English-Taught Universities in France: Top Options & Fees in 2026
English-taught universities in France give Indian students a real degree path without French at admission. As of 2026, France lists more than 1,600 programmes taught wholly, mostly, or partly in English, with the widest choice at master’s level. The strongest options include PSL, Ecole Polytechnique, Sorbonne University, Universite Paris-Saclay, Sciences Po, HEC Paris, ESSEC, ESCP and the American University of Paris. This guide compares the best universities by institution type, English-taught level, fees, IELTS and English requirements, and the application route for Indian students. We use the live Google rate captured on 2026-06-20: EUR 1 is about INR 108.37. From the France files we worked this past intake, families who sort schools by fee band first, not by ranking, shortlist far faster. The tables below give every cost in EUR and INR so your family can plan straight away.
Key Takeaways
- France lists 1,600+ programmes taught wholly, mostly, or partly in English, with the widest choice at master’s level.
- Public universities are the cheapest English route: a Licence runs about EUR 2,895/yr and a Master about EUR 3,941/yr for non-EU students (2025-2026 latest published rates; the 2026-2027 figures are not yet announced).
- Up to 30% of non-EU students can be exempted back to the EU rate, EUR 178 (Licence) or EUR 254 (Master), in 2026-2027.
- PSL runs 43 English-taught tracks; the American University of Paris is a rare fully English-medium campus.
- Business schools sit at the opposite end: HEC Paris charges EUR 57,700 for the full Master in Management.
- Sciences Po sets its fee by your tax residence outside the EEA, not your nationality.
- Master’s and Grande Ecole graduates can apply for a roughly 12-month post-study job-search permit (RECE).
Top English-taught universities in France at a glance
English-taught universities in France span public universities, grandes ecoles, business schools and Sciences Po. Campus France lists programmes taught wholly, mostly, or partly in English, per Campus France, Programs Taught in English (2026). Fees swing from a few hundred euros at exempted public universities to EUR 57,700 at a top business school, so institution type sets the budget.
Start here if you want the shortlist before the detail. The table below pairs each headline institution with what it does best, the English-taught level, whether it is public or private, and the approximate non-EU fee. Treat it as a map; the deeper fee breakdown for English-taught degrees in France comes in the costs section later.
| University / school | Best for | English-taught level | Public/private | Approx fee (non-EU) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Universite PSL | STEM, economics, research | Mainly master’s | Public (collegiate) | Public-university rates (varies by member school) | 43 English-taught tracks |
| Ecole Polytechnique / IP Paris | Engineering, science | Bachelor’s + MSc&T | Public grande ecole | Bachelor EUR 19,200/yr (~INR 20.8L); MSc&T ~EUR 15,400/yr (~INR 16.7L) | Selective |
| Sorbonne University | Science, humanities, medicine | Master’s only (no English UG) | Public | Public-university rates (Master ~EUR 3,941/yr non-EU) | English master’s, no English bachelor’s |
| Universite Paris-Saclay | STEM, health | Master’s | Public | Public-university rates | Dedicated English master’s catalogue |
| Sciences Po | Politics, IR, public policy | Bachelor’s + master’s | Grand etablissement | Bachelor EUR 14,900 / Master EUR 20,640 per yr (outside-EEA fiscal residence) | Fee by tax residence, not nationality |
| HEC Paris | Management | Master’s | Private business school | MiM EUR 57,700 full programme (+EUR 2,000 intl) | Top-ranked MiM |
| ESSEC / ESCP | Management, MiM, finance | Master’s | Private business school | Private fees vary | Strong alternative to HEC; check programme-level fee |
| American University of Paris | Fully English campus | Bachelor’s + master’s | Private | Private fees (varies) | Rare fully English-medium campus |
One row needs flagging up front for parents weighing the budget. The Sciences Po figure follows your fiscal residence, not your passport, so an Indian family resident in India falls in the higher band. The detail and the public-versus-private gulf sit in the costs section; the rest of this guide unpacks each row, starting with what English-taught actually means in France.
