Université PSL
Université Paris Sciences et Lettres
Eleven Paris schools, from the École normale supérieure to Mines Paris and Dauphine, joined as one university.
- Students
- 17,000
- Tuition
- €19,500
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 2010
- QS World Ranking
- #34
- 2027 edition
About PSL
Université PSL (Paris Sciences et Lettres) is not a traditional campus university but a federation of eleven established Paris institutions that now award degrees together. Its members include the École normale supérieure, Mines Paris, ESPCI Paris, Chimie ParisTech, Université Paris Dauphine, the Observatoire de Paris, the École pratique des hautes études, the École nationale des chartes, and three arts schools: the national drama conservatoire (CNSAD), the École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs and the Paris-Malaquais school of architecture. Created as a foundation in 2010, it became a university in its own right in 2019.
The scale is deliberately small: about 17,000 students and 2,900 researchers across 140 laboratories, with roughly 70% of students at master's and PhD level. PSL and its schools count 28 Nobel Prize winners and 10 Fields Medal winners, all ten Fields medals linked to the École normale supérieure. Most teaching happens in the Latin Quarter around the Montagne Sainte-Geneviève, with further sites at Dauphine, Jourdan and elsewhere in Paris.
For undergraduates the main doors are the selective, French-taught CPES multidisciplinary degree run with Lycée Henri-IV, Dauphine-PSL's bachelor's degrees in law, economics, management and mathematics, a bachelor's in sustainability sciences, and two English-taught programmes: the International Bachelor of Science in AI and a new engineering bachelor from Mines Paris. PSL suits students who want small classes, early contact with research and the freedom to cross between sciences, humanities and the arts.
Sapere aude
“Dare to know” — university motto
Why students choose PSL
The CPES degree, taught at Lycée Henri-IV in small groups, combines preparatory-class rigour with a university degree and research projects from the second year.
PSL says 100% of its bachelor's graduates go on to master's programmes or grandes écoles, including the selective programmes of its own member schools.
The International Bachelor of Science in AI is taught entirely in English in Paris's 5th arrondissement with an intake of about 55 students a year.
Undergraduates share a university with the École normale supérieure, Mines Paris and ESPCI, whose laboratories produced 28 Nobel laureates and 10 Fields medallists.
Admissions
Entry in September 2027 (Parcoursup 2027 / Études en France 2027)
Selectivity
There is no single PSL admit rate: each bachelor's programme selects separately on Parcoursup. PSL describes its undergraduate programmes as highly selective and shows a 4% selectivity rate on its bachelor's page, but gives no year, programme breakdown or definition, so treat it as indicative only. The International BSc in AI admits about 55 students a year.
Typical entry requirements
| French baccalauréat or equivalent secondary diploma | Required for first-year (L1) entry; CPES admits only into the first year. PSL does not publish minimum grades. |
|---|---|
| Non-EU diploma holders who need a DAP (prior admission request) | Apply through the Études en France (Campus France) platform instead of Parcoursup for programmes such as Sustainability Sciences, the International BSc in AI and Dauphine-PSL bachelor's degrees. |
| English language | The International Bachelor of Science in AI requires C1-level English, written and spoken. CPES and Dauphine bachelor's degrees are taught mainly in French, so strong French is expected; PSL does not publish a minimum test score for them. |
Deadlines
- Parcoursup: registration and choices Non-binding Passed12 March 2026 (last year's 2026 cycle; 2027 date not yet published)
Last year's dates: registration opened 19 January 2026 and choices closed 12 March 2026. Expect similar mid-January to mid-March dates in 2027.
- Parcoursup: complete file and confirm choices Non-binding Passed1 April 2026 (last year's 2026 cycle; 2027 date not yet published)
Final deadline to complete applications in the 2026 cycle; the 2027 equivalent is expected in early April 2027.
- Études en France (non-EU applicants requiring a DAP) Non-bindingOpens 1 October 2026; closing date set by Campus France per country
Campus France confirms applications for September 2027 open on 1 October 2026.
The Parcoursup dates shown are last year's (2026 cycle, entry September 2026), not 2027 deadlines. The ministry had not published the Parcoursup 2027 calendar as of 28 September 2026 (parcoursup.gouv.fr still shows the 2026 calendar). Campus France indicates the 2027 cycle will follow the usual pattern: registration and choices January to March 2027, confirmation in April 2027, offers from June 2027. The Études en France opening date (1 October 2026) is for September 2027 entry.
How to apply
Parcoursup for almost all bachelor's programmes (CPES tracks, Sustainability Sciences, International BSc in AI, International Bachelor of Environmentally Engaged Engineering, Dauphine-PSL degrees, ENSAD, Paris-Malaquais). Non-EU applicants covered by Études en France apply via the Campus France platform. The CNSAD acting diploma has its own direct application.
What admissions looks for
- Academic results, skills and know-how, and personal motivation, as assessed through the Parcoursup file.
- High potential and intellectual curiosity across disciplines, especially for the multidisciplinary CPES.
- For the International BSc in AI, academic excellence plus C1-level English and a clear motivation for the field.
- PSL explicitly seeks geographical, social and cultural diversity; CPES counts 40-50% scholarship students.
Tips for applying to PSL
- 1 Pick the right CPES first-year track (Humanities and Society; Economics, Society and Law; or Science) since you cannot enter directly into the second year; double majors open up from the second year.
