Contents
Université de Lille admission at a glance
To start a Licence (L1) at the Université de Lille from abroad, you apply either through Parcoursup or through a demande d'admission préalable (DAP), depending on your nationality and diploma; the university asks for French at B2, and the standard Licence fee for 2026/2027, the latest published year (2027/2028 not yet published), is EUR 178 for EU, EEA and Swiss students, while other international students pay differentiated fees.
The Université de Lille is a large university: its English profile page counts 80,000 students and nearly 8,000 staff.
The first-year route at the Université de Lille depends on who you are. Admission to the first year of a BUT, DEUST or Licence goes through Parcoursup for everyone outside continuing education. The Licence pages, for example International studies in economics and management, then split applicants: French nationals with a foreign school-leaving diploma and EU or assimilated nationals apply on Parcoursup, while non-EU nationals with foreign diplomas file a DAP.
Three rules catch applicants from abroad at the Université de Lille. First-year programmes such as the PASS and the BUT Informatique are taught in French, and the fully English-taught degrees are 100% English-taught Master's degrees, listed for 2027-2028, so at Licence level you study in French or in a bilingual track. And students classed as "other international students" on the fee page, the line that covers a non-EU applicant to a first-year Licence, pay differentiated fees; the exemption commission can grant a total or partial exemption, and for 2026-2027 the requests close on 31 October 2026.
| Topic | What the Université de Lille states |
|---|---|
| Route | Parcoursup for EU and assimilated nationals and French nationals with a foreign diploma; DAP for non-EU nationals with foreign diplomas |
| Calendar | Parcoursup mid-January to mid-March on the ISEM Licence page, no session year given; the latest dated DAP deadline, on the health faculty page, was 15 December 2025 for the 2026 intake |
| French | B2 minimum French certification, unless exempt |
| Fee | EUR 178 for a Licence in 2026/2027 for EU, EEA and Swiss students; differentiated fees for other international students |
| Selection | On the PASS page, a commission of teachers ranks the Parcoursup files against published expectations and criteria |
Université de Lille: faculties, schools and the IUT
The Université de Lille has two kinds of members, composantes and établissements-composantes: its own faculties, schools and institutes, among them the IUT and Polytech Lille, and four schools, ENSAIT, ESJ Lille, ENSAPL and Sciences Po Lille.
Faculties, institutes and Polytech Lille
The composantes group the faculties, schools and institutes of the Université de Lille, and Polytech Lille, the university's engineering school, is one of them.
| Short name | Faculty, school or institute |
|---|---|
| FHUMA | Faculty of humanities |
| FASEST | Faculty of economic and social sciences and territories |
| UFR3S | Health and sport sciences |
| IUT | University institute of technology |
| LCS | Faculty of languages, cultures and societies |
| FST | Faculty of science and technology |
| IAE Lille | University School of Management |
| Polytech Lille | University engineering school |
| PSYSEF | Faculty of psychology, education and training sciences |
| FSJPS | Faculty of law, political and social sciences |
| INSPÉ | National institute for teacher education |
The four établissements-composantes
The établissements-composantes of the Université de Lille are ENSAIT (textile engineering), ESJ Lille (journalism), ENSAPL (architecture and landscape) and Sciences Po Lille. The Licence routes in the next chapters are those of the composantes; for these four schools, check each school's own admissions page. Centrale Lille, IÉSEG and the Université catholique de Lille do not appear on the Université de Lille's list of members.
The Université de Lille in numbers
The Université de Lille's English profile page counts nearly 8,000 staff members and 80,000 students.
Rankings
The Université de Lille's identity and organisation pages cite no Shanghai, QS or THE position. Judge it by the programme you want, its language of teaching and its selection, which the next chapters cover.
Parcoursup or DAP: which first-year route applies to you
Every first-year BUT, DEUST or Licence at the Université de Lille is filled through Parcoursup, which is where EU and assimilated nationals and French nationals with a foreign diploma apply; non-EU nationals with foreign diplomas instead file a demande d'admission préalable (DAP); the dated DAP deadlines on its pages belong to the 2026 intake, such as 15 December 2025 on the health faculty page, and no 2027/2028 dates are published yet.
