QS ranking by subject 2025: France keeps its European and international rank

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Five broad subject areas, 55 individual subjects, more than 1,750 institutions, about 100 countries, 79,000 programmes analysed... This is the context of the latest QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025. And in this new ranking by subject, France is improving its position! With 80 institutions ranked, seven more than in 2024, France keeps its rank, both at European and international scales.

“This year’s rankings are our biggest yet”, is pleased to announce Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a British now international company defining itself as “the established world leader in higher education performance and insights”. The new ranking ranks programmes using five indicators, including internationalisation, to “effectively reflect their performance, taking into account academic reputation, employer reputation and faculty research”.

80 French institutions ranked in 51 disciplines

With 80 institutions ranked, France maintains its position. It maintains its fourth world position, behind the United States (220 institutions), China (124) and the United Kingdom (104), but ahead of India (79) and Japan. Similarly, at European level, in terms of the number of institutions ranked, France is in third position, ahead of Germany (61 ranked institutions), Italy (56) and Spain (44), but behind the UK (107).

The ranking includes five major fields covering 55 disciplines. France is ranked in 51 disciplines.

Are present in the ranking:

41 universities;
16 engineering schools;
10 business/management schools;
1 institute of political science (Sciences Po Paris);
12 additional types of institutions (hotel schools for example);

Institutions ranked the highest number of times (regardless of their rank) are:

for universities: Paris Sciences & Lettres (47 times), Sorbonne Université (41), Université Paris-Saclay (36);
for schools of engineering: Grenoble INP - UGA (11), Insa Lyon (9), Ecole des Ponts ParisTech (8);
for management schools: Essec (6), HEC Paris, Insead, EMLyon (five quotes for each of these schools);
for institutes of political studies, Sciences Po Paris, the only IPS ranked, is present in 11 rankings by subject.

18 French institutions ranked in the Top 100 by broad subject

At closer look to the five broad subjects (Arts & Humanities, Engineering and Technology, Life Sciences & Medicine, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences & Management), regarding France, 18 institutions are ranked in the Top 100 of each subject:

Arts & Humanities, two French institutions are in the Top 100: University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne reaches 15th world position, followed by Sorbonne Université (52th);
Engineering and Technology, four institutions: Institut polytechnique de Paris (40th), tying with University of Paris Saclay, followed by University PSL University (72th) and Sorbonne Université (76th);
Life Sciences & Medicine, three institutions: Sorbonne Université (46th), Paris-Saclay (59th), University of Paris - Cité (70th);
Natural Sciences, five institutions: Sorbonne University (15th), Paris-Saclay (17th), PSL (18th), Institut polytechnique de Paris (38th), University of Grenoble Alpes (75th);
Social Sciences & Management, four institutions: Insead (31th), HEC (43th), University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (53th), Sciences Po (76th).

15 French institutions ranked in the Top 20 by subject

Looking at the ranking by subject, 15 French institutions are present in the Top 20 in each subject:

In Performing arts and Music, (two sub-subjects of Arts & Humanities) the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris (CNSMDP) reaches 3rd place in the world in Performing Arts and 4th place in Music, confirming its status of excellence on the international scene. It also remains the highest-ranked French higher education establishment across all disciplines. The Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Lyon is also ranked 17th in Music.
in Business/Management (Social Sciences and Management): Insead comes 2nd worldwide, followed by HEC Paris (9th);
in Politics and Social Policy (Social Sciences and Management): Sciences Po Paris achieves a double (ranked 2nd and 12th respectively);
in Marketing (Social Sciences and Management): HEC Paris (9th) and Insead (12th);
in Mathematics (Natural Sciences): Sorbonne Université ranks 12th;
in Physics (Natural Sciences): University of Paris-Saclay (14th);
in Archaeology, History and Law (Arts and Humanities): University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne reaches ranks 14th, 16th and 17th respectively;
in Hospitality (Social Sciences and Management): Ecole Vatel reaches the 13th position.