Last Updated on December 15, 2022
These are the top universities in France for engineering, based on their reputation and research in the field. In recent years, many international students have studied at public universities in France who offer excellent training and degree possibilities. France is a leading country in Europe with its high-end technologies and the quality of its high tech schools. There are some brilliant universities that you can apply and focus on your engineering skills. So what are the best public universities in france for engineering?
Competition can be fierce to get a place at a publicly funded university in France. Some are harder to get into than others, with the top of the list occupied by engineering schools like École Polytechnique, École des Ponts ParisTech and École Centrale Paris.
Our listing of universities in France has a comprehensive and detailed image gallery of universities with their lecturers and infrastructure as well.
public universities in france for engineering
- Universite Paris Saclay
- Universite Grenoble Alpes (UGA)
- Sorbonne Universite
- Grenoble Institute of Technology
- Universite de Lorraine
- National Institute for Applied Sciences – Lyon
- Université de Lille
- University of Montpellier
- IMT Atlantique
- MINES ParisTech
Best Engineering Universities in France
The Engineering education (“Grandes Ecoles d’Ingénieur”) that France has to offer is exceptionally good considering the fact that these “Grand Ecoles” of engineering are very picky in selecting and accepting only the top students. The standard of the engineering curriculum in French engineering schools is outstanding – combining training in both theoretical and practical fields of engineering. Before we talk about the engineering degrees in France and what they actually mean let’s first list some of the best engineering Universities in France.
The reason to pick an engineering University in France is because the quality of engineering education offered in the 250+ selective engineering colleges of France is considered one of the best in the world. Here are our top picks:
- Grenoble Alpes University
- Université de Lorraine
- INSA Lyon
- Polytech Montpellier
- Sorbonne University
- Université de Lille
Grenoble Alpes University
The Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA, French: meaning “Grenoble Alps University“) is a public research university in Grenoble, France. Its Engineering and Management department is divided into 8 courses. With 55,000 students and out of those 8,500 being international students, Grenobles Alpes University just might be the place for you. It is in association with national research organizations and major international instruments and builds its research and innovation on a global scale. They compete with the best universities in the world thanks to their innovative research and rank in the top 10 French Universities and 100-250 in the world.
Université de Lorraine
The M.S. in Civil Engineering of University of Lorraine offers a program of higher education for students with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or any other related fields to Civil Engineering.The program’s objective is to train students to become future managers by providing essential scientific, technical, and economic resources in order to prepare them for supporting or leading studies in design, sizing, diagnosis and execution of various works in construction companies, engineering offices and research. The main international exchanges concern first and foremost the border universities in the Lorraine: Luxembourg, Liège, Saarbrücke.
The University of Luxembourg proposes a Master’s degree “Energy and Economic Efficiency” co-authorized with the University of Lorraine.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-9770803606730350&output=html&h=280&slotname=6989490816&adk=3171609965&adf=1980243270&pi=t.ma~as.6989490816&w=887&fwrn=4&fwrnh=100&lmt=1640733176&rafmt=1&psa=0&format=887×280&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.studying-in-france.org%2Fbest-engineering-universities-in-france%2F&flash=0&fwr=0&fwrattr=true&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&wgl=1&adsid=ChEIgIirjgYQ8KyKk_WD7emxARI5AJecQK7i5Ab66rnYzhB75_UF_U1E6BxwEdezzDpi8F3SlIp2Rtxk2ZiLLbILk8y3G2ud_9UB2Izv&uach=WyJXaW5kb3dzIiwiOC4wLjAiLCJ4ODYiLCIiLCI5Ni4wLjQ2NjQuMTEwIixbXSxudWxsLG51bGwsIjY0Il0.&dt=1640733150185&bpp=15&bdt=11716&idt=7161&shv=r20211207&mjsv=m202112060101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3De023cc83a727b043-226bf350dcce0095%3AT%3D1640733158%3ART%3D1640733158%3AS%3DALNI_MYGdegS0JMoWPJSw2cSCdvzW76cvg&prev_fmts=0x0%2C249x600&nras=1&correlator=1459416976840&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=567630748.1640733157&ga_sid=1640733158&ga_hid=2081071593&ga_fc=1&u_tz=60&u_his=1&u_h=768&u_w=1366&u_ah=728&u_aw=1366&u_cd=24&u_sd=1&dmc=4&adx=392&ady=1270&biw=1349&bih=568&scr_x=0&scr_y=0&eid=31063751%2C31063246%2C21067496&oid=2&pvsid=3373832108042378&pem=580&tmod=669&ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F&eae=0&fc=896&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C1366%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C1366%2C568&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7CeEbr%7C&abl=CS&pfx=0&fu=128&bc=31&jar=2021-12-28-23&ifi=2&uci=a!2&btvi=2&fsb=1&xpc=cZgV1w2PeN&p=https%3A//www.studying-in-france.org&dtd=26198
INSA Lyon
The Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon or INSA Lyon is a Grande École forming multidisciplinary engineers.The five-year curriculum aims at training engineers who possess skills in the primary areas of science and engineering. Students may pursue a PhD after completing the 5-year curriculum. Graduates from INSA Lyon are called Insaliens.