The route at the Université de Lille is set by your nationality and your school-leaving diploma. The two routes have different forms and different calendars, so pick yours before you plan anything else.
| Your profile | Route |
|---|---|
| EU, EEA or assimilated national | Parcoursup |
| French national with a foreign school-leaving diploma | Parcoursup |
| Non-EU national with foreign diplomas, first year | DAP |
| Entry into L2, L3, BUT 2, BUT 3 or DEUST 2 | eCandidat |
The Parcoursup route
Parcoursup is the national platform for admission to the first year of French higher education, and the Université de Lille uses it for the first year of every BUT, DEUST and Licence outside continuing education. Licence pages such as International studies in economics and management send French nationals with a foreign school-leaving diploma and EU and assimilated nationals there. That same ISEM page gives the Parcoursup window as mid-January to mid-March, without naming a session year. As of October 2026, the double licence Mathématiques - Informatique page sends the same two groups to Parcoursup, from mid-January to mid-March. The Licence Droit page words its first-year group differently: it names final-year pupils, students changing course, "personnes de nationalité étrangère" with a foreign school-leaving diploma and EU or assimilated nationals, all on the national Parcoursup platform; the ISEM, PASS and BUT Informatique pages send non-EU nationals with foreign diplomas to the DAP, so confirm your route with the faculty.
The DAP route for non-EU applicants
The DAP is the first-year route for non-EU nationals holding foreign diplomas, who are outside the Parcoursup public. As of October 2026, the BUT Informatique page states the same rule: non-EU nationals with foreign diplomas file a demande d'admission préalable (DAP).
The Université de Lille health faculty page for medicine, odontology and pharmacy shows, for non-EU applicants to the first year of PASS or L.AS in the 2026 intake, how the DAP channel depended on where you lived. If your country was connected to Études en France, you filed the DAP with Campus France on the Études en France platform before 15 December 2025. If it was not connected, you sent a paper DAP Blanche to Campus France in your country by the same date. Those dates have passed, and DAP dates for 2027/2028 are not yet published.
Who does not file a DAP
The Université de Lille Licence pages take two groups out of the DAP by sending them to Parcoursup: EU and assimilated nationals and French nationals with a foreign school-leaving diploma.
Entering in the second or third year
Applications to the Université de Lille for L2, L3, BUT 2, BUT 3 or DEUST 2 go online through eCandidat. For the 2026 intake, the eCandidat campaign for rentrée 2026 opened step by step on a calendar set by each programme.
Université de Lille deadlines for the 2027 intake
The Université de Lille has not yet published its application calendar for the 2027 intake: the only Parcoursup window on its pages is mid-January to mid-March, on the ISEM Licence page and with no session year, and the latest dated DAP deadline, 15 December 2025 on the health faculty page, belonged to the 2026 intake. The dated 2027 events are the Salon de l'Étudiant on 14 to 16 January 2027 and the open day on 30 January 2027.
Plan the 2027 intake at the Université de Lille from the last published cycle and check each date again when the 2027/2028 notices appear. The past dates below show how early the DAP route closes: for the 2026 intake, non-EU applicants to the first year of PASS or L.AS had to file before 15 December 2025.
Parcoursup calendar
Parcoursup is the national platform for admission to the first year of first-cycle higher education. The Université de Lille's ISEM Licence page states mid-January to mid-March for applications, without a session year; the Université de Lille publishes no exact Parcoursup 2027 dates.
DAP calendar
The PASS page places the DAP between 01.10 and 15.12 of "the current year", with no year named, and the health faculty page dated its last window before 15 December 2025, for the 2026 intake; no 2027/2028 DAP dates are published yet. If your DAP route needs a French test, the CLIL page says registration for the TCF DAP with FEI ran from 3 November to 15 December 2025, and a green or blue DAP file filed with your institution was a condition for sitting that test.
After admission: enrolment and payment
An offer from the Université de Lille is followed by an online administrative enrolment. At the IUT, that campaign starts on 10 July at 14h00, with no year given on the IUT page. Before enrolling you need your CVEC certificate. You then pay by card, in full or in 3 instalments, and your enrolment is finalised once payment is made and your file is validated by the student records office.
French language requirements at the Université de Lille
To study at the Université de Lille, its French-learning page asks for French at B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference, and some programmes ask for more: the PASS page requires C1 minimum from non-EU applicants in the DAP. In the DAP route the French test is the TCF, which the Université de Lille language centre (CLIL) runs in Lille.
