Best Student Cities in France for Indian Students 2024

Best Student Cities in France for Indian Students 2024

Edited By Jembi Selva Mary. A | Updated on Jul 23, 2024 10:52 AM IST

France is well known for its best education system and premier cultural experience, which attracts international students to pursue their degree courses at France's top universities. Particularly, Indian students choose France for its reasonably priced cost of living, friendly environment, and wide range of job opportunities and with more than 3,000 higher education institutes, France offers a wide array of choices to select for students from every field of study. France spends around 20% of its annual budget on education. This encourages Indian students to achieve their career goals and experience the new lifestyle in France.

Some of the best cities in France for international students include Paris, Lyon, Toulouse, Montpellier, and many more. These cities are considered among the best in France for Indian students, as some of the top universities in the world are located in these cities.

A few of the top QS world ranked universities are situated in the best cities in France to study including the University of Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne University, Université Grenoble Alpes, PSL Research University, Sciences Po, ENS Lyon, Panthéon-Sorbonne University, ENPC, University of Paris.

The average cost of living in France for Indian students ranges around Rs. 90,000 to 1.0 lakhs per month. As a part of choosing the best student cities in France, it also becomes significant for international students to keep in mind the kind of cultural community they will become a part of as they study, work, and live in this abroad country.

In this article, we investigate the best student cities in France for Indian students. This will help you get a whole knowledge on choosing the best cities in France for Indian students to study in France.

Top Cities in France for Indian Students 2025

The best French cities to live in are hard to choose, so Indian students must research the best student cities in France, to make it possible for them to remain for the full academic year. Some students also need to be in regions where it's easy for them to work part-time jobs to their education to support themselves. Here some best student cities in France for Indian students are given below:

QS Rankings of Top Cities in France

Cities in France

QS Ranking 2025

Paris

7

Lyon

27

Toulouse

=97

Montpellier

=138

Reasons to Study in France

France is a popular study destination for students worldwide for an abundance of important reasons namely,

  • France provides a world-class education in a wide range of subjects, and its highly regarded institutions.

  • Higher education universities in France are often ranked among the best universities in the world because of their quality of education.

  • For both EU and non-EU students, France offers reasonably priced tuition fees when compared to other countries such as the USA and the UK. International students can also get numerous scholarships to minimise their financial responsibilities.

  • It is a great chance for students to develop their French language skills. This assists personally and professionally because it is a recognised language in many international career sectors.

  • France is also popular for scientific, technological and global collaboration with top companies or business sectors.

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Best Cities in France for International Students

The Best cities in France for international students are the top universities in France. Some cities in France are well-known for having prestigious universities and offering an attractive living environment. Below are some of the best French cities with top universities for Indian students, for your reference.

Top Universities in Best Cities of France

Cities in France

Top Universities

Paris

  • University of Paris-Saclay

  • Panthéon-Sorbonne University

  • Sorbonne University

  • PSL Research University

  • Polytechnic Institute of Paris

Lyon

  • University of Lyon

  • Claude Bernard University Lyon 1

  • INSA Lyon

  • Universidad de Lyon II - Lumière

  • ENS Lyon

Toulouse

  • University of Toulouse

  • Toulouse University Capitole

  • Paul Sabatier University

  • University of Toulouse-Jean Jaurès

  • National Institute of Applied Sciences of Toulouse

Montpellier

  • Université Montpellier

  • Montpellier Business School

  • National School of Chemistry Montpellier

  • University of Montpellier

  • Avignon Université: Campus Hannah Arendt

Also read:

Best Student Cities in France

Indian students may get confused for choosing the top destination. Therefore, below are the top 5 student cities in France which are compared based on their QS World University Rankings 2025, cost of living, and top-ranking universities. Here is some of the important information is given below:

Paris

According to QS, Paris, the capital of France, is ranked seventh among the best student cities for 2025. It is a popular location that provides international students with a thriving cultural scene and historical importance, making it a dynamic place to study. Paris offers a wide range of opportunities for Indian students in high-paying careers, modern comforts, research, student experience, etc.

Best student cities in France: Paris

Paris

Details

Student population

11,277,000

Cost of living

EUR 1,675 - 2,600 (per month)

Top university in Paris

Université PSL

Popular courses

  • Medicine

  • Engineering

  • MBA

  • Computer Science

  • Film Studies

Lyon

Lyon is known for its academic excellence and provides top education for both domestic and international students. Compared to Paris, Lyon is considered an affordable city but still, it is expensive compared to Asian countries. Lyon offers a wide range of opportunities in innovative programs in top universities.

Best student cities in France: Lyon

Lyon

Details

Student population

1,719,000

Cost of living

EUR 960 - 1,610 (per month)

Top university in Lyon

Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon

Popular courses

  • Biotechnology

  • Hospitality

  • Culinary arts

  • Computer science

  • Engineering

Lyon is known for its academic excellence and provides top education for both domestic and international students. Compared to Paris, Lyon is considered an affordable city but still, it is expensive compared to Asian countries. Lyon offers a wide range of opportunities in innovative programs in top universities.

