Ranking of student cities 2026: our top 10 places to study in France

Choosing where to study lays the foundation for your whole student experience: the quality of higher education, the cost of living, day-to-day safety, social life and career opportunities after graduation. With more than 50 French cities welcoming hundreds of thousands of students every year, the choice can quickly feel overwhelming.

To help you decide, our editorial team built this 2026 student city ranking by combining the leading official ranking in the sector, widely picked up by the media, with one essential criterion that's often overlooked: housing, its cost and its availability. This article brings together our top 10 of the best student cities in France for 2026, advice on choosing based on your study plans (undergraduate, work-study, international...), the real budget to expect city by city, and every avenue for finding student housing, from university halls to coliving.

Our methodology for ranking the best student cities

Our ranking is based on the sector's leading reference, the L'Étudiant ranking, whose 2026 edition compared 50 French cities with more than 7,500 students across five broad themes: attractiveness, range of courses, student life, quality of life and employment. This ranking is also built on students' own feedback and recommendation rates, translated into scores out of 10 for each city. This edition introduces a notable innovation: an accessibility criterion for students with disabilities, along with a refined calculation of air quality. The ranking also has its share of surprises, with several cities tied and noticeable shifts compared with previous editions. These figures and this well-established methodology form the basis of our own analysis; you'll also find links to the official sources throughout this article.

That said, however thorough this ranking is, it doesn't tell the whole story: it doesn't factor in the cost or availability of housing, even though 8 out of 10 students rank this as one of their top priorities when choosing a city. Our top 10 therefore combines L'Étudiant's criteria with our own housing criterion: rent levels, how tight the rental market is, and access to modern solutions such as flatshares and coliving. We also give extra weight to the local economic fabric for work-study students, for whom the choice of city is never entirely neutral.

Our top 10 best student cities in France in 2026

The list below presents our top 10 best student cities in France for 2026, the result of combining the L'Étudiant ranking with our own housing criterion. Some positions therefore differ from the official ranking: we've repositioned certain cities based on how tight the rental market is and how easy it is for a student to settle in. The aim isn't to produce yet another ranking, but one that's genuinely actionable.

1. Toulouse, student city number 1

With 120,000 students, Toulouse keeps its number 1 spot for the second year running in the L'Étudiant 2026 ranking, and also tops our own top 10. Known as "la Ville Rose" (the Pink City), Toulouse is the leading university hub in France outside the Paris region, home to Université Toulouse 1 Capitole, Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier, INSA and Sciences Po. Its sunny quality of life, lively nightlife and transport network (metro, bike) make it a city where studying day-to-day feels easy. As for housing, expect to pay between €450 and €600 a month for a studio, and between €350 and €450 for a room in a flatshare. Toulouse suits every profile, but is particularly attractive for sciences, law and engineering schools: a consensus pick, topping our ranking as well as those of L'Étudiant and Smerra. Discover our homes in Toulouse.

2. Lyon, France's 2nd-largest university hub

France's second-largest university hub with 170,000 students, Lyon is repositioned to 2nd place in our ranking because of the sheer scale of its higher education offering and how structured its housing market is. The city brings together Lyon 1, Lyon 2 and Lyon 3 universities, INSA Lyon, EM Lyon, Sciences Po and Centrale Lyon: one of the richest course offerings in the country. Its dense cultural life, efficient metro network and dynamic economy create plenty of internship and work-study opportunities. The housing market here is more structured than in mid-sized cities, with a strong presence of coliving and professional flatshare operators, but also a higher budget: €500 to €700 for a studio, €400 to €550 for a room in a flatshare. Ideal for top business and engineering schools, sciences, economics and international students. Discover our homes in Lyon.

3. Montpellier, the student city of the South

With 70,000 students, Montpellier holds onto 3rd place in the leading trio, both in L'Étudiant's ranking and in ours. The Université de Montpellier, with a history going back to the founding of its medical faculty, is a benchmark across many fields: medicine, sciences, law, sport. Its 4 tram lines, lively city centre, beaches 15 minutes away and sunny climate give the city a very pleasant quality of life. Student housing remains affordable for a city of this size: €450 to €600 for a studio, €350 to €450 for a room in a flatshare. A consensus position, particularly well suited to students in medicine, sciences, law, sports science and international profiles. Discover our homes in Montpellier.

4. Rennes, the dynamic West

Rennes, with 70,000 students, is built around Université Rennes 1 (sciences) and Rennes 2 (humanities), as well as renowned engineering schools such as INSA and ENSAI. Student life here is particularly intense: bars, concerts, and festivals such as Les Trans Musicales make Rennes a city where festivities are part and parcel of campus life. The metro and bus network are highly efficient. The housing market, however, is tighter than in the rest of the West, with rents rising since 2022: expect €400 to €550 for a studio, €300 to €400 for a room in a flatshare. A great choice for students in sciences, humanities and top schools. Discover our homes in Rennes.

