Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1
Lyon's science, health and sport university, with PASS medicine, Polytech engineering and France's top patent record.
- Students
- 49,000
- International
- 13%
- of students
- Tuition
- €178
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1971
About Lyon 1
Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 is one of Lyon's three public universities and the one that covers science, technology, health and sport. It was created in 1971 from the merger of Lyon's faculty of science, which dates back to 1808, and its faculty of medicine, founded in 1874. It is named after the physiologist Claude Bernard. Today it has about 49,000 students, 4,900 staff including nearly 3,000 teacher-researchers, 88 research units and a budget of 519 million euros, spread over three main campuses and 11 sites.
The university is organised into health faculties (Medicine Lyon Est, Medicine and Midwifery Lyon Sud, Odontology, Pharmacy and Biology, Rehabilitation Sciences) and science and technology components including the UFR of chemistry, maths and physics, Biosciences, STAPS, the IUT, Polytech Lyon, the ISFA actuarial school and the Lyon Observatory. Its main campus, LyonTech-La Doua in Villeurbanne, sits just east of the Parc de la Tête d'Or, while the health faculties are in Lyon's 8th arrondissement and at Lyon Sud.
Lyon 1 describes itself as France's leading university for patent filings, and it reports that more than 90% of master's graduates are in work 30 months after graduating. It suits students who want a large, research-led public university with very low fees for EU students, and who are ready to study in French: first-year licences, PASS medicine and most bachelor-level courses are taught in French.
Why students choose Lyon 1
It is the entry point to medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, midwifery and physiotherapy in Lyon, through the PASS year or a licence with a health option (L.AS).
Two engineering routes start straight after the baccalauréat: the selective CUPGE preparatory cycle and the Polytech network's PeiP, which leads into Polytech Lyon's engineering degree.
The ISFA school trains actuaries, with the actuary diploma prepared alongside the Actuarial Science master's.
EU students pay the national rate of 178 euros a year for a licence, and campus life includes more than 30 sports, about 80 student associations and the on-campus Astrée theatre.
Admissions
Rentrée September 2027 (first-year licence, PASS/L.AS, BUT, CUPGE and PeiP)
Selectivity
Lyon 1 publishes no overall admission rate. French and EU applicants apply through Parcoursup; licences are open in principle but each programme ranks applications against its capacity, while BUT and CUPGE select on the school record and PeiP selects through a competitive exam. Health studies are the most competitive route, and a national reform of access to health studies is expected for the 2027 intake.
Typical entry requirements
| French baccalauréat | Apply through Parcoursup; each programme publishes its expectations and capacity on its Parcoursup page |
|---|---|
| EU/EEA or Swiss applicants with a foreign diploma | Apply through Parcoursup like French applicants |
| Non-EU secondary diploma, living abroad | Apply through Études en France (DAP) where your country has a Campus France office; B2 French required. For the 2026-27 DAP campaign only the L1 Physics/Chemistry/Engineering Sciences (PCSI) portal was open to DAP applicants |
| English language | Undergraduate programmes are taught in French, so the requirement is French at B2 (TCF tout public level 4, DELF B2 or TEF 14/20), not English. |
Deadlines
- Études en France / DAP (non-EU applicants living abroad) Non-binding Next deadline · In ~2 months15 December 2026
Campus France: DAP registration opens 1 October 2026 and closes 15 December 2026; the file is examined by the three universities you choose, which reply before 30 April 2027.
- Parcoursup: wishes (French and EU applicants) Non-bindingMid-March 2027 (12 March in 2026)
Campus France gives January-March 2027 for entering wishes and April 2027 for confirming them. For 2026 entry the dates were 19 January-12 March 2026, confirmation by 1 April 2026, main admission phase 2 June-11 July 2026 (past).
The DAP dates for 2027 are published by Campus France. Parcoursup's exact 2027 calendar was not yet published when checked (29 September 2026), so the 2026 dates are shown for reference; Campus France gives the 2027 months.
How to apply
French and EU applicants create a Parcoursup file and enter up to 10 wishes (Lyon 1 licence portals, double licences, PASS, L.AS, STAPS, BUT, CUPGE, PeiP and rehabilitation diplomas), then confirm them and receive offers in the main admission phase. Non-EU applicants living in a Campus France 'Études en France' country apply through their local Campus France site; others apply through the paper DAP or contact the programme's scolarité office. Lyon 1 advises preparing an application a year ahead.
What admissions looks for
- A school record that matches the expectations each Lyon 1 programme lists on Parcoursup, especially in science subjects.
- For BUT and CUPGE, a strong file, since both select on the school record; for PeiP, success in the Polytech entrance exam.
- For non-EU applicants, B2 French with an accepted certificate; Lyon 1 stresses this is necessary but not sufficient for admission.
- A clear study project shown in the Parcoursup motivation elements or the Études en France file.
Tips for applying to Lyon 1
- 1 Book a TCF tout public, DELF B2 or TEF early: Lyon 1 refuses other French tests such as TCF Canada or TEF express.
- 2 Check the university's health-studies page before applying for PASS or L.AS: a reform of access to medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, midwifery and physiotherapy is expected for September 2027.
- 3 If you live in an Études en France country, check which programmes are open to DAP applicants: in 2026-27 only the L1 PCSI portal was.
