39 Best universities for Creative Writing in France

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in France ranked based on their research performance in Creative Writing. A graph of 48.6K citations received by 6.69K academic papers made by 39 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. New Sorbonne University - Paris III

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Creative Writing

#115 in Europe

#300 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 15,232
Founded: 1971

2. Pierre and Marie Curie University

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Creative Writing

#118 in Europe

#303 in the World

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

3. Paris West University Nanterre La Defense

Ile-de-France | Nanterre

For Creative Writing

#174 in Europe

#437 in the World

Enrollment: 31,975
Founded: 1964

4. University of Lille

Hauts-de-France | Lille

For Creative Writing

#179 in Europe

#454 in the World

Enrollment: 69,000
Founded: 2018

5. University of Paris 8

Ile-de-France | Saint-Denis

For Creative Writing

#185 in Europe

#470 in the World

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

6. University of Aix-Marseilles

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | Marseille

For Creative Writing

#199 in Europe

#495 in the World

Enrollment: 66,378
Founded: 2012

7. Claude Bernard University Lyon 1

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Villeurbanne

For Creative Writing

#205 in Europe

#508 in the World

Enrollment: 38,007
Founded: 1809

8. Grenoble Alpes University

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Saint Martin d'Heres

For Creative Writing

#214 in Europe

#532 in the World

Enrollment: 53,949
Founded: 1339

9. Paris Institute of Political Studies

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Creative Writing

#220 in Europe

#542 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Enrollment: 11,196
Founded: 1872

10. School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Creative Writing

#241 in Europe

#596 in the World

Enrollment: 2,613
Founded: 1947

11. University of Lorraine

Grand Est | Nancy

For Creative Writing

#253 in Europe

#630 in the World

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

12. University of Burgundy

Bourgogne-Franche-Comte | Dijon

For Creative Writing

#271 in Europe

#671 in the World

Enrollment: 29,508
Founded: 1722

13. University of Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Creative Writing

#293 in Europe

#710 in the World

Enrollment: 42,700
Founded: 1971

14. University of Strasbourg

Grand Est | Strasbourg

For Creative Writing

#302 in Europe

#740 in the World

Enrollment: 10,077
Founded: 1621

15. Paris Diderot University

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Creative Writing

#335 in Europe

#860 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 25,523
Founded: 1970

16. University of Poitiers

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Poitiers

For Creative Writing

#347 in Europe

#898 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 27,820
Founded: 1431

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

Ile-de-France | Creteil

For Creative Writing

#353 in Europe

#920 in the World

Enrollment: 37,313
Founded: 1970

18. Normal Superior School

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Creative Writing

#360 in Europe

#938 in the World

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

19. Paris Descartes University

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Creative Writing

#363 in Europe

#948 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 31,690
Founded: 2019

20. Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines University

Ile-de-France | Versailles

For Creative Writing

#365 in Europe

#960 in the World

Enrollment: 13,816
Founded: 1991

21. Paul Valery University, Montpellier 3

Occitanie | Montpellier

For Creative Writing

#372 in Europe

#981 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 21,997
Founded: 1970

22. Catholic University of Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Lyon

For Creative Writing

#384 in Europe

#1006 in the World

Enrollment: 12,000
Founded: 1875

23. University of Bordeaux

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Bordeaux

For Creative Writing

#390 in Europe

#1035 in the World

Enrollment: 46,845
Founded: 1441

24. Paul Sabatier University - Toulouse III

Occitanie | Toulouse

For Creative Writing

#393 in Europe

#1044 in the World

Enrollment: 29,680
Founded: 1960

25. University of Clermont Auvergne

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Clermont-Ferrand

For Creative Writing

#402 in Europe

#1069 in the World

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

26. University of Nantes

Pays de la Loire | Nantes

For Creative Writing

#415 in Europe

#1098 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1460

27. University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | Nice

For Creative Writing

#418 in Europe

#1111 in the World

Enrollment: 25,327
Founded: 1965

28. Paris Dauphine University

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Creative Writing

#427 in Europe

#1131 in the World

Enrollment: 11,281
Founded: 1968

29. University of Montpellier

Occitanie | Montpellier

For Creative Writing

#440 in Europe

#1186 in the World

Enrollment: 49,000
Founded: 1289

30. University of Angers

Pays de la Loire | Angers

For Creative Writing

#464 in Europe

#1281 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 25,687
Founded: 1971

31. Francois Rabelais University

Centre-Val de Loire | Tours

For Creative Writing

#467 in Europe

#1284 in the World

Enrollment: 27,388
Founded: 1969

32. University of Rennes 2

Brittany | Rennes

For Creative Writing

#468 in Europe

#1303 in the World

Enrollment: 23,365
Founded: 1969

33. Normal Superior School of Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Lyon

For Creative Writing

#469 in Europe

#1305 in the World

Enrollment: 2,297
Founded: 1987

34. TELECOM ParisTech

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Creative Writing

#502 in Europe

#1428 in the World

Enrollment: 2,000
Founded: 1878

35. Jean Moulin University Lyon 3

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Lyon

For Creative Writing

#518 in Europe

#1511 in the World

Enrollment: 26,754
Founded: 1809

36. University of Picardie Jules Verne

Hauts-de-France | Amiens

For Creative Writing

#527 in Europe

#1538 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 27,900
Founded: 1970

37. University of Rouen Normandie

Normandy | Mont-Saint-Aignan

For Creative Writing

#529 in Europe

#1549 in the World

Enrollment: 31,500
Founded: 1966

38. University of Caen Normandy

Normandy | Caen

For Creative Writing

#532 in Europe

#1557 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 27,465
Founded: 1432

39. University of Western Brittany

Brittany | Brest

For Creative Writing

#539 in Europe

#1596 in the World

Enrollment: 22,303
Founded: 1461

The best cities to study Creative Writing in France based on the number of universities and their ranks are Paris, Nanterre, Lille, and Saint-Denis.