INSA Lyon (Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon) is an engineering school and Grande École[1] in Villeurbanne, in the Lyon area,[2] with about 6,300 students, 28% of them international.[3] It was ranked 406th in the QS World University Rankings 2026[3] but is not in the 2027 edition, according to a News Tank report of 18 June 2026.[4]
For 2026/27 the engineering degree costs €630 a year plus the €105 student contribution (CVEC) for EU/EEA students, and €2,895 (years 1 and 2) or €3,941 (years 3 to 5) for non-EU students without an exemption.[5] The seven INSA schools recruit jointly for the first three years of the engineering degree.[6]
Key facts
| Official name | Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (INSA Lyon) |
| Location | Villeurbanne, Lyon area (20 avenue Albert Einstein, 69621 Villeurbanne cedex); a second campus is in Oyonnax[2] |
| Type | Engineering school (Grande École)[1]; one of seven INSA schools that recruit jointly for the engineering degree[6] |
| Founded | 1957[1] |
| Students | About 6,300, with about 1,200 graduates per year[3] |
| International students | 28%, with more than 200 partner institutions[3] |
| Staff and research | More than 700 teachers and researchers, more than 600 PhD students, 22 laboratories[3] |
| Engineering degree | Five years after the baccalauréat[6] |
| QS World University Rankings 2026 | 406th[3] |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | Not ranked; reported as having left the ranking[4] |
| Tuition 2026/27, engineering degree, EU/EEA | €630 + €105 CVEC[5] |
| Tuition 2026/27, engineering degree, non-EU (unless exempt) | €2,895 (years 1-2) · €3,941 (years 3-5), + €105 CVEC[5] |
| Language of teaching | Mainly French; the GlobalINSA track is about 80% English[7] |
| Official website | insa-lyon.fr |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 5 November 2026.
About INSA Lyon
INSA Lyon was founded in 1957 as an engineering school; Wikipedia describes it as a Grande École on the LyonTech-La Doua campus in Villeurbanne.[1] The school calls itself “1st post-bac engineering school” and counts about 6,300 students, about 1,200 graduates per year, more than 700 teachers and researchers, more than 600 PhD students and 22 laboratories.[3]
INSA Lyon is one of seven INSA schools in France. They recruit jointly for the engineering degree in the first, second and third year.[6] The school has two campuses: Lyon-Villeurbanne and Oyonnax.[2] According to Wikipedia, students must spend at least six months abroad during the course.[1]
How is INSA Lyon ranked?
INSA Lyon’s own ranking page gives the QS World University Rankings 2026 result: 406th of 1,501 institutions worldwide, 165th of 472 in Europe, 10th of 35 in France and 2nd in Lyon (behind ENS). In the QS Europe University Rankings 2025 it was 218th of 684.[3]
QS 2027: News Tank reported on 18 June 2026 that four French institutions dropped out of the QS 2027 ranking, among them INSA Lyon, which had been 406th in 2026.[4] We could not check this on the QS site, which blocks automated access, and INSA’s page still shows the 2026 edition. Treat 406th as the last confirmed QS position.
Other results INSA lists: 1st among post-bac engineering schools in the five-year category in the 2025 rankings of Le Figaro Étudiant and L’Étudiant; CWUR 2025, 732nd worldwide; Shanghai subject ranking 2026, 41st worldwide and 1st in France for mechanical engineering; QS subject ranking 2026, Engineering & technology in the 201st position.[3] Rankings differ by publisher and year. How we compile rankings.
What can you study at INSA Lyon?
The core programme is the engineering degree (diplôme d’ingénieur), five years after the baccalauréat.[6] Wikipedia describes a two-year preparatory cycle followed by nine engineering departments in the second cycle.[1] The first two years are a common core or one of four international tracks: AMERINSA, ASINSA, EURINSA and GLOBALINSA.[8]
- International tracks: ASINSA is taught entirely in French;[9] GlobalINSA is taught about 80% in English and 20% in French over two years.[7]
- Apprenticeship route: six programmes (GEA, GIAP, GMCIP, GMPPA, IFA and TCA), each with its own admission rules.[6]
- Other degrees: international master’s programmes (Risques et Environnement with a Water and Wind Engineering track, Nanoscale Engineering, Acoustics and MINDS in AI), an engineer of specialisation in polymers and composites, and two bachelors in mechanical, materials and aerospace engineering, one of them in English.[8]
How much does INSA Lyon cost in 2026/27?
