Psychology Schools and Programs in France

Psychology Studies in France

Psychology in France is a university subject, taught mainly in public universities and in French. The route to the profession is fixed: the title of psychologue (psychologist) requires both a licence (bachelor's degree) and a master's degree in psychology, five years of study in all. Entry to the first year is open, but places at master's level are limited. SpainExchange lists 7 schools in France with psychology programmes.

How the degree is organised

The studies follow the European structure. According to Campus France, the national agency for international students, a licence takes six semesters (180 ECTS credits) and a master four more semesters (120 ECTS credits).

• Licence de psychologie (3 years): a broad introduction. At Nantes Université it covers cognitive, social, clinical and developmental psychology and neurobiology, together with scientific methods and statistics. A short placement is compulsory in the third year.
• Master (2 years): the professional specialisation. Nantes offers a master's degree in psychology with four tracks, among them clinical psychology and psychopathology, cognitive disorders, and child and adolescent psychology, and a second master's degree in social, work and organisational psychology. Placements are compulsory: at least 150 hours in the first year and 500 hours in the second.
• Doctorate: for research and university careers.

The title of psychologist

Nantes Université states that a licence and a master's degree in psychology are both compulsory to obtain the title of psychologue, and that its master's degree in psychology confers the title under a decree of 2005. The licence alone does not give the title. Students who plan to practise in another country should check the recognition rules there, and holders of a foreign degree should ask the French university how their studies will be assessed.

Admission and language

Entry to the first year of the licence is not selective. At Nantes, enrolment is a right for holders of the baccalauréat, within the faculty's capacity, and applications go through the Parcoursup platform. First-year groups are large: Nantes reports 562 students in the standard first-year track, and a pass rate of 66% among first-year students who sat the exams in 2024-25.

The master's degree is selective. Nantes has 80 first-year places in its master's degree in psychology, 20 per track, chosen on the basis of an application file and possibly an interview, and there is no direct entry into the second year. Applications for national master's degrees go through the monmaster.gouv.fr platform.

Non-European students who want to start in the first year file a preliminary request for admission (DAP); for the 2027-28 academic year, registration opens on 1 October 2026 and closes on 15 December 2026. Each institution decides whether to accept earlier studies, and some ask for a statement from the ENIC-NARIC centre, which costs 120 euros per request. Nantes asks international candidates to contact the faculty's teaching office.

Teaching at the public universities is in French. An exception in the list is the American University of Paris, a private university chartered in 1962, where the primary language of instruction is English. It offers a psychology major within an American-style bachelor's degree, described as preparation for work or further study; students who want the French title of psychologue should ask the university how this degree relates to the French licence and master.

Tuition fees

Public universities charge nationally set fees. For the 2026-27 academic year, according to Campus France, students from the EU, the EEA and Switzerland pay €178 per year for a bachelor's degree and €255 per year for a master's degree. Students from other countries pay €2,902 and €3,950 per year, unless an exemption applies. Private institutions set their own fees.

Where to study psychology in France

Six of the seven listed schools are public universities: Nantes Université, the Université d'Angers, the Université de Poitiers, the Université de Lorraine (listed in Metz), the Université Toulouse - Jean Jaurès and the Université Paris 8 Vincennes - Saint-Denis, near Paris. The seventh is the American University of Paris.

Careers

According to Nantes Université, psychology graduates find work in health and social services, schools, companies and organisations, the justice system, the police, research and teaching. Graduates of the licence who do not continue to a master's degree in psychology can move to other master's degrees, for example in education, or to training for social and health professions, without the title of psychologue.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to become a psychologist in France?

Five years: a three-year licence in psychology followed by a two-year master's degree in psychology. Both are compulsory for the title of psychologue.

Is it hard to get into psychology in France?

The first year of the licence is not selective, but the master's degree is. Nantes Université, for example, has 80 first-year places in its master's degree in psychology.

Can I study psychology in France in English?

The public universities teach in French. The American University of Paris, a private university, teaches mainly in English and offers a psychology major.

How much does it cost?

At public universities in 2026-27, EU, EEA and Swiss students pay €178 per year for a bachelor's degree and €255 for a master's degree. Other students pay €2,902 and €3,950 per year unless they are exempt.