Best student cities in France: Toulouse

Toulouse

Details

Student population

1,024,000

Cost of living

EUR 900 - 1,500 (per month)

Top university in Toulouse

Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse III

Popular courses

  • Nutrition & Wellness

  • Wellbeing

  • Women's Health

  • Hygiene

  • Healthcare Innovation

Montpellier

Montpellier is ranked 36th worldwide for affordability because of tuition fees and lifestyle preferences and it is well-known among international students due to the multiple job opportunities.

Best student cities in France: Montpellier

Montpellier

Details

Student population

590,000

Cost of living

EUR 790 - 1,320 (per month)

Top university in Montpellier

Université de Montpellier

Popular courses

  • Computer science

  • Sociology

  • Environmental Sciences

  • Tourism management

  • International development studies

Also read:

Advantages of Studying in France for International Students

France cities that are best for international students are Paris, Lyon, Toulouse and Montpellier. One can choose among them to pursue their academic degrees. Here are some of the reasons for selecting these cities for education are mentioned below:

  • Career opportunities: The top universities of France offer a world-class education that assists Indian students in getting career opportunities, especially Paris universities are highly considered globally.

  • Affordable expenses: A major consideration while choosing one of the top French cities is the expense of living. Except for Paris, other cities like Lyon, Toulouse and Montpellier are more reasonable.

  • Student safety: The most important for students is to check the city's general safety and low crime rates. The safest cities in France are Paris, Lyon, Toulouse and Montpellier.

  • Cultural background: The best cities in France have a multicultural population and a friendly environment for overseas students. This city radiates a global mindset.

France is home to 31 of the world's 500 most powerful companies which offers plenty of job opportunities for graduates. Some of the top companies that develop a niche in their industry are Orange, Airbus, L’Oréal, LVMH, Sanofi, Danone, and Total.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is France a good destination for Indian students?

Yes, France is a good destination for Indian students because the top universities in France provide world-class education and job opportunities. France offers reasonably priced tuition, especially for Indian students who have outstanding academic performance in previous years can get so many scholarships to reduce their financial burden.

2. Can Indian students work in France?

Yes, Indian students work in France. France provides multiple job opportunities for students without considering their nationality. Indian students can also get part-time jobs while studying to manage their cost of living and loans. Undergraduate and postgraduate students can get job vacancies in different popular sectors that help to build careers.

3. What is the most affordable city in France for international students?

The expenses in France for international students are based on their budgets and lifestyle. The most affordable city in France for international students is Montpellier due to its cheaper fee structure and expenses compared to other places such as Paris, and Lyon. So, most of the international students who plan to study in France choose Montpellier as their educational destination.

4. Is an Indian degree valid in France?

Yes, an Indian degree is valid in France. The degree is valid only from the accredited institution. But this varies according to particular institutions and programs which means the Indian degree was analysed by French universities to get admission in the France universities.

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Questions related to

Get answers from students and experts

Correct Answer: PQSR


Solution : The correct choice is the fourth option.

The correct order of the sentence is PQSR.

This order ensures a logical flow of information, as it begins by introducing the challenge of pandemic-related travel complications (P), followed by the governance of key countries like India and France (Q), and their role in facilitating interactions between EDF and NPCIL (S). The sentence concludes by specifying the outcome of this interaction: EDF's ability to submit a binding techno-commercial offer on April 22, 2021 (R). This arrangement of the parts in a sentence maintains proper coherency and clarity.

Therefore, the complete sentence would be: Despite pandemic-related travel complications, the governments of India and France facilitated interactions between EDF and NPCIL, which allowed EDF to submit to NPCIL a binding techno-commercial offer on April 22, 2021.

Correct Answer: would have gone


Solution : The correct choice is the first option.

Explanation:
This is the case of the third conditional, which is used to talk about hypothetical situations and their potential outcomes, and the structure for this type of conditional is "would have + past participle" to indicate a hypothetical situation in the past and its hypothetical result. Thus, had gone should be replaced with would have gone to align with the structure of the third conditional.

Therefore, the correct sentence would be: If you had learned French, you would have gone to France for studies.

Correct Answer: Portugal and England


Solution : Given:
(I) In the European Championship Games, the flags of six countries were arranged on top of pillars in the following way. The flag of Argentina was to the left of Portugal's bi-colour and the right of the flag of France.


(II) The flag of England was to the right of the Portugal flag but to the left of the flag of Germany, which was to the left of the flag of Spain.

So, the flags of Portugal and England are in the middle of the row. Hence, the fourth option is correct. 

Correct Answer: RPQS


Solution : The correct choice is the fourth option.

The context helps identify that the paragraph is about the German invasion of the countries and northern France. Thus, to state the information provided chronologically, we follow the below steps:

  • The paragraph starts with sentence R, which states that on May 10, 1940, the attack by Germans began with the capture by parachutists of key bridges that were deep in the country so that they could open a way for mobile ground forces.
  • It is followed by sentence P, which tells the reaction of the Dutch defenders who fell back westwards, and by noon on May 12, German tanks were on the outskirts of Rotterdam.
  • It is followed by sentence Q, which gives further information that the then-queen Wilhelmina and her government left the country on May 13, followed by the surrender of the Dutch army on May 13.
  • The concluding statement of the paragraph is sentence S, which provides additional information on the invasion of Belgium, which also began on May 10.
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