| Student category | Tuition | CVEC | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU/EEA, Swiss, Andorran, Monegasque or Québec resident, engineering degree | €630 | €105 | €735 |
| Non-EU, years 1-2 | €2,895 | €105 | €3,000 |
| Non-EU, years 3-5 | €3,941 | €105 | €4,046 |
| Non-EU with special administrative status | €630 | €105 | €735 |
| Apprenticeship route (EU or non-EU) | €0 | €105 | €105 |
| CROUS or French government scholarship holder | €0 | €0 | €0 |
These are the rates INSA Lyon gives for the 2026-2027 academic year; the page says they may change and that regulatory changes are pending.[5] The special administrative status requires supporting documents and covers, among others, refugees and people with subsidiary protection, holders of a French residence permit, people fiscally domiciled in France for more than two years and people already enrolled in French higher education before 2019.[5]
The CVEC is a national contribution that funds student services such as health, sport, culture and social support. It must be paid before administrative enrolment unless you are exempt.[5]
How this compares with the national university rates
Campus France lists the 2026/27 engineering rate for EU/EEA students as €630 and the university non-EU rates as €2,902 (bachelor’s) and €3,950 (master’s). It gives no non-EU figure for engineering degrees.[10] INSA Lyon’s own non-EU figures (€2,895 and €3,941) differ slightly from the university rates, so use INSA’s figures for the engineering degree.
For rent and living costs in Lyon, see our France guide and the Study in France guide. INSA Lyon lists the Eiffel Excellence Scholarship for master’s and doctoral levels and a Diversity scholarship for exchange and double-degree students.[11]
How do you apply to INSA Lyon?
The route depends on the programme and your diploma.
- Engineering degree: the seven INSA schools recruit jointly for years 1, 2 and 3. The admission page lists entry in the first year, the second year (from outside INSA Lyon), the third year and the fourth year (from outside INSA Lyon). Questions go to the Groupe INSA admissions service.[6]
- GlobalINSA, first year: holders of a French scientific baccalauréat apply through Parcoursup; holders of a foreign baccalauréat not issued by France or Morocco apply through the Groupe INSA portal. You must list INSA Lyon among your choices, and a math test and an English interview may be required.[7]
- ASINSA, first year: French scientific baccalauréat holders use Parcoursup; holders of a scientific baccalauréat or equivalent from an Asian country use the Groupe INSA portal and must list INSA Lyon.[9]
- Outside university agreements: degree programmes (engineering cycle, international bachelor, international master, specialised master, doctorate) take individual applicants as “candidat libre”.[8]
- Exchange and double degree: for students of partner universities; the rules depend on the programme.[11]
- Master’s and doctorate: contact the programme managers.[6]
We give no deadlines because they change every year. Check the Groupe INSA portal and the programme page before you start.
Which language level do you need?
The level depends on the route. ASINSA asks international students for French at level A2 on entry (CEFR, the European scale from A1 to C2) and offers support of up to 6 hours a week until B2.[9] GlobalINSA is mostly in English; non-francophone students study French with support of up to 6 hours a week, and the page names no entry level.[7]
For students admitted directly into the second cycle, INSA Lyon’s page for directly admitted students requires a French level “above B2” (“niveau supérieur du B2”) to be validated, and all non-francophone students take a French test on arrival.[12] The pages we read name no certificate such as DELF or TCF.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does INSA Lyon cost for international students?
For 2026/27, non-EU students pay €2,895 a year in years 1 and 2 and €3,941 in years 3 to 5 of the engineering degree, plus a €105 CVEC, unless they qualify for an exemption or a special status. EU/EEA students pay €630.[5]
Is INSA Lyon in the QS World University Rankings 2027?
Do I need to speak French to study at INSA Lyon?
How do international students apply to INSA Lyon?
More about studying in France
- France: best universities
- Study in France: complete guide
- Cost of Studying Abroad
- International Student Scholarships
- University Ranking Methodology
More university profiles in France
- Aix-Marseille University
- CentraleSupélec
- École des Ponts ParisTech
- École Polytechnique
- École Normale Supérieure de Lyon
- ESSEC Business School
- HEC Paris
- PSL University
- Sciences Po
- Sorbonne University
- Claude Bernard University Lyon 1
- University of Bordeaux
- University of Lille
- University of Montpellier
- University of Strasbourg
- Université Grenoble Alpes
- Université Paris Cité
- Université Paris-Saclay
- Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier University
Sources
[1] Wikipedia: INSA Lyon (founding year, type and campus)
[2] INSA Lyon: GlobalINSA flyer (address) (PDF flyer without a date; the file name gives 2026)
[3] INSA Lyon: Key figures and national and international rankings (page without a date; figures given without a year, QS 2026 edition)
[4] News Tank Éducation: QS WUR 2027, PSL 34th (copy hosted by Université de Franche-Comté; QS blocks automated access to its own site) (press report of 18 Jun 2026, printed 19 Jun 2026)
[5] INSA Lyon: Registration fees and student contribution (CVEC) (page without a date; rates for the 2026-2027 academic year)
[6] INSA Lyon: Admission (page without a date)
[7] INSA Lyon: GlobalINSA track (page without a date)
[8] INSA Lyon: International student, degree programmes (page without a date)
[9] INSA Lyon: ASINSA track (page without a date; refers to the 2026-2027 course catalogue)
[10] Campus France: Tuition fees in France (page updated 25 Jun 2026)
[11] INSA Lyon: Come and study at INSA Lyon (international) (page without a date)
[12] INSA Lyon: language information for directly admitted students (French) (page without a date; refers to the 2026-2027 academic year)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.