Université Clermont Auvergne

About Université Clermont Auvergne

Université Clermont Auvergne, commonly abbreviated UCA, is an independent public university under the authority of France’s higher-education ministry. Its current institutional form is an experimental public scientific, cultural and professional institution. Clermont Auvergne INP and the Clermont-Ferrand architecture school are component institutions within this structure, but some retain their own legal identity; applicants should therefore confirm which institution formally delivers and awards a particular program. The modern UCA was formed on 1 January 2017 through the reunification of Université d’Auvergne and Université Blaise Pascal. A new experimental institutional structure began in 2021. This recent legal history sits within a much longer higher-education tradition in Clermont-Ferrand, including state-recognized university activity dating from 1854. For prospective students, 2017 is the most useful founding date for the present merged university. UCA’s official institutional snapshot reports approximately 36,000 students, 21 educational components, 47 research structures, and seven campus cities or areas: Clermont-Ferrand, Aubière, Aurillac, Le Puy-en-Velay, Montluçon, Moulins, and Vichy. These figures describe a geographically distributed institution rather than a single enclosed campus. Students should evaluate the exact teaching location, transport arrangements, facilities, and local housing market for their program before accepting an offer. The university was actively registering students for 2026–2027, confirming continued operation.

Admission is program- and applicant-specific rather than governed by one university-wide selection process. UCA states that candidates must first obtain admission through the appropriate platform and then complete administrative registration. The correct route depends on the intended qualification, prior diploma, nationality, and country of residence. For first-year licence, health-access, BUT, and other relevant undergraduate routes, candidates holding a French or qualifying European baccalaureate generally use Parcoursup. First-year master’s applicants normally use the national Mon Master platform, except candidates covered by the Études en France procedure. Applications for the second or third licence or BUT year, a professional licence, or the second master’s year generally use Études en France for covered international applicants and eCandidat for other candidates. Doctoral admission follows separate program and doctoral-school requirements. For French-taught study, UCA’s international guidance generally identifies B2 French as the minimum level. Applicants must still consult the individual program because required evidence, academic prerequisites, selection criteria, and application dates can vary. They should not transfer a deadline from one faculty or qualification to another. After admission, 2026–2027 registration is online and becomes valid after payment and approval of uploaded documents. UCA published different registration windows for Parcoursup entrants, first-year master’s students, eCandidat admits, health pathways, and continuing students. Applicants should use the live registration page and their admission notice, since several 2026 windows had already closed by the profile date.

UCA offers a broad portfolio across the four major disciplinary sectors identified in its legal statutes: law, economics and management; arts, languages, humanities and social sciences; science and technology; and health. Its official catalogue lists more than 340 programs, including 53 general and professional licences, 20 university technology bachelor programs, 66 masters, 13 engineering qualifications, 110 university diplomas, and 31 health pathways. Because university diplomas and other French awards do not always map directly onto bachelor’s or master’s degrees, applicants should check the precise credential, duration, and national recognition of each listing. The general licence structure is designed around progressive specialization. The first year may use multidisciplinary portals, followed by greater subject definition in the second year and specialization in the third. The university also offers professional licences, health-access routes, engineering education, initial study, continuing education, and selected work-study formats. Availability varies by program and campus. At graduate level, the catalogue confirms master’s and doctoral study. UCA’s Graduate School groups seven research-oriented master’s-to-doctorate tracks around sustainable models of life and production, with themes including international development, mobility, volcano and Earth-system research, changing environments, nutrition and health, mathematics and physics, and humanities and social sciences. Research activity is organized through numerous structures, but prospective researchers should assess the relevant laboratory, supervisor, funding route, and doctoral-school requirements rather than relying on university-wide descriptions. French is the recorded primary language of instruction, and the university’s international admissions guidance generally requires at least B2 French for French-taught programs.

Key Highlights

• Public French university operating as an experimental EPSCP
• Present merged university established on 1 January 2017
• Official snapshot reports about 36,000 students and 21 educational components
• Teaching and research presence across seven campus cities or areas

Student Life & Environment

Student life is distributed across UCA’s multiple sites, so the available associations, sports, cultural activities, health services, and study spaces differ by campus. At the Cézeaux campus in Aubière, the Maison de la Vie Étudiante serves as a center for student initiatives and associations. It contains work and computer rooms, reservable music-practice rooms, association offices, meeting space, and a multipurpose event hall. The building also brings together student-health, disability-support, orientation, career, and student-life services, with a CROUS cafeteria nearby. Housing is not automatically included with university admission. UCA directs students toward CROUS residences, the Maison Internationale Universitaire, and other public or private options. International students can use the university’s Digital Welcome Desk for guidance on settling in France and everyday administration. The wider student welcome service provides information about housing, food, scholarships, jobs, health, transport, culture, and sport, as well as assistance with residence permits, health insurance, CAF housing-support procedures, and CROUS applications. Students needing disability accommodations can request adjustments to study and examinations. UCA also identifies arrangements for high-level athletes, artists, reservists, and students with significant civic or association responsibilities. Applicants should contact the relevant campus service early because support, housing capacity, and local arrangements are not identical across the university network.

Location & Surroundings

UCA’s main base is Clermont-Ferrand in central France, but it is not a single-site university. The official campus list also includes nearby Aubière and the regional cities of Aurillac, Le Puy-en-Velay, Montluçon, Moulins, and Vichy. A student’s day-to-day setting may therefore range from the Clermont metropolitan area to a smaller Auvergne city. Program pages should be checked carefully because the database city does not establish the teaching location of every course. Within the Clermont area, university facilities are spread across urban sites, including central Clermont-Ferrand and the Cézeaux science campus in Aubière. Housing decisions should account for the specific faculty location and commute rather than proximity to a generic university address. UCA’s 2026 international-student guide identifies bus and tram services, reduced or solidarity transport pricing for eligible users, and free weekend public transport, subject to local rules. Clermont-Ferrand provides the administrative and service center for much of the university, while the wider network offers access to different regional communities. International students should budget for initial accommodation, local travel, insurance, deposits, and administrative costs before arrival; admission does not guarantee a CROUS room.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For 2026–2027 national qualifications, UCA published annual registration charges of €178 for licence-level programs, €255 for master’s programs, €398 for doctorates, and €630 for engineering programs. Eligible students in initial education must also account for the €105 Contribution de vie étudiante et de campus. Scholarship holders may qualify for exemptions under national rules. Fees for university-specific diplomas, continuing education, work-study arrangements, and some international situations can differ, so the amount attached to the exact program takes precedence. International students should budget beyond tuition. UCA’s indicative 2026 Clermont-Ferrand budget shows that rent varies substantially by housing type and that admission does not secure a CROUS room. It also identifies food, utilities, communications, insurance, transport, leisure, and initial setup expenses. These figures are planning estimates, not guaranteed prices or a complete cost of attendance. Career preparation is available through internships, work-study opportunities in selected programs, workshops, interviews, conferences, and the university’s orientation and professional-integration services. UCA Pro connects students with other students, alumni, teaching staff, and professionals to support networking and employment preparation. The university describes internships as an important first step toward professional integration. However, no verified institution-wide salary, employment-rate, or employer-outcome figure was found in the selected current sources. Prospective students should compare program-level internship requirements, apprenticeship availability, graduate surveys, professional accreditation, and local industry links before deciding.