Université Paris-Saclay is a public research university south of Paris, with its main campus in Gif-sur-Yvette. Campus France’s profile lists about 50,000 students, 37% of them international.[1] It is ranked 76th in the QS World University Rankings 2027.[2]
The national tuition rates for 2026/27 are €178 for a bachelor’s and €255 for a master’s; non-EU students who are not exempt pay €2,902 and €3,950.[3] Campus France’s profile says the university’s fees follow the ministerial decrees.[1] We could not open Paris-Saclay’s own tuition page on 5 November 2026, so check it for any exemption that applies to you.
Key facts
| Official name | Université Paris-Saclay |
| Location | Gif-sur-Yvette, south of Paris (3 rue Joliot Curie, Bâtiment Breguet, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette)[1] |
| Type | Public university; legal form: experimental public institution (établissement public expérimental)[4] |
| Founded | 2019, bringing together universities, grandes écoles and research bodies[4] |
| Students | About 50,000, of which 37% international (Campus France profile, September 2026)[1] |
| Doctoral students | 4,500 in 21 doctoral schools, 40% of them international[1] |
| Components | 5 faculties, 3 university institutes of technology (IUT), the engineering school Polytech Paris-Saclay, 4 grandes écoles (CentraleSupélec, AgroParisTech, ENS Paris-Saclay, Institut d’Optique Graduate School) and 2 associate universities[1] |
| Study programmes | 17 graduate schools and one institute; 527 master’s tracks open to international students and more than 100 licence (bachelor’s) tracks[1] |
| Research | More than 220 laboratories and 8,100 researchers and teacher-researchers[1] |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | 76th[2] |
| Language of teaching | French; master’s programmes taught in English also exist[1] |
| Tuition 2026/27, standard national rate | €178 bachelor’s · €255 master’s · about €398 doctorate[3] |
| Tuition 2026/27, non-EU students (unless exempt) | €2,902 bachelor’s · €3,950 master’s[3] |
| Official website | universite-paris-saclay.fr |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 5 November 2026.
About Université Paris-Saclay
Université Paris-Saclay was created in 2019 as a public experimental institution, built from universities, grandes écoles and research bodies.[4] English Wikipedia gives both 2014 and 2015 for the earlier community of institutions behind it; 2019 is the date of the university itself.[5]
Campus France’s profile of the university (September 2026) lists campuses at Gif-sur-Yvette, Orsay, Palaiseau, Sceaux, Cachan, Kremlin-Bicêtre, Évry and Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.[1] The postal address is 3 rue Joliot Curie, Bâtiment Breguet, in Gif-sur-Yvette.[1]
How is Université Paris-Saclay ranked?
In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, Université Paris-Saclay is 76th in the world (70th in the 2026 edition, 73rd in 2025). That makes it the fourth French institution in the ranking, after PSL (34th), Institut Polytechnique de Paris (43rd) and Sorbonne Université (73rd).[2] The English Wikipedia article still shows the 2025 position of 73.[5]
Campus France’s profile adds a claim in the university’s own words: it is “ranked among the top 12 universities in the world” in the Shanghai ranking (ARWU) 2024.[1] Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings.
What can you study at Université Paris-Saclay?
The university is organised into 17 graduate schools and one institute, covering for example mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer and digital sciences, life sciences and health, law, economics and management, and sociology and political science.[1] For international students, Campus France’s profile lists 527 shared master’s tracks, which have more than 9,000 students from 127 countries, and more than 100 licence tracks.[1]
- 5 faculties: Law–Economics–Management, Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Sports Sciences.[1]
- 3 university institutes of technology (IUT): Cachan, Orsay and Sceaux.[1]
- 1 university engineering school: Polytech Paris-Saclay.[1]
- 4 grandes écoles: CentraleSupélec, AgroParisTech, ENS Paris-Saclay and Institut d’Optique Graduate School.[1]
- 2 associate universities: Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines and Université d’Évry.[1]
Research is a core strength: more than 220 laboratories, 8,100 researchers and teacher-researchers, and 4,500 doctoral students in 21 doctoral schools.[1] The profile also states that master’s programmes taught in English exist.[1]
How much does Université Paris-Saclay cost in 2026/27?
| Level | Standard national rate per year | Non-EU students per year (unless exempt) |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s (licence) | €178 | €2,902 |
| Master’s | €255 | €3,950 |
| Doctorate | about €398 | about €398 (no higher rate) |
These are the national rates for 2026/27 as published by Campus France. The standard rate applies to students from the EU, the EEA and Switzerland. The higher “differentiated” rate applies to other nationalities in bachelor’s and master’s programmes; doctoral students are not affected.[3] Campus France shows the doctoral rate as €397 in one list and €398 in another, hence “about”.[3]
Who pays the standard rate anyway?
