Université Paris Cité
A research-heavy Paris university formed from Paris Descartes and Paris Diderot, strongest in health and science.
- Students
- 63,000
- Tuition
- €178
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 2019
- QS World Ranking
- #303
- 2027 edition
About UPCité
Université Paris Cité was created in 2019 by merging Paris Descartes (Paris V) and Paris Diderot (Paris VII), the two universities formed when the historic University of Paris was split in 1970, together with the Institut de physique du globe de Paris. It took its current name in 2022. With about 63,000 students, 4,500 staff and 117 laboratories, it is one of France's largest research universities, headquartered in the École de Médecine building in the Latin Quarter.
Teaching is organised in three faculties, Health, Sciences, and Societies and Humanities, plus the Institut de physique du globe de Paris, with the Institut Pasteur as an associated research organisation. Its campuses run from the Latin Quarter (Odéon, Saints-Pères, Cordeliers) to the Grands Moulins in the 13th arrondissement, a converted flour mill that houses sciences, humanities and the EIDD engineering school. The university reports the best citation rate per article of any French university and says it produces about 10% of France's scientific publications.
Undergraduate study is in French and runs through France's national platforms: Parcoursup for most applicants, with a preliminary admission request (DAP) or the Études en France procedure for many non-EU students. Fees are the low national rates, and for 2026-27 the university kept waiving the higher differentiated fees for non-EU students; a decree of 19 May 2026 limits such waivers, so the non-EU rate for 2027-28 may change. It suits independent, French-speaking students who want a large research university in central Paris, especially in medicine, life sciences or the physical sciences.
Why students choose UPCité
ARWU 2026 places it 57th in the world, one of the highest positions for a French university.
For 2026-27, non-EU students pay the same EUR 178 bachelor's fee as EU students, because the university renewed its moratorium on differentiated fees; a May 2026 decree may end this for 2027-28 entrants.
Its Health faculty trains doctors, dentists, pharmacists and midwives, with direct second- or third-year entry possible through the Passerelles procedure.
Campuses in the Latin Quarter and at the riverside Grands Moulins put students in the centre of Paris.
Admissions
2027 entry (academic year 2027-28)
Selectivity
The university does not publish an overall admission rate. First-year places in licence, PASS (health access), B.U.T. and preparatory programmes are allocated through Parcoursup, where each programme ranks applicants on its published expectations; health studies are highly competitive.
Typical entry requirements
| French baccalauréat or EU/EEA school-leaving qualification | Apply through Parcoursup; each programme publishes its expected profile and selection criteria |
|---|---|
| Non-EU qualifications (no French bac), residing outside France and outside Études en France countries | Preliminary admission request (DAP, white file) via the Campus France office or French embassy in your country, plus the TCF French test |
| Non-EU applicants residing in an Études en France country | Apply through the Études en France platform on your country's Campus France website |
| English language | Bachelor's teaching is in French. Non-EU first-year applicants in the DAP procedure take the TCF to assess reading, listening and writing in French; English tests are not part of undergraduate admission. |
Deadlines
- DAP (non-EU, first-year licence) Non-binding Passed1 October – 15 December 2025 (for 2026 entry)
Answers by 30 April 2026; reply by 31 May 2026. Last published cycle; the 2027-entry window is expected to follow the same October–15 December pattern.
- Parcoursup: register and submit wishes Non-binding Passed19 January – 12 March 2026 (for 2026 entry)
Last day to complete files and confirm wishes: 1 April 2026; admission phase from 2 June 2026. The Parcoursup 2027 calendar had not been published as of September 2026.
Dates shown are from the 2026-entry cycle, the latest published. For 2027 entry, the DAP window normally runs from October to 15 December 2026, and Parcoursup's national calendar for 2027 will be announced by the ministry; in 2026 wishes were due by 12 March and files by 1 April.
How to apply
School students and holders of a French or EU baccalauréat apply to first-year programmes through Parcoursup. Non-EU nationals who do not hold a French bac and live outside France use the DAP (white file, up to three choices) or, in Études en France countries, the Campus France Études en France procedure. Second- and third-year entry is through eCandidat, first-year master's through Mon Master. After admission, students pay the CVEC (EUR 105 in 2026-27) and register online.
What admissions looks for
- An academic profile that matches each programme's published expectations on Parcoursup.
- For non-EU applicants, a strong school record and adequate French, assessed through the TCF in the DAP procedure.
- A clear choice of programme: DAP applicants may make at most three choices across universities.
- For the PASS health programme, results that match its demanding science expectations on Parcoursup.
Tips for applying to UPCité
- 1 Check which procedure applies to you before autumn: DAP, Études en France or Parcoursup depends on your nationality, residence and qualification.
- 2 Book the TCF early if you are applying via DAP; it is paid and required for non-EU first-year applicants.
- 3 Browse the university's course catalogue before applying, as the university recommends; each licence has its own expectations.
- 4 Watch for a change in fees: a decree of 19 May 2026 limits universities' ability to waive the higher non-EU fees, so the 2027-28 rate for non-EU students may differ from 2026-27.