In addition to language, philosophy and culture lessons, engineering students benefit from training dedicated to business knowledge and management. Research at INSA Lyon consists of 23 laboratories, more than 600 researchers and teacher-researchers, 650 doctoral students and more than a thousand industrial contracts with the socio-economic world.
Polytech Montpellier
Polytech Montpellier is one of the 205 French engineering schools accredited to the 1st September 2019 to issue an engineering degree. The university offers six engineering courses. Their mission is ensuring the training of engineers, under the status of student or apprentice in initial or continuing training, to cultivate international relations, and to contribute to scientific activities by working with the University’s laboratories and to help promote the results, with the aim of raising students’ awareness of innovation and research.
Sorbonne University
Sorbonne University (with 3 campuses) is a public research University in Paris, France. It is one of the world’s most prestigious Universities having won 33 Nobel Prizes, 6 Fields Medals, and one Turing award. One of its divisions is “The Faculty of Sciences and Engineering”. Covering all fields of knowledge in science and engineering, the Sorbonne University Faculty of Sciences and Engineering supports research at the heart of disciplines, research at interfaces, the development of partnerships with companies, and promotes the emergence of new themes to respond to major challenges of the 21st century.
Université de Lille
The University of Lille is rich in an exceptional cultural and scientific heritage, with its 72,000 students (9,502 of them international), 6,700 staff, 66 research units and a training offer that covers all disciplinary fields. The University of Lille stands out in the region for training, research and innovation and through its commitment to social issues. Thanks to the multiple partners of University of Lille, you have many choices for a study trip abroad: Scotland, Germany, Spain, Austria, Finland, Portugal, Mexico.
The university’s mission is continuing to help you build your professional project by guiding you in choosing the most suitable training, advising you in finding funding for your training, supporting you in your procedures for validating prior learning to reduce training courses etc.
Types of Engineering Degrees in France
An engineering degree in France is granted only after completing 5 years of engineering studies. The 5 year engineering degree in France is known as “Diplôme d’Ingénieur” and is the equivalent of Europe’s “Master’s degree”.
- Specialized Engineering Degree
About 20 engineering schools in France offer this specialization course in a specific field.
- 1 year course for engineering students who have studied engineering for 5 years
- 2 year course for students who have pursued only 4 years of higher education in engineering.
- Specialized Master (MS)
The Specialized Master (MS) is an accredited and a trademark degree offered only by member engineering colleges of the Conference of Grandes Ecoles (CGE) in France. This degree is for graduates with specialized knowledge and expertise in specific areas. This is a very focused and technically oriented course.
Engineering degree career options
Engineers are precise and logical. They can follow any type of instructions including design specifications. They’re always prepared for a challenge and a chance to work hard to show off their skills. Engineering graduates have a variety of career options, including different kinds of engineering roles, jobs in related areas such as supply chain and jobs in other industries such as finance and IT.
