Educads

71 Best Master's Universities in France

Of the 71 Master's universities in France, Institut Polytechnique de Paris ranks highest at #38 in the QS World University Rankings. Sorbonne University (QS World #63) and Université Paris-Saclay (QS World #71) complete the top three. The universities on this list offer 416 matching courses between them.

71 universities · ranked best first

how we rank
3Top pick
PA Université Paris-Saclay logo
QS World #71 #5 in France Gif-sur-Yvette, Île-de-France, France
#71 QS World University Rankings 2024
#5 in France
18Ranked
UD Université de Technologie de Troyes logo
#85 in France France
#85 in France · by research impact
283,742 citations · h-index 178
22Ranked
SB SKEMA Business School logo
#106 in France France
#106 in France · by research impact
100,681 citations · h-index 134

By university type

How these universities are ranked

4 of these universities hold a QS World position, from #38 (Institut Polytechnique de Paris) to #319 (Sciences Po); they are listed first, in that order. The rest are ordered by research impact. Sorbonne University has the largest research record in this group, with 37,965,256 citations and an h-index of 1,502. 17 universities have neither a QS position nor a research record yet and appear at the end, marked "Not yet ranked".

Public, private and where they are

The split is 71 public to 0 private institutions. By location, Île-de-France (4) account for the most of those we can place. The oldest is Sciences Po, founded in 1872. Université Paris-Saclay is the largest, with 48,000 students.

What the courses look like

The most common subjects are Business & Management (148), Computer Science & IT (62), Engineering (58) and Science (16). The usual length is 1–2 years and 1 year. 99% are full-time and 1 can be studied online. Start dates lean to Fall (96% of courses with a stated intake) and Spring (95% of courses with a stated intake). SKEMA Business School offers the widest choice, with 50 of these courses.

What it costs

We hold indicative fees for 4 of these universities. Sorbonne University is the least expensive at USD 4,000 a year and Sciences Po the most at USD 15,000; the middle of the range is about USD 13,000. Check each university's own fee page before you budget — figures change every year.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best university in France for Master's?

Institut Polytechnique de Paris (QS World #38), Sorbonne University (QS World #63) and Université Paris-Saclay (QS World #71) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

Which is the cheapest university for Master's in France?

Of those with published fees, Sorbonne University is the least expensive at about USD 4,000 a year. Fees are indicative — confirm on the university's site.

How many public universities offer Master's in France?

71 public and 0 private universities are on this list.

How long does a Master's course take in France?

Most listed courses run 1–2 years, with 1 year the next most common.

When do Master's courses start in France?

Fall is the main intake — 96% of courses with a stated start date begin then, and Spring is the second.

Can I study Master's online with a university in France?

1 of these courses are listed as online.

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