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

Home to almost 100 top-class universities, France is one of the most popular study-abroad options for overseas students. Currently, more than 400,000 international students, are pursuing higher studies in the country. PSL University, Paris-Saclay University, and Sorbonne University are some popular names that attract students from around the world, thanks in large part to their standing 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, and Duolingo English Test. Several universities in France also require another entrance exam like GMAT/GRE scores.

Latest Update:

In a major initiative to strengthen educational ties with India, President Emmanuel Macron declared that France would accept around 30,000 Indian students to its universities by the year 2030.

Universities in France: Highlights

Parameter	Statistics
Number of universities in France	93
Tuition fees of universities in France	INR 10 L - INR 40 L
Top streams in France	MBA/PGDM, MSc, MS, BBA, MA
English language exams required	IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, Duolingo
Entrance exams required	GMAT/GRE

Why study in France?

Apart from being home to several world-class universities, France is also 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. Some of the top job sectors in France for international students consist 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 K for Indian students.

Most French universities allow international students to work on-campus while studying at 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 the University PSL, Institute Polytechnic de Paris, Sorbonne University as well as the 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 Rank 2026	Shiksha Popularity Ranking
University PSL	#28	#90
Institute Polytechnic de Paris	#41	#71
Sorbonne University	#72	#45
University Paris -  Saclay	#70	#119
Ecole Normale Superieure de Lyon	#205	Unranked
University Paris 1 Pantheon - Sorbonne	#257	Unranked
University Paris City	#300	#483
University Grenoble Alpes	#321	#589
Sciences Po	#367	#802
Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (INSA)	#406	Unranked

Best Business & Management Universities in France:

As per the QS World University Business & Management rankings, the top universities in France are:

University Name	QS Subject Rankings
INSEAD	#4
HEC Paris Business School	#13
ESSEC Business School	#39
ESCP Business School - Paris	#54
Emlyon Business School	#76
EDHEC Business School	#125
University PSL	#137
University Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne	#145
Grenoble Ecole de Management	#151-200
KDGE Business School	#151-200

Best Engineering Universities in France:

As per the QS World University Engineering & Technology rankings, the top universities in France are:

University Name	QS Subject Rankings
Institute Polytechnic de Paris	#40
University Paris - Saclay	#40
University PSL	#72
Sorbonne University	#76
University Grenoble Alpes	#149
Grenoble Institute of Technology	#162
IMT Atlantique	#201
Institut National des Sciences Appliquees de Lyon	#220
Ecole des Ponts ParisTech	#260
Ecole Centrale de Lyon	#304

Read more:

Top-ranked universities in France

Top-ranked MBA universities in France

Top Cities in France to Study in

According to the QS Best Student City Rankings 2025, Paris stands tall at position #7. 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	QS Best Student City Rankings 2025
Paris	#7
Lyon	#47
Toulouse	#97
Montpellier	#138

Top Courses in France

France is known for its Business & Management centred 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
MBA/PGDM	62
MSc	52
MS	44
BBA	37
MA	7
MIM	6
BE/BTech	6
Others PG	6

Admission Requirements for International Students in France

International students interested in admissions to a French University, must meet the university specific requirements of that institution, & submit some documents as a proof of their academic prowess.

Mentioned below are some general admission requirements for international students seeeking admission in France:

• Copy of a valid passport
• A passport sized photograph 
• Academic transcripts 
• Photocopy of EU Health card
• Application fee
• A civil liability certificate 
• A cover letter 
• Valid English or French language test certificates 
• Bank Statement demonstrating enough financial resources to fund your studies & cost of living 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	21
GRE	18

Here's everything that you need to know about GMAT 2026:

English language requirements by universities in France

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	91
TOEFL	73
Duolingo English Test	27
PTE	17

Cost of Studying in France

The annual tuition fee of a many universities in France is less than INR 10 L, making it a more affordable option for studies abroad.

First-Year Tuition Fee Range	Count of Universities
Up to INR 10 L	57
Up to INR 20 L	87
Up to INR 30 L	89
Up to INR 40 L	90

Cost of Living in France

On average, the cost of living in any country is inclusive of accommodation facilities, meals, travelling as well as the cost of utilities, and personal expenses. When it comes to France, the cost of living for Indian students is usually around INR 70 K 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	Financial Award
K.C. Mahindra Scholarship	INR 10,00,000
Narotam Sekhria’s Scholarships	Varies
Haini Zeini Scholarships	INR 82,460

Are you aware, that you can now study for next to no cost in Europe?

Check out the video below to know more:

Jobs in France

France offers plenty of well paid job opportunities to international students, across a number of popular industries, from Business Management, Science & Education to Technology, Commerce & Research there's plenty of opprortunities out there for students.

The table below lists some popular best paying jobs in France:

Job	Average Salary (in EUR)	Average Salary (in INR)
Attorney/Lawyer (Law Firm)	EUR 60,984	INR 61.4 L
Accountant	EUR 35,750	INR 36 L
Mechanical Engineering	EUR 43,393	INR 43.7 L
Head Chef	EUR 38,000	INR 38.25 L
Software Engineer	EUR 44,308	INR 44.6 L
Retail Store Manager	EUR 33,129	INR 33.3 L
Research & Development (R&D)	EUR 62,122	INR 62.5 L
Hotel Manager	EUR 44,397	INR 44.7 L
Business Development Manager	EUR 51,251	INR 51.6 L

Source: Payscale

Conversion rate: 1 EUR = INR 100.68

Which is better for studies: France or Germany?

Both France & Germany are among the popular destinations for higher studies abroad. While Frennch universities are known for following a more theoretical approach to studies, German institutes lay a major emphasis on practical implementation of concepts. 

The table below compares the two countries based on some key parameters, & would allow students assess the pros & cons of both countries:

Parameters	France	Germany
Popular Programmes	Business Studies, Engineering, Goods Management, Fashion Designing	Engineering, Business & Sciences
Language of Instruction	French is the first choice language, but many universities teach in English too	German is first choice, however, the number of English taught courses are growing
University Rankings	20 French universities feature in the QS World Uni Rankings 2026.	17 German universities feature in the QS World University Rankings 2026.
Teaching Approach	Follow a more theatrical approach Encourages critical thinking & independent research	Lays a major emphasis on practical implementation of concepts. Group projects, case studies, and internships, a key part of the academic curriculum.
Cost of Studying	Low cost of studies in the Public universities  Private Universities however, can be costly Read: Cost of Studying in France	Public universities in Germany offer education at negligible tuition costs (a nominal administrative fee is charged every semester) Read: Cost of Studying in Germany
Cost of Living	Living in France is generally more expensive than Germany. Prominent cities like Paris & Lyon have higher costs of living & food.	Living Costs in Germany are generally more affordable than France. Cities like Munich are relatively more expensive, but towns offer affordable housing.
Part-Time Work Options	Students can work upto 964 hours per year on a part-time role. Language barriers can pose a major challenge when searching for part-time work.	International students are allowed to part-time in Germany for up to 120 full days or 2,880 hours a year.
Post Study Work Permit	France offers a Temporary Residence Permit (titre de séjour) valid for up to 18 months post graduation.	Germany too offers a post-study work visa, valid for upto 18 months.
Job Market	Automotive & Aerospace engineering are among the popular industries, along with IT & Business Analytics. Laearning French however, is crucial for finding employment.	Automobile Engineering, IT & Manufacturing among the popular job markets.

Check out some tips to overcome cultural shock:

Akash Gaur09-28-2025 16:49