Skills you can add to your CV after you graduate:
After you’ve graduated and are looking for a job you might not be totally aware of what you have to offer and/or where to direct those offers to. When getting your degree you will have also obtained a lot of useful skills and qualities that will hopefully help you get the career you want. Skills and qualities like: analytical thinking, capacity for details, organizing skills, planning, research skills, teamwork, logical thinking, problem solving, and project management are all what you will be able to add to your CV to help your future employer know you better.
Alongside your newfound skills, here are some career areas options for you to choose that are within the capacity of your university degree.
Career areas to choose:
- Mechanical Engineer
- Materials Engineer
- Electrical Engineer
- Electronics Engineer
- Biomedical Engineer
- Technical sales Engineer
- Chemical Engineer
- Petroleum Engineer
What Engineer graduates end up choosing:
If you’re still unsure as to what area of work in engineering to pick or want to choose something that is more popular and easier to get, here is a chart with research conducted by Trendence UK on “what engineers graduates opt for” to help you make a decision or just ease your curiosity.
| Areas of employment | Percentage |
| Manufacturing | 29% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical | 21% |
| Construction | 9% |
| Information and communication | 7% |
| Education | 6% |
| Wholesale and retail trade | 5% |
public universities in France
WHAT IS THE COST OF STUDYING AT A PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN PARIS?
If you come to Paris as a student participating in an exchange program, you would not have to pay the university here, but you will continue to pay your tuition to your home university. But recently, there has been a change of law that implies that you have to pay the CVEC (Student Life Contribution & Campus), fixed at € 90. This payment is mandatory and must be paid at the beginning of a program of study.
For students coming from outside the European Union, student social security is compulsory and costs € 217.
For students with a bachelor’s or master’s degree, you will normally have to pay the same fees as French students. These fees differ by university, program and year. But generally, public universities are relatively inexpensive compared to other countries, and one can think of tuition ranging from 130 to 600 euros per year.
Read on to find out more about Parisian universities!
UNIVERSITÉ PANTHÉON-SORBONNE (PARIS 1)
About the university
It is one of the most famous, largest and oldest universities in France. Paris 1. About 40,000 students study in Paris 1. The university focuses on international relations and is recognized for being at the forefront of research and education in its fields. It aims to become a key university in research and education in Europe by combining tradition and modernity. The Panthéon-Sorbonne offers three main fields of study: economics and management sciences, human sciences and legal and political sciences.
Topics
Paris 1 offers more than 300 study programs (undergraduate and master) in 14 different disciplines, ranging from cinema to law, including political science, etc.
Ranking
The University Panthéon-Sorbonne is ranked 501-600 in the world ranking of 2019 universities and 101-150 in the ranking of young universities 2018.
International students
This university has international relations at the top of its list of priorities and therefore also welcomes many foreign students in bachelor’s degree or master’s degree in English or in exchange program. There are many opportunities to take many courses in the 14 disciplines in English. The master’s degree in economics from PSME or Panthéon-Sorbonne is a course specially designed for international postgraduate students. It is taught in English with intensive instruction in French.
UNIVERSITÉ PANTHÉON-ASSAS (PARIS 2)
About the university
Paris II University is located in the Latin Quarter, with 19 campuses in the 5th and 6th arrondissements of Paris. The university has inherited the Faculty of Law of Paris and is therefore not surprisingly considered a prestigious for the law, but also for management and the economy.
Topics
The university offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in private law and criminal science, public law, political science, law, law, economics, management, information science and communication.
Ranking
University Panthéon-Assas has been ranked in the 531 to 540 rankings of the current QS World University rankings.
International students
All courses offered at Paris 2 Panthéon-Assas University are taught in French. Despite this, international students are welcome. Although you need a sufficient level of knowledge of the French language. The student can freely choose the subjects that interest him in his specialty among those existing at the university from the first (License 1) to the fourth year of study (Master 1), depending on the compatibility of schedules.