- 2 If you hold a non-French diploma from an Études en France country, start on the Campus France platform from 1 October 2026 rather than waiting for Parcoursup.
- 3 Use the Parcoursup project statement to show why an interdisciplinary, research-led programme fits you, not just why Paris.
- 4 Compare fee structures before applying: CPES charges the national rate, while Dauphine and the International BSc in AI use income-based or non-EU fees.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
French/EU students on CROUS scholarships are exempt from CPES tuition, and CPES counts 40-50% scholarship holders. Dauphine-PSL and the International BSc in AI use income-based fees starting at €0. All students also pay the CVEC student life contribution (€105 in 2026-27).
- 40-50%
- CPES students on scholarships
- 25%
- Dauphine-PSL scholarship students
- €105
- CVEC student life contribution (2026-27)
Academics
CPES Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Degree
Three-year selective degree with Lycée Henri-IV: three first-year tracks, a wide choice of double majors from the second year, and small groups.
International Bachelor of Science in AI
Taught entirely in English over three years (180 ECTS) with about 55 students per intake.
International Bachelor of Environmentally Engaged Engineering (Mines Paris - PSL)
New English-track engineering bachelor launched for 2026 entry.
Dauphine-PSL bachelor's degrees
Law, applied economics, management, social sciences, applied mathematics and computer science, plus a double degree in AI and organisational sciences.
Bachelor's in Sustainability Sciences
Parcoursup-recruited programme charged at the national tuition rate.
Research
- 140 laboratories plus artist workshops, Fab Labs and incubators across the member schools.
- 28 Nobel Prizes, 10 Fields Medals and 48 CNRS Gold Medals associated with PSL institutions.
- PSL Valorisation manages some 300 patents and patent applications.
- More than 400 PhDs awarded each year.
Schools & faculties
- École normale supérieure - PSL
- Mines Paris - PSL
- ESPCI Paris - PSL
- Chimie ParisTech - PSL
- Université Paris Dauphine - PSL
- Observatoire de Paris - PSL
- École pratique des hautes études - PSL
- École nationale des chartes - PSL
- Conservatoire national supérieur d'art dramatique - PSL
- École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs - PSL
- École nationale supérieure d'architecture de Paris-Malaquais - PSL
PSL reports that 100% of its bachelor's (CPES) graduates continue to master's programmes or grandes écoles in France and abroad, and cites an 85% success rate in the bachelor's degree.
Student life
Student life at PSL is spread across its member schools in central Paris rather than a single campus. Undergraduates in the CPES programme study at Lycée Henri-IV on the Montagne Sainte-Geneviève, next to the Panthéon, while Dauphine students are based at Porte Dauphine near the Bois de Boulogne. Each school keeps its own associations and traditions, such as the École normale supérieure's Cour aux Ernests courtyard. The PSL Language Center offers 13 languages, and the university federation gives access to arts programmes from the drama conservatoire and the decorative arts school.
- Classes in the Latin Quarter around the Panthéon and Lycée Henri-IV
- PSL Language Center with 13 languages
- Cross-school access to arts, design and drama through CNSAD, ENSAD and Paris-Malaquais
- Students and researchers from more than 120 nationalities
Location
PSL sits in the middle of Paris, mostly in the 5th and 6th arrondissements, with other sites across the city. Students live in a capital where libraries, museums and cinemas are part of daily routine and the metro and RER link everything together. Rents are high by French standards, so many students look for CROUS residences or shared flats in the outer arrondissements or inner suburbs.
Nearest airport: Paris-Orly (ORY) and Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG)
Notable alumni
- LP Louis PasteurChemist and microbiologist; studied at and later directed the École normale supérieure
- JS Jean-Paul SartrePhilosopher and writer; École normale supérieure alumnus
- SW Simone WeilPhilosopher; École normale supérieure alumna
- MF Michel FoucaultPhilosopher and historian of ideas; École normale supérieure alumnus
- GP Georges PompidouPresident of France; École normale supérieure alumnus
- AJ Alain JuppéPrime Minister of France; École normale supérieure alumnus
- CV Cédric VillaniFields Medal-winning mathematician; École normale supérieure alumnus
Frequently asked questions
How do I apply to PSL's bachelor's programmes?
Almost all PSL bachelor's programmes recruit through Parcoursup (the 2027 calendar was not yet published at the end of September 2026). Non-EU applicants who need a prior admission request (DAP) apply through Études en France, which opens on 1 October 2026 for September 2027 entry.
Does PSL teach bachelor's degrees in English?
Yes, the International Bachelor of Science in AI is taught entirely in English, and an International Bachelor of Environmentally Engaged Engineering from Mines Paris launched for 2026 entry. CPES and Dauphine degrees are taught mainly in French.
How much does PSL cost?
CPES charges the national rate (€178 in 2026-27, free for scholarship holders) plus the €105 CVEC. The International BSc in AI costs €0 to €14,900 a year for EU residents depending on income and €19,500 for non-EU residents (2026-27 intake fees).
What is PSL's acceptance rate?
PSL does not publish a single admit rate because each programme selects separately; its bachelor's page shows a 4% selectivity rate without a year or programme breakdown and calls undergraduate admission highly selective.
What is PSL's QS ranking?
PSL is 34th in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and the top-ranked French university, and 33rd in the 2026 Shanghai ARWU ranking.
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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