The “Université de Bordeaux” (France) has a long-lasting university tradition dating back to 1441. It was newly established on the 1st of January 2014, following the merger of three universities: Université Bordeaux 1, Université Bordeaux Segalen and Université Bordeaux Montesquieu.Ranked among the top universities in France for the quality of its academic courses and research, it’s a multi-disciplinary, research-focused, international institution. The University of Bordeaux is the third largest university in France (based on the number of its students), with more than 50, 000 students, including almost 2, 000 PhD students and 6, 000 foreign students. It employs around 5, 600 staff members, of which nearly 3, 000 are academic and research staff.

Why choose us

The University of Bordeaux welcomes 56,000 students and nearly 6,000 staff members. Here are just 10 reasons to come and join us!

1. Multidisciplinary study programs

The University of Bordeaux offers 250 Master programs, 150 Bachelor (incl. vocational) programs and 55 national diplomas in health.

• Science and Technology
• Law, Political Science, Economics, Management
• Life and Health Sciences
• Social and Human Sciences

A large range of qualifications are possible, including of course a national diploma in oenology, thanks to our expertise within the domain of Vine and Wine Sciences.

2. International study programs

Approximately 12% of students at the University of Bordeaux are international. The university has developed a wide range of international study programs that are taught in English (or other languages such as Spanish) and that offer students the possibility of completing joint or double degrees.

Approximately 70 international study programs exist at Bachelor, Master and Doctorate levels including 18 EU-labeled programs. The University of Bordeaux is a leading university in France for participation in the Erasmus Mundus Program.

3. Highly qualified teaching staff

The university employs around 5,900 staff members, of which nearly 4,000 are academic and research staff. They are recognized for the quality of their scientific and teaching qualifications. They all hold doctorates or PhD degrees and the medical lecturers are all active hospital practitioners at Bordeaux University Hospital.

4. Cutting-edge research

The field of research is a driving force of the University of Bordeaux. The excellence of its competencies in all scientific fields was recognized in July 2011 when the university was awarded the “Initiative of Excellence”. This award consists of an endowment of 700M€ to support the growth and development of research. In 2016, the University of Bordeaux was one of the first universities in France to obtain confirmation of this program.

The university welcomes almost 2,000 PhD students, currently has 260 joint thesis (co-tutelle) agreements running, boasts 20 international associated laboratories and much more. Check out our key figures section to discover the scope of our research activities.

5. International recognition

The University of Bordeaux features in the following rankings:

• n°90 in the Times Higher Education Young University Ranking and 201-300 in their Impact Ranking (2021)
• n° 201-300 in the Shanghai General Ranking (2021)
• n°24 in Reuters Europe’s Top 100 Innovative Universities and n°80 in its World’s Top 100 Innovative Universities (2019)

6. Open to the world

The University of Bordeaux remains true to its open and humanistic philosophy. This openness is illustrated via the numerous partnerships with international universities (over 1,000 cooperation agreements have been signed with over 500 establishments worldwide). Dedicated programs have been implemented with Japan (Tsukuba, Kyoto, Kyushu), California, Canada (Laval, Montreal, Waterloo) and the Basque campus of excellence, “Euskampus”.

7. Implicated and involved students

Students play an active and important role in university life. They are elected to the university boards (Board of Governors, Scientific Council, Council on University Studies and Life) and participate in various consultative bodies.

Students are also involved in the annual appraisal of the teaching staff and become active members of cultural or faculty associations, all contributing in their own way to keeping the university “on the move”. There are in total over 135 student associations within the university.

8. Career guidance & professional insertion

Thanks to the multitude of study programs on offer, students are able to design their own personalized course of study that is best adapted to their personal and professional plans. Many courses are designed along with professional organizations, especially in the fields of pharmaceuticals, oenology, sport management, etc., with professional degrees and sandwich courses, as well as mandatory work experience starting in the first year.

For the duration of their studies, students are able to benefit from career guidance specialists on-site. Within the region, solid industrial partnerships have been established with the various economic sectors that exist (aeronautics, space, chemistry, health, IT, optic / laser, forestry and wine) and that offer promising career perspectives for our graduated students.

9. Dynamic campuses

The University of Bordeaux has one of the largest campuses (187 hectares) in Europe. It is composed of several sites that are located near to the city and that offer a wide range of services and amenities. In terms of sports equipment, the offer is extensive: 3 synthetic and 1 football turf pitches, 5 rugby turf pitches, a sports hall of 2,000m² for basketball, tennis, table tennis, badminton etc., 3 squash courts, an athletics track, a weights room… the list goes on!

Within each site, dedicated offices (for students and international researchers) offer advice and information to support the newcomers’ integration to university and city life. In addition, the future looks bright! Operation Campus is an ongoing renovation project of 538M€ destined to modernize and better equip the four main campus sites.

10. A unique location

Bordeaux is located at the very heart of Southern Europe, only a few hours from major EU capitals and cities. Here are just some of the city’s greatest characteristics:

• It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage List, described as “an outstanding urban and architectural ensemble”
• It is a dynamic metropolis, blessed with a particularly prestigious historical and cultural heritage. It is classified as “City of Art and History”
• It is the wine capital of the world with around 10,000 wine-producing châteaux
• It is located just one hour from the Atlantic Ocean, thus enjoying a mild oceanic climate and rich natural surroundings…

A bachelor’s degree is awarded at the successful completion of an undergraduate academic program. It is often the first degree a student received in his or her academic career. It typically takes four years of full-time study to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Students who want to further their education after obtaining a bachelor’s degree may want to pursue a Master. This advanced degree is available in a wide range of areas such as science, business, technology, arts and humanities.

France, officially the French Republic, is a unitary semi-presidential republic located mostly in Western Europe, with several overseas regions and territories.

Being a metropolitan area in France, Bordeaux city is home to over 200,000 residents. This is the home to a major wine industry and wine fair in the world. Bordeaux is also home to the University of Bordeaux.

View Bachelor Degrees in Bordeaux in France 2022