University Students In Marseille: What's The Count?

Marseille, France, is home to 12 universities, which offer 132 study programs. The largest of these is Aix-Marseille University, which has about 80,000 students, including more than 10,000 international students. The university is headquartered in Marseille and has five campuses in the city and its surrounding area.

Number of students

Marseille is home to 12 universities, offering 132 study programs. The number of universities available in the city places it at number 9 in France.

The largest university in Marseille is Aix-Marseille University (AMU), which was formed in 2012 through the reunification of the University of Provence, the University of the Mediterranean, and Paul Cézanne University. AMU has around 80,000 students, including more than 10,000 international students from 128 countries. The university offers 600 degree courses across a wide range of disciplines, including the arts, social sciences, health, sport, economics, law, and political sciences.

The Central School of Marseille, also known as Centrale Marseille, is one of 210 French engineering schools authorized to award engineering degrees. The Mediterranean Institute for Training and Research in Social Work welcomes nearly 400 students each year, while the International Center for Pedagogical Studies has around 400 Bachelor's and 400 Master's students. Polytech Marseille, a member of the Polytech Group, offers eight specialist courses in new technologies, leading to an engineering degree.

University rankings

Marseille, France, is home to 12 universities, which offer 132 study programs. The University of Aix-Marseille is the best-ranked university in Marseille, and it is also the largest in the French-speaking world in terms of student numbers, faculty and staff, and budget. It is ranked #401 in the world by THE World University Rankings 2024, and #481 in QS World University Rankings 2025. It is also ranked #151 in the world for Arts and Humanities, and #221 in the world for THE Global Employability University Ranking.

The University of Aix-Marseille has five campuses located in Aix-en-Provence and Marseilles, with 19 faculties and 12 doctoral schools. It offers about 600 courses across various disciplines, including arts, literature, social sciences, science, and technology. The university has hundreds of research and teaching partnerships, including close collaboration with the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA).

Other universities in Marseille include the Mediterranean Institute for Training and Research in Social Work, the International Center for Pedagogical Studies, Polytech Marseille, and the Central School of Marseille.

Living costs

The living costs for students in Marseille vary depending on their lifestyle, the nature of their higher education, and the way they organise their stay in France. Here is a breakdown of the expenses:

Housing

The cost of housing in Marseille depends on the location and type of accommodation. Housing will likely be the most significant expense in a student's monthly budget. While private housing may be more expensive due to additional utility costs, university residences through CROUS (a French student welfare organisation) can offer more affordable options with charges included in the rent.

Food

The cost of meals and groceries can quickly add up. A basic lunchtime menu in the business district or a meal at a university restaurant typically ranges from €10 to €20. Fast-food options, such as a combo meal or a McDonald's Big Mac meal, are also available for around €8.50.

Transportation

Transportation costs include public transport, taxi fares, and fuel prices. A monthly ticket for public transport in Marseille is approximately €30. Taxi fares vary depending on distance and waiting time.

Utilities

Utility costs for a 915 sq ft apartment, including electricity, heating, cooling, water, and garbage collection, are estimated to be around €100.

Communication

Communication expenses cover telephone subscriptions, internet access, and calling cards. A mobile phone plan with calls and 10GB+ of data is estimated to cost around €20 per month. Internet access with speeds of 60 Mbps or more and unlimited data is approximately €30 per month.

Leisure and Entertainment

Leisure and entertainment costs include sports memberships, cinema tickets, museum entries, and dining out. A monthly gym membership in the business district is around €40. A basic dinner for two in a neighbourhood pub is approximately €30, while a cocktail in a downtown club is about €10.

Health

Health expenses include medical consultations, medications, and health insurance. The complementary health insurance fee for students is approximately €20 to €80 per year.

Other Expenses

Other expenses to consider are personal care items, such as deodorant and shampoo, as well as clothing and footwear. A pair of jeans from a brand like Levis can cost around €80, while a pair of Nike running shoes is approximately €90.

Budgeting and Financial Support

It is recommended that students budget a minimum of €800 per month to avoid financial difficulties. Additionally, students applying for a visa or residence permit to study in France must demonstrate sufficient financial resources, with the French authorities requiring a minimum of €615 per month. To cover initial installation fees and higher first-month expenses, it is suggested to have around €1,600 set aside. Students can also apply for housing assistance through CAF (Caisse d'Allocations Familiales) to help with accommodation costs.

Language requirements

Aix-Marseille University is a public research university located in the Provence region of southern France. The university has about 80,000 students, including 10,000 international students from 128 different countries. The language requirements for international students will depend on the department and the specific program they are applying to.

