List of 100 best universities in France

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Top 100 universities in France ranked by EduRank based on research outputs, non-academic prominence, and alumni influence. The rankings are determined by analyzing 69.4M citations received by 2.95M academic publications made by 224 universities from France, the popularity of 5,909 recognized alumni, and the largest reference database available.

1. Pierre and Marie Curie University

Ile-de-France | Paris

#61 in Europe

#182 in the World

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

2. Claude Bernard University Lyon 1

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Villeurbanne

#100 in Europe

#262 in the World

Enrollment: 38,007
Founded: 1809

3. University of Aix-Marseilles

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | Marseille

#141 in Europe

#351 in the World

Enrollment: 66,378
Founded: 2012

4. Grenoble Alpes University

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Saint Martin d'Heres

#145 in Europe

#357 in the World

Enrollment: 53,949
Founded: 1339

5. University of Montpellier

Occitanie | Montpellier

#146 in Europe

#358 in the World

Enrollment: 49,000
Founded: 1289

6. Normal Superior School

Ile-de-France | Paris

#152 in Europe

#368 in the World

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

7. University of Bordeaux

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Bordeaux

#153 in Europe

#369 in the World

Enrollment: 46,845
Founded: 1441

8. University of Lille

Hauts-de-France | Lille

#163 in Europe

#389 in the World

Enrollment: 69,000
Founded: 2018

9. Paris-Sud University

Ile-de-France | Orsay

#168 in Europe

#397 in the World

Enrollment: 23,270
Founded: 2014

10. University of Lorraine

Grand Est | Nancy

#173 in Europe

#407 in the World

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

11. University of Strasbourg

Grand Est | Strasbourg

#175 in Europe

#413 in the World

Enrollment: 10,077
Founded: 1621

12. Paris Diderot University

Ile-de-France | Paris

#194 in Europe

#470 in the World

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

13. Polytechnic School

Ile-de-France | Palaiseau

#207 in Europe

#513 in the World

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

14. Paris Institute of Political Studies

Ile-de-France | Paris

#208 in Europe

#514 in the World

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

15. Paul Sabatier University - Toulouse III

Occitanie | Toulouse

#232 in Europe

#570 in the World

Enrollment: 29,680
Founded: 1960

16. Normal Superior School of Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Lyon

#236 in Europe

#580 in the World

Enrollment: 2,297
Founded: 1987

17. University of Nantes

Pays de la Loire | Nantes

#238 in Europe

#585 in the World

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

18. Paris Descartes University

Ile-de-France | Paris

#260 in Europe

#639 in the World

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

19. University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | Nice

#268 in Europe

#651 in the World

Enrollment: 25,327
Founded: 1965

20. University of Burgundy

Bourgogne-Franche-Comte | Dijon

#269 in Europe

#652 in the World

Enrollment: 29,508
Founded: 1722

21. University of Poitiers

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Poitiers

#289 in Europe

#694 in the World

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

22. University of Caen Normandy

Normandy | Caen

#293 in Europe

#708 in the World

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

23. University of Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne

Ile-de-France | Paris

#301 in Europe

#727 in the World

Enrollment: 42,700
Founded: 1971

24. University of Clermont Auvergne

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Clermont-Ferrand

#311 in Europe

#760 in the World

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

25. University of Rouen Normandie

Normandy | Mont-Saint-Aignan

#329 in Europe

#805 in the World

Enrollment: 31,500
Founded: 1966

26. Francois Rabelais University

Centre-Val de Loire | Tours

#331 in Europe

#810 in the World

Enrollment: 27,388
Founded: 1969

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

Ile-de-France | Creteil

#343 in Europe

#836 in the World

Enrollment: 37,313
Founded: 1970

28. Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines University

Ile-de-France | Versailles

#352 in Europe

#865 in the World

Enrollment: 13,816
Founded: 1991

29. Paris West University Nanterre La Defense

Ile-de-France | Nanterre

#354 in Europe

#871 in the World

Enrollment: 31,975
Founded: 1964

30. School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences

Ile-de-France | Paris

#360 in Europe

#889 in the World

Enrollment: 2,613
Founded: 1947

31. University of Western Brittany

Brittany | Brest

#365 in Europe

#903 in the World

Enrollment: 22,303
Founded: 1461

32. Grenoble Institute of Technology

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Grenoble

#372 in Europe

#923 in the World

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

33. University of Angers

Pays de la Loire | Angers

#381 in Europe

#938 in the World

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

34. University of Paris 8

Ile-de-France | Saint-Denis

#390 in Europe

#961 in the World

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

35. University of Rheims Champagne-Ardenne

