Universities in France

American University of Paris
College de France
Ecole Centrale Paris
Ecole Centrale de Lyon
École Nationale Supérieure de Techniques Avancées
École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Paris
Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines de St-Etienne
Ecole Nationale Superieure d'Electronique, d'Electrotechnique, d'Informatique et d'Hydraulique de Toulouse
Ecole Nationale Superieure d'Ingenieurs en Construction Aeronautique (ENSICA)

Ecole Nationale Superieure des telecomunnications de Paris (ENST)
Ecole Nationale de l'Aviation Civile (ENAC)
École Nationale des Telecommunications de Bretagne
École Normale Supérieure
Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon
École Polytechnique
École Supérieure D'Électricité
École Supérieure D'Ingénieur en Électronique et Électrotechnique
Ecole Supérieure en Sciences Informatiques
Ecole Superieure de Commerce de Paris
European Institute of Business Administration
Institut National de Physique Nucleaire et de Physique des Particules
Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon
Institut National des Sciences Appliquees de Toulouse
Institut National des T?l?communications
Institut Supérieure D'Electronique du Nord
Institut d'Informatique d'Entreprise
Institut des Mathematiques Appliquees de Grenoble
Strasbourg University
Université Paris IX Dauphine
Université d'Aix-Marseille III
Université d'Angers
Université de Caen
Université de Franche-Comté
Université de Marne la Vallée
Université de Provence
Université de Savoie
Université de la Méditerranée
Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille
Universite Lumiere Lyon
Universite d'Orleans
Universite de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour
Universite de Technologie Compiegne
University of Picardie
University of Rennes 1
Nantes University
Education
Some peculiarities of the French higher education system may first surprise foreign students :

it does not only take place in but also sometimes in high schools (?lyc?es?) even after having obtained a Baccalaur?at (special courses preparing for specialized colleges, special technical sections - "STS"), and many engineering schools are small compared to their foreign equivalents (from 30 to 500 students per year).
French universities themselves normally don't select among candidates : the Baccalaur?at itself opens the doors to higher education.
Competition among students occurs for the entry into smaller colleges, like IUT (technical institutes), STS (special technical sections), CPGES (preparatory classes for engineering colleges), engineering schools. Competitive examinations are organized at the Baccalaur?at level, or two years thereafter when leaving preparatory classes (bac+2 level).

Types of Curricula/Degree
Short university-level technical curricula :
There are two large categories of short, two-or-three-year, technical programs :

Technical institutes (IUT) are semi-autonomous structures within universities, leading to a University Degree in Technology (DUT) ;
Special technical sections (STS) take place within certain high schools and lead to an equivalent degree, the Higher Technician Certificate (BTS).
These curricula last two years after the Baccalaur?at. As they are short and technology-oriented, they directly lead way to employment. The delivered degrees are valid at the national level. The students may pursue another year of studies in some particular area and get the National Specialized Technology Degree (DNTS).

Students may also pursue longer studies, for instance in Professional University Institutes (IUP) or engineering schools.



Scientific and technical programs within universities
Scientific university curricula are divided into three levels :

First level (two years), leading to the Non-Specialized Studies Degree (DEUG)
Second level (two years), leading to the Licence degree (bac+3level) and to the Ma?trise degree (bac+4 level)
Third level (up to five years), with the Doctoral Qualifying Degree (DEA) at the end of the first year, and the Doctoral Degree after approximately three more years of research activity (bac+8 level).
Universities deliver other more technically-oriented degrees :

at the bac+2 level : Non Specialized Scientific and Technical Studies Degree (DEUST) and University Degree (DU) ;
at the bac+4 level : Bachelor Degree in Science and Technics (MST),
Bachelor Degree in Corporate Computer Applications (MIAGE)
both requiring two years of study after a previous bac + 2 degree;
Professional University Institutes (IUP) which requires three years after a com petitive examination at the bac+level ;
at the bac+5 level :Magister Studies ( Magist?res) requiring three years after a bac+2 level, DESS requiring one year after a bac + 4 level ;
at the bac+6 level : Technical Research Degree (DRT) given to students having conducted tech nological research in close relation with a company.
All these curricula take place within universities and aim at providing specialists to industry.



Long technical studies : the engineering programs
There are a lot of engineering studies in France. They differ from one another on several grounds : program duration, kind of entrance examination, areas covered. Foreign students can't easily grasp a clear picture with such great amount of sometimes small schools. Common characteristic of these engineering schools : the engineering degree is at bac+5 level.

The classical model of the specifically French engineering education system includes two stages :

two years of preparatory classes (Classes Preparatoires aux Grandes Ecoles Scientifiques). Preparatory sections are part of same high schools. In these sections, students are being prepared to competitive examinations for entering Engineering Schools (Grandes Ecoles Scientifiques technically oriented). A few schools of education (Ecoles Normales Superieures, more scientifically oriented) also recruit that way.
three years of higher technical education within schools.
The better known engineering schools, some of which are 200 or more years old, follow this model.

However, in the last forty years, new engineering programs were developed :

some engineering curricula recruit students at the Baccalaur?at level (most of them without a special exam), and give them a 5-year training ;
others still recruit at the bac+2 level, but accept students who have already got a degree (DEUG,DUT or BTS) instead of organizing a competition for students coming from preparatory sections.
Most engineering schools take a few university graduates (bac+4) who then follow the last two years of engineering school with the other students.