As of October 2026, the international student page puts the general rule this way: unless you are exempt, you must justify a French certification at B2 minimum. Programme pages can set their own level, and the table shows the ones the Université de Lille states.
| Programme or route | French level the page states |
|---|---|
| International students, general rule (unless exempt) | B2 minimum |
| PASS (health access Licence), non-EU applicants in the DAP | C1 minimum |
| Medicine, odontology, pharmacy (health faculty page for individual international applicants) | C1, validated |
| BUT Informatique, first year, non-EU applicants in the DAP | B2 minimum |
| Management et gestion à l'international (L1-L2), non-native speakers | B2 minimum |
A level stated on a programme page applies to that programme only. The C1 on the PASS page, which sits in its paragraph for non-EU DAP applicants, and the C1 on the medicine, odontology and pharmacy page are health rules, and the Management et gestion à l'international page sets French B2 only for candidates whose first language is not French.
The TCF: the French test in the DAP route
On its TCF page for the 2026/2027 cycle, the CLIL, the Université de Lille centre for languages, offers two versions of the test: the TCF Tout Public (TP) and the TCF Demande Admission Préalable (DAP). The TCF DAP is meant for foreign students who want to enter licence 1 at a French university or a French school of architecture. The TCF Tout Public measures French from A1 to C2 and has 3 compulsory parts. No diploma and no preparation are required to sit either test.
All TCF exams at the Université de Lille take place on the Flers-Château campus in Villeneuve d'Ascq. For the last DAP cycle, the CLIL page says registration for the TCF DAP with FEI ran from 3 November to 15 December 2025, and a green or blue DAP file filed with your institution had to come first; that window has closed.
Validity and the next sessions
The CLIL states that a TCF level certificate is valid for 2 years. The CLIL's next TCF Tout Public sessions are in February, April and June 2027.
Exemptions from the French test
As of October 2026, the international student page writes the rule with the words "sauf cas de dispense" (unless exempt) and lists no exemption cases on that page, so ask the Université de Lille international office whether your diploma or nationality exempts you before you book a test. If your French is below B2, the Université de Lille runs a French programme for foreign students, the DUEF, described in the chapter on learning French first.
Entry requirements and selection: baccalauréat or equivalent
A Université de Lille Licence asks for the baccalauréat, a DAEU or an equivalent school-leaving diploma, with no published minimum grade per foreign credential and no SAT or ACT; on Parcoursup, programme pages such as the PASS say a commission of teachers ranks the files against published expectations and general criteria.
The school-leaving diploma you need
Université de Lille Licence pages write the same condition: you are in your final year of school, or a student changing course, and you hold the baccalauréat, a diplôme d'accès aux études universitaires (DAEU) or an equivalent. The PASS page sets the same condition for the health access Licence, and the L.AS Droit and Polytech PeiP pages give the entry level, as of October 2026, as "Baccalauréat ou équivalent". For an applicant from abroad, the word that matters is "equivalent": your own country's school-leaving diploma is what you present.
The Université de Lille does not publish a table of foreign credentials. It states no minimum for the IB Diploma, A-levels, the Abitur, the Matura or a US high school diploma, and no SAT or ACT requirement. For subjects, the bilingual MPCSI Licence page lists, as of October 2026, recommended prerequisites: the Mathematics speciality is essential, Physics-Chemistry important and the expert maths option advised. Once admitted, you enrol with copies of your diplomas (lycée, licence, master) with a certified translation if the document is not in French, as the guide for incoming students asks as of October 2026.
How the Université de Lille ranks files
On Parcoursup, each Université de Lille programme publishes its characteristics, expectations, criteria, documents and selection method, here in the words of the Mathematics and Computer Science double Licence page as of October 2026. On the ISEM page, a commission of teachers then ranks your application against them; the PASS page describes the same ranking against its expectations and general criteria, and its FAQ on Parcoursup ranking adds that the head teacher's opinion (Fiche Avenir) is also considered.
| Programme | What the page says about selection |
|---|---|
| International studies in economics and management | Selective, about 35 students with good English |
| Management et gestion à l'international (L1-L2) | School results, general knowledge, English B2 minimum; 150 candidates invited to an oral interview |
| BUT Informatique, first year | Selective, criteria on Parcoursup |
| Polytech engineering preparatory route (PeiP) | Entry through the GEIPI-POLYTECH exam |
| L.AS, entry into health studies | Licence grades and, where needed, oral tests |
Interviews and entrance exams
The Université de Lille describes selection on the file for its first-year programmes and names no general first-year entrance exam. Three exceptions matter. Management et gestion à l'international selects only via Parcoursup, and after reading the files its commission invites 150 candidates to an oral interview before two IAE teachers. The Polytech preparatory route admits through the GEIPI-POLYTECH competitive exam.