Can you really earn a full degree in English in France?
Universities in France that teach in English are widespread. As of 2026, Campus France lists more than 1,600 programmes taught wholly, mostly, or partly in English, including over 115 undergraduate programmes and more than 1,300 master's programmes, per Campus France USA, Programs Taught in English (2026). English provision is concentrated at master's level.
So yes, you can study in France in English from day one. But “taught in English” covers a spread. France lists programmes taught wholly, mostly, or partly in English, and a partly English course still runs some modules in French. If you want a fully English degree, use the catalogue’s “100% Taught in English” filter, the setting that strips out part-French courses, so you only see English-only programmes.
Notice where those programmes sit, too. The master’s count dwarfs the bachelor’s count, and that gap shapes your family’s plan. If you are finishing Class 12 and want an English-taught bachelor’s in France, your shortlist is short, and many options are private institutions that charge real money. At master’s level the picture flips: after a three-year Indian degree, you’ll find English-medium tracks in engineering, management, data science, international relations and the sciences across dozens of public and private institutions. This is why most Indian families we counsel for France plan a postgraduate move.
1,600+
English-taught degree programmes Campus France, 2026
1,300+
English-taught master's programmes Campus France, 2026
115+
English-taught undergraduate programmes Campus France, 2026
One practical note before you shortlist. Even on a 100%-English degree, daily life, your part-time job and your paperwork still need some French. We cover the programme and subject side in our guide to English-taught courses in France; this article stays on the universities in France that teach in English and what each type costs.
Which kinds of French institution teach in English, and how do they differ?
Four institution types run nearly all English-taught programmes in France: public universities, engineering grandes ecoles (selective state schools), business schools, and the Sciences Po-led Instituts d'Etudes Politiques. They differ sharply on fees. A top business school such as HEC Paris charges EUR 57,700 for the full Master in Management, per HEC Paris, Master in Management fees (2026), while a public university costs a small fraction of that.
You met these four buckets in the table above; here is what splits them. A grande ecole (literally “great school”) is a selective state institution outside the main university system, usually for engineering or business. The IEP (Institut d’Etudes Politiques, a political-studies institute) network is led by Sciences Po. Each type runs its own English provision, sits in a different price band, and asks for a different English proof. Get this fork right and the rest of the plan, from the English-taught master’s in France you target to the loan you discuss with HDFC Credila, follows from it.
Engineering grandes ecoles taught in English
For engineering, the grandes ecoles run some of France’s strongest English provision. For 2026 entry, the Ecole Polytechnique Bachelor of Science costs EUR 19,200 a year (about INR 20.8 lakh) for non-EU students, per Ecole Polytechnique, Bachelor of Science tuition fees (2026). Most Institut Polytechnique de Paris MSc&T programmes run about EUR 15,400 a year (about INR 16.7 lakh). CentraleSupelec offers English-taught study options spanning physics, civil, electrical, mathematics, mechanical and aerospace engineering. IMT Atlantique runs four MSc tracks fully taught in English. INSA Lyon adds English-taught master’s such as Nanoscale Engineering, though we could not verify its exact fee live, so treat that one as a name to check rather than a costed option.
Business schools taught in English
For management, the business schools in France taught in English carry global brands and global fees. HEC Paris leads the group; ESSEC, ESCP, EDHEC and INSEAD round it out. Only HEC has a verified figure here (EUR 57,700, set out below), so we keep ESSEC, ESCP, EDHEC and INSEAD fees qualitative rather than guess. INSEAD runs its MBA from a Fontainebleau campus, while ESCP spreads a single degree across European cities. These schools deliver placement networks that justify the spend for a global management career, but the price gap against a public Master is wide, which we cost out next.
Which French public universities offer English-taught degrees?
French public universities lead the country's global rankings and run growing English-taught provision, mostly at master's level. In the QS World University Rankings 2026, PSL ranked 28th, Institut Polytechnique de Paris 41st, Universite Paris-Saclay 71st and Sorbonne University 72nd, according to Campus France reporting QS data (2026). These names anchor any English-taught shortlist.