Grand Est | Reims

#393 in Europe

#970 in the World

Enrollment: 24,480
Founded: 1548

36. University of Orleans

Centre-Val de Loire | Orleans

#401 in Europe

#1011 in the World

Enrollment: 16,629
Founded: 1962

37. Paris Dauphine University

Ile-de-France | Paris

#405 in Europe

#1020 in the World

Enrollment: 11,281
Founded: 1968

38. University of Picardie Jules Verne

Hauts-de-France | Amiens

#417 in Europe

#1059 in the World

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

39. National Institute for Applied Sciences, Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Lyon

#422 in Europe

#1080 in the World

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

40. University of Franche-Comte

Bourgogne-Franche-Comte | Besancon

#423 in Europe

#1085 in the World

Enrollment: 21,677
Founded: 1423

41. University of Savoy Mont Blanc

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Chambery

#434 in Europe

#1128 in the World

Enrollment: 14,498
Founded: 1979

42. University of Limoges

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Limoges

#446 in Europe

#1153 in the World

Enrollment: 17,658
Founded: 1968

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

Ile-de-France | Paris

#453 in Europe

#1172 in the World

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

44. National Graduate School of Engineering, Paris

Ile-de-France | Paris

#458 in Europe

#1183 in the World

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

45. Central School of Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Ecully

#459 in Europe

#1184 in the World

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

46. TELECOM ParisTech

Ile-de-France | Paris

#468 in Europe

#1215 in the World

Enrollment: 2,000
Founded: 1878

47. HEC School of Management

Ile-de-France | Jouy-en-Josas

#472 in Europe

#1220 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 5,453
Founded: 1881

48. Normal Superior School of Paris-Saclay

Ile-de-France | Cachan

#485 in Europe

#1248 in the World

Enrollment: 1,382
Founded: 1912

49. New Sorbonne University - Paris III

Ile-de-France | Paris

#486 in Europe

#1250 in the World

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

50. University of Pau and Pays de l'Adour

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Pau

#505 in Europe

#1310 in the World

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

51. National Advanced School of Engineering

Ile-de-France | Paris

#515 in Europe

#1341 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Enrollment: 6,000
Founded: 1780

52. CentraleSupelec

Ile-de-France | Gif-sur-Yvette

#522 in Europe

#1362 in the World

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

53. National School of Bridges and Roads

Ile-de-France | Champs sur Marne

#526 in Europe

#1380 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1747

54. ESSEC Business School Paris

Ile-de-France | Cergy-Pontoise

#536 in Europe

#1416 in the World

Founded: 1907

55. University of Technology of Compiegne

Hauts-de-France | Compiegne

#546 in Europe

#1448 in the World

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

56. Paul Valery University, Montpellier 3

Occitanie | Montpellier

#548 in Europe

#1450 in the World

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

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

Ile-de-France | Paris

#559 in Europe

#1485 in the World

Enrollment: 1,000
Founded: 1882

58. Jean Monnet University

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Saint-Etienne

#560 in Europe

#1486 in the World

Enrollment: 17,195
Founded: 1970

59. University of Perpignan Via Domitia

Occitanie | Perpignan

#569 in Europe

#1512 in the World

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

60. University of Rennes 2

Brittany | Rennes

#575 in Europe

#1533 in the World

Enrollment: 23,365
Founded: 1969

61. EHESP School of Public Health

Brittany | Rennes

#577 in Europe

#1536 in the World

Enrollment: 433
Founded: 1945

62. Upper Alsace University

Grand Est | Mulhouse

#581 in Europe

#1554 in the World

Enrollment: 9,921
Founded: 1975

63. University of Toulon

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | La Garde

#587 in Europe

#1584 in the World

Enrollment: 11,014
Founded: 1979

64. EMLYON Business School

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Lyon

#605 in Europe

#1645 in the World

Enrollment: 9,000
Founded: 1872

65. Pantheon-Assas Paris II University

Ile-de-France | Paris

#609 in Europe

#1655 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 19,018
Founded: 1970

66. Jean Moulin University Lyon 3

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Lyon

#611 in Europe

#1666 in the World

Enrollment: 26,754
Founded: 1809

67. National Institute for Applied Sciences, Toulouse

Occitanie | Toulouse

#626 in Europe

#1717 in the World

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

68. Artois University

Hauts-de-France | Arras

#638 in Europe

#1763 in the World

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

69. National Polytechnic Institute of Toulouse

Occitanie | Toulouse

#645 in Europe

#1797 in the World

Enrollment: 4,148
Founded: 1969

70. University of Evry-Val d'Essonne

Ile-de-France | Evry

#660 in Europe

#1847 in the World

Enrollment: 6,458
Founded: 1991

71. Cergy-Pontoise University

Ile-de-France | Cergy-Pontoise

#665 in Europe

#1871 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Enrollment: 20,784
Founded: 1991

