59 Best universities for Astrobiology 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 Astrobiology. A graph of 1.1M citations received by 31.7K academic papers made by 59 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.

1. Pierre and Marie Curie University

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Astrobiology

#1 in Europe

#10 in the World

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

2. Paris-Sud University

Ile-de-France | Orsay

For Astrobiology

#17 in Europe

#71 in the World

Enrollment: 23,270
Founded: 2014

3. Claude Bernard University Lyon 1

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Villeurbanne

For Astrobiology

#18 in Europe

#75 in the World

Enrollment: 38,007
Founded: 1809

4. Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines University

Ile-de-France | Versailles

For Astrobiology

#21 in Europe

#80 in the World

Enrollment: 13,816
Founded: 1991

5. University of Bordeaux

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Bordeaux

For Astrobiology

#35 in Europe

#103 in the World

Enrollment: 46,845
Founded: 1441

6. Grenoble Alpes University

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Saint Martin d'Heres

For Astrobiology

#42 in Europe

#118 in the World

Enrollment: 53,949
Founded: 1339

7. Normal Superior School of Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Lyon

For Astrobiology

#46 in Europe

#124 in the World

Enrollment: 2,297
Founded: 1987

8. Paul Sabatier University - Toulouse III

Occitanie | Toulouse

For Astrobiology

#48 in Europe

#126 in the World

Enrollment: 29,680
Founded: 1960

9. University of Aix-Marseilles

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | Marseille

For Astrobiology

#53 in Europe

#145 in the World

Enrollment: 66,378
Founded: 2012

10. University of Lorraine

Grand Est | Nancy

For Astrobiology

#54 in Europe

#146 in the World

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

11. Paris Diderot University

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Astrobiology

#63 in Europe

#168 in the World

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

12. University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | Nice

For Astrobiology

#68 in Europe

#189 in the World

Enrollment: 25,327
Founded: 1965

13. University of Nantes

Pays de la Loire | Nantes

For Astrobiology

#81 in Europe

#210 in the World

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

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

Ile-de-France | Creteil

For Astrobiology

#83 in Europe

#212 in the World

Enrollment: 37,313
Founded: 1970

15. University of Lille

Hauts-de-France | Lille

For Astrobiology

#125 in Europe

#314 in the World

Enrollment: 69,000
Founded: 2018

16. University of Montpellier

Occitanie | Montpellier

For Astrobiology

#132 in Europe

#330 in the World

Enrollment: 49,000
Founded: 1289

17. Polytechnic School

Ile-de-France | Palaiseau

For Astrobiology

#156 in Europe

#386 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 2,790
Founded: 1794

18. University of Orleans

Centre-Val de Loire | Orleans

For Astrobiology

#164 in Europe

#400 in the World

Enrollment: 16,629
Founded: 1962

19. University of Strasbourg

Grand Est | Strasbourg

For Astrobiology

#171 in Europe

#418 in the World

Enrollment: 10,077
Founded: 1621

20. Normal Superior School

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Astrobiology

#183 in Europe

#446 in the World

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

21. University of Clermont Auvergne

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Clermont-Ferrand

For Astrobiology

#187 in Europe

#456 in the World

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

22. University of Burgundy

Bourgogne-Franche-Comte | Dijon

For Astrobiology

#212 in Europe

#526 in the World

Enrollment: 29,508
Founded: 1722

23. University of Poitiers

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Poitiers

For Astrobiology

#217 in Europe

#536 in the World

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

24. National Graduate School of Engineering, Paris

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Astrobiology

#241 in Europe

#623 in the World

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

25. Higher Institute of Aeronautics and Space

Occitanie | Toulouse

For Astrobiology

#252 in Europe

#656 in the World

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

26. University of Rouen Normandie

Normandy | Mont-Saint-Aignan

For Astrobiology

#253 in Europe

#657 in the World

Enrollment: 31,500
Founded: 1966

27. University of Western Brittany

Brittany | Brest

For Astrobiology

#255 in Europe

#662 in the World

Enrollment: 22,303
Founded: 1461

28. Paris Descartes University

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Astrobiology

#277 in Europe

#719 in the World

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

29. University of Angers

Pays de la Loire | Angers

For Astrobiology

#282 in Europe

#729 in the World

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

30. National Polytechnic Institute of Toulouse

Occitanie | Toulouse

For Astrobiology

#286 in Europe

#742 in the World

Enrollment: 4,148
Founded: 1969

