Top 224 universities in France: Rankings & Acceptance rate

Rank 🏆	University name	Acceptance rate Acc. rate	City & State
1	Normal Superior School		Paris Ile-de-France
2	Claude Bernard University Lyon 1		Villeurbanne Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
3	Central School of Lyon		Ecully Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
4	Normal Superior School of Lyon		Lyon Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
5	Paris-Sud University		Orsay Ile-de-France
6	University of Strasbourg		Strasbourg Grand Est
7	University of Bordeaux		Bordeaux Nouvelle-Aquitaine
8	University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis		Nice Provence-Alpes-Cote d Azur
9	University of Nantes		Nantes Pays de la Loire
10	University of Rennes 1		Rennes Bretagne
11	Paris Institute of Political Studies	5%	Paris Ile-de-France
12	Pierre and Marie Curie University		Paris Ile-de-France
13	University of Lorraine	5%	Nancy Grand Est
14	University of Burgundy		Dijon Bourgogne-Franche-Comte
15	University of Poitiers		Poitiers Nouvelle-Aquitaine
16	University of Aix-Marseilles		Marseille Provence-Alpes-Cote d Azur
17	University of Franche-Comte		Besancon Bourgogne-Franche-Comte
18	Paris Dauphine University		Paris Ile-de-France
19	National Institute for Applied Sciences, Lyon		Lyon Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
20	University of Caen Normandy		Caen Normandy
21	Francois Rabelais University		Tours Centre-Val de Loire
22	Lumiere University Lyon 2		Lyon Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
23	Paris Diderot University		Paris Ile-de-France
24	School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences		Paris Ile-de-France
25	Paris 13 University		Villetaneuse Ile-de-France
26	Paris Descartes University		Paris Ile-de-France
27	University of Western Brittany		Brest Bretagne
28	Grenoble Alpes University		Saint Martin d'Heres Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
29	University of Limoges		Limoges Nouvelle-Aquitaine
30	TELECOM ParisTech		Paris Ile-de-France
31	University of Orleans		Orleans Centre-Val de Loire
32	University of Technology of Compiegne	5%	Compiegne Hauts-de-France
33	Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines University		Versailles Ile-de-France
34	University of Rouen Normandie		Mont-Saint-Aignan Normandy
35	University of Angers		Angers Pays de la Loire
36	University of Rheims Champagne-Ardenne		Reims Grand Est
37	Jean Jaures University of Toulouse		Toulouse Occitanie
38	Grenoble Institute of Technology		Grenoble Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
39	University of Maine - France		Le Mans Pays de la Loire
40	University of Pau and Pays de l'Adour	25%	Pau Nouvelle-Aquitaine
41	University of Paris 8	65%	St-Denis Ile-de-France
42	Polytechnic School	5%	Palaiseau Ile-de-France
43	National School of Bridges and Roads	15%	Champs sur Marne Ile-de-France
44	University of Lille		Lille Hauts-de-France
45	Jean Monnet University		Saint-Etienne Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
46	CentraleSupelec		Gif-sur-Yvette Ile-de-France
47	University of Montpellier		Montpellier Occitanie
48	New Sorbonne University - Paris III		Paris Ile-de-France
49	National Graduate School of Engineering, Paris	5%	Paris Ile-de-France
50	University of Picardie Jules Verne		Amiens Hauts-de-France
51	Eurecom		Biot Sophia-Antipolis Provence-Alpes-Cote d Azur
52	Cergy-Pontoise University		Cergy-Pontoise Ile-de-France
53	Sorbonne University		Paris Ile-de-France
54	University of Perpignan Via Domitia	75%	Perpignan Occitanie
55	Central School of Nantes	15%	Nantes Pays de la Loire
56	Jean Moulin University Lyon 3		Lyon Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
57	Upper Alsace University		Mulhouse Grand Est
58	University of Rennes 2		Rennes Bretagne
59	Paris-Est Creteil Val-de-Marne University		Creteil Ile-de-France
60	Paul Valery University, Montpellier 3		Montpellier Occitanie
61	University of Toulon		La Garde Provence-Alpes-Cote d Azur