5. Nantes, the appeal of the West

With 60,000 students, Nantes embodies the appeal of the West: Université de Nantes, Audencia, the design school and Centrale Nantes make up a varied course offering. The city is known for its energy and cultural life (Les Machines de l'île, Le Voyage à Nantes), supported by a dense tram network that makes everyday travel easy. As for housing, expect €450 to €600 for a studio and €350 to €450 for a room in a flatshare. Nantes is particularly well suited to students at top business and engineering schools, in design, and in the sciences. Discover our homes in Nantes.

6. Bordeaux, back among the top student cities

Bordeaux, with 100,000 students, is making its comeback among the top student cities: repositioned to 6th place in our ranking thanks to its remarkable quality of life and its growing economic base. Université de Bordeaux, Sciences Po and Kedge Business School make up a solid academic offering. The ocean an hour away, surrounding vineyards and a pleasant climate round out a highly sought-after quality of life, served by a dense tram network. The housing market here is tight, with rents that are high for a provincial city: €500 to €700 for a studio, €400 to €550 for a room in a flatshare. Bordeaux particularly suits students at top schools, and in sciences, medicine, law, as well as international students. Discover our homes in Bordeaux.

7. Strasbourg, a gateway to Europe

With 60,000 students, Strasbourg embodies a strong European outlook: its university ranks among the best in France according to the Shanghai ranking, and the city is home to the European Parliament, the Council of Europe and the INSP. Its tram network is among the most efficient in France. As for housing, expect €400 to €550 for a studio and €300 to €400 for a room in a flatshare, still a reasonable budget for a city of this size. Strasbourg doesn't appear in the L'Étudiant 2026 ranking, but we've added it to our top 10 because it remains a must for international students, those studying political science, law, medicine, languages, and Franco-German dual degrees.

8. Caen, Norman quality of life

With 30,000 students, Caen wins people over with its Norman quality of life: Université de Caen Normandie offers a human-scale setting, well served by tram, close to the D-Day beaches and the sea. Student housing here is among the most affordable in the top 10: €350 to €500 for a studio, €250 to €350 for a room in a flatshare. Highly rated by L'Étudiant, Caen is an excellent option for students looking for quality of life, a tight budget and a calmer pace.

9. Angers, Angevin energy

With 40,000 students, Angers cultivates a human-scale dynamism: Université d'Angers, ESSCA and ESA make up a well-regarded course offering, in a very friendly student atmosphere and an environment with plenty of green spaces. Housing remains accessible: €400 to €500 for a studio, €280 to €380 for a room in a flatshare. An ideal city for students in business, agriculture and agronomy, humanities, or for a first year of studies.

10. Brest, the West's budget alternative

With 25,000 students, Brest remains the West's budget alternative: Université de Bretagne Occidentale and engineering schools such as ENIB or IMT Atlantique sit alongside a maritime atmosphere, with some of the lowest housing prices in the top 10: €350 to €450 for a studio, €250 to €350 for a room in a flatshare. Brest keeps its place in our top 10 thanks to an unbeatable value-for-money ratio for student life, particularly well suited to engineering and marine science students, and to tight budgets.

Which student city should you choose based on your plans?

An objective ranking doesn't tell you everything: which city is right for you also depends on your study plans and your profile. Here are some pointers for the most common situations.

For an undergraduate student

For an undergraduate degree, it's best to favour a human-scale city with an affordable budget: Caen, Brest, Angers, or Strasbourg for international students. These cities offer a good balance between student life, general university courses, smaller class sizes and a moderate cost of living. A flatshare is a great way to cut your housing budget while quickly building a social circle.

For a master's or top business/engineering school student

For a master's degree or a top school, favour cities with a strong network of companies and professional opportunities: Toulouse, Lyon, Nantes, Bordeaux. Student life is rich, renowned schools such as INSA, EM Lyon, Audencia or Kedge multiply internship and work-study opportunities. The cost of housing is higher, but more than offset by the professional return on investment.

For a work-study student

With work-study programmes, the choice of city is often dictated by where the company is based. For those who still have a choice, favour cities with a dense economic fabric: Toulouse for aerospace, Lyon for industry and services, Nantes for digital, Bordeaux for retail and life sciences. The mobility lease (1 to 10 months) and coliving are particularly well suited to work-study students, who split their year between company and school, as are housing benefits such as housing benefit (APL) for work-study students.

For an international student

For an international student, favour cities that are open to the world and well connected: Strasbourg (European Parliament, dual degrees), Montpellier (medicine, sciences), Lyon (top schools), Toulouse (engineering), Nantes and Bordeaux. Check whether the university has a Welcome Centre and housing suited to short stays: coliving makes settling in and social integration considerably easier.