- 4 Non-EU students should budget for the differentiated fee of 2,902 euros a year for a licence and apply on eCandidat for an exemption if eligible.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
EU students on French means-tested (Crous) grants pay no tuition. Since the decree of 19 May 2026, non-EU students no longer get automatic partial exemptions; they can apply on eCandidat for an exemption based on their personal situation, within the regulatory quota of 30%. Students admitted through Études en France and notified before 19 May 2026, and non-EU students already exempted in 2025-26 who continue in the same cycle, keep their partial exemption.
- 178 euros a year
- Licence fee, EU students (2026-27)
- 2,902 euros a year (master's 3,950)
- Differentiated licence fee, non-EU (2026-27)
- Capped at 30% of eligible students (2026-27)
- University exemptions from differentiated fees
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (September start)
PASS and L.AS (health access)
The Parcoursup route into medicine, midwifery, dentistry, pharmacy and physiotherapy, offered as PASS or as a licence with a health option in biosciences, maths-computing, physics-chemistry, STAPS or health sciences.
Polytech Lyon (PeiP + engineering cycle)
A two-year preparatory cycle entered by competitive exam after the baccalauréat, followed by a three-year engineering degree.
CUPGE
A selective university preparatory cycle for engineering grandes écoles, entered on the school record through Parcoursup.
Actuarial science (ISFA)
The actuary diploma is prepared in parallel with the Actuarial Science master's, with selective entry.
Double licences
Parcoursup lists double licences in Mathematics/Economics, Mathematics/Physics and Mathematics/Life Sciences.
STAPS (sport science)
A single-portal sport science licence run by the UFR STAPS, also available as an L.AS health route.
Research
- 88 research units and platforms producing about 7,600 publications a year.
- The university calls itself the leading French university for patent filings, with 27 start-ups created since 2020.
- It is linked to the Hospices Civils de Lyon teaching hospitals and runs the Lyon Observatory.
Schools & faculties
- Faculté de Médecine Lyon Est
- Faculté de Médecine et de Maïeutique Lyon Sud - Charles Mérieux
- Faculté d'Odontologie
- Institut des Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques
- Institut des Sciences et Techniques de Réadaptation
- UFR Faculté des Sciences (Chimie, Mathématique, Physique)
- UFR Biosciences
- UFR STAPS
- IUT Lyon 1
- Polytech Lyon
- Institut de Science Financière et d'Assurances (ISFA)
- Observatoire de Lyon
Lyon 1 reports that more than 90% of master's graduates are in employment 30 months after graduating.
Student life
Most science, sport and engineering students are based at LyonTech-La Doua in Villeurbanne, a large campus served by tram just east of the Parc de la Tête d'Or; health students study near the Edouard Herriot and Lyon Sud hospitals. The university runs the Astrée theatre, which puts on free shows for students, more than 30 sports through its sports service, about 80 student associations and a free student health service. Housing is through Crous residences and the private market rather than a guaranteed university room.
- LyonTech-La Doua campus in Villeurbanne, reached by tram from central Lyon.
- The Astrée theatre on campus, with free concerts, dance and circus for students.
- More than 30 sports on offer through the SUAPS sports service.
- About 80 student associations supported by the Bureau de la Vie Étudiante.
- Free peer tutoring for PASS students, run by second- and third-year students.
Housing. Lyon 1 points students to Crous residences, homestays and flatshares; it does not guarantee a room.
Location
Lyon is France's second-largest research hub and job market, and its historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The main campus is in Villeurbanne, on Lyon's north-eastern edge beside the Parc de la Tête d'Or, and the health campuses are in the 8th arrondissement (Lyon Est) and at Lyon Sud. With about 49,000 students at Lyon 1 alone, the city has a large student population and a busy calendar of cultural events.
Nearest airport: Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport (LYS)
Notable alumni
- VG Victor Grignard1912 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the Grignard reaction; studied at the University of Lyon's faculty of science, a predecessor of Lyon 1
- AC Alexis Carrel1912 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for vascular suturing; studied medicine at the University of Lyon, a predecessor of Lyon 1
- RG Roger Guillemin1977 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine; completed his MD at the University of Lyon in 1949, a predecessor of Lyon 1
- GP Gwendal PeizeratOlympic ice dance champion (2002); maîtrise in STAPS from Lyon 1
- RH Romain HaguenauerIce dance coach of Olympic champions; Lyon 1 graduate in sport and physical education (1998)
- NS Nouria SalehiAfghan-Australian nuclear physicist and humanitarian; PhD from Lyon 1
- YM Yasmine MotarjemiFood safety specialist and whistleblower; studied chemistry and biology at Lyon 1
- ML Marine LorphelinMiss France 2013 who studied at Lyon 1's school of medicine
Frequently asked questions
How do I apply to Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1?
French and EU applicants apply through Parcoursup (wishes January-March 2027). Non-EU applicants living in an Études en France country apply through Campus France between 1 October and 15 December 2026.
How much does Lyon 1 cost for international students?
EU students pay 178 euros a year for a licence. Non-EU students pay the differentiated fee of 2,902 euros a year for a licence (3,950 for a master's) unless they receive an exemption, which since May 2026 is no longer automatic.
Can I study at Lyon 1 in English?
Not at bachelor's level for the most part: licences and PASS are taught in French, and non-EU applicants must prove B2 French with the TCF, DELF or TEF.
How do I get into medicine at Lyon 1?
Through the PASS year or an L.AS licence with a health option, both chosen on Parcoursup. A national reform of access to health studies is expected for September 2027, so check Lyon 1's health-studies page.
Does Lyon 1 have an acceptance rate?
No overall rate is published. Licences are open in principle but ranked against capacity on Parcoursup, while BUT, CUPGE and the Polytech preparatory cycle are selective.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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