62	HEC School of Management	5%	Jouy-en-Josas Ile-de-France
63	Paris West University Nanterre La Defense		Nanterre Ile-de-France
64	School of Industrial Physics and Chemistry of the City of Paris		Paris Ile-de-France
65	University of Avignon and the Vaucluse		Avignon Provence-Alpes-Cote d Azur
66	University of Evry-Val d'Essonne		Evry Ile-de-France
67	ESCP Europe	15%	Paris Ile-de-France
68	ESSEC Business School Paris		Cergy-Pontoise Ile-de-France
69	National School of Library and Information Science		Villeurbanne Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
70	University of Southern Brittany		Lorient Bretagne
71	IMT Atlantique	5%	Nantes Pays de la Loire
72	University of Reunion		Saint Denis Reunion
73	University of Technology of Troyes		Troyes Grand Est
74	National School of Administration		Strasbourg Grand Est
75	University of the Littoral Opal Coast		Dunkerque Hauts-de-France
76	University of Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne		Paris Ile-de-France
77	Pantheon-Assas Paris II University		Paris Ile-de-France
78	Paris Institute of Technology for Life, Food and Environmental Sciences	5%	Paris Ile-de-France
79	National Institute for Applied Sciences, Toulouse	5%	Toulouse Occitanie
80	Artois University		Arras Hauts-de-France
81	University of Clermont Auvergne		Clermont-Ferrand Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
82	EHESP School of Public Health		Rennes Bretagne
83	EMLYON Business School		Lyon Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
84	Paul Sabatier University - Toulouse III		Toulouse Occitanie
85	University of Savoy Mont Blanc		Chambery Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
86	National Polytechnic Institute of Toulouse		Toulouse Occitanie
87	National Institute for Applied Sciences, Rennes		Rennes Bretagne
88	Toulouse 1 University Capitole		Toulouse Occitanie
89	Graduate School of Computer Science and Advanced Technologies	5%	Le Kremlin-Bicetre Ile-de-France
90	University Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallee		Marne-la-Vallee Ile-de-France
91	National School of Civil Aviation		Toulouse Occitanie
92	National Graduate School of Engineering, Caen		Caen Normandy
93	University of Le Havre	15%	Le Havre Normandy
94	National School of Statistics and Economic Administration	5%	Malakoff Ile-de-France
95	ESIEE Paris		Noisy-le-Grand Ile-de-France
96	Grenoble Graduate School of Business	55%	Grenoble Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
97	University of Technology of Belfort-Montbeliard		Belfort Bourgogne-Franche-Comte
98	EDHEC Business School		Roubaix Hauts-de-France
99	National Graduate School for Advanced Technologies		Paris Ile-de-France
100	Agrocampus Ouest		Rennes Bretagne
101	National Institute for Applied Sciences, Rouen	5%	Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray Normandy
102	National Veterinary School of Alfort	15%	Maisons-Alfort Ile-de-France
103	Bordeaux Montaigne University		Pessac Nouvelle-Aquitaine
104	TELECOM and Management SudParis	5%	Evry Ile-de-France
105	National Engineering School of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering		Futuroscope Nouvelle-Aquitaine
106	Central School of Lille		Lille Hauts-de-France
107	University of the French West Indies		Pointe-a-Pitre Guadeloupe
108	Catholic University of the West		Angers Pays de la Loire
109	Audencia Nantes School of Management	5%	Nantes Pays de la Loire
110	National Advanced School of Engineering		Paris Ile-de-France
111	The American University of Paris	65%	Paris Ile-de-France
112	Angers Graduate School of Business		Angers Pays de la Loire
113	Normal Superior School of Paris-Saclay		Cachan Ile-de-France
114	ENSEA Graduate School		Cergy-Pontoise Ile-de-France
115	University of La Rochelle		La Rochelle Nouvelle-Aquitaine
116	Polytechnic University of Hauts-de-France		Valenciennes Hauts-de-France
117	Bordeaux National Polytechnic Institute		Talence Nouvelle-Aquitaine
118	Kedge Business School		Bordeaux Nouvelle-Aquitaine