- 5 Start your Paris housing search early; the university's housing guide covers Crous residences, private rentals, guarantors and housing aid.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
Fees follow the national rates set by ministerial order. For 2026-27 the university's board renewed its moratorium on differentiated fees, so non-EU students pay EU rates (EUR 178 for a licence, EUR 255 for a master's). A decree of 19 May 2026 now limits such exemptions, so non-EU applicants should check the 2027-28 rate. The university also publishes lists of fee exemptions and guidance on grants, aid and student jobs.
- EUR 178 (EU and non-EU)
- Licence registration fee 2026-27
- EUR 255
- Master's registration fee 2026-27
- EUR 105
- CVEC 2026-27
Academics
PASS (health access programme)
The Faculty of Health's first-year route into medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and midwifery, applied for through Parcoursup; the Passerelles procedure offers direct second- or third-year entry.
Earth sciences with the IPGP
The Institut de physique du globe de Paris is a component institution of the university.
Physics at the Grands Moulins
The physics department is headquartered in the Condorcet building on the Grands Moulins campus.
EIDD engineering school
The École d'ingénieurs Denis-Diderot on the Grands Moulins campus; first- or second-year entry is through eCandidat, and CPGE students can enter via the e3a-Polytech exam.
Psychology
Taught at the Institute of Psychology on the Henri-Piéron campus.
Research
- 117 laboratories and 21 doctoral schools; about 5% of the PhDs awarded in France.
- The university reports the best citation rate per article among French universities and about 10% of France's scientific publications.
- Four of its researchers won ERC Starting Grants in 2026.
- Associated with the Institut Pasteur as a research organisation.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Health (Faculté de Santé)
- Faculty of Sciences (Faculté des Sciences)
- Faculty of Societies and Humanities (Faculté Sociétés et Humanités)
- Institut de physique du globe de Paris (IPGP)
Student life
There is no single campus: students are spread across about 20 sites in Paris, from the historic École de Médecine and Cordeliers buildings in the Latin Quarter to the converted Grands Moulins flour mill and Halle aux Farines in the 13th arrondissement. The university counts 120 student associations and 21 libraries, and runs a student centre (Maison étudiante), sports programmes and an eight-step housing guide covering Crous residences, private rentals and housing aid. Life is very much Paris life: dense, expensive and full of culture.
- 120 student associations.
- 21 libraries, including the Grands Moulins university library.
- Circle U. European university alliance for exchanges and joint activities.
- Maison étudiante student centre and university sports.
Housing. Housing is not guaranteed; the university's housing guide helps students apply for Crous residences or find private rentals and claim aid such as CAF and the Visale guarantee.
Location
Université Paris Cité is spread across central Paris, with its headquarters at 12 rue de l'École de Médecine in the 6th arrondissement and a second main campus at the Grands Moulins on the Seine in the 13th. Students live in one of Europe's great capitals, close to major research institutes and hospitals, but rents in Île-de-France are high.
Nearest airport: Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)
Notable alumni
- FF François FillonPrime Minister of France (2007–2012); DEA in public law from Paris Descartes
- LG Laurent GbagboFormer President of Côte d'Ivoire; doctorate from Paris Diderot (1979)
- CU Cassam UteemPresident of Mauritius (1992–2002); studied at Paris VII
- PK Paul Kaba ThiebaPrime Minister of Burkina Faso (2016–2019); DESS in banking and finance from Paris Descartes
- OB Olivier BrandicourtPhysician and former CEO of Sanofi; advanced degree from Paris Descartes
- CS Chen SaijuanChinese haematologist and leukaemia researcher; D.Sc. from Paris VII (1989)
- JD Jean-Pierre DemaillyMathematician in complex geometry; licence from Paris Diderot (1976)
Frequently asked questions
How much does Université Paris Cité cost for international students?
In 2026-27, non-EU students pay the same EUR 178 licence fee as EU students (EUR 255 for a master's), plus the EUR 105 CVEC, because the university renewed its waiver of differentiated fees. A May 2026 decree limits such waivers, so check the 2027-28 rate.
How do international students apply to a bachelor's at Université Paris Cité?
It depends on your situation: non-EU applicants without a French bac use the DAP (via Campus France) or the Études en France procedure if they live in a listed country; others apply through Parcoursup.
When is the application deadline for Université Paris Cité?
For 2026 entry, DAP files were due by 15 December 2025 and Parcoursup wishes by 12 March 2026. The 2027 dates follow the same pattern but had not been published as of September 2026.
Are bachelor's programmes at Université Paris Cité taught in English?
No, undergraduate programmes are taught in French, and non-EU DAP applicants must take the TCF French test.
What is Université Paris Cité known for?
Health sciences, life sciences and physics; it is ranked 57th in the world by ARWU 2026 and reports the best citation rate per article among French universities.
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.
- Université Paris Cité: About and key figures
- Université Paris Cité: Faculties
- Université Paris Cité: Candidater à l'Université Paris Cité
- Université Paris Cité: Demande d'admission préalable (DAP)
- Université Paris Cité: Droits d'inscription, tarifs, exonérations 2026-2027
- Université Paris Cité: S'acquitter de la CVEC
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