The University Paris 2 Panthéon-Assas also offers a master program reserved for foreign students: university degrees (D.S.U.). This type of study is particularly adapted to the specific needs of foreign students and consists of four types of courses:
• Introductory course in French public and private law
• Direction of study and method (methodology of the French legal practices)
• Bachelor and / or Master 1 courses (lectures and tutorials) depending on the specialization chosen
• French improvement course
UNIVERSITÉ SORBONNE NOUVELLE (PARIS 3)
About the university
The Sorbonne-Nouvelle University is the former faculty of letters of the University of Paris. It is located in the heart of the Latin Quarter, in the 5th district of Paris. This university offers multidisciplinary courses in the field of modern human sciences, whether undergraduate, master or doctorate. Their goal is to offer courses offering a wide range of professional opportunities, also international.
Topics
It is possible to take a wide range of courses in the following disciplines: languages, arts, media and social sciences, social sciences.
International students
Paris 3 maintains partnerships with 328 universities worldwide and welcomes many international students every year. Here too, there is the possibility of doing an exchange program or applying for a full degree.
UNIVERSITÉ PARIS-SORBONNE (PARIS 4)
About the university
Paris-Sorbonne University, located at several sites in the heart of Paris, is a world-renowned, multidisciplinary and research-intensive academic institution. The main neighborhood is located in the Latin Quarter, a lively and very friendly neighborhood. The university strives to meet the scientific challenges of the 21st century and thus adopts a progressive approach.
Topics
It is possible to study courses or diplomas in the following faculties:
• Faculty of Arts and Humanities
• Medical School
• Faculty of Science and Engineering
Ranking
The university is ranked 73rd in the world rankings of 2019 universities.
International students
Many international students from all over the world come to the Sorbonne for Erasmus exchanges, international agreements or to apply directly to one of their programs of study. It is possible for international students to take courses in any faculty of the university. All faculties have an international relations office to assist international students when questions arise, such as application procedures, cost-of-living management, housing, etc. aspects of being a student in Paris.
UNIVERSITÉ PARIS DESCARTES (PARIS 5)
About the university
The University of Paris Descartes is originally specialized in health, social sciences and social sciences. Later, the law and management were also added. The university is essentially multidisciplinary and covers all disciplines except the arts, literature and languages sector. It is the only university in Paris to offer all kinds of studies on health, but at the same time psychology, social sciences, law, economics, mathematics, computer science, biology, physics and chemistry. Paris Descartes is located in the 6th district of Paris.
Topics
In Paris Descartes, it is possible to study a wide range of subjects, for example: chemistry, physics, mathematics, law, economics, psychology and sports sciences.
Ranking
The university was ranked first in France in medicine by the ranking system of AWRU and 4th in life sciences.
International students
It is possible for international students to follow exchange programs or to apply for a full degree.
UNIVERSITÉ PARIS DIDEROT (PARIS 7)
About the university
Paris Diderot University is a multidisciplinary university located in Paris and one of the seven universities of the Paris Academy. It was created in 1971 following the split of the University of Paris. The university is mainly located in the district of Paris Rive Gauche.
Paris Diderot specializes in science, health education, humanities and social sciences, as well as arts, literature and languages. It trains nearly 26,000 students. Interestingly, their library, “The Central University Library” is the largest university library in Paris and is open to everyone.
Topics
It is the only multidisciplinary university in Paris offering a wide range of degrees in the humanities, medicine and sciences. There is a very wide range of courses that can be followed by national and international students.
Ranking
Paris 7 is number 194 in the world university rankings 2019 and number 35 in the world university rankings 2018.
International students
The university has established and maintains close relationships with many foreign universities in order to develop their international placement and develop research and training activities worldwide. They welcome international students in the following way: as an exchange student, in a joint degree program, as an individual candidate, as a visiting student or for an intensive language program. As a result, they offer many specific opportunities to international students.
UNIVERSITÉ PARIS 8 – VINCENNES-SAINT-DENIS
About the university
Paris 8 is located in Saint-Denis, just outside the ring of Paris. The university began in 1969 as an experimental university center and has become a major center of teaching and research for the humanities, arts and social sciences. The main objective of Paris 8 is to enable students to better understand the modern world while allowing them to integrate in a sustainable way in our society.