For instance, the Faculty of Law and Political Science requires a B2 level in French, while the Faculty of Arts and Humanities requires a C1 level in English. In general, international students must provide a certificate of language proficiency as part of their application. This can include a French TCF/DELF/DALF B1 level certificate or an English IELTS/TOEFL/TOEIC certificate equivalent to a B2 level.

Additionally, international exchange students coming to Aix-Marseille University through programs such as ERASMUS+, BCI, ISEP, or bilateral cooperation programs should also check the linguistic requirements of their desired department before applying.

The university offers a wide range of courses in both French and English, with 600 degree courses in fields like Social Sciences, Health, Sports, and Economics. The university is committed to cross-disciplinary projects and promoting sustainability and social responsibility among its students.

With its large international student body and diverse course offerings, Aix-Marseille University provides a vibrant and multicultural academic environment.

Notable alumni

Politicians and Civil Servants

• Fernando José de França Dias Van-Dúnem, former Prime Minister of Angola
• Chandrika Kumaratunga, former President of Sri Lanka
• Federica Mogherini, former High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission
• Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank
• Jean-Jacques-Régis de Cambacérès, Second Consul of France from 1799 to 1804
• Adolphe Thiers, former President of France
• Édouard Balladur, former Prime Minister of France
• Félix Gouin, former President of the National Assembly of France
• Élisabeth Guigou, former Minister of Justice of France
• Philippe Séguin, former President of the National Assembly of France
• Patrick Ollier, former President of the National Assembly of France
• Jean-Jacques Weiss, former Councillor of State of France
• Jean-Pierre Giran, former Deputy of the National Assembly of France
• Jean-François Mattei, former Minister of Health of France
• Jacques Barrot, former Vice-President of the European Commission
• Michel Carlini, former Mayor of Marseille
• Christophe Castaner, former Minister of the Interior of France
• Brune Poirson, former Secretary of State to the Minister for the Ecological and Inclusive Transition
• Christine Lagarde, former Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
• Jean-Marc Forneri, former CEO of Rossignol
• Jean-Luc Gripond, former President of FC Nantes
• Pape Diouf, former President of Olympique de Marseille
• Jean-Raymond Mouraille, former Mayor of Marseille
• Charles Giraud, former Minister of National Education and Public Worship of France
• Antoine Aude, former Mayor of Aix-en-Provence
• Michel Carlini, former Mayor of Marseille
• Alain Joissains, former Mayor of Aix-en-Provence
• Yves Bertrand, former General Director of the Central Directorate of General Intelligence
• Alain Juillet, former Director of Intelligence at the Directorate-General for External Security
• Philippe Massoni, former Head of the Paris Police Prefecture
• Pierre Moitessier, former Director of the National Police of France
• Jean-François Mattei, former Minister of Health of France
• Émile Lisbonne, former Minister of Health of France
• René Steichen, former European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development
• Jean-Yves Dusserre, former Senator of France
• Michel Fontaine, former Senator of France
• Vincent Farinole, former Senator of France
• Nassimah Dindar, former Senator of France
• Jean-François Rischard, former Vice President of the World Bank
• Jean-Pierre Bernès, former General Manager of Olympique de Marseille
• Jean-Guy Talamoni, former President of the Corsican Assembly
• Gilles Simeoni, President of the Executive Council of Corsica
• Jean-Claude Sebag, former candidate for President of France
• Jean-Philippe Thiellay, Councillor of State of France
• Michel van den Abeele, former Director-General of Eurostat
• Jeane Kirkpatrick, former United States Ambassador to the United Nations
• Dag Halvor Nylander, former Norwegian diplomat
• Kenneth H. Merten, United States Ambassador to Bulgaria
• Alain de Muyser, former Ambassador of Luxembourg to the United Kingdom
• Leslie E. Norton, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the UN in Geneva and to the Conference on Disarmament
• Zouheir Chokr, former Lebanese Ambassador to Qatar
• Jürgen Chrobog, former German Ambassador to the United States
• Alain de Muyser, former Secretary General of the General Secretariat of the Benelux Union
• Alfonso Berns, former Ambassador of Luxembourg to the United States
• Paul Faber, former Ambassador of Luxembourg to Portugal
• Roger Garaudy, former Senator of France
• Adrien Gouteyron, former Senator of France
• Pierre Amédée Jaubert, former Peer of France
• Sophie Joissains, former Senator of France
• Michel Laugier, Senator of France
• Émilien Lieutaud, former Senator of France
• Pierre Matraja, former Senator of France
• Jean-Étienne-Marie Portalis, former President of the Senate of France
• Richard Tuheiava, former Senator of France
• Robert Vigouroux, former Senator of France
• Jean-Charles Marchiani, former MEP
• Joëlle Mélin, former MEP
• Marie-Arlette Carlotti, former MEP
• Sylvie Goulard, former MEP
• Antoinette Fouque, former MEP
• Jean-Baptiste de Brancas, former Bishop of La Rochelle and Archbishop of Aix-en-Provence
• Antoine Bruni d'Entrecasteaux, former French naval officer, explorer and colonial governor
• Henri Antoine Marie Teissier, former Catholic bishop and archbishop of Algiers