The third exception is the L.AS. Entry from an L.AS into the health streams takes into account the grades obtained in the Licence and, where applicable, the result of specific oral tests. That selection happens during your studies at the Université de Lille, not at first-year entry.
Medicine at the Université de Lille: PASS, L.AS and the UFR3S
At the Université de Lille, medicine starts with the PASS, a first year common to five disciplines, or with an L.AS, a Licence with a health access unit; the PASS is taught in French, and non-EU applicants with foreign diplomas file a DAP, for which the PASS page asks for French at C1 minimum.
The PASS
The Parcours d'Accès Spécifique Santé (PASS) at the Université de Lille opens a first year common to five disciplines, among them midwifery and physiotherapy. Alongside the health courses you take an opening minor, and by agreement with the nursing school (IFSI) of the CHU de Lille the PASS also offers a minor in nursing sciences.
The Université de Lille states, however, that midwifery and physiotherapy are not taught by the university itself. Students admitted into health studies at the end of the procedure must complete a care internship of 3 weeks minimum during the summer.
Places and selection
The Université de Lille PASS and L.AS pages do not publish a number of places or admissions. On the PASS page, a commission of teachers ranks the Parcoursup files against the published expectations and general criteria, and the French requirement for DAP applicants reads C1 minimum within the limit of the capacity.
How applicants from abroad enter
| Your situation | Route |
|---|---|
| European national | Parcoursup |
| Non-EU, country connected to Études en France | DAP with Campus France on Études en France |
| Non-EU, country not connected | Paper DAP Blanche to Campus France in your country |
| Living in France without a French baccalauréat | Paper DAP verte to the health records office |
The Université de Lille medicine, odontology and pharmacy page also requires a validated C1 level in French. For the 2026 intake, DAP files had to be in before 15 December 2025, offers came by 30 April 2026, and applicants had until 31 May 2026 to reply. Those dates have passed. The PASS page itself places the DAP between 01.10 and 15.12 of "the current year" (day and month, no year named on the page); DAP dates for 2027/2028 are not yet published. As of October 2026, the medicine, odontology and pharmacy page lists the countries connected to Études en France, among them Algeria, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Japan, Morocco, the United Kingdom and the United States. Applicants who already hold a medicine, pharmacy, odontology or midwifery diploma validated outside the EU and the EEA send a certified copy with an official translation where needed.
The L.AS: a Licence with a health option
An L.AS is a regular Université de Lille Licence, for example Droit - accès santé, with an accès santé unit worth 12 ECTS that prepares students for the health streams (medicine, pharmacy, odontology, midwifery). Entry into those streams depends on the grades obtained in the Licence and, where applicable, specific oral tests. The health page gives the same routes for the first year of PASS or L.AS: Parcoursup for European nationals, and a DAP for non-EU nationals, as in the table above.
What to study: Licences, double licences, BUT and Polytech
An applicant from abroad can enter the Université de Lille through a Licence, a double licence, a 3-year BUT at the IUT de Lille, or the two-year Polytech preparatory route towards an engineering degree.
The first-year formats differ in length, selection and language, so the table below sets them side by side before the details.
| Format | Length | How you get in |
|---|---|---|
| Double licence Mathématiques - Informatique | Three years, two Licence diplomas | Parcoursup, selection criteria on the platform |
| BUT Informatique (IUT de Lille) | 3 years | Selective; DAP for non-EU applicants, with French B2 minimum |
| Polytech preparatory route (PeiP) | Two years, or 3 years via a BUT | GEIPI-POLYTECH exam |
Licences and double licences
A double licence at the Université de Lille leads to two diplomas at once: the Mathematics and Computer Science double licence runs over three years and awards a Licence in mathematics and a Licence in computer science. Like other selective first-year programmes, it lists its criteria and selection method on Parcoursup.
If Parcoursup gives you a conditional offer for an Université de Lille Licence, a "Oui si", the university adapts your first year in one of two ways. One adds an extra year of catch-up teaching built into the programme, for students new to a subject or who need to reach the level. The other keeps the normal length: the support scheme is a very complete accompaniment during the first year of the Licence of 6 hours a week, and the remediation scheme adds 3 to 5 extra hours a week of subject and method teaching.
