56 Best universities for Applied/Engineering Physics 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 Applied/Engineering Physics. A graph of 403K citations received by 13.5K academic papers made by 56 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. Claude Bernard University Lyon 1

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Villeurbanne

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#16 in Europe

#75 in the World

Enrollment: 38,007
Founded: 1809

2. Pierre and Marie Curie University

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#17 in Europe

#77 in the World

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

3. Grenoble Alpes University

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Saint Martin d'Heres

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#38 in Europe

#145 in the World

Enrollment: 53,949
Founded: 1339

4. Paris-Sud University

Ile-de-France | Orsay

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#43 in Europe

#164 in the World

Enrollment: 23,270
Founded: 2014

5. University of Picardie Jules Verne

Hauts-de-France | Amiens

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#49 in Europe

#186 in the World

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

6. Polytechnic School

Ile-de-France | Palaiseau

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#75 in Europe

#244 in the World

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

7. Paul Sabatier University - Toulouse III

Occitanie | Toulouse

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#76 in Europe

#245 in the World

Enrollment: 29,680
Founded: 1960

8. University of Montpellier

Occitanie | Montpellier

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#81 in Europe

#259 in the World

Enrollment: 49,000
Founded: 1289

9. University of Bordeaux

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Bordeaux

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#89 in Europe

#272 in the World

Enrollment: 46,845
Founded: 1441

10. Grenoble Institute of Technology

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Grenoble

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#91 in Europe

#275 in the World

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

11. Normal Superior School of Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Lyon

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#118 in Europe

#329 in the World

Enrollment: 2,297
Founded: 1987

12. University of Orleans

Centre-Val de Loire | Orleans

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#143 in Europe

#388 in the World

Enrollment: 16,629
Founded: 1962

13. University of Lille

Hauts-de-France | Lille

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#157 in Europe

#416 in the World

Enrollment: 69,000
Founded: 2018

14. University of Lorraine

Grand Est | Nancy

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#161 in Europe

#422 in the World

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

15. University of Strasbourg

Grand Est | Strasbourg

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#169 in Europe

#448 in the World

Enrollment: 10,077
Founded: 1621

16. National Institute for Applied Sciences, Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Lyon

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#175 in Europe

#462 in the World

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

17. University of Aix-Marseilles

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | Marseille

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#178 in Europe

#468 in the World

Enrollment: 66,378
Founded: 2012

18. Normal Superior School

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#206 in Europe

#535 in the World

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

19. University of Pau and Pays de l'Adour

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Pau

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#218 in Europe

#572 in the World

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

20. University of Nantes

Pays de la Loire | Nantes

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#228 in Europe

#611 in the World

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

21. National Graduate School of Chemistry, Paris

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#247 in Europe

#673 in the World

Enrollment: 565
Founded: 1896

22. University of Clermont Auvergne

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Clermont-Ferrand

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#254 in Europe

#695 in the World

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

23. University of Angers

Pays de la Loire | Angers

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#259 in Europe

#710 in the World

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

24. National Polytechnic Institute of Toulouse

Occitanie | Toulouse

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#260 in Europe

#715 in the World

Enrollment: 4,148
Founded: 1969

25. Artois University

Hauts-de-France | Arras

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#275 in Europe

#756 in the World

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

26. University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | Nice

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#283 in Europe

#782 in the World

Enrollment: 25,327
Founded: 1965

27. Central School of Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Ecully

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#289 in Europe

#807 in the World

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

28. Paris Diderot University

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#303 in Europe

#849 in the World

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

29. University of Burgundy

Bourgogne-Franche-Comte | Dijon

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#316 in Europe

#902 in the World

Enrollment: 29,508
Founded: 1722

30. University of Rouen Normandie

Normandy | Mont-Saint-Aignan

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#321 in Europe

#922 in the World

Enrollment: 31,500
Founded: 1966

31. National Graduate School of Chemistry, Montpellier

Occitanie | Montpellier

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#324 in Europe

#927 in the World

Enrollment: 427
Founded: 1957

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

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#333 in Europe

#956 in the World

Enrollment: 1,000
Founded: 1882

33. University of Western Brittany

Brittany | Brest

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#340 in Europe

#977 in the World

Enrollment: 22,303
Founded: 1461

34. National Graduate School of Engineering, Paris

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#341 in Europe

#978 in the World

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

35. National Graduate School of Engineering, Caen

Normandy | Caen

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#349 in Europe

#1001 in the World

Enrollment: 818
Founded: 1976

36. Normal Superior School of Paris-Saclay

Ile-de-France | Cachan

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#355 in Europe

#1017 in the World

Enrollment: 1,382
Founded: 1912

37. University of Limoges

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Limoges

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#361 in Europe

#1045 in the World

Enrollment: 17,658
Founded: 1968

38. National Graduate School of Chemistry of Lille

Hauts-de-France | Villeneuve-d'Ascq

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#368 in Europe

#1063 in the World

Enrollment: 363
Founded: 1894

39. Upper Alsace University

Grand Est | Mulhouse

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#369 in Europe

#1072 in the World

Enrollment: 9,921
Founded: 1975

40. University of Savoy Mont Blanc

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Chambery

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#378 in Europe

#1110 in the World

Enrollment: 14,498
Founded: 1979

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

Ile-de-France | Creteil

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#384 in Europe

#1123 in the World

Enrollment: 37,313
Founded: 1970

42. University of Perpignan Via Domitia

Occitanie | Perpignan

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#385 in Europe

#1125 in the World

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

43. University of Poitiers

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Poitiers

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#386 in Europe

#1131 in the World

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

44. National Advanced School of Engineering

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#389 in Europe

#1139 in the World

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

45. Central School of Lille

Hauts-de-France | Lille

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#396 in Europe

#1185 in the World

Enrollment: 2,272
Founded: 1872

46. University of Caen Normandy

Normandy | Caen

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#402 in Europe

#1199 in the World

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

47. Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines University

Ile-de-France | Versailles

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#403 in Europe

#1200 in the World

Enrollment: 13,816
Founded: 1991

48. National Institute for Applied Sciences, Rennes

Brittany | Rennes

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#407 in Europe

#1219 in the World

Enrollment: 1,854
Founded: 1966

49. National Institute for Applied Sciences, Toulouse

Occitanie | Toulouse

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#412 in Europe

#1238 in the World

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

50. Polytechnic University of Hauts-de-France

Hauts-de-France | Valenciennes

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#418 in Europe

#1266 in the World

Enrollment: 10,994
Founded: 1964

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

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Villeurbanne

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#419 in Europe

#1273 in the World

Founded: 1994

52. CentraleSupelec

Ile-de-France | Gif-sur-Yvette

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#450 in Europe

#1409 in the World

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

53. National Engineering School of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Futuroscope

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#456 in Europe

#1437 in the World

Enrollment: 768
Founded: 1948

54. National Graduate School for Advanced Technologies

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#457 in Europe

#1455 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 897
Founded: 1970

55. University of Rheims Champagne-Ardenne

Grand Est | Reims

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#458 in Europe

#1456 in the World

Enrollment: 24,480
Founded: 1548

56. Francois Rabelais University

Centre-Val de Loire | Tours

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#463 in Europe

#1482 in the World

Enrollment: 27,388
Founded: 1969

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

Physics subfields in France

Acoustical Engineering119

Astrophysics and Astronomy122

Atomic and Molecular physics74

Condensed Matter Physics81

Materials Science134

Medical Physics30

Nanotechnology100

Nuclear Physics91

Optical Engineering125

Quantum and Particle physics132

Theoretical Physics77