Lawyers, Judges, and Legal Academics

• Sami A. Aldeeb, Head of the Arab and Islamic Law Department at the Swiss Institute of Comparative Law, and Director of the Center of Arab and Islamic Law
• Harry Blackmun, former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
• Leonardo Nemer Caldeira Brant, Judge of the International Court of Justice
• Jay Bybee, Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• René David, former Chair of Comparative Law at the University of Paris
• Louis Favoreu, French academic and jurist
• Giorgio Gaja, former Judge of the International Court of Justice
• Ayşe Işıl Karakaş, Judge of the European Court of Human Rights
• Raymond Ranjeva, former Judge of the International Court of Justice
• Antonin Scalia, former Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court
• Bernhard Schlink, German jurist and writer
• Alec Stone Sweet, Leitner Professor of Law, Politics and International Studies at Yale Law School
• Symeon C. Symeonides, Dean of the Willamette University College of Law
• Michel Rosenfeld, Justice Sydney L. Robins Professor of Human Rights, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University
• Peter Annis, Judge of the Federal Court of Canada
• Marta Cartabia, former President of the Constitutional Court of Italy and Minister of Justice of Italy
• Suzanne Challe, former First President of the Court of Appeal of Nîmes
• Charles Debbasch, French academic and jurist
• Myriam Ezratty, former Director of the Prison Administration Directorate and First President of the Court of Appeal of Paris
• Charles Annibal Fabrot, French jurisconsult
• Claude Jorda, former Judge of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and Judge at the International Criminal Court
• Marie-Madeleine Mborantsuo, former President of the Constitutional Court of Gabon
• Iulia Motoc, Judge of the European Court of Human Rights and Judge of the International Criminal Court
• Louis Sarrut, former President of the Court of Cassation of France
• Herdis Thorgeirsdottir, Icelandic lawyer and political scientist
• Prosper Weil, French lawyer, professor emeritus at Panthéon-Assas University, member of the Académie des sciences morales et politiques
• Yves Rüedi, Judge of the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland
• Albert Jan van den Berg, the Arbitration Chair at Erasmus University Rotterdam and the president of the Netherlands Arbitration Institute