The BUT at the IUT de Lille
The Bachelor universitaire de technologie (BUT) is a 3-year technology degree taught by the Institut Universitaire de Technologie de Lille, in French. The BUT Informatique page calls the programme selective and sends non-EU applicants with foreign diplomas to the DAP, with French at B2 minimum.
Engineering through Polytech Lille
Polytech Lille is the Université de Lille's own engineering school, and engineering applications go through Polytech'Lille. The Parcours des écoles d'ingénieurs Polytech (PeiP) is a preparatory course of two years (or 3 years with a BUT), entered through the GEIPI-POLYTECH exam. After it, students choose their engineering cycle among nearly 100 specialisations offered by the 16 schools of the Polytech network.
English-taught programmes at Lille: Masters and bilingual Licences
The degrees the Université de Lille teaches fully in English are Masters, listed in its flyer of 100% English-taught Master's degrees 2027-2028; at Licence level you will find bilingual or English-taught tracks inside French Licences, not a fully English bachelor, and the Management et gestion à l'international track asks for English at B2 minimum.
For a first-year applicant from abroad, the English options on the Licence pages are bilingual or English-taught tracks inside French Licences, such as those below, each with its own selection.
Bilingual and English-taught Licence tracks
| Track | Language | What the page says |
|---|---|---|
| International studies in economics and management (ISEM) | English and French | A bilingual English-French track of the Économie et Gestion Licence, about 35 students with a good level of English |
| Management et gestion à l'international (L1-L2) | English | English B2 minimum; French B2 minimum for non-native speakers |
| Mathématiques, physique, chimie, physique-chimie, option Bilingue | French and English | Selective French-English track, opened every year in licence 1 |
Each of these Université de Lille tracks is selective and has its own route: ISEM goes through Parcoursup or the DAP depending on your nationality, Management et gestion à l'international selects only via Parcoursup, and the bilingual science option is offered to holders of the baccalauréat with a good level of English. The French-language rules above still apply, because these tracks sit inside French Licences.
English-taught Masters
The Université de Lille flyer of 100% English-taught Master's degrees 2027-2028 lists the Master's programmes. The flyer adds that years highlighted in blue are closed on the Études en France platform, so check each year before you plan a DAP.
The English level you need
For the English-taught Masters, the Université de Lille flyer requires B2 in the language of instruction, unless otherwise specified. At Licence level, Management et gestion à l'international asks for English at B2 minimum, and for French at B2 minimum from candidates whose first language is not French.
Cost of study: standard fees, differentiated fees and the CVEC
For 2026/2027, the latest year the Université de Lille has published (2027/2028 not yet published), the standard fee is 178€ for a Licence and 255€ for a Master, plus the 105 € CVEC; EU, EEA and Swiss students pay the standard fee automatically, while students outside those groups who are classed as "other international students" pay differentiated fees.
The fee page gives these standard amounts for 2026/2027 on its line for French nationals other than bursary holders, pupilles de la nation and continuing-education trainees; the other groups that pay standard fees are listed below.
Who pays the standard fee and who pays differentiated fees
The Université de Lille fee page sorts students by situation. Students covered by articles 3 to 6 of the decree of 19 April 2019, which include nationals of an EU member state, another EEA state or Switzerland, pay the standard fees automatically, with no request. The page defines non-EU international students as those who are not nationals of an EU state, an EEA state or Switzerland.
| Your situation | Fee you pay |
|---|---|
| EU, EEA or Swiss national (articles 3 to 6) | Standard: 178€ for a Licence |
| Other international students, including non-EU first-year Licence students | Differentiated fees, amounts in a separate 2026-2027 document |
| Non-EU, first enrolled in 2025/2026 at Master or engineering level | Standard for the whole cycle: 255€ Master, 630€ engineering |
| Non-EU doctoral student | Standard: 398€ |
| Non-EU student in distance learning | Standard fees |
For a non-EU applicant to a first-year Licence at the Université de Lille, the line that applies is "other international students": you pay differentiated fees, whose amounts the Université de Lille publishes in a separate document for 2026-2027. For the groups that pay the standard rate despite being non-EU, the Université de Lille explains that this is an automatic partial exemption from the differentiated fees. The fee page words the Master and engineering rule for the cohort first enrolled in 2025/2026, so confirm the rule for your own entry year.