According to Campus France, non-EU students pay the standard rate if they are residents of Québec, hold a long-term resident permit, have been tax-resident in France or attached to a French tax household for more than two years, have refugee status or subsidiary protection, are enrolled in a doctorate, or are in a CPGE (preparatory class) while enrolled in a bachelor’s at a university. Holders of a French government scholarship get an automatic full waiver, and institutions may grant waivers on request in cases such as hardship. Decree No. 2026-385 of 19 May 2026 changed the waiver rules.[3]
What we could not confirm
Campus France’s profile of Université Paris-Saclay says that its registration fees follow the ministerial decrees for national or international courses.[1] The university’s own tuition and exemption page could not be opened from our systems on 5 November 2026 (the server refused the connection), so we cannot say whether Paris-Saclay applies its own partial exemption in 2026/27. Check its tuition page before you budget.
Engineering and grandes écoles
Engineering degrees have a separate national rate (Campus France lists €630 for 2026/27, with higher sums at some schools).[3] Which rate applies to Polytech Paris-Saclay we could not confirm. Grandes écoles inside the university set their own fees: CentraleSupélec, for example, charges non-EU engineering students €6,180 for those entering in 2026.[6]
Tuition is only part of the bill. For rent and living costs near Paris, see our France guide and the Study in France guide.
How do you apply to Université Paris-Saclay?
Paris-Saclay’s own application pages could not be opened when we checked, so this section describes the general national routes from Campus France (page updated 25 September 2026). Which route applies depends on your nationality, country of residence, diploma and programme.[7]
- Études en France: mandatory for students living in one of the listed countries; the procedure runs online from the enrolment request to the visa.[7]
- Bachelor’s, first year: non-European foreign students file a Prior Admission Request (DAP), on the Études en France platform if they live in a listed country. European students, and non-European students with a French baccalauréat from an AEFE-supervised school abroad, use Parcoursup.[7]
- Master’s: Mon Master is the national platform for students living in France, in the EEA, or in countries not covered by Études en France. Students from Études en France countries apply through that platform instead.[7]
We give no deadlines here because they change every year and differ by programme. The university’s international master’s offer is listed on its master’s pages, linked from Campus France’s profile.[1]
Which language level do you need?
We could not confirm the French level or the accepted language tests from Paris-Saclay’s own pages. Campus France’s profile says the university offers French language courses and programmes for international students, and master’s programmes taught in English.[1] The requirement differs by programme, so check the page of the programme you want before you book a test.
The CEFR is the European scale from A1 to C2; B2 is upper-intermediate. Teaching at the university is mostly in French, but English-taught master’s programmes exist.[1]
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Université Paris-Saclay in Paris?
Not in the city itself. It is located south of Paris, and its postal address is in Gif-sur-Yvette.[1]
How is Université Paris-Saclay ranked?
It is 76th in the QS World University Rankings 2027, the fourth French institution after PSL (34th), Institut Polytechnique de Paris (43rd) and Sorbonne Université (73rd).[2]
Is Université Paris-Saclay free for international students?
No. The national rates for 2026/27 are €178 (bachelor’s) and €255 (master’s), and non-EU students who are not exempt pay €2,902 and €3,950.[3] Whether Paris-Saclay applies a partial exemption for 2026/27 could not be confirmed from its own pages.
Do I need to speak French to study at Université Paris-Saclay?
For most programmes, yes. The university also has master’s programmes taught in English, and it offers French courses for international students.[1]
How do I apply as an international student?
It depends on your country and level: Études en France if you live in a listed country, a Prior Admission Request (DAP) for the first year of a bachelor’s, Parcoursup for European students, Mon Master for national master’s programmes outside the Études en France countries.[7]
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
- INSA Lyon
- 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
- Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier University
Sources
[1] Campus France: Université Paris-Saclay, institution profile (identity form) (document dated September 2026; secondary source, the university’s own website could not be opened on 5 Nov 2026)
[2] L’Étudiant: QS 2027, les universités françaises en baisse (QS publishes the ranking at topuniversities.com, which blocks automated access) (article updated 3 Jul 2026; QS edition released 18 Jun 2026)
[3] Campus France: Tuition fees in France (page updated 25 Jun 2026)
[4] Wikipedia (French): Université Paris-Saclay (creation, legal form and components)
[5] Wikipedia: Paris-Saclay University (history and QS 2025 position)
[6] CentraleSupélec: Engineering tuition fees for 2026/2027 (page without a date; the site presented a certificate warning when we opened it)
[7] Campus France: Applying to higher education in France (page updated 25 Sep 2026)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.