Arts, Literature, Humanities, and Entertainment

• Kiarash Anvari, Iranian film maker, video artist and script writer
• Fanny Ardant, French actress, winner of the 1997 César Award for Best Actress
• Robin Campillo, French screenwriter, editor and film director
• Bradley Cooper, American actor and film producer, twelve-time Academy Award nominee
• Philippe Faucon, French film director, screenwriter and producer, winner of the 2016 César Awards for Best Film and Best Adaptation
• Robert Guédiguian, French film director, actor, screenwriter and producer
• Caroline Huppert, French film director and screenwriter, sister of actress Isabelle Huppert
• Ariane Labed, French actress, winner of the Coppa Volpi for the Best Actress at the 67th Venice International Film Festival
• Jean Renoir, French film director, recipient of the Academy Honorary Award, son of the Impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir
• Richard Sammel, German actor
• Jean-Louis Trintignant, French actor, winner of the Best Actor Award at the 1969 Cannes Film Festival and the 2013 César Award for Best Actor
• Marcel Pagnol, French novelist, playwright, and filmmaker, first filmmaker elected to the Académie Française
• Paul Meurisse, French actor
• Xavier Accart, French historian of ideas
• Karima Dirèche, French Algerian historian specialising in the contemporary history of the Maghreb
• Marc Fumaroli, French historian and essayist, member of the Académie française, the Académie des Inscriptions, and a foreign member of the British Academy
• Bernard Lugan, French historian and associate professor of African history at Jean Moulin University Lyon 3
• Antoine Pagi, French ecclesiastical historian
• Régine Pernoud, French historian and medievalist
• Abdeljelil Temimi, Tunisian historian
• Matthias Theodor Vogt, German historian and musicologist
• Ali Bach Hamba, Tunisian journalist
• Julien Benedetto, French journalist
• François Chalais, French reporter, journalist, writer and film historian
• Úna Claffey, Irish journalist and political adviser
• Jim Hoagland, American journalist, associate editor, senior foreign correspondent and columnist for The Washington Post, two-time recipient of the Pulitzer Prize
• David Pujadas, French journalist and television presenter
• Chris Agee, Irish poet, essayist and editor
• Jean Aicard, French poet, dramatist and novelist, member of the Académie française
• Paul Alexis, French novelist, dramatist and journalist
• Joseph d'Arbaud, French poet
• Christophe Arleston, French comics writer and editor
• Léon de Berluc-Pérussis, French poet and historian
• Mongo Beti, Cameroonian writer
• Beverley Bie Brahic, American poet and translator
• Marcel Brion, French essayist, literary critic, novelist, historian, member of the Académie française
• Ashley Bryan, American writer and illustrator of children's books, winner of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award
• Marion May Campbell, Australian novelist and academic
• Raphaël Confiant, French writer
• Ghislain de Diesbach, French writer and biographer
• Ferdinand Duviard, French writer and novelist
• Jean Echenoz, French writer
• Marian Engel, Canadian novelist
• Charles Exbrayat, French fiction writer
• José Frèches, French historical novelist
• Madeleine Gagnon, Quebec educator, literary critic and writer
• Romain Gary, French novelist, film director, diplomat and World War II aviator, two-time winner of the Prix Goncourt
• Joachim Gasquet, French author, poet, and art critic
• Sebhat Gebre-Egziabher, Ethiopian writer
• José Giovanni, French writer and film-maker
• Pétur Gunnarsson, Icelandic writer
• Malek Haddad, Algerian poet and writer
• William Kreiten, German literary critic and poet
• Pierre La Mure, French author
• Abdelwahab Meddeb, French-language writer and cultural critic, professor of comparative literature at Paris Nanterre University
• Stoyan Mihaylovski, Bulgarian writer and social figure
• Denise Morel, French writer and psychiatrist
• Suzanne Prou, French novelist, winner of the 1973 Prix Renaudot
• André de Richaud, French poet and writer
• Yvon Rivard, Canadian writer
• Boris Schreiber, French writer
• Christiane Singer, French writer, essayist and novelist
• Olga Stanisławska, Polish writer
• Patrick Süskind, German writer and screenwriter
• Pierre Torreilles, French writer, poet and editor
• Bahaa Trabelsi, Moroccan novelist
• Ira Trivedi, Indian author, columnist, and yoga Acharya
• Ana Lydia Vega, Puerto Rican writer
• Manuel Veiga, Cape Verdean writer
• Keith Waldrop, American poet, writer and translator, professor emeritus at Brown University, winner of the 2009 National Book Award for Poetry
• Rosmarie Waldrop, American poet, translator and publisher
• Choe Yun, Korean writer, winner of the 1994 Yi Sang Literary Award
• Émile Zola, French novelist, journalist and playwright, twice nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature
• Thierry Amiel, French singer and songwriter
• Françoise Atlan, French singer
• Paul Bastide, French conductor and composer
• Emmanuel Boyer de Fonscolombe, French composer
• Régis Campo, French composer
• Anaïs Croze, French singer
• Darius Milhaud, French composer and conductor
• Francisco Negrin, award-winning stage director working in opera
• Joseph d'Ortigue, French musicologist and critic
• Henry Padovani, French musician, original guitarist for the Police
• Mélanie Pain, French indie pop singer
• Pierre Pradier, French classical pianist
• Jean-Pierre Rampal, French flautist
• Cécile McLorin Salvant, three-time Grammy Award-winning jazz singer
• Nicolas Vatomanga, saxophonist, flutist, bandleader and composer
• Gilles Barbier, French contemporary artist
• Paul Cézanne, French artist and Post-Impressionist painter
• Lucien Clergue, French photographer, former chairman of the Academy of Fine Arts
• Michel-François Dandré-Bardon, French history painter and etcher
• Roger Excoffon, French graphic designer
• Xiao Ge, Chinese artist and curator
• Phoebe Gloeckner, American cartoonist, illustrator, painter, and novelist
• Jeremy Houghton, British fine artist
• George Morrison, American landscape painter and sculptor
• Michael Reinhardt, American photographer
• Haim Steinbach, American artist
• Catherine Walker, designer of Diana, Princess of Wales