72. Central School of Nantes

Pays de la Loire | Nantes

#669 in Europe

#1881 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Enrollment: 2,287
Founded: 1919

73. University of Avignon and the Vaucluse

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | Avignon

#670 in Europe

#1883 in the World

Enrollment: 6,434
Founded: 1984

74. Polytechnic University of Hauts-de-France

Hauts-de-France | Valenciennes

#676 in Europe

#1909 in the World

Enrollment: 10,994
Founded: 1964

75. ESCP Europe

Ile-de-France | Paris

#683 in Europe

#1939 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Enrollment: 6,000
Founded: 1819

76. National Veterinary School of Alfort

Ile-de-France | Maisons-Alfort

#685 in Europe

#1944 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Enrollment: 800
Founded: 1765

77. EDHEC Business School

Hauts-de-France | Roubaix

#687 in Europe

#1955 in the World

Founded: 1906

78. University of La Rochelle

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | La Rochelle

#697 in Europe

#2001 in the World

Enrollment: 7,832
Founded: 1993

79. Eurecom

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

#701 in Europe

#2017 in the World

Founded: 1991

80. University of Southern Brittany

Brittany | Lorient

#705 in Europe

#2024 in the World

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

81. Kedge Business School

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Bordeaux

#707 in Europe

#2028 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Enrollment: 14,800
Founded: 2013

82. University of the Littoral Opal Coast

Hauts-de-France | Dunkirk

#717 in Europe

#2086 in the World

Enrollment: 10,381
Founded: 1991

83. Higher Institute of Aeronautics and Space

Occitanie | Toulouse

#733 in Europe

#2138 in the World

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

84. SKEMA Business School

Hauts-de-France | Lille

#741 in Europe

#2187 in the World

Founded: 1892

85. National School of Civil Aviation

Occitanie | Toulouse

#745 in Europe

#2202 in the World

Enrollment: 3,000
Founded: 1949

86. Audencia Nantes School of Management

Pays de la Loire | Nantes

#752 in Europe

#2246 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Founded: 1900

87. University of Technology of Belfort-Montbeliard

Bourgogne-Franche-Comte | Belfort

#762 in Europe

#2291 in the World

Enrollment: 2,455
Founded: 1999

88. National Graduate School for Advanced Technologies

Ile-de-France | Paris

#768 in Europe

#2327 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 897
Founded: 1970

89. University of Le Havre

Normandy | Le Havre

#769 in Europe

#2330 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 7,591
Founded: 1984

90. Grenoble Graduate School of Business

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Grenoble

#778 in Europe

#2374 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 8,000
Founded: 1984

91. Agrocampus Ouest

Brittany | Rennes

#780 in Europe

#2377 in the World

Enrollment: 2,000
Founded: 2008

92. National Institute for Applied Sciences, Rouen

Normandy | Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray

#787 in Europe

#2400 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 2,003
Founded: 1985

93. University of Rennes 1

Brittany | Rennes

#794 in Europe

#2430 in the World

Enrollment: 28,187
Founded: 1970

94. Catholic University of Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Lyon

#795 in Europe

#2431 in the World

Enrollment: 12,000
Founded: 1875

95. National School of Statistics and Economic Administration

Ile-de-France | Malakoff

#799 in Europe

#2442 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1942

96. Lille Catholic University

Hauts-de-France | Lille

#801 in Europe

#2451 in the World

Enrollment: 39,424
Founded: 1875

97. University of Corsica Pascal Paoli

Corsica | Corte

#802 in Europe

#2457 in the World

Enrollment: 4,183
Founded: 1981

98. University of Technology of Troyes

Grand Est | Troyes

#805 in Europe

#2472 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 3,196
Male:Female: 77:23
Founded: 1994

99. National Institute for Applied Sciences, Rennes

Brittany | Rennes

#817 in Europe

#2517 in the World

Enrollment: 1,854
Founded: 1966

100. National Veterinary School of Toulouse

Occitanie | Toulouse

#820 in Europe

#2522 in the World

Founded: 1828

The best cities to study in France based on the number of universities and their ranks are Paris, Villeurbanne, Marseille, and Saint Martin d'Heres.

Average cost of living for students in France is $847 + $128-915 for rent (depends on where to live: dormitory, renting with a roommate or solo).