Types Of Institutes For Higher Education In France - Everything You Should Know
France is swarming with multiple benefits for international students. And while its rich French culture & cuisine, landmarks, and globally acclaimed institutions, seem to be at the top of the list – there's one thing that students get puzzled by.
That is France's Education System. Many international students find the French educational system a little complex.
Higher education in France for international students is a great decision. Though, if you’ve just started planning to study in France and got rolled out with types of higher education institutions – we understand you.
You’re certainly not the first who’s confused with different types of French universities for international students.
With different types of institutions for different courses and choices, it may feel overwhelming trying to find which institutions you want to apply to.
So, to simplify things a bit, let’s review the types of different higher education institutions to help you make an informed decision.
French Higher Education System
The French higher education system is globally recognized and includes a wide variety of institutions with different objectives, structures, and admission requirements.
Higher education institutions in France offer excellent teaching and research opportunities in each subject at various levels.
France attracts the most significant number of international students in the world. Around 15% of international students come to French universities and 25%+ in Grandes Écoles for higher education.
Although compared to other countries, France has a complex system of higher education. It is made up of several types of public and private sector establishments.
Also, the university's education system has an LMD system. Here LMD stands for Licence-Master-Doctorat (Bachelor's-Master's-Doctorate).
International students get to choose between different types of educational establishments, and they are;
-
The Universities
-
The Grandes Ecoles
-
Private Business & Specialized Schools
-
Schools Of Art And Applied Arts
-
The National Schools Of Architecture (ENSA)
Types Of Institutes For Higher Education
The Universities
This type of higher education institution has multiple public universities and free French universities for international students that either offer free education in France to international students or cheap French universities that offer affordable education with low tuition fees.
Universities offer degree programs in nearly all subjects. These public universities courses are based on three levels:
-
License (Bachelor’s degree)
-
Master (Master’s degree)
-
Doctorate (Doctoral degree)
France public universities and free French universities offer academic, technical, and professional degree programs in around all fields.
Around 80% of students attend France’s public universities for higher education.
France's Public universities offer various academic degrees in
-
Engineering
-
Business
-
Journalism and communication
-
Medicine
-
Pharmacy
-
Dentistry
Popular Public Universities in France for International Students
-
University of Paris
-
University of Paris-Saclay
-
Centrale Nantes
France universities are mainly public universities that are funded by the government. Hence this allows the universities to offer international students an excellent education at an affordable cost.
The free French universities for international students are QS-ranked and offer many popular courses.
The Grandes Ecoles
The Grandes Ecoles has elite colleges that offer a high level of specialized courses in subjects like engineering, politics, and business.
These institutions are very selective with their admission process. Some of the Grandes Ecoles, public and private institutes recognized by the State are Écoles Normales Supérieures (ENS -Institutes of Advanced Education), Instituts d’Etudes Politiques (IEP - Political Science Institutes), Business and management schools, Engineering schools, and Veterinary schools.
To get admission to the Grandes Ecoles, you have to give a competitive entry exam after two years of preparatory classes and must hold an appropriate degree. In comparison to French public universities, the tuition fees are higher in Grandes Ecoles.
The Grandes Écoles institutes offer 5-year courses which include 2 years of initial preparation in the preparatory classes offered by secondary schools.
The preparatory classes prepare students over two years to take the entrance examinations for Grandes Écoles.
France has around 250 Grandes Écoles, offering degrees in many specialized fields like business, engineering, political science, and others. Some of the Grandes Écoles are members of the Conférence des Grandes Ecoles (CGE).
The Conférence des Grandes Écoles comprises 216 schools, which are as follows:
-
143 Schools of Engineering
-
39 Schools of Management
-
20 other Schools (Veterinary, ENS, etc.)
-
14 schools outside France (mainly located in Belgium, Morocco, Spain, and Switzerland)
Top Grandes Écoles in France
-
SKEMA Business School
-
KEDGE Business School
-
ISC Paris, Business School
-
Excelia Business School
-
MBS - Montpelliar Business School
-
Normandie Business School
-
Audencia Business School
-
HEC Paris
Private Business Schools & Specialized Schools
Private Business schools and specialized schools are generally institutions that train students for professional careers in specific fields. They offer licenses and master's degrees.
