Destination Guides

Study in France

That France is one of the world's most popular study abroad destinations is surely no great surprise. Read on to find out why so many international students choose to study in France – and what to do next if you want to join them.

France conjures up a distinct set of associations in our collective imagination. From the urbane sophistication and history of its cities, to its legendary food and wine, to the spectacular scenery – think rugged mountains and verdant forests, golden beaches and azure seas, rolling pastures and mighty rivers – everyone has their own idealized conception of France. This is reflected in its status as the world’s most popular tourist destination, according to the United Nations World Tourist Organization.

Perhaps your personal image of France involves its proud intellectual and artistic heritage. This is the nation, after all, which produced thinkers such as René Descartes and Jean-Paul Sartre, authors like Marcel Proust and Albert Camus, filmmakers like Jean-Luc Godard and Jean Renoir, and artists like Claude Monet and Paul Cézanne. On top of these names we can add a whole host of scientists, mathematicians and other researchers, whose names may be slightly less familiar, but whose achievements are no less spectacular.

If you’re keen to visit France not just as a holiday-maker but as a student, read on to find out about French universities, student cities, and how to get started with applications, costs and visas.

Out Now! QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024

Fast Facts

Presidential republic with bicameral legislature
Capital city (and largest city by far): Paris
Official language: French
Borders with Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Andorra and Monaco
Most popular tourist destination in the world; in 2023, France was visited by 84.7 million people
Population of 67 million, of whom 2.2 million live in Paris
International dialing code: +33
Currency: Euro (€)
Uses Central European Time (UCT+1), shifting to Daylight Savings Time (UTC+2)
France produces around 400 distinct varieties of cheese (possibly more, depending on how you count them).
France owns a number of overseas territories, some of which – such as French Guiana in South America – are considered to be part of France, and therefore the European Union.