119	University of Corsica Pascal Paoli		Corte Corsica
120	Catholic University of Lyon		Lyon Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
121	Graduate School of Chemistry, Physics and Electronics, Lyon		Villeurbanne Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
122	Toulouse Business School		Toulouse Occitanie
123	VetAgro Sup		Lyon Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
124	Higher Institute of Electronics and Digital Studies		Lille Hauts-de-France
125	NEOMA Business School		Rouen Normandy
126	Graduate School of Advanced Industrial Technologies		Bidart Nouvelle-Aquitaine
127	Albi-Carmaux School of Engineering		Albi Occitanie
128	National Veterinary School of Toulouse		Toulouse Occitanie
129	National School of Public Civil Engineering		Vaulx-en-Velin Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
130	Catholic University of Paris		Paris Ile-de-France
131	Ales School of Engineering		Ales Occitanie
132	The Institute of Optics Graduate School	25%	Palaiseau Ile-de-France
133	Montpellier Business School		Montpellier Occitanie
134	ECE Paris Graduate School of Engineering	45%	Paris Ile-de-France
135	National Institute for Applied Sciences, Strasbourg		Strasbourg Grand Est
136	National Graduate School of Engineering - Saint Etienne	25%	Saint-Etienne Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
137	Graduate School of Management, Chambery		Le Bourget-du-Lac Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
138	National Engineering Graduate School of Mechanics and Microtechnologies		Besancon Bourgogne-Franche-Comte
139	National Graduate School of Agronomy, Toulouse		Auzeville-Tolosane Occitanie
140	Higher Institute of Aeronautics and Space		Toulouse Occitanie
141	Special School for Public Works, Building and Industry		Paris Ile-de-France
142	International School of Information Processing Science		Cergy-Pontoise Ile-de-France
143	UniLaSalle		Beauvais Hauts-de-France
144	National School of Engineering in Agricultural and Food Industries		Nantes Pays de la Loire
145	National Graduate School of Chemistry, Montpellier		Montpellier Occitanie
146	National School of Engineering, Tarbes	25%	Tarbes Occitanie
147	Lille Catholic University		Lille Hauts-de-France
148	Graduate School of Information Technology, Electronics, Automation		Paris Ile-de-France
149	Nantes Atlantique School of Design	45%	Nantes Pays de la Loire
150	University of French Polynesia		Punaauia French Polynesia
151	SKEMA Business School		Lille Hauts-de-France
152	Montpellier SupAgro		Montpellier Occitanie
153	National School of Meteorological Studies		Toulouse Occitanie
154	National Institute of Advanced Technology		Brest Bretagne
155	Central School of Marseille		Marseille Provence-Alpes-Cote d Azur
156	Brest National School of Engineering		Plouzane Bretagne
157	National School of Statistics and Information Analysis		Bruz Bretagne
158	National School of Engineering - Saint Etienne	45%	Saint-Etienne Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
159	Graduate School of Engineers in Paris		Paris Ile-de-France
160	University of Nimes		Nimes Occitanie
161	Higher National Institute of Agricultural Science, Food and Environment		Dijon Bourgogne-Franche-Comte
162	Graduate School of Electrical Engineering	35%	Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray Normandy
163	National Graduate School of Textile Engineering		Roubaix Hauts-de-France
164	University of New Caledonia		Noumea New Caledonia
165	National Graduate School of Chemistry of Lille		Villeneuve-d'Ascq Hauts-de-France
166	National School Mines - Telecom Lille Douai		Douai Hauts-de-France
167	National School of Computer Science for Industry and Business		Evry Ile-de-France
168	School of Advanced Engineering Studies		Lille Hauts-de-France
169	Graduate School of Electronics of the West		Angers Pays de la Loire
170	Champollion National University Institute		Albi Occitanie
171	Graduate School of Agricultural Studies of Angers		Angers Pays de la Loire
