Paris Universities: A Numbers Game

As mentioned above, Paris has a plethora of universities. While your choice will mostly be limited based on your area of study, be sure to consider other aspects of academic life: the physical surroundings, the atmosphere of the university (radical, liberal, conservative, indifferent), the types of professors (internationals, renowned researchers, lesser-knowns committed to teaching), the diversity (or lack thereof) of the student body, extracurriculars, and the intensity of academic experience. Here’s a short profile of the Paris Us.

The Grandes Écoles form a higher education system outside of the public university system. Instead of giving out degrees, these establishments groom France’s next batch of high level men and women to serve La République . These schools are full of philosophers, scientists, statesmen, and clergy members. The application process requires years of preparation, but as a study abroad student, you can take advantage of these high-caliber classes without the pain that the average French student goes through. The École Normal Supérieur (a.k.a. Normal Sup, ENS, or Ulm, for its location on rue d’Ulm) is the best bet for a study abroader in Paris. The Harvard of French universities, Normal Sup specializes in science and the humanities and is located in the 5 ème. Check out www.ens.fr for details.

Grands Établissements

These are public universities under the ministerial charter. Consider them the second tier of universities in France, still putting out some of the best and brightest in a range of fields. Moreover, these institutions are also more research-oriented, so they also have some big name professors.

École Pratique des Hautes Études (www.ephe.sorbonne.fr), in the 7 ème. A.k.a. EPHE. Offers master’s degrees in biological sciences (vie de la terre) as well as philological, historical, and religious studies (so you can cover all your bases).
École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (www.ehess.fr), in the 6 ème. A.k.a. EHESS. Offers courses in social sciences, including international studies, immigration, race relations, etc. Many of their professors are at the cusp of major issues, such as affirmative action and immigration.
Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris (www.sciences-po.fr). A.k.a. Sciences Po. Courses in political science, economics, journalism, law, international relations, sustainable development, European studies, and history. One of the most welcoming to international students, as they have their own study-abroad requirement.

Université De Paris

The French public university system consists of 83 Académies spread throughout the country. These institutions practice free admissions, and any student who passed the bac has the right to attend. Don’t think, though, that these institutions are therefore easy or slacker schools—a large number of students drop out each year due to the workload. That being said, the academic reins are certainly looser than the Grandes counterparts. The University of Paris consists of 13 universities distinguishable based on specialization (as well as environment); they are each assigned a number:

Paris 1: Panthéon-Sorbonne (www.univ-paris1.fr). Largest university in France, with humanities and social sciences. Spread all over central Paris, in prestigious buildings like the Sorbonne. Forefront of research and teaching in European studies, international relations, law, political science, management, and communications. Many professors are also major public figures. 40,000 students.
Paris 2: Panthéon-Assas. A.k.a. “Assas.” Mostly law, but also business administration and social and political science. Centers on the Panthéon. Alumni include François Mitterand and several former prime ministers of France.
Paris 3: Sorbonne Nouvelle (www.univ-paris3.fr). The younger sibling of Paris’s most ancient institution. Locations throughout the city; notoriously ugly. Specializes in arts and humanities—especially language and cultural studies. 20,000 students.
Paris 4: Sorbonne (www.paris-sorbonne.fr). The grandfather of them all—and just as set in its ways (read: conservative). Centered around the historical and stately Sorbonne building in the heart of St-Germaine, but also has locations in Malesherbes, Championnet, Clignancourt, and Michelet—and, actually, in Dubai. Specializes in literature, history, archaeology, art history, and philosophy. 14,000 students.
Paris Descartes (formerly Paris 5; www.univ-paris5.fr). Specializes in medical and social sciences, with a bit of law, math, and psychology. Located in Classical buildings off pl. Odéon in the 6 ème . 32,000 students.
Paris 6: Pierre and Marie Curie (english.upmc.fr/UK/info/00). Largest medical and science complex in France; ranked #1 in the country. Over 180 labs. Once centered at Jussieu in the 5 ème , the institutional, 70s-style buildings are currently under construction due to large amounts of asbestos found in the walls. Locations all over Paris. 22,000 masters students; 8000 med students.
Paris 7: Denis Diderot (www.univ-paris-diderot.fr). Humanities, science, and medicine. Once also located at Juisseu, it has moved to the 13 ème. 26,000 students.
Paris 8: St-Denis (www.univ-Paris8.fr). The “liberal” (read: a bit radical) one. In the suburbs of Paris on the end of metro line 13. Concrete buildings and lots of anti-Sarko graffitti. Only public university with a Women’s Studies Department (Cixous teaches here regularly.) Known for its radical Philosophy Department (begun by Foucault). Also specializes in communications, theater, and other arts classes. 24,000 students.
Paris Dauphine (formerly Paris 9; www.dauphine.fr). Founded as a university for economic and management studies in the former NATO headquarters in the 16 ème. Changed status in 2004 to begin practicing competitive admissions, which means it’s now technically a grande établissement, but that doesn’t mean much to the study abroader, except that this place has a rep. Atmosphere is a bit “BCBG” ( “bon chic, bon genre” —“good style, good class,” or, more bluntly, “beau cul, belle gueule”— “nice ass, beautiful face”). 9000 students.
Paris 10: Nanterre (www.u-paris10.fr). Created according to the American campus model, with sports fields, dorms, cafeterias, Olympic-sized pool, and stadium. Along the same sort of radical lines as Paris 8; called “Nanterre la Folle” (“Nanterre the Crazy”) or “Nanterre la Rouge” (“Nanterre the Red”) during the 60s for its Commie leanings. Now a bit more bourgeois. Courses in social sciences, philosophy, literature, history, languages and linguistics, economics, law, political sciences, teacher training, acting, cinema, physiology and sports. About 1hr. from central Paris on the RER A. 35,000 students.
Paris 11: Paris Sud (http://old-www.u-psud.fr">www.u-psud.fr">http://old-www.u-psud.fr). Located in the southern suburb of Orsay. Known for its work in math and science (especially physics). Also has a quasi-campus that spans about 580 acres. Long tradition of international ties. 30,000 students.
Paris 12: Val-de-Marne (www.univ-paris12.fr). Largest multidisciplinary and professionalized university in Île-de-France. Located in the southeast suburb of Créteil and in the 14 ème. 70s, institutional-esque architecture. Courses in law, arts and humanities, sciences and technology, economics and development, administration and exchange, educational science, and social sciences. 31,000 students.
Paris 13: Paris Nord (www.univ-paris13.fr). Campuses in the northern suburbs of St-Denis, Bobigny, and Villetaneuse. Research-focused courses in the areas of law, political science, literature, economics, communications, and technology. 23,000 students.

Non-“Université” Universities

Not technically allowed to be called “universities” because it’s not a part of the “University system” (gotta love the French), the Institut Catholique de Paris is a university in the basic sense of the term.

Institut Catholique de Paris (www.icp.fr/icp/index.php). Courses in theology, but also secular studies such as letters, philosophy, education, social sciences, economics. Member of an international network of Catholic universities so has its eye on the global scene. 23,000 students; 3500 of which are study abroaders.