Study in Lille, France

About Lille

Lille is the main city of the Hauts-de-France region in northern France, close to the Belgian border. The commune had 238,246 inhabitants in 2023, according to INSEE, at the heart of a much larger metropolitan area, the Métropole Européenne de Lille. The University of Lille describes it as a city at the crossroads of Europe, close to Paris, Brussels and London, with close to 107,000 students.

Students choose Lille for a large public university with a wide range of subjects, for its business schools and for its easy connections to the rest of Europe. Teaching at the university is mostly in French, while the business schools teach many programmes in English.

Studying in Lille

Our directory lists two higher-education institutions in Lille:

• Université de Lille is a multidisciplinary public university with over 80,000 students. It brings together grandes écoles, faculties, institutes and internal schools, and its campuses are spread across the Lille metropolitan area. It holds the "Bienvenue en France" label from Campus France, awarded in 2019, with a third star added in 2024.
• IÉSEG School of Management, founded in 1964, is a non-profit business school, a member of the Université Catholique de Lille and of the Conférence des Grandes Écoles, with a historic campus in Lille and a second campus at Paris-La Défense. All its bachelor's and postgraduate programmes are taught in English, and it welcomes more than 2,500 international students a year. The school states that it has held the EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA accreditations since 2016. Its three-year Bachelor in International Business (180 ECTS) costs €13,500 for the first year in 2027-28.

Campus France recommends level B1 or B2 in French for bachelor's and master's studies, but French is not required for programmes taught in English. To improve, the University of Lille offers its exchange students free French classes (an intensive week before the semester and courses during it) at its Defi department on the Pont de Bois campus. It also runs intensive courses leading to a university diploma (DUEF) that can be used to enrol on a degree, and DELF/DALF and TCF exams.

Cost of living for students

Campus France notes that prices in large cities are often close to those of Paris. The French spend about €300 a month on food on average, and a meal in a university restaurant costs €1.

• Housing: Crous university residences, often close to the campuses, are reserved first for students with grants. Other options include Mon Logement Étudiant, a free public platform for social student housing, the Crous Lokaviz listings, where each offer is checked, and Studapart, the university's partner platform. Check which campus you will study on before looking for housing.
• Tuition at public institutions (2026-27): €178 a year for a bachelor's and €255 for a master's for EU, EEA and Swiss students; €2,902 and €3,950 for other international students, plus the €105 CVEC student life contribution. Private schools such as IÉSEG set their own fees.
• Transport: Campus France puts the student rate for an annual public transport pass outside Paris at between €250 and €300; check Ilévia for current Lille prices.

Getting around and daily life

Ilévia runs the metro, tram and buses of the metropolitan area, and all University of Lille campuses can be reached by public transport with a Pass Pass card. On weekdays the metro runs from 5:17 to a last departure at 0:30 from Lille Flandres; the tram has 2 lines and 36 stations, and the bus network covers more than 550 km across 89 towns. V'Lille self-service bikes are available, and the campuses have bike parking.

Main-line and regional trains serve several stations, including Lille Europe and Lille Flandres; students living in Hauts-de-France can use the "Mon Abo Etudiant TER" regional train pass. Students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland need a long-stay student visa for studies of more than three months; European students do not need a visa. International students may work up to 964 hours a year, the equivalent of 60% of full-time hours.

Frequently asked questions

Which universities are in Lille?

The public Université de Lille, with over 80,000 students, and IÉSEG School of Management, a business school that teaches all its bachelor's and postgraduate programmes in English.

Can I study in English in Lille?

Yes. All of IÉSEG's bachelor's and postgraduate programmes are in English. At the university most teaching is in French, and Campus France recommends level B1 or B2 for French-taught degrees.

Can I learn French at the University of Lille?

Yes. Exchange students get free French classes, and the Defi department runs intensive courses for a university diploma (DUEF) and DELF/DALF and TCF exams.

How do students get around Lille?

By Ilévia metro, tram and bus with a Pass Pass card, or with V'Lille self-service bikes. All university campuses are served by public transport.