Graduate Employability: Top Universities in France as Ranked By Employers

With four universities in the world top 100 (according to Times Higher Education World University Rankings), it is no wonder that France is a popular study destination. But how do graduates from French universities fare in the real world? Let’s find out!

Why is graduate employability important?

Graduate employability is the ability of graduates to find and sustain a job after university. It is an important indicator of how effectively your selected university can support your career goals. The Global University Employability Rankings 2023 are a great place to start.

Top five French universities for graduate employability

We’ve taken a look at the top five French universities according to their employability scores. French Grandes Écoles are known to do particularly well in these rankings!

#1 CentraleSupèlec

Formed after the merger of France’s two leading Engineering schools, CentraleSupèlec is known for its excellent Engineering courses. They prepare students for roles like managers, engineers and entrepreneurs. You can follow in the footsteps of famous alumni like Louis Charles Bréguet, the founder of Air France and Alain Bènichou, the former CEO of IBM France.

#2 HEC Paris

At HEC Paris, you can choose from a number of Masters courses that will prepare you for working at some of the biggest companies around the world. HEC Paris graduates have found careers in companies like Amazon, Microsoft and Deloitte among others. One of its most popular Masters in Management comes with a minimum eight-month internship as an opportunity for students to gain work experience. It is also the alma mater of former French President François Hollande!

#3 Ècole Polytechnique

Ècole Polytechnique used to be a military university in the times of Napoleon I in the 1800’s but now focuses on providing quality postgraduate courses in Science and Technology. Internships are encouraged as part of your studies and graduates have gone on to work with Total, IBM and the European Commission among many others.

#4 EMLyon Business School

One of France’s oldest Business schools, EMLyon emphasises entrepreneurship, having incubated more than 1,400 startups since the inception of its Entrepreneur Centre in 1984. The school has forged strong connections with international companies like IBM and graduates have found themselves working with internationally renowned companies like Accenture, Chanel and KPMG.

#5 Mines ParisTech

Officially called the École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Paris, Mines ParisTech is one of the most prominent Engineering schools in France. It’s many Masters and Doctoral programmes include placements in France and abroad for students to gain work experience before they finish their studies. If you choose to study at Mines ParisTech, you can follow in the footsteps of Nobel Laureates like Maurice Allais.

Do rankings matter for postgraduate study?

Even though there are no postgraduate-specific rankings, university league tables can still be a useful tool for prospective Masters students.Read our guide on how to use international ranking tables as a postgraduate student for more information

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