south of Paris, combining several grandes écoles and research institutes, Université Paris-Saclay is particularly renowned for physics, mathematics, and engineering. Located in Paris, France. International students: Not surfaced in this search pass. Admission requirements — Academic: Undergraduate: completed high school (12th grade); Master's: bachelor's degree. English language: GENERAL: TOEFL 90+ or IELTS 6.5+ (some programmes require TOEFL 100+/IELTS 7+) Acceptance rate: Not surfaced.

18%intl. students

Paris

ESSEC Business School

One of France's top grandes écoles for business, based near Paris with additional campuses in Singapore and Morocco, ESSEC is particularly known for its Global MBA and Master in Management programmes. Located in Paris, France. International students: Around 6,000 students enrolled annually (as of: reported 2024). Admission requirements — Academic: Baccalaureate degree or higher; GRE or GMAT scores generally required. English language: GENERAL: IELTS Academic 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 90 (some sources cite higher minimums: TOEFL 100 or IELTS 7 for general admission) Acceptance rate: Overall acceptance rate about 13.7%.

18%intl. students

Lyon

University of Lyon

A federation of universities and grandes écoles in Lyon, France's third-largest city, offering a broad range of programmes across the sciences, humanities, and engineering. Located in Lyon, France. International students: Not surfaced in this search pass. Admission requirements — Academic: Not surfaced in this search pass; course-specific. English language: GENERAL: IELTS 5.0 minimum, or TOEFL 72+ minimum Acceptance rate: Not surfaced.

18%intl. students

Lyon

INSA Lyon

A leading French engineering grande école based in Lyon, INSA Lyon is known for its five-year integrated engineering degree and a notably international student body. Located in Lyon, France. International students: 28% of total enrollment is international (as of: reported 2024). Admission requirements — Academic: Courses are primarily taught in French, requiring proficiency via TCF, DELF, or DALF. English language: INTERNATIONAL BACHELOR PROGRAMME: C1-equivalent English proficiency, e.g. IELTS 7-8 or TOEFL iBT 100+; OTHER PROGRAMMES: TOEFL 100 minimum or IELTS 7 minimum Acceptance rate: Not surfaced.

28%intl. students

Toulouse

University of Toulouse

A federation of universities in Toulouse, France's aerospace hub and home to Airbus, the University of Toulouse network is particularly strong in aeronautics, economics, and the sciences. Located in Toulouse, France. International students: Not surfaced in this search pass. Admission requirements — Academic: French-taught programmes require DELF/DALF or equivalent. English language: TOULOUSE 1 CAPITOLE: IELTS Academic 6.0 overall and TOEFL iBT 79 minimum; TOULOUSE SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS: TOEFL iBT 95/120 (Best Scores), IELTS Academic 7/9, or Cambridge Advanced C1 Acceptance rate: Not surfaced.

18%intl. students

Strasbourg

University of Strasbourg

Based in Strasbourg near the German border, and home to a historically Franco-German academic tradition, the University of Strasbourg is known for the sciences, law, and European studies, drawing applicants from around 150 nations. Located in Strasbourg, France. International students: 20% of the student body is international, drawn from approximately 150 nations (as of: reported 2024). Admission requirements — Academic: High school diploma or equivalent qualification recognized in France or the home country for undergraduate admission. English language: GENERAL: TOEFL 83 minimum and IELTS 6.0 minimum Acceptance rate: Overall acceptance rate about 15%.

20%intl. students

Grenoble

Grenoble Alpes University

France's third-largest university, based in Grenoble at the foot of the French Alps, Grenoble Alpes University specializes in the sciences and technology, with strong ties to the region's microelectronics and nanotechnology industries. Located in Grenoble, France. International students: 10,000 international students out of 59,000 total, with about 50,000 enrolled annually across national and international students (as of: reported 2024). Admission requirements — Academic: Not surfaced in this search pass; course-specific. English language: GENERAL MINIMUM: TOEFL iBT 78, TOEFL CBT 210, TOEIC 700, or IELTS 6.0 minimum; ADVANCED B2 PLUS: TOEFL 95, IELTS 6.5, TOEIC 945 (listening/reading) + 360 (speaking/writing), or Cambridge 179+ Acceptance rate: Not surfaced.

18%intl. students