The CVEC and how you pay
Every student at the Université de Lille, except in continuing education and HDR, must obtain the CVEC certificate before administrative enrolment. For 2026-2027 the CVEC is 105 €. You pay the enrolment fees online by bank card, in full or in 3 instalments; the instalment option is open for any enrolment until 31/10/2026.
Fee exemptions
You are exempt from Université de Lille enrolment fees by right if you hold a bursary on social criteria or a French government bursary, or are a pupille de la nation. Others can ask for an exemption on social and personal criteria. The commission can grant a total or partial exemption to students who pay differentiated fees.
The Université de Lille opened its 2026/2027 exemption campaign on 1 April 2026, and requests for Licence, BUT, DEUST, professional Licence, engineering cycle and Master enrolments must be sent before 31 October 2026. The 2027/2028 campaign dates are not yet published.
Scholarships and financial aid at the Université de Lille
On its aid pages, the Université de Lille points to the French bursary on social criteria, requested each year through the DSE before 31 May, and says its aids and bursaries can be combined; students who pay differentiated fees can ask for a total or partial exemption. Plan on the Maison Internationale's estimate of 800 to 1 300 € a month, housing included, for one person.
Bursaries and other aid
The French bursary on social criteria and a room in a university residence are requested together: each year you fill in a dossier social étudiant (DSE) online before 31 May. The Université de Lille adds that its aids and bursaries can be combined.
- Bursary holders get 100 free meals in CROUS restaurants per academic year, under conditions.
- Since May 2026, the CROUS meal at 1 € is open to all students, without a means test.
- The Université de Lille offers a free laptop loan and an internet connection package.
A monthly budget for Lille
The Maison Internationale of the Université de Lille gives a budget for one person living in Lille. These are its estimates, not fees, and your own costs depend on your housing.
Add the one-off costs to that monthly budget: the Université de Lille enrolment fee for your status and the 105 € CVEC for 2026-2027, both covered in the cost chapter.
Housing for Université de Lille students
Université de Lille students live in CROUS university residences, private residences or rooms rented from private owners; CROUS rooms go first to bursary holders, and the Maison Internationale estimates a studio at 450 to 650€ a month and a flatshare at 300 to 450€ per person. Since 1 July 2026, non-EU students can only receive the CAF housing aid (APL) if they hold a CROUS bursary on social criteria.
Check where you will study before you look for a room. The Université de Lille campuses are spread across the whole Lille metropolitan area, so a room near one campus can be far from another.
CROUS university residences
CROUS residences are reserved first for bursary holders. To get a room, you file a dossier social étudiant (DSE) every year.
Private rooms and Lokaviz
Outside the CROUS residences, the Université de Lille housing page points to private residences and rooms rented from private owners. For rooms with private owners it names Lokaviz, the CROUS system, where each listing is checked and the housing is labelled on precise criteria.
Rent, deposit and guarantor
| Item | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Studio | 450 to 650€ a month |
| Flatshare | 300 to 450€ a month per person |
| Deposit | 1 month of rent, sometimes 2 if furnished |
The Maison Internationale warns international students that most landlords ask for a guarantor.
Housing aid (APL)
The CAF housing aid (APL) lowers the rent, but the rule changed for students from outside the EU: since 1 July 2026, students from outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland can receive the APL only if they receive a CROUS bursary on social criteria. Plan your budget without the APL unless that applies to you.
Learning French first: DUEF and the CLIL
If your French is not yet at the level a Licence asks for, the Université de Lille runs the DUEF, an intensive French programme of 15h a week in which you can validate one level per semester; pre-registration for 2027-2028 runs from 1 to 15 April 2027, and for 2026/2027 the courses cost 3 252€ a year plus a 100€ file fee.
The DUEF (Diplôme d'Université d'Études Françaises) is taught by the DEFI, the French-for-international-students department of the Université de Lille language centre, on the Pont-de-Bois campus. A semester lasts 13 weeks, and at the end of each one you can obtain the DUEF of the level you reached. The B2 level courses prepare both the DUEF B2 and the DELF B2.
How to apply for 2027-2028
For the current year, the first semester of 2026-2027 runs from 21 September 2026 to 29 January 2027. The 2027-2028 calendar of courses is not yet published.