You’ll recognise some of these from the rankings tables your family already trusts, which is why they belong on the shortlist. Among public universities in France for international students, the strongest English provision clusters in and around Paris, plus a few large regional hubs. PSL alone runs 43 English-taught tracks; more than twenty of its master’s are taught entirely in English and up to ten partially in English. Sorbonne University offers master’s taught entirely in English but no undergraduate degrees in English, with fields such as quantum information and physics. Universite Paris-Saclay keeps a dedicated English master’s catalogue across STEM and health.
Rankings are a useful filter, not gospel, so treat the QS positions as a hedge rather than a promise of fit. One more name worth knowing: the American University of Paris is a rare fully English-medium private institution, useful if you want an English-only campus and can carry private fees. The headline holds: English-taught universities in France are led by public institutions that charge a fraction of what private schools do, which we price out next.
What do English-taught degrees cost, from public universities to business schools?
For 2025-2026, public-university tuition for non-EU students is set at differentiated rates of around EUR 2,895 a year for a Licence (bachelor's) and around EUR 3,941 a year for a Master. These figures come from Service-Public, the French government portal (2026), and are the latest published; the 2026-2027 amounts are not yet announced. Private business schools charge many times more, making institution type the decisive cost lever.
This is where the money conversation gets real, and where parents reading this should pay closest attention. The cost of English-taught universities in France swings by a factor of fifteen or more depending on which bucket you pick. The fee for English-taught degrees in France can run from a few thousand rupees to tens of lakhs, because a public Master and a business-school Master may both be taught in English in the same city.
Two terms explain the public-university figure. France charges non-EU students differentiated tuition fees (frais differencies, the higher non-European rate). But there is a relief valve. In 2026-2027, universities may exempt up to 30% of non-EU students (25% in 2027-2028) from the higher fees, bringing them back to the EU rate of EUR 178 for a Licence or EUR 254 for a Master. If you win that fee exemption (exoneration, an official tuition waiver), a year of public-university study costs less than INR 28,000.
| Programme | Tuition (EUR/yr) | Tuition (INR/yr) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Licence (non-EU rate) | EUR 2,895 | ~INR 3,13,700 | Differentiated rate, 2025-2026 (latest published; 2026-2027 not yet announced) |
| Public Master (non-EU rate) | EUR 3,941 | ~INR 4,27,100 | Differentiated rate, 2025-2026 (latest published; 2026-2027 not yet announced) |
| Public Licence (if exempted) | EUR 178 | ~INR 19,290 | EU rate after exoneration |
| Public Master (if exempted) | EUR 254 | ~INR 27,530 | EU rate after exoneration |
| Ecole Polytechnique Bachelor (non-EU) | EUR 19,200 | ~INR 20,80,700 | Per year, 2026 entry |
| IP Paris MSc&T (most programmes) | EUR 15,400 | ~INR 16,68,900 | Per year, 2026 entry |
| Sciences Po Bachelor (outside-EEA fiscal residence) | EUR 14,900 | ~INR 16,14,700 | Per year, 2026-2027 |
| Sciences Po Master (outside-EEA fiscal residence) | EUR 20,640 | ~INR 22,37,100 | Per year, 2026-2027 |
| HEC Paris Master in Management | EUR 57,700 | ~INR 62,53,900 | Full programme, 2026 |
For 2026-2027, Sciences Po charges EUR 14,900/yr (about INR 16,14,700) for the Bachelor and EUR 20,640/yr (about INR 22,37,100) for the Master to students with fiscal residence outside the EEA. The band follows your tax residence, not your nationality, so an Indian family resident in India pays the higher rate, per Sciences Po, tuition fees (2026). HEC Paris lists the Master in Management (MiM) fee at EUR 57,700. International students add EUR 2,000, plus a EUR 170 application fee; optional gap years or extra years can add further student-service and administrative charges. One compulsory step almost everyone completes: for 2026-2027, most students must clear the CVEC at EUR 105 (about INR 11,380), the student-life contribution, while exempt students such as scholarship holders still need a CVEC exemption certificate, per CVEC, Etudiant.gouv (2026). For the full year-by-year picture, see our guide to the cost of studying in France for Indian students.
