53 Best universities for Biophysics 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 Biophysics. A graph of 1.15M citations received by 30.5K academic papers made by 53 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 Biophysics

#10 in Europe

#60 in the World

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

2. Paris-Sud University

Ile-de-France | Orsay

For Biophysics

#62 in Europe

#186 in the World

Enrollment: 23,270
Founded: 2014

3. Claude Bernard University Lyon 1

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Villeurbanne

For Biophysics

#66 in Europe

#191 in the World

Enrollment: 38,007
Founded: 1809

4. University of Bordeaux

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Bordeaux

For Biophysics

#70 in Europe

#201 in the World

Enrollment: 46,845
Founded: 1441

5. Grenoble Alpes University

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Saint Martin d'Heres

For Biophysics

#74 in Europe

#206 in the World

Enrollment: 53,949
Founded: 1339

6. University of Montpellier

Occitanie | Montpellier

For Biophysics

#85 in Europe

#238 in the World

Enrollment: 49,000
Founded: 1289

7. University of Strasbourg

Grand Est | Strasbourg

For Biophysics

#92 in Europe

#259 in the World

Enrollment: 10,077
Founded: 1621

8. University of Aix-Marseilles

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | Marseille

For Biophysics

#99 in Europe

#278 in the World

Enrollment: 66,378
Founded: 2012

9. Normal Superior School

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Biophysics

#121 in Europe

#326 in the World

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

10. Paul Sabatier University - Toulouse III

Occitanie | Toulouse

For Biophysics

#137 in Europe

#361 in the World

Enrollment: 29,680
Founded: 1960

11. University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | Nice

For Biophysics

#175 in Europe

#456 in the World

Enrollment: 25,327
Founded: 1965

12. Normal Superior School of Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Lyon

For Biophysics

#176 in Europe

#457 in the World

Enrollment: 2,297
Founded: 1987

13. Polytechnic School

Ile-de-France | Palaiseau

For Biophysics

#186 in Europe

#487 in the World

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

14. University of Lorraine

Grand Est | Nancy

For Biophysics

#190 in Europe

#498 in the World

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

15. Paris Descartes University

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Biophysics

#212 in Europe

#551 in the World

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

16. University of Lille

Hauts-de-France | Lille

For Biophysics

#225 in Europe

#588 in the World

Enrollment: 69,000
Founded: 2018

17. Paris Diderot University

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Biophysics

#226 in Europe

#594 in the World

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

18. University of Poitiers

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Poitiers

For Biophysics

#228 in Europe

#601 in the World

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

19. University of Burgundy

Bourgogne-Franche-Comte | Dijon

For Biophysics

#233 in Europe

#607 in the World

Enrollment: 29,508
Founded: 1722

20. University of Rouen Normandie

Normandy | Mont-Saint-Aignan

For Biophysics

#243 in Europe

#658 in the World

Enrollment: 31,500
Founded: 1966

21. University of Rheims Champagne-Ardenne

Grand Est | Reims

For Biophysics

#250 in Europe

#686 in the World

Enrollment: 24,480
Founded: 1548

22. Francois Rabelais University

Centre-Val de Loire | Tours

For Biophysics

#253 in Europe

#696 in the World

Enrollment: 27,388
Founded: 1969

23. University of Nantes

Pays de la Loire | Nantes

For Biophysics

#267 in Europe

#730 in the World

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

24. University of Angers

Pays de la Loire | Angers

For Biophysics

#270 in Europe

#736 in the World

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

25. University of Orleans

Centre-Val de Loire | Orleans

For Biophysics

#291 in Europe

#829 in the World

Enrollment: 16,629
Founded: 1962

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

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Biophysics

#292 in Europe

#831 in the World

Enrollment: 1,000
Founded: 1882

27. University of Clermont Auvergne

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Clermont-Ferrand

For Biophysics

#300 in Europe

#848 in the World

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

28. National Graduate School of Chemistry, Paris

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Biophysics

#312 in Europe

#875 in the World

Enrollment: 565
Founded: 1896

29. University of Technology of Compiegne

Hauts-de-France | Compiegne

For Biophysics

#313 in Europe

#877 in the World

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

30. National Polytechnic Institute of Toulouse

Occitanie | Toulouse

For Biophysics

#320 in Europe

#898 in the World

Enrollment: 4,148
Founded: 1969

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

Ile-de-France | Creteil

For Biophysics

#324 in Europe

#905 in the World

Enrollment: 37,313
Founded: 1970

32. Montpellier SupAgro

Occitanie | Montpellier

For Biophysics

#332 in Europe

#927 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Founded: 2007

33. National Graduate School of Chemistry, Montpellier

Occitanie | Montpellier

For Biophysics

#336 in Europe

#943 in the World

Enrollment: 427
Founded: 1957

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

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Biophysics

#338 in Europe

#954 in the World

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

35. University of Western Brittany

Brittany | Brest

For Biophysics

#358 in Europe

#1031 in the World

Enrollment: 22,303
Founded: 1461

36. Normal Superior School of Paris-Saclay

Ile-de-France | Cachan

For Biophysics

#397 in Europe

#1188 in the World

Enrollment: 1,382
Founded: 1912

37. University of Franche-Comte

Bourgogne-Franche-Comte | Besancon

For Biophysics

#399 in Europe

#1197 in the World

Enrollment: 21,677
Founded: 1423

38. University of Evry-Val d'Essonne

Ile-de-France | Evry

For Biophysics

#403 in Europe

#1217 in the World

Enrollment: 6,458
Founded: 1991

39. University of Caen Normandy

Normandy | Caen

For Biophysics

#405 in Europe

#1223 in the World

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

40. National Institute for Applied Sciences, Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Lyon

For Biophysics

#412 in Europe

#1301 in the World

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

41. Agrocampus Ouest

Brittany | Rennes

For Biophysics

#416 in Europe

#1319 in the World

Enrollment: 2,000
Founded: 2008

42. University of Limoges

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Limoges

For Biophysics

#418 in Europe

#1331 in the World

Enrollment: 17,658
Founded: 1968

43. Grenoble Institute of Technology

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Grenoble

For Biophysics

#420 in Europe

#1335 in the World

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

44. Artois University

Hauts-de-France | Arras

For Biophysics

#432 in Europe

#1378 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 12,051
Founded: 1992

45. University of Picardie Jules Verne

Hauts-de-France | Amiens

For Biophysics

#433 in Europe

#1382 in the World

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

46. National Institute for Applied Sciences, Toulouse

Occitanie | Toulouse

For Biophysics

#434 in Europe

#1384 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 3,077
Founded: 1963

47. Graduate School of Chemistry, Physics and Electronics, Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Villeurbanne

For Biophysics

#450 in Europe

#1432 in the World

Founded: 1994

48. Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines University

Ile-de-France | Versailles

For Biophysics

#470 in Europe

#1510 in the World

Enrollment: 13,816
Founded: 1991

49. University of Perpignan Via Domitia

Occitanie | Perpignan

For Biophysics

#477 in Europe

#1532 in the World

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

50. University of Avignon and the Vaucluse

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | Avignon

For Biophysics

#479 in Europe

#1540 in the World

Enrollment: 6,434
Founded: 1984

51. Upper Alsace University

Grand Est | Mulhouse

For Biophysics

#510 in Europe

#1677 in the World

Enrollment: 9,921
Founded: 1975

52. Central School of Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Ecully

For Biophysics

#514 in Europe

#1703 in the World

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

53. Jean Monnet University

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Saint-Etienne

For Biophysics

#518 in Europe

#1723 in the World

Enrollment: 17,195
Founded: 1970

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