The DUEF application file asks for a copy of your secondary school-leaving diploma (baccalauréat) with a certified translation, and a copy of the university entrance exam, if your country has one, also with a certified translation. If the commission refuses you, you do not pay the pre-registration fee; if it accepts you, you pay the 100€ promptly. The pre-registration certificate is the document you take to the French consulate or Campus France for a long-stay student visa (visa D), and you must be in France from the date it states.
What the DUEF costs
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| File fee, non-deductible and non-refundable | 100€ |
| Courses for the full academic year | 3 252€ |
| One semester | 1858€ |
| Extension, second semester of the same year | 1536€ |
From the DUEF to a Licence
The Université de Lille presents the DUEF as a university diploma that then lets you join a Université de Lille programme. For the programme itself, check its route and French level in the chapters on Parcoursup and the DAP and on French.
Student life, campuses, visa and arriving in Lille
The Université de Lille campuses are spread across the whole Lille metropolitan area, and every campus is reachable by public transport; if you come from outside the EU and the Études en France procedure does not cover you, the Université de Lille guide for incoming students describes a long-stay visa serving as a residence permit (VLS-TS) that you validate within 3 months of arrival, paying a 50€ tax.
The Université de Lille campuses include Cité scientifique and Pont-de-Bois, Lille Moulins and Roubaix. All of them are reachable by public transport, and several train stations are within reach on foot or by public transport: Lille Europe, Lille Flandres, Lille CHR, Lille Porte de Douai, Pont de bois, Roubaix and Tourcoing.
| Between | By metro | By bike |
|---|---|---|
| Cité scientifique and Pont-de-Bois | 10 min | 15 min |
| Pont-de-Bois and Lille Moulins | 30 min | 20 min |
| Roubaix and Pont-de-Bois | 45 min | 40 min |
Libraries, sport, food and health
The Université de Lille libraries and learning center recorded 2 059 000 entries in 2024. For sport, the sport page offers more than 80 physical and sporting activities, while the campus life page speaks of 40; the two Université de Lille pages give different counts. Since May 2026 the CROUS meal at 1 € is open to every student without a means test, and the student health centre lists hours of Monday to Friday, 8h30 to 17h.
Support in the first year
If Parcoursup admits you with a "Oui si", the Université de Lille offers an adapted course of study: either an extra catch-up year or support within the normal length, such as 3 to 5 extra hours a week of remediation in the first year.
Visa and residence for non-EU students
The Université de Lille guide for incoming international students sets out the steps below, without naming a year; check them against the French consulate in your country before you travel.
- Citizens of an EU member state come and move freely in France without a visa or residence permit.
- If you are neither covered by the Études en France procedure nor an EU national, you apply for a long-stay visa that serves as a residence permit (VLS-TS); processing usually takes 15 days.
- You have 3 months after arriving in France to validate the visa, and validation costs a 50€ residence tax.
- Foreign students may work alongside their studies for up to 964 hours a year.
Careers after the Université de Lille
The Université de Lille publishes no overall employment rate for Licence graduates; the figure it does give is for work-study (alternance), a lasting employment rate of 90 % in Master, professional Licence and BUT tracks, 17 points above the classic route.
Alternance combines study at the university with work in a company. At the Université de Lille it is possible from Bac+1 to Bac+5, and the 90 % figure covers those work-study tracks in Master, professional Licence and BUT, not every graduate.
Career services
Lilagora, the university's professional network, counts 35 000 members.
For an international student, the Université de Lille guide for incoming students adds that foreign students may work up to 964 hours a year alongside their studies.
Who is the Université de Lille for? Summary and next steps
The Université de Lille suits an applicant who can study in French at B2 (C1 minimum for non-EU DAP applicants to the PASS) and wants a large university with a wide choice of Licences, a route into medicine, BUTs at the IUT and an engineering path through Polytech Lille; if you are a non-EU applicant, budget for differentiated fees and plan your DAP route early.
Who the Université de Lille suits
- School-leavers who already work in French: the general level is B2, and first-year programmes such as the PASS are taught in French.
- EU, EEA and Swiss applicants: you apply on Parcoursup and pay the standard 178€ Licence fee for 2026/2027.
- Future doctors, dentists and pharmacists: the PASS and the L.AS lead to the health streams, with French at C1 minimum for non-EU DAP applicants on the PASS page.
