University of Bordeaux
Université de Bordeaux
A 1441 foundation reborn in 2014, home to the Institute of Vine and Wine Science and 700 million euros of IdEx funding.
- Students
- 47,894
- International
- 13%
- of students
- Tuition
- €2,902
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1441
About Bordeaux
The University of Bordeaux was founded on 7 June 1441 by Pope Eugene IV at the request of Archbishop Pey Berland, while Bordeaux was under English rule. Abolished in the Revolution and rebuilt in the 19th century, it was split after 1968 into several universities; the present University of Bordeaux was created by merging three of them and officially came into being on 1 January 2014 (Bordeaux Montaigne, the humanities university, stayed separate).
In 2024-25 it had about 48,000 students, according to the French ministry's official enrolment count, on 22 campuses and sites across Nouvelle-Aquitaine. (The university's own key figures date from 2022: 52,000 students and 6,100 staff, including about 3,260 teacher-researchers and researchers.) Teaching is grouped into four colleges (Law, Political Science, Economics and Management; Health Sciences; Human Sciences; Science and Technology) and three institutes: the IUT, the Institute of Vine and Wine Science (ISVV) and the INSPE teacher-training institute. Its research was recognised as an 'Initiative of Excellence', confirmed in 2016 with a 700 million euro endowment.
Bordeaux suits students who want a large, research-intensive French university in an attractive city, with particular strengths in health, the sciences, law and wine science. Undergraduate licences are taught in French, and non-EU applicants need French at B2, while a range of international master's programmes and double degrees are taught in English or other languages.
Why students choose Bordeaux
The Institute of Vine and Wine Science (ISVV), heir to the Bordeaux school of oenology, is a reference for teaching and research on wine, including the national diploma in oenology.
EU students pay 178 euros a year for a licence, and CROUS residence rooms in Bordeaux start at around 150 euros a month.
The university's 'Initiative of Excellence' status, confirmed in 2016, came with a 700 million euro endowment for research.
Campuses range from historic city-centre buildings at Pey-Berland and Victoire to the large Talence-Pessac-Gradignan campus with 140 hectares of green space across the university.
Admissions
Rentrée September 2027 (2026-27 procedures and 2027 dates where published)
Selectivity
French public universities do not publish an overall admission rate. First-year licences are applied for through Parcoursup (or the DAP for most non-EU applicants), where programmes answer yes, 'yes, if' or waiting list; selective programmes such as BUT at the IUT and health studies are more competitive.
Typical entry requirements
| Baccalauréat or equivalent | A school-leaving qualification giving access to higher education; assessed through Parcoursup for EU applicants and French or European baccalauréat holders |
|---|---|
| French language (non-EU applicants) | B2 level, proven by the TCF or DALF, requested with the DAP |
| English language | Licences are taught in French. English requirements apply to the university's international programmes taught in English, mainly at master's and doctoral level. |
Deadlines
- DAP / Études en France (non-EU applicants, first-year licence) Non-binding Next deadline · In ~2 months15 December 2026
Campus France lists the DAP window for 2027/28 entry as 1 October to 15 December 2026, with university answers by 30 April 2027. Bordeaux's own page says to send the DAP before 15 December.
- Parcoursup (EU/EEA applicants, French baccalauréat holders, and all BUT applicants) Non-bindingMid-March (12 March 2026 for 2026 entry)
In the 2026 cycle, choices were entered from 19 January to 12 March and confirmed by 1 April 2026, with offers from 2 June 2026. For 2027 entry Campus France indicates choices from January to March 2027, confirmation in April and offers from June 2027; the exact Parcoursup 2027 dates have not been published yet.
The DAP deadline for 2027 entry (15 December 2026) is published by Campus France; the exact Parcoursup 2027 calendar is not yet out (Campus France gives January to March 2027 for choices), so 2026 dates are shown for reference. For licence 2 and above, Bordeaux says Études en France applications must be filed before 1 January each year.
How to apply
Students preparing or holding the French baccalauréat, EU/EEA nationals and holders of equivalent diplomas apply for first-year licence, BUT or health studies through Parcoursup. Non-EU applicants living abroad apply for a first-year licence with the DAP: through the Études en France platform if their country has a Campus France centre, otherwise with the white DAP file sent to the French embassy; non-EU applicants living in France use the green DAP file. BUT applications go through Parcoursup for everyone.
What admissions looks for
- A secondary school qualification that gives access to higher education.
- For non-EU applicants, French at B2 level shown by a TCF or DALF certificate.
- For Parcoursup programmes, a school record that fits the expectations listed for each programme.
- For selective programmes such as BUT, strong grades in relevant subjects.
Tips for applying to Bordeaux
- 1 Book the TCF or DALF early: Bordeaux requires B2 French for non-EU applicants and asks for the certificate with the DAP.
- 2 Plan to pay the full differentiated fee: since 2026-27 the exemption is no longer automatic, and most non-EU students must pay first and then request a partial exemption, with refunds decided in December.
- 3 If you hold a need-based or excellence scholarship from your home country, send proof before enrolment to use the fast-track partial exemption.