Topics
The university offers 33 licenses, 77 master’s degrees and 50 university degrees in the following disciplines: arts, culture and communication, law, economics and management, human sciences and languages, human and social sciences, science, technology and health. It is possible to follow all kinds of topics in these areas.
Ranking
The university is ranked 24th out of 214 in the ranking of French universities in 2019.
International students
Paris 8 indicates that international relations in research and teaching are one of their main activities. They welcome Erasmus students and CREPUQ students (program with Quebec, which concerns Francophone universities). Important note: all classes are taught in French. Therefore, a good level of French is necessary to study here as an international student.
UNIVERSITÉ PARIS-DAUPHINE (PARIS 9)
About the university
Paris 9 University (better known as Paris-Dauphine) specializes in the sciences of organizations, markets and decision-making. The focus is on economics, management, law, social sciences, mathematics, computer science and finance. The director of the school summarizes three essential values of Paris-Dauphine:
• is a creative institution that constantly develops initiatives to promote innovation and promote talent.
• is socially committed and responsible. We encourage open-mindedness, thoughtful action, a strong ethic and promote active and responsible citizenship.
• is an international institution and we continue to develop abroad to enhance our visibility and attractiveness on the international scene, both in research and in academia.
Its main building is located in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, in a very quiet, elegant and chic area.
Topics
Paris-Dauphine offers a very wide range of 200 degree programs, in disciplines ranging from international business to mathematics, social sciences, etc. Most programs and courses are taught in French, but there is also a wide range of courses and programs taught in the following languages: English.
Ranking
According to the Le Parisien ranking, Paris-Dauphine is one of the 5 largest French management schools.
International students
As mentioned above, the international dimension is one of the main axes of the Paris-Dauphine University’s strategy. An important part of this is to welcome international students every semester and to maintain close relationships with the many partner universities around the world.
As an international student, you can take courses, organized by field: economics, management, social sciences and law, mathematics and computer science, optional courses, French as a foreign language (FLE).
UNIVERSITÉ PARIS-NANTERRE (PARIS 10)
About the university
Paris-Nanterre University is headquartered on the outskirts of Paris: in Nanterre, near the large business district of La Défense. They focus on learning and research, while providing a dynamic campus life, educational innovations and social science research. The university has 2,000 teacher-researchers, 700 administrative and technical staff and more than 33,000 students.
Topics
The university offers courses in languages, philosophy, literature, humanities, sports, economics, management, law, psychology and social sciences.
Ranking
Paris-Nanterre was ranked 17th out of 72 in the Parisian University 2017 ranking.
International students
Promoting a strong and recognized international presence in higher education is a top priority for this university. They are very open to international students and also offer their own students many opportunities to go abroad. The Office of International Relations is also there to help international students find accommodation in a university or non-university accommodation.
UNIVERSITÉ PARIS-SUD (PARIS 11)
About the university
Paris-Sud University is the best for the quality of research in order to better understand the world, the success of students and the needs of society. They have been repeatedly rewarded for their high quality research and high scores in international rankings. They are also known for offering a wide range of courses focused on the future and on employment. It is therefore a very attractive university for students at the national and international levels.
Topics
Paris-Sud offers a wide variety of study programs based on research in the following disciplines, in French or in English:
• Law, economics, management
• Medicine, pharmacy
• Science: Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Earth Sciences
• Technology, engineering sciences
• Sport and Physical Education
Ranking
In 2018, the British magazine Times Higher Education (THE) published a European ranking of universities where Paris-Sud University ranks 17th among the top 20 European universities.
International students
In Paris-Sud, it is possible to follow several international programs: Erasmus Mundus masters, doctoral diplomas, double international diplomas or English teaching programs offered in France. The university focuses on preparing its students for a future of international and intercultural work.
UNIVERSITÉ PARIS-EST CRÉTEIL (UPEC, PARIS 12)
About the university
The UPEC is the largest multidisciplinary university in Ile-de-France, with its campus of 120,000 square meters, and is located 20 minutes from the heart of Paris. The university has a very international orientation and more than 580 international agreements have been signed with universities and laboratories around the world, while being supported by the government and the EU.
