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8 Best Public PhD Science Universities in France

PSL University tops our list of 8 Public PhD Science universities in France at #28 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. It is followed by Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon (QS World #187) and Université de Toulouse-le-Mirail (Toulouse III) (QS World #580). The universities on this list offer 8 matching courses between them.

8 universities · ranked best first

how we rank

Science at other levels

Bachelor's Science

By university type

All Science universities

Popular collections

Public Universities Public Master's Universities Master's Universities Public Bachelor's Universities Bachelor's Universities Public Business & Management Universities Business & Management Universities Public Engineering Universities Engineering Universities Public Master's Business & Management Universities

How these universities are ranked

3 of these universities hold a QS World position, from #28 (PSL University) to #580 (Université de Toulouse-le-Mirail (Toulouse III)); they are listed first, in that order. Below them, universities follow their research output: Université de Toulouse-le-Mirail (Toulouse III) is cited most (9,589,783 citations).

Public, private and where they are

8 are public and 0 private (100% public). By location, Île-de-France (1) account for the most of those we can place. The oldest is PSL University, founded in 2010. PSL University is the largest, with 17,000 students.

What the courses look like

The usual length is 4–6 years and 3 years. 100% are full-time. Start dates lean to Fall (100% of courses with a stated intake). SKEMA Business School offers the widest choice, with 1 of these courses.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best university in France for Public PhD Science?

PSL University (QS World #28), Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon (QS World #187) and Université de Toulouse-le-Mirail (Toulouse III) (QS World #580) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

How many public universities offer Public PhD Science in France?

8 public and 0 private universities are on this list.

How long does a Public PhD Science course take in France?

Most listed courses run 4–6 years, with 3 years the next most common.

When do Public PhD Science courses start in France?

Fall is the main intake — 100% of courses with a stated start date begin then.

Which university has the most Public PhD Science courses in France?

SKEMA Business School, with 1, ahead of Université de Technologie de Troyes (1).

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