Specialized schools offer courses in sectors such as medicine, journalism, fashion and design, communication, agronomy, political science, art, architecture, social work, and tourism. etc.
These institutes may have some degrees and certificates that are not recognized by the State.
France has the Top Business Schools, and the business and management schools are the most popular type of Grandes Écoles.
There are around 71 Top Business Schools in France that are approved by the French government, and 39 of them are members of the Conférence des Grandes Ecoles.
Top Business Schools & Specialized Schools in France
-
SKEMA Business School
-
Paris School of Business
-
EPITA - School of Engineering and Computer Science
-
KEDGE Business School
-
EICAR The International Film School, Paris
-
EMLV Business School, De Vinci, Paris
-
ISC Paris, Business School
-
ESC Clermont Business School
-
Excelia Business School
-
MBS - Montpelliar Business School
-
Vatel - Hotel & Tourism Business School
-
Normandie Business School
-
Audencia Business School
Schools Of Art And Applied Arts
France has nearly 50 public schools of art and design directly supervised by the Ministry of Culture.
Training in art, design, and communication is provided for either three or five years. After successful completion, national degrees are also awarded to international students.
The top 4 highly reputable schools of art you must consider are:
-
Boulle
-
Olivier de Serres
-
Duperré
-
Estienne
These French top schools of art and design offer national degrees in graphic design, spatial design, fashion, and arts and crafts.
Some of the popular schools of art in France are also registered in the Répertoire National des Certifications Professionnelles (RNCP - National Repertoire of Professional Certifications). :
France has many top fashion schools and culinary schools, here we’ve listed below the most popular Schools of Art And Applied Arts:
Top 6 Schools of Art And Applied Arts
-
The American Business School
-
LISAA
-
IESA arts & culture
-
Cours Florent
-
Strate Ecole De Design
-
Speos - L'Ecole Photo Video
Architecture Schools & Universities (ENSA)
The Ecoles Nationales Supérieures d’Architecture(ENSA) is the national school of architecture. It forms a network of 20 public schools directly supervised by the Ministry of Higher education, Research, and Innovation and the Ministry of Culture.
Study In France With Edugo Abroad
Edugo Abroad is the best France study visa consultant in Ahmedabad. We have a strong network with 150+ top French universities and have successfully enrolled more than 1000 students in France.
Let us help give wings to your Study abroad dream. Contact us now to apply in France through Edugo Abroad.
Final Note
Now that you’ve reviewed the different types of institutions out there in France, you hopefully have a better idea of where you have to apply.
When planning your study abroad journey, narrowing things down a bit and scrolling through various aspects of your dream destination help make the decision process much less daunting and time-consuming.
If you are passionate about studying in France and are ready to apply for the upcoming 2023 intake, then do look out for our blog and find the best course to study in France.
Aaanndd if you are getting worried about which type of French institution to apply to for a better career prospect in France - DON'T!
Absolutely not when Edugo Abroad is there to help you out!
For more than 10 years, we have been helping students with unparalleled solutions. Being a leading abroad education consultant in Ahmedabad, we help students with their course and university selection and make their visa process easy and quick.
So wait no more. Choose Edugo Abroad as your study abroad partner today.
Contact our experts, and we’ll guide you throughout the process.
Get A Free Consulting Today
Get your answers related to abroad study.
Read More
- Top Universities To Study In France For January 2023 Intake – A Detailed Guide
- Top 10 Business Schools in France for Indian Students
- Triple Accredited Business Schools In France - What Does It Mean?
- Scholarships & Fully Funded Courses For Indian Students To Study In France
- Top Advantages Of Studying & Living In France - For Indian Students
- Why Study In France – The Ultimate Guide
- Step-By-Step Guide On How To Apply For France Study Visa