172	ICAM Catholic Institute of Engineering	45%	Lille Hauts-de-France
173	Metz National School of Engineering	45%	Metz Grand Est
174	Efrei Paris Engineering School of Digital Technologies	25%	Villejuif Ile-de-France
175	Supmeca - Higher Institute of Mechanical Engineering		Saint-Ouen Ile-de-France
176	National School of Geographic Sciences		Marne-la-Vallee Ile-de-France
177	Graduate School of Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering		Levallois-Perret Ile-de-France
178	Burgundy School of Business		Dijon Bourgogne-Franche-Comte
179	TELECOM SudParis	5%	Evry Ile-de-France
180	Institute for Agriculture and Food Industry - Rhone-Alpes	45%	Lyon Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
181	Normal Superior School of Rennes		Bruz Bretagne
182	National School of Agricultural Sciences of Bordeaux-Aquitaine		Gradignan Nouvelle-Aquitaine
183	Normandy Business School	45%	Le Havre Normandy
184	National Graduate School of Chemistry, Rennes		Rennes Bretagne
185	ISA Group		Lille Hauts-de-France
186	SIGMA Clermont	15%	Clermont-Ferrand Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
187	School of Engineering of Innovation, Energy and Advanced Technologies	45%	Ivry sur Seine Ile-de-France
188	School of Industrial Biology	35%	Cergy Ile-de-France
189	Polytechnic Institute of Advanced Science		Ivry sur Seine Ile-de-France
190	ITECH Textile and Chemical Institute of Lyon	55%	Lyon Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
191	Purpan Engineering School		Toulouse Occitanie
192	ECAM-EPMI Graduate School of Engineering		Cergy-Pontoise Ile-de-France
193	EPF College of Engineering	15%	Sceaux Ile-de-France
194	Business School ESC PAU		Pau Nouvelle-Aquitaine
195	ICN Business School		Nancy Grand Est
196	Catholic Institute of Toulouse		Toulouse Occitanie
197	La Rochelle Engineering School		La Rochelle Nouvelle-Aquitaine
198	ECAM Lyon	15%	Lyon Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
199	IFP School		Rueil-Malmaison Ile-de-France
200	Esaip Graduate School of Engineering		Angers Pays de la Loire
201	National Institute of Applied Sciences Centre Val de Loire		Blois Centre-Val de Loire
202	Graduate School of Engineers Leonardo da Vinci		Paris Ile-de-France
203	Brest Business School		Brest Bretagne
204	Paris School of Engineering		Paris Ile-de-France
205	University of French Guiana		Cayenne French Guiana
206	Graduate School of Organic and Mineral Chemistry	5%	Compiegne Hauts-de-France
207	Graduate School of Bois		Nantes Pays de la Loire
208	3iL School of Engineering		Limoges Nouvelle-Aquitaine
209	Graduate School of Building Engineering of Caen		Epron Normandy
210	Higher Institute of Materials and Advanced Mechanics of Le Mans		Le Mans Pays de la Loire
211	Environmental Management and Engineering School	55%	Bruz Bretagne
212	Louis de Broglie School		Bruz Bretagne
213	Graduate School of International Agro - Development		Cergy-Pontoise Ile-de-France
214	Graduate School of Management, Saint-Etienne		Saint-Etienne Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
215	Pas de Calais Engineering School		Longuenesse Hauts-de-France
216	Esitpa, School of Agricultural Engineering		Mont-Saint-Aignan Normandy
217	Higher Institute of Buildings and Public Works	45%	Marseille Provence-Alpes-Cote d Azur
218	National Graduate School of Chemistry, Paris	5%	Paris Ile-de-France
219	Adventist University of France		Collonges-sous-Saleve Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
220	Graduate School of Building Engineering of Cachan		Cachan Ile-de-France
221	Graduate School of Foundry and Forge	15%	Sevres Ile-de-France
222	Graduate School of Building Engineering of Metz		Metz Grand Est
223	National School of Nature and Landscape		Blois Centre-Val de Loire
224	National School of Architecture of Nancy	15%	Nancy Grand Est

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

Average cost of living for students in France is $703 + $99-704 for rent (depends on where to live: dormitory, renting with a roommate or solo).