🏅 QS World Rank #76
Université Paris-Saclay — Full Profile & Ranking 2026
Europe’s youngest research giant, a mathematics powerhouse — QS World Rankings 2027 #76
Université Paris-Saclay is a public research university on the Saclay Plateau south of Paris. It began as a university consortium in 2014 and became a university on 1 January 2020. In the QS World University Rankings 2027 (published June 2026) it is 76th in the world. This guide covers programmes, admission, fees, scholarships, advice for applicants from Pakistan and the questions applicants ask most. Every figure is labeled with its year or ranking edition.
Paris-Saclay Overview
Paris-Saclay was set up as a universities community (ComUE) in 2014 and became a collegiate university on 1 January 2020, replacing the University of Paris-Sud. Wikipedia lists four grandes écoles as components — CentraleSupélec, AgroParisTech, ENS Paris-Saclay and Institut d’Optique Graduate School — and about 60,000 students overall.
The main campus is on the Saclay Plateau around 20 km south of Paris, extending into Orsay, Gif-sur-Yvette and Palaiseau. It is known for mathematics, physics and optics, and agricultural sciences.
Paris-Saclay Rankings — QS World University Rankings 2027
Université Paris-Saclay is 76th in the QS World University Rankings 2027, published by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) in June 2026.
This is a QS-specific result, not one universal ranking. Times Higher Education, U.S. News and ARWU use different methods and can order universities differently.
Source: QS TopUniversities (QS World University Rankings 2027, 18 June 2026).
Key Strengths & Programs
Paris-Saclay is known for:
- Mathematics, with Fields Medalists affiliated to its institutes (Wikipedia counts 13 and 5 Nobel winners as of 2026, and the count depends on how affiliation is defined)
- Physics and optics, including Institut d’Optique Graduate School
- Engineering through CentraleSupélec and ENS Paris-Saclay
- Agricultural and life sciences through AgroParisTech
- Medicine and biomedical research
- Large research clusters on the Saclay Plateau
See the official website for the full list.
Explore Related Guides & Rankings
Admission Requirements
Pakistan is on the Études en France list, according to Campus France. Confirm all details on official pages.
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Application route | Applicants from Pakistan use the Études en France platform for French universities |
| Bachelor’s | Check the programme page and Campus France for the entry rules and dates |
| Master’s | Apply through the programme’s own route. Many programmes are selective and some are taught in English. |
| Elite tracks | Some grandes écoles components select very strictly, sometimes through competitive exams, so check each school |
| Documents | Transcripts, identification, language evidence and a project or motivation letter where required |
Official sources: Campus France — Études en France and Paris-Saclay.
Paris-Saclay Acceptance Rate
Paris-Saclay does not publish one acceptance rate across all components. Selectivity ranges from moderate for standard university tracks to very high for elite schools.
Practical Application Checklist
- Choose your programme and read its entry and language requirements
- Check the application deadline for your intake
- Book an English (or other required) language test
- Prepare transcripts, identification and any required documents
- Apply and accept your offer
- Meet the visa or residence-permit conditions for your destination
- Plan funding for tuition and living costs
- Verify every date, fee and requirement on Paris-Saclay’s official website before submitting
Tuition & Costs
Paris-Saclay lists these tuition fees for 2025-26:
- Bachelor’s: €178
- Master’s: €254
- Doctorate: €397
Non-EU students who would pay differentiated fees are eligible for a partial exemption that aligns their cost with domestic rates, under a board resolution dated 3 February 2026. Some Master’s programmes have their own fee rules. Check which applies to you.
Housing and living costs near Paris are high, so budget for them as well. The old “few hundred to few thousand euros” line is replaced by the figures above.
Source: Paris-Saclay — Tuition fees. Fees, dates and rules change each year.
Scholarships & Financial Aid
- International Master’s Scholarships Program: €10,000 a year, paid monthly from September to June, plus a travel and visa allowance of up to €900. It lasts one year and renews for M2 if you continue. Applicants must be foreign nationals admitted to a Paris-Saclay Master’s, new to French higher education, under 30 in the application year, and not receiving other funding above €600 a month. The 2026 deadline was 31 March 2026, so check the next call.
- Eiffel scholarships: run through Campus France with university nomination. This programme cannot be combined with the Paris-Saclay award.
- Other aid: compare options in our fully funded scholarships for 2027 guide
- No guarantee: awards are competitive
Source: Paris-Saclay — International Master’s Scholarships Program.
Paris-Saclay for Pakistani Students
Pakistani applicants follow the Études en France process:
- Platform: create your Études en France file and follow Campus France instructions
- Language: prepare French or an English test depending on the programme. Our IELTS preparation guides can help.
- Scholarships: check the International Master’s Scholarships timetable early
- Visa: a French student visa is required and its rules change
- Budget: plan for housing near Paris
Campus & Student Life
- The campus covers about 200 hectares on the Saclay Plateau, roughly 20 km south of Paris
- It combines universities, grandes écoles and corporate research laboratories
- Additional sites serve medicine, law and other fields across the Île-de-France region
- Getting to central Paris takes planning, so check transport and housing early
Research & Career Opportunities
- Paris-Saclay is research-intensive, especially in mathematics, physics and engineering
- The Saclay cluster hosts many research institutes and corporate laboratories
- Many graduates continue to doctoral research
- Paris-Saclay does not guarantee employment, salary or visa outcomes
Notable Alumni
- Albert Fert, Nobel Prize in Physics 2007, was a professor at Université Paris-Sud, which Paris-Saclay replaced
- Alain Connes, Pierre Deligne and Hugo Duminil-Copin are Fields Medalists whom Wikipedia lists as affiliated with the university or its institutes
- Other affiliations depend on how the university counts its component institutions
Contact & Location
Université Paris-Saclay
Saclay Plateau, near Paris (Orsay, Gif-sur-Yvette and Palaiseau), France
Official website: universite-paris-saclay.fr
Frequently Asked Questions
Université Paris-Saclay is ranked 76th in the QS World University Rankings 2027, published in June 2026.
Wikipedia lists 13 Fields Medalists and 5 Nobel winners as affiliated with the university and its institutes as of 2026. The number depends on how affiliation is counted.
It is a collegiate university that includes grandes écoles such as CentraleSupélec, AgroParisTech, ENS Paris-Saclay and Institut d’Optique Graduate School, with associated universities.
Paris-Saclay is best known for mathematics, physics and optics, and agricultural sciences.
It began as a universities community in 2014 and became a collegiate university on 1 January 2020.
Paris-Saclay lists 2025-26 fees of €178 for Bachelor’s, €254 for Master’s and €397 for doctoral students. Non-EU students may qualify for a partial exemption from differentiated fees.
Yes. The International Master’s Scholarships Program pays €10,000 a year plus a travel allowance of up to €900 to eligible students. It is competitive and not guaranteed.
Yes. Pakistan is on the Études en France list, so applicants use that platform and may get help from Campus France Pakistan.
Paris-Saclay does not publish one overall rate. Selectivity varies by component and programme.
Check Paris-Saclay’s official pages at universite-paris-saclay.fr. Fees, deadlines and rules can change.
Compare Paris-Saclay With Other Top Universities
Disclaimer: This page is based on the QS World University Rankings 2027, Paris-Saclay’s official pages, and other publicly available sources, last checked in October 2026. Fees, rankings, deadlines, and admission rules change, and no admission, funding, visa, or employment outcome is guaranteed. Always verify current details directly with the university before applying.