Topics
In French, diplomas are offered in science and technology, medicine, international administration and exchange, law, economics and management, literature, languages and humanities, social sciences and education, physical education and in sport, in urban studies. As for English courses, there are courses in management, urban planning, biology and health, international biometrics… The UPEC offers several diplomas entirely taught in English.
Ranking
The UPEC was ranked 40th in the ranking of Shanghai’s Top 100 Universities in 2017.
International students
The UPEC has a great social diversity on its priority list and welcomes more than 3,000 foreign students each academic year. There is a dedicated service to help international students in all kinds of cases, including adapted French classes, health care, administrative support and accommodation. Students have many opportunities to complete full degrees in English.
UNIVERSITÉ PARIS 13
About the university
Paris 13 is a major center of teaching and multidisciplinary research located north of Paris. Their mission has always been to improve the scientific, cultural and professional knowledge of all through initial and continuing training and the development of research. Research is the main focus of the university.
Topics
You can follow a very wide range of courses in Paris 13. It depends on the discipline you choose. Disciplines vary from psychology to arts and cinema, sports, information technology, etc. In summary: there will likely be an accommodation program that matches your abilities and interests.
Ranking
In the Parisian University ranking of 2017, Paris 13 ranked 38th out of 72 French universities.
International students
If you want to study in Paris 13 as a foreign student, you can apply for an exchange program or a non-exchange program (which is a full degree).
ECOLE DES PONTS PARISTECH
About the university
The Ecole des Ponts ParisTech is a university specialized in engineering, science and technology (undergraduate and graduate programs). The university is recognized nationally and internationally as one of the best technical universities in France. They are also known for their close relationships with international universities, including Berkeley, Georgia Tech and Imperial College, London.
Topics
Since this university is a technical university, they offer courses in engineering, science and technology, but also in managerial, human and social skills.
Ranking
The university scored 201-250 in the 2019 university world rankings and 251-300 in the 2019 engineering and technology rankings.
International students
About 30% of the students of École des Ponts ParisTech come from outside France. They say on their website “be aware of the challenge posed by the globalization of higher education and research” and this is why the School of Bridges ParisTech has made internationalization one of the axes major part of its development strategy.
SCIENCESPO PARIS
About the university
SciencesPo (abbreviation of: Political Science) has the reputation of being an elite institution, because of its former graduates such as 7 French presidents and CEO of the 6 major French companies. It exists on seven campuses in France, the main one being in Paris. The campuses of SciencesPo Paris are located in the famous bohemian-chic district of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, in the 7th arrondissement of Paris.
Topics
The university offers a wide range of courses in the following disciplines:
• Law
• Economy
• The story
• Political science
• Sociology
Ranking
SciencesPo scores 401-500 in the 2019 global university rankings and 68 in the 2019 social science rankings.
International students
SciencesPo, which has more than 400 partner universities around the world, inherits about 40% of international students. Almost all courses are available in English and also offer 7 different language courses. The university has a very international orientation and as an international student (exchange or full degree), you will have many opportunities.
PARIS SCIENCES ET LETTRES RESEARCH UNIVERSITY (PSL)
About the university
PSL is a multidisciplinary and creative university created in 2011 that received the “Investments for the Future” award. PSL’s many prestigious schools and institutions cover the fields of the arts, sciences, engineering, humanities and social sciences. The university says that diversity is its strength, in terms of study opportunities, but also in terms of students from around the world, with multiple cultural and social backgrounds. “PSL trains the leaders of tomorrow: scientists, artists, engineers, entrepreneurs, leaders”. PSL’s institutions are located in the heart of Paris.
Topics
The topics that you can follow at PSL are endless, as they offer many disciplines and many degree and master’s degrees in several institutions: from physics to applied economics, to art programs, everything depends on that interests you!
Ranking
PSL has been ranked number 4 of the best young universities in the world by THE (Times Higher Education), and number 1 of French universities.
International students
Each year, PSL welcomes thousands of international students. There are various possibilities, such as a visit of a few weeks or months or even years. They offer services to help you find accommodation in Paris and offer foreign Internet users useful tips on student life, courses, student associations and events.
