Best universities in Paris 2024
Find the best universities in Paris with Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings data
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Top three universities in Paris 2024
Scroll down for the full list of best universities in Paris
| Paris Rank 2024 | World University Rank 2024 | World University Rank 2023 | University |
| 1 | 40 | 47 | Paris Sciences et Lettres – PSL Research University Paris |
| 2 | 58 | 93 | Université Paris-Saclay |
| 3 | 71 | =95 | Institut Polytechnique de Paris |
Home to some of the world’s most revered artists, writers, thinkers and musicians, the City of Light needs little introduction. It is hard not to fall in love with its instantly familiar monuments, world-famous cuisine and endless cultural buzz.
It may seem an expensive city for tourists but students can live a charmed (and cheap) life reaping the benefits of discounted or often free gallery entries, cinema passes, transport and accommodation. Even French fine cuisine comes at student-friendly prices – CROUS Paris offers genuinely good food in restaurants and university cafeterias for as little as €3 for three courses.
Below are some of the best universities to study at in Paris based on the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024.
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3. Institut Polytechnique de Paris
Institut Polytechnique de Paris is a research institution that specialises in science and technology. It was officially established in 2019, but it has a history that dates back over 200 years.
The institute unites five prestigious French engineering graduate schools: École Polytechnique, ENSTA Paris, ENSAE Paris, Telecom Paris, and Telecom SudParis.
With a campus located near Paris, the institute annually hosts 8,500 students, with approximately 35 per cent being international.
Offering multidisciplinary education from bachelor to PhD, Institut Polytechnique de Paris conducts research programmes in 10 disciplinary departments, including biology, chemistry and processes, economics, information, communications and electronics, computer science, data and artificial intelligence, mathematics, mechanics and energetics, physics, humanities, arts, literature and languages, as well as social sciences and management.
2. Université Paris-Saclay
Founded in 1150 as the University of Paris, Université Paris-Saclay has evolved over the years. In 1971, a branch in Orsay became the University of Paris-Sud, and in 2019, it officially became Université Paris-Saclay.
Aligned with the Paris-Saclay project, the university collaborates with nine institutions on a research-intensive campus, akin to the Oxford and Cambridge model. These nine members include Université Paris-Sud, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, École Polytechnique, Centrale Supélec, HEC Paris, Agro Paris Tech, Institut d'Optique Graduate School, Télécom Paris and Université Paris-Saclay itself.
Situated in the southern part of Paris, it offers diverse degree programmes in science, engineering, health sciences, social sciences, and humanities.
The university's research activities span 275 laboratories, collaborating with institutes and companies like the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission and the French National Centre for Scientific Research.
1. Paris Sciences et Lettres – PSL Research University Paris
Paris Sciences et Lettres – PSL Research University Paris is a collegiate university formed in 2010, though some of the member institutions were founded during the Enlightenment (the Collège de France, Observatoire de Paris and the Beaux Arts). Originally formed of five institutions, it has grown into 25 self-governing academic and research institutions. It aims to be one of the leading research universities in the world.
One of the member institutions, the highly selective École Normale Supérieure can be traced back to the post-revolutionary National Convention of 1794. It was originally established to train secondary school teachers in order to ensure a consistent national education.
Today, it accepts only 200 students a year in sciences and humanities programmes, who receive a salary of about €1,300 (£1,114) per month in return for 10 years of service in the public sector after graduation.
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Top universities in Paris 2024
Click each institution to view its full World University Rankings 2024 results
| Paris Rank 2024 | World University Rank 2024 | World University Rank 2023 | University |
| 1 | 40 | 47 | Paris Sciences et Lettres – PSL Research University Paris |
| 2 | 58 | 93 | Université Paris-Saclay |
| 3 | 71 | =95 | Institut Polytechnique de Paris |
| 4 | 75 | 90 | Sorbonne University |
| 5 | =152 | =114 | Université Paris Cité |
| =6 | 401–500 | 251–300 | École des Ponts ParisTech |
| =6 | 401–500 | 401–500 | Institut Agro |
| 8 | 501–600 | 501–600 | Sciences Po |
| =9 | 801–1000 | 1001–1200 | Arts et Métiers |
| =9 | 801–1000 | 801–1000 | CY Cergy Paris University |
| =9 | 801–1000 | 801–1000 | Panthéon-Sorbonne University – Paris 1 |
| 12 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | Université Sorbonne Nouvelle |