31. University of Rheims Champagne-Ardenne

Grand Est | Reims

For Astrobiology

#288 in Europe

#746 in the World

Enrollment: 24,480
Founded: 1548

32. National Institute for Applied Sciences, Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Lyon

For Astrobiology

#290 in Europe

#750 in the World

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

33. Paris Institute of Political Studies

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Astrobiology

#295 in Europe

#764 in the World

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

34. National Graduate School of Chemistry, Paris

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Astrobiology

#312 in Europe

#811 in the World

Enrollment: 565
Founded: 1896

35. University of Savoy Mont Blanc

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Chambery

For Astrobiology

#318 in Europe

#856 in the World

Enrollment: 14,498
Founded: 1979

36. University of Franche-Comte

Bourgogne-Franche-Comte | Besancon

For Astrobiology

#328 in Europe

#874 in the World

Enrollment: 21,677
Founded: 1423

37. University of Caen Normandy

Normandy | Caen

For Astrobiology

#330 in Europe

#881 in the World

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

38. University of the Littoral Opal Coast

Hauts-de-France | Dunkirk

For Astrobiology

#354 in Europe

#954 in the World

Enrollment: 10,381
Founded: 1991

39. School of Industrial Physics and Chemistry of the City of Paris

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Astrobiology

#366 in Europe

#1001 in the World

Enrollment: 1,000
Founded: 1882

40. Jean Monnet University

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Saint-Etienne

For Astrobiology

#370 in Europe

#1019 in the World

Enrollment: 17,195
Founded: 1970

41. Paris West University Nanterre La Defense

Ile-de-France | Nanterre

For Astrobiology

#377 in Europe

#1036 in the World

Enrollment: 31,975
Founded: 1964

42. University of Pau and Pays de l'Adour

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Pau

For Astrobiology

#379 in Europe

#1046 in the World

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

43. Francois Rabelais University

Centre-Val de Loire | Tours

For Astrobiology

#381 in Europe

#1048 in the World

Enrollment: 27,388
Founded: 1969

44. Grenoble Institute of Technology

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Grenoble

For Astrobiology

#391 in Europe

#1087 in the World

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

45. University of Paris 8

Ile-de-France | Saint-Denis

For Astrobiology

#405 in Europe

#1145 in the World

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

46. University of Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Astrobiology

#407 in Europe

#1150 in the World

Enrollment: 42,700
Founded: 1971

47. National Engineering School of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Futuroscope

For Astrobiology

#411 in Europe

#1173 in the World

Enrollment: 768
Founded: 1948

48. University of Limoges

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Limoges

For Astrobiology

#415 in Europe

#1192 in the World

Enrollment: 17,658
Founded: 1968

49. University of French Polynesia

French Polynesia | Puna'auia

For Astrobiology

#427 in Europe

#1243 in the World

Enrollment: 2,944
Founded: 1987

50. University of Perpignan Via Domitia

Occitanie | Perpignan

For Astrobiology

#431 in Europe

#1258 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 8,238
Founded: 1970

51. University of Toulon

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | La Garde

For Astrobiology

#432 in Europe

#1261 in the World

Enrollment: 11,014
Founded: 1979

52. National Graduate School of Chemistry, Montpellier

Occitanie | Montpellier

For Astrobiology

#435 in Europe

#1283 in the World

Enrollment: 427
Founded: 1957

53. Paris Institute of Technology for Life, Food and Environmental Sciences

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Astrobiology

#445 in Europe

#1325 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 2,300
Founded: 2007

54. Central School of Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Ecully

For Astrobiology

#449 in Europe

#1346 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 2,920
Founded: 1857

55. Normal Superior School of Paris-Saclay

Ile-de-France | Cachan

For Astrobiology

#458 in Europe

#1402 in the World

Enrollment: 1,382
Founded: 1912

56. Jean Moulin University Lyon 3

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Lyon

For Astrobiology

#461 in Europe

#1406 in the World

Enrollment: 26,754
Founded: 1809

57. National Graduate School of Engineering, Caen

Normandy | Caen

For Astrobiology

#463 in Europe

#1419 in the World

Enrollment: 818
Founded: 1976

58. Central School of Lille

Hauts-de-France | Lille

For Astrobiology

#474 in Europe

#1486 in the World

Enrollment: 2,272
Founded: 1872

59. Polytechnic Institute of Advanced Science

Ile-de-France | Ivry-sur-Seine

For Astrobiology

#475 in Europe

#1490 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Enrollment: 2,721
Founded: 1961

The best cities to study Astrobiology in France based on the number of universities and their ranks are Paris, Orsay, Villeurbanne, and Versailles.