Scientists and Academics

• Philip Augustine, Indian gastroenterologist
• Philippe Baumard, organizational scientist, visiting professor at New York University, University of California, Berkeley, and Stanford University
• Saviour Bernard, Maltese medical practitioner, scientist, and major philosopher
• Mounir Bouchenaki, Algerian archaeologist and director of the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage
• Jean Boutière, French philologist
• Alexandre del Valle, Italo-French political scientist and geopolitician
• Maurice Dongier, neuropsychiatrist at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute
• François Doumenge, French geographer
• Pierre-Michel Duffieux, French physicist, founder of Fourier optics
• William A. Earle, American philosopher
• Mansour Mohamed El-Kikhia, Libyan academic and politician
• Pascal Engel, French philosopher
• Bruno Étienne, French sociologist and political analyst
• Arthur Fallot, French physician
• Alain Filloux, Professor and Chair of the Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection at Imperial College London
• Éric Geoffroy, French philosopher, islamologist, writer and scholar
• Paul Gourret, French zoologist
• Yang Huanming, Chinese genetics researcher, director of the Beijing Genomics Institute at the Chinese Academy of Sciences
• Emmanuel Hugot, French astrophysicist
• Fredric Jameson, American literary critic and Marxist political theorist, taught at Harvard and Yale
• Eugène Jamot, French physician
• Miro Kačić, Croatian linguist
• Henry-Louis de La Grange, musicologist and biographer of Gustav Mahler
• Saadi Lahlou, professor in social psychology at the London School of Economics
• Janja Lalich, professor of sociology at California State University, Chico
• Thomas Lamarre, Canadian academic, author, Japanologist and member of faculty of McGill University
• Henri Lefebvre, French sociologist, Marxist intellectual and philosopher
• Éliane Amado Levy-Valensi, French-Israeli psychologist, psychoanalyst and philosopher
• Jean-François Mattéi, French philosopher
• Marco Tulio Medina, Honduran neurologist and scientist
• Ferdinand Mélin-Soucramanien, President of the National Institute of Public Service
• Simon Claude Mimouni, French biblical scholar
• Jean-Baptiste Morin, French mathematician, astrologer and astronomer
• Jean-Jacques Nattiez, Canadian semiotician, professor of Musicology at the Université de Montréal
• Nicola Padfield, former Head of Fitzwilliam College of the University of Cambridge
• Philip M. Parker, INSEAD Chaired Professor of Management Science
• Elisabeth Pate-Cornell, Professor and Founding Chair of the Department of Management Science and Engineering at Stanford University
• Lucien-Marie Pautrier, French dermatologist
• Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc, French astronomer, antiquary and savant
• René Pomeau, French scholar, member of the Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques
• Jean-Bernard Racine, professor of geography at the Institute of Geography, Faculty of Geosciences and Environment of the University of Lausanne and at HEC Lausanne Business School
• Léon Rostan, French internist, member of the Académie Nationale de Médecine, and foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
• Laurent Sagart, director of research at the Centre de recherches linguistiques sur l'Asie orientale, unit of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
• Enric Sala, marine ecologist and Explorer-in-Residence at National Geographic
• Peng Shige, Chinese mathematician, member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
• Jean-Athanase Sicard, French neurologist and radiologist
• Antônio Roberto Monteiro Simões, linguist, associate professor at the University of Kansas
• Jacqueline Naze Tjøtta, Norwegian mathematician
• Gustavo Uzielli, Italian geologist, historian, and scientist
• David Veesler, French biochemist
• Jean Véronis, French linguist, computer scientist and blogger
• Jane Zemiro, Australian academic and author

Business and Economics

• Olivier Baussan, French businessman, founder of L'Occitane en Provence, Oliviers & Co and Première Pression Provence
• Sunil Benimadhu, Chief Executive of the Stock Exchange of Mauritius
• Philippe Bourguignon, member of the board of directors of eBay, former co-chief executive officer of the World Economic Forum
• Pierre Falcone, French businessman, Chairman of Pierson Capital Group
• Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus
• Jean-Marc Forneri, former CEO of Rossignol and Managing Partner of Banque Worms
• Bernard Gainnier, former Chairman and CEO of PwC France and Maghreb
• Christian Garin, former President of Marseille-Fos Port
• Xavier Giocanti, French businessman and entrepreneur
• Gilles Grapinet, Chairman and CEO of Worldline
• Peter Hambro, founder of Peter Hambro Mining, non-executive director of DeBeers Sa, Investec Bank, Persimmon plc, Arsenal Holdings plc, and former director of the Bank of England
• Rupert Hambro, British heir, banker, businessman and philanthropist
• Nabil Karoui, Tunisian businessman and politician
• Demetrios Mantzounis, former CEO of Alpha Bank
• Henri J. Nijdam, Publishing and Editorial Director of Le Nouvel Économiste

Frequently asked questions