Do you need IELTS to study in English in France?
IELTS is the common English proof for English-taught programmes in France, but it is not always mandatory. Public universities typically ask for IELTS 6.0 to 6.5, grandes ecoles 6.5 to 7.0, and business schools 6.5 plus a management test. Many institutions also accept a medium-of-instruction certificate or an admissions interview, so an alternative route to admission exists.
Here is the relief most families want first: you can often study in France without IELTS. If your Class 12 and degree were taught and examined in English, several institutions accept a medium-of-instruction (MOI) certificate (a letter from your school or college confirming English was the language of teaching) in place of a test score. Some run an interview instead.
Business schools work differently, and Indian applicants should plan for two tests, not one. Top schools usually want a management test plus an English test. ESSEC requires a management test (GMAT, GRE, TAGE MAGE, or CAT for Indian applicants) plus an English test, and waives the English test after three or more years of study taught in English. ESCP asks for a GMAT, GRE, CAT or TAGE-MAGE test with no minimum score. INSEAD requires the GMAT or GRE for its MBA and expects fluency in English. So if you studied in English in India, the English test often falls away, but the management test rarely does.
| Institution type | Typical English level (indicative) | IELTS alternative? |
|---|---|---|
| Public university | Around IELTS 6.0 to 6.5 (or TOEFL) | Often MOI certificate accepted |
| Engineering grande ecole | Often IELTS 6.5 or higher | Sometimes MOI or interview |
| Business school | Often IELTS 6.5 or higher, plus GMAT/GRE | English waived after 3+ years taught in English |
| Sciences Po / IEP | Around IELTS 6.5 | Interview-based assessment |
The honest answer is institution-by-institution. A public university may waive the test; a business school almost never drops the management exam. For the full list of schools and the exact waiver rules, our guide on how to study in France without IELTS walks through each route. If you want a safety net, sit IELTS anyway: a 6.5 keeps every door in the table above open.
How do you apply to an English-taught programme from India?
Applications from India route through the Etudes en France platform for long-stay study. In 2026, this platform carries a processing fee of INR 18,500 for Indian students, per Campus France India (2026). The application channel then depends on level: Parcoursup for most bachelor's, Mon Master or a university's own platform for public master's, and direct application to grandes ecoles and business schools.
Once you have shortlisted by institution type, the route follows from your level, so let’s keep this to the essentials. Campus France runs the Etudes en France (EEF) portal. In 2026, the EEF procedure applies to long-stay degree study; a short stay under 90 days can bypass it. India is one of 73 countries covered by the procedure, so Indian long-stay degree applicants using the EEF process pay the INR 18,500 fee. Beyond that fee, your channel splits three ways.
- Bachelor’s at a public university: apply through Parcoursup, the national undergraduate platform, then complete the EEF process.
- Master’s at a public university: check the programme page first. Some routes use Mon Master, others the university’s own platform; either way, Indian applicants must complete the Etudes en France process before the visa stage.
- Grandes ecoles and business schools: apply directly on each school’s portal, then complete EEF.
The mechanics and document checklist deserve their own walk-through, which is why we keep this section short. For the step-by-step submission, deadlines, and interview prep, see the full Campus France application walk-through. The short version on knowing how to apply to French universities in English: start early, because the EEF timeline and the Campus France interview both sit months before the September rentree (the academic start of year). Many French master’s programmes assess Indian three-year bachelor’s degrees case by case for academic equivalence, so check each programme’s entry requirement before you apply.
What are your work rights during study and after you graduate?
A French student residence permit allows part-time work during study, and master's-level graduates can apply to stay on a post-study job-search permit afterward. The post-study permit, now officially called RECE, runs for roughly 12 months. These two rights let a graduate fund part of their stay and then convert a degree into a French job offer.