For a PhD student or researcher

For a PhD student or researcher, favour cities with recognised research hubs: Toulouse (CNES, ONERA), Lyon (Inserm, CNRS), Montpellier (medical research, sciences), Rennes (Inria, sciences), Strasbourg (chemistry, European sciences), or Grenoble, a national reference for science and technological innovation. The mobility lease and coliving offer valuable flexibility for short scientific moves, between conferences and stays in other labs.

How much does student life cost by city?

The cost of student life goes well beyond rent alone: depending on the city and the type of housing chosen, the total monthly budget ranges from €750 to €1,300. Here's how these costs break down, and what financial support exists to ease the burden.

The cost of student housing by major city

In high-pressure cities like Paris, Lyon or Bordeaux, expect between €500 and €800 for a studio and between €400 and €600 for a room in a flatshare. In regional hubs (Toulouse, Nantes, Montpellier, Rennes, Strasbourg), studios go for €400 to €600, flatshare rooms for €300 to €450. In mid-sized cities such as Caen, Brest or Angers, expect €350 to €500 for a studio and €250 to €400 for a flatshare. Other cities, such as Besançon in the Franche-Comté region or Aix-Marseille, show rent levels comparable to these last two categories, making them worth keeping an eye on depending on your field of study. In Paris, flatshares and coliving are almost essential to stay within a reasonable student budget. For more detail, see our page on the price of student housing in major university cities.

Day-to-day budget and financial support

Beyond rent, budget around €150 to €250 a month for food, €20 to €40 for a student transport pass, and €80 to €150 for going out and leisure. Several types of support can ease this budget: APL, calculated on each person's share of the rent whether you're a sole tenant or in a flatshare, the means-tested grant (from €0 to €600 a month depending on the tier), the Visale guarantee to make accessing housing easier, and the student mobility grant for moves between academic regions.

How to find student housing in your university city

Once you've chosen your city, the question of housing remains. Two broad categories stand out: traditional options (halls, studios, flatshares) and a more recent alternative, coliving.

University halls, studios and flatshares

University halls (Crous, Fac-Habitat, Logifac) offer the lowest prices, between €250 and €500 a month, but availability is limited and places are allocated based on a means-tested file. Private studios offer complete independence, at the cost of a higher budget. Flatshares between students, particularly common in major cities, strike a good balance between price and a sense of community. For Crous places, applications for student housing go through the Dossier Social Étudiant (DSE), to be submitted before 31 May. For more detail, see our guide on how to find student housing in France.

Student coliving, a modern and flexible alternative

Coliving has established itself as a recent alternative, particularly well suited to students on the move: fully furnished and equipped housing, included services (cleaning, high-speed internet, sometimes a coworking space), an organised community of students and young professionals, and a flexible lease, with a mobility lease of 1 to 10 months and no deposit for certain contracts. Colonies offers coliving and flatshare options in most of the major student cities in our top 10: Toulouse, Lyon, Montpellier, Rennes, Nantes, Bordeaux, and Lille too. A particularly good option for international students, work-study students and students on a semester abroad.

FAQ :

What is the best student city in France?

Toulouse is the best student city in France in 2026, both in L'Étudiant's official ranking and in our own Colonies top 10, ahead of Lyon and Montpellier. But the "best" city really depends on your plans: Toulouse for sciences and aerospace, Lyon for top schools, Montpellier for medicine, Strasbourg for international students. Cross-reference this ranking with your own criteria before deciding.

Which is the cheapest city for students?

Among the cities in our top 10, Caen, Brest and Angers offer the most affordable housing costs: between €350 and €500 for a studio, and €250 to €380 for a room in a flatshare. Outside the top 10, Limoges, Poitiers and Saint-Étienne are also known for their low student budgets. A flatshare can cut your housing budget by 1.5 to 2 times, anywhere in France.

How should you choose your study city?

Cross-reference several criteria: whether your target course is offered (university or top school), the quality of the official ranking, the cost of student housing, professional dynamism for internships and work-study, and the quality of everyday student life. If possible, visit the city before committing, ideally during the academic year: nothing beats an on-the-ground visit to get a real feel for the atmosphere.

What's the best city to study with a work-study programme?

For work-study programmes, favour cities with a dense economic fabric matching your sector: Toulouse for aerospace, Lyon for industry and services, Nantes for digital, Bordeaux for retail and life sciences, Strasbourg for European institutions. The mobility lease (1 to 10 months) and coliving are particularly well suited to balancing time between company and school.

How do you find student housing?

Several channels exist: Crous (Dossier Social Étudiant before 31 May), private halls (Fac-Habitat, Logifac, Studapart), student rental platforms, and coliving, such as with Colonies, for fully furnished, all-inclusive housing with a flexible lease. Start your search as early as March-April for a September start, especially in high-pressure cities. The Visale guarantee makes it easier to get your application accepted.