Imagine sitting in a Parisian café, laptop open, surrounded by conversations in five different languages. Outside, a student rushes to catch the metro to La Défense for her marketing internship. This is modern Paris — a city where tradition and ambition share the same table.
Ranked No.1 in the QS Best Student Cities 2025, Paris is not only a cultural icon but also a global centre for education and business. For international students, it offers something unique: the chance to study in the world’s top student city while building a global career network.
Why Paris Ranks as the World’s Top Student City
According to the QS Best Student Cities 2025 ranking, Paris proudly holds the No.1 position worldwide — ahead of London, Melbourne, and Munich. The ranking evaluates six main criteria: university quality, student mix, desirability, employer activity, affordability, and student feedback. Paris scores impressively high in nearly all of them.
Why? Because few cities combine such academic excellence, professional opportunity, and cultural richness in one place. Students in Paris enjoy access to world-class institutions, vibrant neighbourhoods, affordable public transport, and one of the most dynamic job markets in Europe. Add to that an unparalleled cultural life — from exhibitions to late-night study cafés — and you get a city that’s both intellectually and socially inspiring.
And, we’ll admit it: at Paris School of Business, we’re not exactly objective. We absolutely love Paris — its rhythm, its creativity, and our international campus right in the middle of it all. For our students, the city itself becomes an open-air classroom, where global ideas meet everyday Parisian life.
Paris: A Global Business Hub and Learning Environment
Paris is not just a place to study — it’s where business happens.
The city hosts the headquarters of international giants such as L’Oréal, TotalEnergies, BNP Paribas, Kering, and Airbus, alongside a fast-growing network of start-ups and innovation hubs that make up the French Tech ecosystem. With more than 12,000 start-ups and 50+ incubators, Paris stands among Europe’s most dynamic economic centres.
For business students, this means that learning happens everywhere — in classrooms, co-working spaces, and real-world projects.
What makes Paris a true business classroom
Paris is not just a place to study — it’s a place to build your future.
Few cities offer such a direct link between the classroom and the world of work. With its international companies, start-up scene, and open professional culture, Paris stands at the crossroads of European business and innovation.
1.
Corporate proximity
Paris connects students to Europe’s biggest business hubs. Brussels, London, Amsterdam, and Milan are all within a few hours by train, making internships and cross-border opportunities part of daily life.
2.
Entrepreneurial energy
Powered by the French Tech movement, Paris has become one of the most active start-up ecosystems in Europe. Innovation campuses like Station F bring together entrepreneurs, mentors, and investors in the same space — and often, in the same day.
3.
Networking culture
In Paris, business is also a matter of lifestyle. From café meetings to afterwork events, professional networking is woven into daily routines. Deals, internships, and partnerships are often born over a coffee rather than a conference table.
4.
Industry-linked teaching
International business schools such as Paris School of Business have built long-standing partnerships with major companies. These collaborations ensure that graduates step into roles where their skills are recognised and in demand across industries.
5.
The Paris mindset
Creativity and ambition drive the city. Every week, hundreds of professional events — from fashion tech showcases to green economy summits — remind students that in Paris, everything is possible. The city truly is a crossroads where ideas, cultures, and opportunities meet.
Studying business in Paris means joining a city that never stops reinventing itself, where ideas travel fast and students learn by being part of the action.
Student Life and International Community
Studying in Paris is not just about lectures and exams — it’s about living in a city that never stops inspiring. Every street feels like a lesson in culture, history, and innovation. Students here learn as much outside the classroom as inside it.
A city built for students
With more than 370,000 students, including more than 70,000 international learners, Paris is one of the most dynamic academic communities in the world (Campus France, 2024). The city offers excellent public transport, discounted student housing, and affordable access to museums, concerts, and cinemas. The Navigo pass takes you everywhere — from the quiet libraries of the Latin Quarter to the creative buzz of Belleville.
A truly international atmosphere
Walk through any university district — from Montparnasse to Bercy — and you’ll hear a mix of languages, accents, and ambitions. Paris welcomes students from every continent, creating an atmosphere where cultural exchange happens naturally. At Paris School of Business, over 100 nationalities share the same classrooms, projects, and cafés, building lifelong friendships and networks that span the globe.
A balanced lifestyle
Life in Paris blends intellectual challenge with pleasure. Morning lectures, afternoon museum visits, evening debates, and weekends by the Seine — it’s a rhythm that keeps curiosity alive. The city’s cafés, festivals, and music venues make it easy to feel connected.
And for PSB students, the international campus in the 13th arrondissement offers everything in one place: modern classrooms, co-working spaces, a student incubator, and a friendly, global community.
Universities in Paris, France
Which are the main universities in Paris?
Paris counts more than a dozen major universities and grandes écoles. Among the most recognised are:
- Sorbonne University – renowned for humanities and sciences.
- Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL) – among the world’s top 50 for academic excellence.
- Université Paris-Saclay – a hub for technology, engineering, and life sciences.
- Université Paris Cité – known for health, social sciences, and global studies.
- Sciences Po Paris – specialising in international relations and political science.
- Paris School of Business (PSB) – offering English-taught programmes in management, finance, and data strategy.
For a complete overview and understanding of french university system, read our dedicated guide: Top Universities in Paris
Study Business at Paris School of Business
Located in the heart of Paris’s 13th arrondissement, Paris School of Business (PSB) offers international students a unique opportunity to study business in one of the world’s top student cities.
The school stands out for its AACSB accreditation, multicultural environment, and programmes fully taught in English, combining academic excellence with real-world learning.
At PSB, theory meets practice. Students take part in consulting projects, entrepreneurship challenges, and internships with leading companies based in Paris and beyond. Courses are designed to develop not only strong management skills but also creativity, adaptability, and ethical leadership — the key attributes of tomorrow’s global leaders.
PSB’s modern campus brings together more than 100 nationalities, creating a truly international community that reflects the diversity of the city itself. Studying here means being part of a network that connects talent, innovation, and opportunity — in Paris and across the world.
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