List of universities and higher education institutions in the Paris region explained

Paris and its region have one of the highest concentrations of universities in France, with a student population of over 730,000 (not counting foreign universities with Paris branches).^[1] Paris has 15 universities and is home to a large number of Grandes Écoles (which may be similar to a higher education college), a specialized top level educational institution.^[2]

Some of these Grandes Écoles, which are often over a hundred years old, have been grouped together within new major universities, such as PSL University and the Polytechnic Institute of Paris. The Saclay University, for its part, has integrated a number of Grandes Écoles. For example, the highly specialised Dauphine University, along with a dozen other Grandes Écoles, forms the collegiate PSL University.

Universities

Key (lower numbers are better):

• QS FR: national rank in QS World University Rankings 2023^[3]
• ARWU FR: national rank in Academic Ranking of World Universities 2023
• OS LW: L'Obs "Law" ranking of the most reputable universities in 2020^[4]
• OS EC: L'Obs "Economics" ranking of the most reputable universities in 2020
• ARWU: ranking in Academic Ranking of World Universities 2023

Short name	Name	Students	QS FR	ARWU FR	OS LW	OS EC	ARWU	THE	Subjects	Academy
Paris Cité	Paris Cité University	63,000	7	4	5	1	78	114	Multidisciplinary	Paris
Sorbonne ^[5]	Sorbonne University	56,821	3	3	—	—	43	90	Multidisciplinary (except Law and Economics)	Paris
Saclay	Paris-Saclay University	48,000	4	1	3	14	16	93	Science, Engineering, Medicine, Law, Economics	Versailles
Paris-1	University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne	45,200	9	—	1	4	—	—	Arts and Humanities, Social sciences, Economics, Law	Paris
Créteil	Paris-East Créteil University	32,156	—	—	—	—	—	—	Medicine, Science	Créteil
Paris-10	Paris Nanterre University	32,000	32	—	7	11	—	—	Social sciences, Law	Versailles
Cergy	CY Cergy Paris University	26,477	19	—	—	—	—	—	Science, Social sciences, Humanities	Versailles
Paris-13	Sorbonne Paris North University	25,000	—	—	—	16	—	—	Science, Social sciences, Medicine	Créteil
Assas ^[6]	Panthéon-Assas University Paris	23,000	17	—	2	2	—	—	Law, Economics, Political science, Media studies	Paris
Sorbonne Nouvelle	University of Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris 3	19,360	—	—	—	—	—	—	Arts and Humanities	Paris
Paris-8, or Saint-Denis	Paris 8 University Vincennes-Saint-Denis	22,023	—	—	—	—	—	—	Social sciences, Arts and Humanities	Créteil
Versailles	University of Versailles	19,000	—	20-22	—	—	601-700	—	Science, Medicine, Law, Social sciences	Versailles
PSL, or Dauphine	PSL University	17,000	1	2	—	—	40	47	Multidisciplinary	Paris
Gustave-Eiffel	Gustave-Eiffel University	17,000	—	—	—	9	—	—	Science, Engineering	Créteil
Polytechnique	Polytechnic Institute of Paris	8,500	2	13-16	—	—	301-400	95	Science, Engineering	Versailles
Évry	University of Évry	6,458	—	—	—	—	—	—	Multidisciplinary	Versailles

Major Grandes Écoles

In France, the CGE has been labelling and listing the Grandes Écoles since 1973, and now has 238 major institutions specialising in: engineering, management, architecture, political science, creation & design, journalism, military schools, veterinary and health schools, etc.Key (lower numbers are better):

• FG ENG: Le Figaro ranking of post-prepa engineering schools 2023^[7]
• FT EBS: Financial Times European Business Schools Ranking 2022^[8]
• FT MBS: Financial Times Business school rankings - MBA 2023^[9]
• QS: ranking in QS World University Rankings 2023
• QS POL: "Politics" in QS World University Rankings 2023
• ARWU: ranking in Academic Ranking of World Universities 2023

!Short name!Name!Students!Type!FT EBS!FT MBA!FG ENG!QS POL!QS!ARWU!Subjects!Academy