This is the section parents tend to read twice, because it speaks to return on the investment. During your degree, your VLS-TS (the long-stay visa that doubles as a residence permit) allows regulated part-time work, enough to offset some living costs but not to replace your proof of funds. The hour cap and minimum wage shape how much you can actually earn, which we break down in our guide to part-time work rules for Indian students in France. Treat campus jobs as a top-up, not a tuition plan, because the legal hour limit keeps earnings modest.
After graduation: the APS, reported as officially renamed RECE since 2024, is described by immigration-advisory sources as a roughly 12-month, non-renewable residence permit that lets master's and Grande Ecole graduates stay to find a job or start a business, with full-time work allowed. We treat the exact duration as a guideline, not a verified government figure, so confirm the current terms with a counsellor before you bank on it.
Here is the point most articles on French universities for Indian students skip: this post-study window is why the institution-type choice pays off later. A public Master gives you the same RECE eligibility as an expensive business school. So for many families, the cheaper degree and the costlier degree open the same job-search door, which changes the value math. Once arrived, you also validate your visa and pay an OFII (the French immigration office) tax stamp. The deeper post-study picture sits in our guide to the post-study work visa in France.
Which English-taught institution fits your goal and budget?
The right pick is the one that matches your goal to a fee band your family can carry without strain. There is no single best English-medium institution in France; there is only the best fit for your budget, your field, and your career plan. This is the decision framework we use with families in Hyderabad and Tirupati every season, and it pulls together the fees, the rankings, and the work rights from the sections above.
When we counsel a France-bound family, the first split we make is budget against ambition. A student aiming for a global consulting career and able to fund a top business-school fee belongs in a different bucket than a strong-grades student on a tight loan. Both can study in English in France; they just walk through different doors. The three profiles below cover most of the students we place.
When you and your family sit down to weigh these, run three checks in order: can the budget carry the fee band without a punishing loan, does the institution actually teach your field in English, and does the career path justify the spend? From the France files we worked this past intake, the families who started with this triage, rather than chasing a single ranking, settled on a school far faster and with far less stress. If you want a foundation read on the country first, our overview of study in France sets the wider context before you commit to a shortlist.
Best English-taught route by goal:
| Goal | Best route |
|---|---|
| Cheapest English-taught master’s | Public university |
| Engineering / STEM brand | Ecole Polytechnique / IP Paris / Universite Paris-Saclay |
| Politics and international relations | Sciences Po |
| Management career | HEC / ESSEC / ESCP |
| Fully English campus | American University of Paris |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Are there universities in France that teach fully in English?
A handful do. The American University of Paris runs a fully English-medium campus, and grandes ecoles like IMT Atlantique teach whole MSc tracks in English. Most French institutions, though, teach mainly in French and open English only on selected programmes. Use the Campus France 100% Taught in English filter to find fully English degrees.
Which public universities in France offer English-taught master's?
PSL, Sorbonne University and Universite Paris-Saclay all run English-taught master’s, with Sorbonne and Saclay focused at master’s level. Universite Grenoble Alpes, Aix-Marseille and Universite Cote d’Azur add more English master’s in engineering, AI and economics.
Can I study in France in English without French?
Yes. You can finish a full English-taught degree without French at admission, because lectures and exams run in English. Basic French still helps with housing, part-time work and paperwork, so most students take free or low-cost French classes alongside their degree.
Which English-taught universities in France are cheapest?
Public universities are cheapest by far. A public Master runs about EUR 3,941 a year (roughly INR 4.3 lakh), and an exempted student pays only EUR 254. That sits well under the INR 15 lakh per year budget many Indian families set, while business schools run many times higher.
Is France good for Indian students who only speak English?
It works well at master’s level, where 1,300+ programmes run in English. Bachelor’s options in English are fewer, so school-leavers have a shorter list. Master’s and Grande Ecole graduates also qualify for the post-study job-search permit, which protects the return on the spend.
Our fee figures are taken from official French government and university sources and converted at a live exchange rate. Read our editorial standards for how we verify every number.