44 Best universities for Architecture in France

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in France ranked based on their research performance in Architecture. A graph of 100K citations received by 7.95K academic papers made by 44 universities in France was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

Please note that our approach to subject rankings is based on scientific outputs and heavily biased on art-related topics towards institutions with computer science research profiles.

1. Pierre and Marie Curie University

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Architecture

#31 in Europe

#89 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 35,114
Founded: 1150

2. Paul Sabatier University - Toulouse III

Occitanie | Toulouse

For Architecture

#102 in Europe

#232 in the World

Enrollment: 29,680
Founded: 1960

3. Grenoble Alpes University

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Saint Martin d'Heres

For Architecture

#114 in Europe

#254 in the World

Enrollment: 57,000
Founded: 1339

4. Eurecom

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | Biot Sophia-Antipolis

For Architecture

#130 in Europe

#284 in the World

Founded: 1991

5. Claude Bernard University Lyon 1

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Villeurbanne

For Architecture

#136 in Europe

#297 in the World

Enrollment: 38,007
Founded: 1809

6. Normal Superior School

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Architecture

#140 in Europe

#304 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 2,536
Founded: 1794

7. University of Bordeaux

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Bordeaux

For Architecture

#149 in Europe

#327 in the World

Enrollment: 54,000
Founded: 1441

8. TELECOM ParisTech

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Architecture

#154 in Europe

#341 in the World

Enrollment: 2,000
Founded: 1878

9. University of Montpellier

Occitanie | Montpellier

For Architecture

#155 in Europe

#343 in the World

Enrollment: 46,578
Founded: 1289

10. University of Lorraine

Grand Est | Nancy

For Architecture

#168 in Europe

#368 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 60,404
Founded: 2012

11. University of Lille

Hauts-de-France | Lille

For Architecture

#172 in Europe

#375 in the World

Enrollment: 71,429
Founded: 2018

12. Paris-Sud University

Ile-de-France | Orsay

For Architecture

#184 in Europe

#407 in the World

Enrollment: 23,270
Founded: 2014

13. University of Nantes

Pays de la Loire | Nantes

For Architecture

#194 in Europe

#428 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 37,252
Founded: 1460

14. University of Western Brittany

Brittany | Brest

For Architecture

#199 in Europe

#443 in the World

Enrollment: 22,303
Founded: 1461

15. University of Southern Brittany

Brittany | Lorient

For Architecture

#227 in Europe

#511 in the World

Enrollment: 9,477
Male:Female: 53:47
Founded: 1995

16. National Institute for Applied Sciences, Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Lyon

For Architecture

#238 in Europe

#530 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Enrollment: 6,067
Founded: 1957

17. University of Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Architecture

#274 in Europe

#614 in the World

Enrollment: 42,700
Founded: 1971

18. Grenoble Institute of Technology

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Grenoble

For Architecture

#289 in Europe

#649 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 7,646
Founded: 1900

19. National Polytechnic Institute of Toulouse

Occitanie | Toulouse

For Architecture

#319 in Europe

#737 in the World

Enrollment: 4,148
Founded: 1969

20. Polytechnic School

Ile-de-France | Palaiseau

For Architecture

#323 in Europe

#753 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 2,316
Founded: 1794

21. University of Burgundy

Bourgogne-Franche-Comte | Dijon

For Architecture

#324 in Europe

#755 in the World

Enrollment: 29,508
Founded: 1722

22. University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | Nice

For Architecture

#336 in Europe

#781 in the World

Enrollment: 25,327
Founded: 1965

23. University of Technology of Compiegne

Hauts-de-France | Compiegne

For Architecture

#341 in Europe

#799 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 4,367
Founded: 1972

24. University of Strasbourg

Grand Est | Strasbourg

For Architecture

#366 in Europe

#860 in the World

Enrollment: 10,077
Founded: 1621

25. University of Clermont Auvergne

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Clermont-Ferrand

For Architecture

#373 in Europe

#878 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 14,690
Founded: 1854

26. Polytechnic University of Hauts-de-France

Hauts-de-France | Valenciennes

For Architecture

#380 in Europe

#896 in the World

Enrollment: 10,994
Founded: 1964

27. University of Aix-Marseilles

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | Marseille

For Architecture

#401 in Europe

#957 in the World

Enrollment: 66,378
Founded: 2012

28. CentraleSupelec

Ile-de-France | Gif-sur-Yvette

For Architecture

#405 in Europe

#964 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 4,300
Founded: 1894

29. National Graduate School of Engineering, Paris

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Architecture

#409 in Europe

#978 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 1,500
Founded: 1783

30. Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines University

Ile-de-France | Versailles

For Architecture

#411 in Europe

#983 in the World

Enrollment: 13,816
Founded: 1991

31. University of Pau and Pays de l'Adour

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Pau

For Architecture

#424 in Europe

#1029 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 12,629
Founded: 1970

32. Central School of Lille

Hauts-de-France | Lille

For Architecture

#426 in Europe

#1036 in the World

Enrollment: 2,272
Founded: 1872

33. Normal Superior School of Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Lyon

For Architecture

#435 in Europe

#1065 in the World

Enrollment: 2,297
Founded: 1987

34. Paris-Est Creteil Val-de-Marne University

Ile-de-France | Creteil

For Architecture

#439 in Europe

#1072 in the World

Enrollment: 37,313
Founded: 1970

35. University of Paris 8

Ile-de-France | Saint-Denis

For Architecture

#453 in Europe

#1130 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Enrollment: 22,023
Founded: 1968

36. National Institute for Applied Sciences, Rennes

Brittany | Rennes

For Architecture

#454 in Europe

#1133 in the World

Enrollment: 2,073
Founded: 1966

37. University of Franche-Comte

Bourgogne-Franche-Comte | Besancon

For Architecture

#456 in Europe

#1137 in the World

Enrollment: 21,677
Founded: 1423

38. Paris West University Nanterre La Defense

Ile-de-France | Nanterre

For Architecture

#463 in Europe

#1154 in the World

Enrollment: 31,975
Founded: 1964

39. ENSEA Graduate School

Ile-de-France | Cergy-Pontoise

For Architecture

#464 in Europe

#1161 in the World

Enrollment: 840
Founded: 1952

40. University of Savoy Mont Blanc

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Chambery

For Architecture

#470 in Europe

#1174 in the World

Enrollment: 14,735
Founded: 1979

41. University of Technology of Belfort-Montbeliard

Bourgogne-Franche-Comte | Belfort

For Architecture

#480 in Europe

#1197 in the World

Enrollment: 2,455
Founded: 1999

42. Paris Dauphine University

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Architecture

#486 in Europe

#1229 in the World

Enrollment: 11,281
Founded: 1968

43. Higher Institute of Aeronautics and Space

Occitanie | Toulouse

For Architecture

#489 in Europe

#1241 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 1,700
Founded: 2007

44. National School of Bridges and Roads

Ile-de-France | Champs sur Marne

For Architecture

#500 in Europe

#1285 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1747

The best cities to study Architecture in France based on the number of universities and their ranks are Paris, Toulouse, Saint Martin d'Heres, and Biot Sophia-Antipolis.