Sciences Po	Institut d'études politiques de Paris	15,000	Public-Private	—	—	—	3	259	—	Multidisciplinary	Paris
ESCP	École supérieure de commerce de Paris, Sorbonne Alliance	15,000	Private, on public funds	3	27	—	—	—	—	Economics	Paris
HEC	École des hautes études commerciales de Paris	13,500	Private, on public funds^[10]	1	17	—	—	—	—	Economics	Versailles
Emlyon	Emlyon Business School	9,000	Private	10	—	—	—	—	—	Economics	Lyon
Arts et Métiers	École nationale supérieure d'arts et métiers de Paris	6,200	Public	—	—	14	—	—	—	Engineering	Paris
ESSEC	École supérieure des sciences économiques et commerciales, CY Cergy Paris University	5,000	Private	9	70	—	—	—	—	Economics	Versailles
INSP, or ENA	Institut national du service public, PSL University	5,000	Public	—	—	—	—	—	—	Administration	Paris
Centrale Paris	CentraleSupélec, Paris-Saclay University	4,300	Public	—	—	2	—	69(Saclay)	16 (Saclay)	Engineering	Versailles
X	École Polytechnique, Polytechnic Institute of Paris	3,370	Public	—	—	1	—	48(IP)	301-400(IP)	Engineering	Versailles
EHESS	École des hautes études en sciences sociales	3,000	Public	—	—	—	—	—	701-800	Social sciences	Paris
ENS-PSL	École normale supérieure, PSL University	2,500	Public	—	—	—	—	26(PSL)	40 (PSL)	Science and Human science	Paris
AgroParisTech	AgroParisTech, Paris-Saclay University	2,500	Public	—	—	11	—	69(Saclay)	16 (Saclay)	Engineering	Versailles
ENS Lyon	École normale supérieure de Lyon, Lyon University Group	2,500	Public	—	—	—	—	187	201-300	Science and Human science	Lyon
ENPC	École nationale des ponts et chaussées, Polytechnic Institute of Paris	2,000	Public	—	—	4	—	174	—	Engineering	Créteil
Télécom Paris	École nationale supérieure des télécommunications, Polytechnic Institute of Paris	1,700	Public	—	—	5	—	48(IP)	301-400(IP)	Engineering	Versailles
ENS Paris-Saclay	École normale supérieure, Paris-Saclay University	1,500	Public	—	—	—	—	69(Saclay)	16 (Saclay)	Science and Human science	Versailles
ENSA Paris	École nationale supérieure d'architecture de Paris-Val de Seine, Paris-Cité University	1,116	Public	—	—	—	—	—	—	Architecture	Paris
CELSA	École des hautes études en sciences de l'information et de la communication - CELSA, Sorbonne University	1,000	Public	—	—	—	—	43(SU)	90(SU)	Communication and journalism	Paris
INSEAD	Institut européen d'administration des affaires, Sorbonne Alliance	1,000	Private	15	2	—	—	—	—	Economics	Versailles
Mines-PSL	École nationale supérieure des mines, PSL University	1,000	Public	—	—	3	—	26(PSL)	40 (PSL)	Engineering	Paris
IFM	Institut français de la mode	1,000	Private	—	—	—	—	—	—	Fashion, luxury goods and design	Paris
Sciences Po Saint-Germain	Institut d'études politiques de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, University of Versailles	900	Public	—	—	—	—	—	601-700(UVSQ)	Multidisciplinary	Versailles
Arts Déco	École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs de Paris, PSL University	700	Public	—	—	—	—	26(PSL)	40 (PSL)	Art and design	Paris
SupOptique	Institut d'optique Graduate School, Paris-Saclay University	600	Private	—	—	11	—	69(Saclay)	16 (Saclay)	Engineering	Versailles
ENSAE Paris	École nationale de la statistique et de l'administration économique, Polytechnic Institute of Paris	580	Public	—	—	6	—	—	—	Engineering	Versailles
ENM	École nationale de la magistrature	500	Public	—	—	—	—	—	—	Law	Bordeaux
CFJ	Centre de formation des journalistes, Assas University	400	Private	—	—	—	—	—	—	Journalism	Paris
Chimie Paris-PSL	École nationale supérieure de chimie de Paris, PSL University	300	Public	—	—	8	—	26(PSL)	40 (PSL)	Engineering	Paris
La Fémis	École nationale supérieure des métiers de l'image et du son, PSL University	200	Public	—	—	—	—	—	—	Art	Paris
Saint-Cyr	École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr	170	Public	—	—	—	—	—	—	Military	Coëtquidan
ENC	École nationale des chartes, PSL University	100	Public	—	—	—	—	26(PSL)	40 (PSL)	Historical science	Paris

History

Since the dissolution of the University of Paris (1970)

The universités in Paris are the direct or indirect successors of the University of Paris, divided in 1970.