- 4 Apply early for a CROUS room: the university warns that private rents are very high, with private studios around 500 euros a month.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
Following the 2026 change in national rules, non-EU students at Bordeaux pay the differentiated fees from 2026-27 unless granted a partial exemption, which reduces the fee to the French/EU rate. Fast-track exemptions apply to certain groups (for example home-country scholarship holders, students with disabilities, admitted Graduate Program master's students, and Ukrainian or Lebanese nationals); others can apply on social grounds after paying, with a committee deciding refunds in December. Refugees and students tax-resident in France for two years pay the national rate, and the Eiffel programme funds international master's and PhD students.
- Licence 2,902 euros; master's 3,950 euros
- Differentiated fees 2026-27 (non-EU)
- 178 euros
- Licence fee, EU and exempted students (2026-27)
- 105 euros
- CVEC 2026-27
- Room about 150 euros, university studio about 340 euros per month
- CROUS rent (university's guide)
- 615 euros per month
- Minimum resources for a French student visa
Academics
Vine and wine sciences (ISVV)
The ISVV opened in 2009 in Villenave d'Ornon as heir to the Bordeaux school of oenology and offers the national diploma in oenology.
Law (Licence en droit)
Taught by the College of Law, whose historic faculty building on place Pey-Berland dates from 1871-72.
Health studies (medicine, pharmacy and related)
The College of Health Sciences teaches medicine and pharmacy at the Carreire and Victoire sites, and its medical lecturers are hospital practitioners at Bordeaux University Hospital.
Science and technology licences
Taught on the Talence-Pessac-Gradignan campus, built from 1960 as what the university calls the largest campus in France.
BUT at the IUT de Bordeaux
Technology bachelor's degrees focused on employment needs, recruited through Parcoursup.
Research
- Labelled an Initiative of Excellence in 2011 and confirmed in 2016 with a 700 million euro endowment.
- 71 research units (55 run jointly with national research organisations) and 11 research departments.
- 27,000 scientific publications between 2015 and 2020, 18% of them in the world's top 10% most cited.
- 130 European collaborative research projects in Horizon Europe and other programmes; member of the ENLIGHT European university alliance.
Schools & faculties
- College of Law, Political Science, Economics and Management
- College of Health Sciences
- College of Human Sciences
- College of Science and Technology
- Institute of Technology (IUT de Bordeaux)
- Institute of Vine and Wine Science (ISVV)
- INSPE (Institute of Education)
Student life
University of Bordeaux students are spread between historic city-centre sites such as Pey-Berland (law) and Victoire, the Carreire health campus, the Bastide campus and the large Talence-Pessac-Gradignan campus in the suburbs, plus sites elsewhere in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. CROUS runs residences and canteens, with university rooms from about 150 euros a month, while private studios cost around 500 euros. The university offers a student sponsorship (parrainage) scheme for international students and a student welcome guide.
- Historic faculty buildings in the city centre at Pey-Berland and Victoire.
- 187 hectares of campus, 140 of them green space.
- Parrainage: international students can be paired with a Bordeaux student.
- Member of the ENLIGHT European university alliance.
Housing. No guaranteed housing; apply early for a CROUS residence (room about 150 euros, studio about 340 euros a month), as the university warns private rents are very high.
Location
Bordeaux is a major city in south-west France and the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. The university combines 19th-century faculty buildings in the old centre with the large Talence-Pessac-Gradignan campus on the edge of the city and sites across the region, including Agen, Dax and Périgord. The university notes that private housing is expensive, so CROUS residences are the cheapest option.
Nearest airport: Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport (BOD)
Notable alumni
- FM François MauriacNovelist and Nobel Prize in Literature laureate (1952); studied literature at the University of Bordeaux, graduating in 1905
- SP Saint-John PersePoet and diplomat, Nobel Prize in Literature laureate (1960); studied law at the University of Bordeaux
- AE Annie ErnauxWriter and Nobel Prize in Literature laureate (2022); studied at the universities of Rouen and Bordeaux
- BM Ba MawBurmese political leader; earned his doctorate at the University of Bordeaux
- OP Olivier Le PeuchCEO of Schlumberger (SLB) since 2019; engineering and microelectronics degrees from ENSEIRB-MATMECA and the University of Bordeaux
- KO Koffi OlomideCongolese singer-songwriter; bachelor's in business economics from the University of Bordeaux (1981)
Frequently asked questions
How much does the University of Bordeaux cost for international students?
For 2026-27, non-EU students pay 2,902 euros a year for a licence and 3,950 euros for a master's, plus the 105 euro CVEC, unless granted a partial exemption that reduces the fee to the EU rate (178 euros for a licence).
Is the University of Bordeaux free for non-EU students?
No longer automatically. From 2026-27 most non-EU students must pay the differentiated fees first and then request a partial exemption; fast-track exemptions exist for groups such as home-country scholarship holders and students with disabilities.
What level of French do I need for the University of Bordeaux?
Non-EU applicants to French-taught degrees need B2 French, proven by a TCF or DALF certificate, which is requested in the DAP.
How do I apply to a bachelor's at the University of Bordeaux from abroad?
EU students and French baccalauréat holders use Parcoursup. Non-EU students use the DAP, through Études en France if their country has a Campus France centre; for 2027 entry the DAP window closes on 15 December 2026.
Does the University of Bordeaux teach wine studies?
Yes. Its Institute of Vine and Wine Science (ISVV), opened in 2009, carries on the Bordeaux school of oenology and offers the national diploma in oenology.
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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