For hundreds of years, Paris has been a global hub of travel, learning, and culture. One of the world’s most popularly visited cities, Paris boasts a handful of the most respected universities in the world, within the backdrop of a stimulating and multicultural cityscape like no other on earth. Earning your degree abroad in Paris is the opportunity to immerse yourself fully in the French capital, developing an intimate relationship with the city which is usually only enjoyed by locals. Are you ready to learn the true meaning behind vive la France?
Academics & Degrees
Home to the French Revolution and central to the European Enlightenment, Paris has maintained its standing as one of the finest academic cities on the continent for centuries. Paris’ most famous academic institution, the Sorbonne, was founded all the way back in the 12th century, and continues to be one of the most reputable in the world to this day. Other top schools where you can earn a degree abroad in Paris include Sciences Po Paris, ENS Paris, and Paris Tech.
There are some 17 public universities throughout the Paris metropolitan area which host nearly 400,000 students, along with 55 prestigious grandes ecoles (grand schools), which are essentially smaller, specialized private universities. You will generally be expected to speak French if applying for admission to either a public university or grandes ecoles. English speakers can still find niche degree programs in Paris’ international schools or through exchange programs, though speaking French will still open up whole worlds of opportunity you wouldn’t otherwise enjoy while living in Paris.
Some of the most popularly pursued degrees abroad in Paris among international students tend to include French, European studies, political science, business, and history. You are, of course, by no means limited within these subject areas; there are hundreds of different degrees abroad in Paris that you can pursue, both at the undergraduate and graduate level.
Life in Paris
With some 12 million people living in the metropolitan area, Paris sits right behind London as the second most populous city in the European Union. Having a long history of international influence and a very diverse population coming from all over the world, Paris is also regarded as one of the top global cities on earth in areas of politics, finance, and culture, sharing this acclaim with other major hubs such as New York, London, and Tokyo.
While Paris is one of the most popularly visited cities in the world for obvious reasons, living abroad in France’s capital will expose you to a much deeper appreciation of what makes it such a magnetic destination. Beyond the major attractions such as the Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, and Notre Dame Cathedral, you will discover an endless number of restaurants, cafes, parks, historical sights, and modern venues which can provide for limitless exploration and immersion.
The city is very efficiently connected by metro, (it’s metro system, which opened all the way back in 1900, carries nearly 5 million passengers everyday) meaning that you can take advantage to seek out all the hidden nooks and crannies while earning your degree abroad in Paris. Take your studies seriously, but don’t lose out on the chance to embrace the city to its fullest potential!
Scholarships & Costs
There is a wide price gap between the public universities and grandes ecoles in Paris. For the former, you will often only have to pay a few hundred dollars in fees as an international student, while the latter will often set their tuition at several thousands of dollars. For information on financial aid opportunities available while pursuing a degree abroad in Paris, check out our French Scholarship Directory.
Paris itself is also quite an expensive city to live in, so you will want to learn how to live on a budget during your time abroad. Simple steps like cooking for yourself, shopping locally, and taking advantage of all the city’s student discounts and free entertainments can make a big difference.
Accommodation & Visas
Many international students pursuing a degree abroad in Paris choose to live in student dormitories during the outset of their program, with the option open to move to off-campus apartments later in their studies. Rent in Paris can be quite expensive, so if you do intend to move off campus, then it’s definitely a good idea to bring roommates into the fold!
Unless you are coming from within the European Union, then you will also have to apply for a student visa in order to earn your degree abroad in Paris. Your host university will endorse you throughout this process, but in the meantime you can scout out our French Embassy Directory for more information about the country’s visa policies as they apply to you.
Benefits & Challenges
City of Light. Earning your degree abroad in Paris will place you directly in one of the world’s leading cities of culture and higher education. Give yourself fully to the city, and it will give everything back.
French Immersion. French is one of the U.N.’s six official languages, and is spoken commonly all over the world from Europe to Africa to the Caribbean. Earning your degree abroad in Paris, fluency is just around the corner.
Idealism. As you might expect from a city which was central to the enlightenment era and to democracy itself, Paris has always stood for something much larger than the city itself. It is diverse, curious, restless, and ambitious; are you ready to join in the fervor?
Earning your degree abroad in Paris is the rare opportunity to earn a world-class education in one of the most historically and modernly influential cities on the planet. If you think you’re up to the challenge, then the only thing left is to make it happen.