Collegiate universities, alliances and other institutions

Collegiate universities in Paris

There are five collegiate universities (Établissement public à caractère scientifique, culturel et professionnel expérimental, or EPSCPE) in the Paris region:

University	Colleges, schools and Grandes écoles	Associate schools and universities
PSL University		École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts La Fémis
Assas University	Institut Supérieur d'Interprétation et Traduction École Française d'Électronique et d'Informatique Centre de Formation des Journalistes W School of Journalism and Communication Institut de Préparation à l'Administration Générale de Paris Institut d'Études Judiciaires Pierre-Raynaud French Press Institute	Institut de Recherche Stratégique de l'École Militaire Institut National de l'Audiovisuel
Paris-Saclay University		HEC Paris University of Versailles Sciences Po Saint-Germain-en-Laye IAE of Versailles Institut des Sciences et Techniques des Yvelines University Institute of Technology of Vélizy University of Évry-Val d'Essonne
Polytechnic Institute of Paris		HEC Paris
Paris Cité University

Alliances of universities and higher education institutions in Paris

There are five groups of universities and higher education institutions in the Paris region - three of them are COMUEs and two of them are alliances:

Grouping	Universities	Grandes écoles (Colleges and graduate schools)
Sorbonne University Alliance		University of Technology of Compiègne
Sorbonne Paris Cité Alliance
Université Paris Lumières
Paris-Est Sup
HESAM University		École nationale supérieure des arts et métiers (Arts et Métiers) Conservatoire national des arts et métiers (CNAM) Centre des études supérieures industrielles (CESI) École Boulle École Duperré École Estienne École nationale supérieure des arts appliqués et des métiers d'art (ENSAAMA) École nationale supérieure d'architecture de Paris-La Villette (ENSAPLV) École nationale supérieure de création industrielle (ENSCI - Les Ateliers) Institut Français de la Mode (IFM) Paris School of Business (PSB) Centre de formation des journalistes de Paris (CFJ)

Some groups have been terminated, such as Paris Universitas, Paris Centre Universités or UniverSud Paris, and some other are still in discussion.

Private universities in Paris

• Catholic University of Paris
• Catholic University of Lille in Issy-lès-Moulineaux
• paris university of international education

Foreign universities in Paris

• American University of Paris
• University of London Institute in Paris

References

• L'Étudiant – Fusion, association, communauté : la nouvelle carte de France des universités

Notes and References

1. Web site: Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur . 2021 . Atlas régional des effectifs d'étudiants en 2019-2020 . enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr . pdf.
2. Web site: Liste des Grandes Ecoles - Etablissements Enseignement supérieur - Paris, Ile-de-France . 2023-09-09 . La Chancellerie des Universités de Paris.
3. Web site: QS World University Rankings 2023: Top Global Universities . 2023-09-09 . Top Universities . en.
4. Web site: 2019-02-27 . EXCLUSIF. Parcoursup : le palmarès des universités les plus réputées . 2023-09-09 . L'Obs . fr.
5. Web site: Lacombe . Lise . 2023-05-10 . À la Sorbonne, la conférence de l'anthropologue Florence Bergeaud-Blackler annulée . 2023-09-09 . Le Point . fr.
6. Web site: figaro . le . 2023-03-23 . Classement des meilleures facultés de droit: Assas en tête . 2023-09-09 . Le Figaro Etudiant . fr.
7. Web site: Classement des écoles d'ingénieurs 2023 . 2023-09-09 . Le Figaro Etudiant . fr.
8. News: Jack . Andrew . 2022-12-04 . FT European Business Schools Ranking 2022: tough times . Financial Times . 2023-09-09.
9. Web site: MBA 2023 - Business school rankings from the Financial Times - FT.com . 2023-09-09 . rankings.ft.com.
10. Web site: Les Établissements d'enseignement supérieur consulaires entreprises.gouv.fr . 2023-09-11 . www.entreprises.gouv.fr.