- Future engineers: Polytech Lille's preparatory route admits through the GEIPI-POLYTECH exam.
The Université de Lille fits less well if you want a bachelor's taught only in English: its fully English-taught degrees are Master's degrees, and at Licence level you find bilingual tracks. A non-EU first-year student pays differentiated fees rather than the standard rate, and can ask the commission for a total or partial exemption.
Four steps for 2027 entry
Each step has its own chapter: the Parcoursup or DAP route, French, and money in the cost and scholarship chapters. Check every date again on the Université de Lille pages once the 2027/2028 notices are out.
Université de Lille: frequently asked questions
What is the acceptance rate at the Université de Lille?
The Université de Lille publishes no overall acceptance rate. Selection is by programme: on Parcoursup the ISEM page says a commission of teachers ranks the files, and the International studies in economics and management Licence takes about 35 students.
Do I need the SAT, ACT or a minimum grade to enter a Licence?
The Licence pages ask for the baccalauréat, a DAEU or an equivalent diploma. The Université de Lille states no SAT or ACT requirement and no minimum grade per foreign credential, and programme pages such as the PASS point to the expectations and general criteria published on Parcoursup.
How do I apply from outside the EU?
Non-EU nationals with foreign diplomas file a demande d'admission préalable (DAP) for the first year, while EU and assimilated nationals use Parcoursup. For the 2026 intake, the health faculty's DAP deadline was 15 December 2025; DAP dates for 2027 entry are not yet published.
What are the application deadlines for 2027 entry?
The Université de Lille has not published its 2027 application dates. Its ISEM Licence page gives Parcoursup as mid-January to mid-March without a session year, and for the 2026 intake the health-faculty DAP closed on 15 December 2025. The next dated events are the open day on 30 January 2027 and the DUEF pre-registration for 2027-2028 on 1 to 15 April 2027.
What level of French do I need?
Unless you are exempt, the Université de Lille asks international students for a French certification at B2 minimum. The PASS page asks non-EU applicants in the DAP for C1 minimum, and the Management et gestion à l'international track asks for French B2 minimum from non-native speakers. The Université de Lille language centre runs the TCF in Lille, with Tout Public sessions in February, April and June 2027.
Can I study a bachelor's degree in English at the Université de Lille?
Not fully. The Université de Lille's fully English-taught degrees are Master's degrees, listed in its flyer for 2027-2028. At Licence level there are bilingual tracks, such as the English-French ISEM track with about 35 students.
How much are the tuition fees?
For 2026/2027, the latest published year, EU, EEA and Swiss students pay EUR 178 for a Licence, plus the EUR 105 CVEC. Other international students, including non-EU students starting a Licence, pay differentiated fees, and exemption requests for 2026-2027 close on 31 October 2026.
Are there scholarships for international students?
The Université de Lille aid pages point to the French bursary on social criteria, requested through a DSE filed each year before 31 May, and say its aids and bursaries can be combined. Holders of a bursary on social criteria or a French government bursary are exempt from enrolment fees, and students who pay differentiated fees can ask the commission for a total or partial exemption.
How much does it cost to live in Lille?
The Maison Internationale estimates 800 to 1 300 € a month for one person, housing included, with a studio at 450 to 650€. The Maison Internationale adds that since 1 July 2026, non-EU students receive the CAF housing aid (APL) only with a CROUS bursary on social criteria.
Do I need a visa, and can I work while studying?
Per the Université de Lille guide for incoming students, a non-EU national who is not covered by the Études en France procedure applies for a long-stay visa serving as a residence permit (VLS-TS) and validates it within 3 months of arriving, paying 50€. Foreign students may work up to 964 hours a year.
Can I study medicine at the Université de Lille from abroad?
Medicine starts with the PASS, whose first year is common to five disciplines, or with an L.AS Licence. The PASS is taught in French, its page asks non-EU applicants in the DAP for C1 minimum, and for the 2026 intake non-EU applicants filed a DAP before 15 December 2025.
What if my French is not good enough yet?
The Université de Lille runs the DUEF, an intensive French programme of 15h a week. Pre-registration for 2027-2028 runs 1 to 15 April 2027, and the courses cost 3 252€ a year in 2026/2027. The language page presents it as a university diploma that then lets you join a Université de Lille programme.
Where these numbers come from
Official pages of Université de Lille, UCAS, gov.uk and the ranking publishers. Applicant reports, where shown, are self-reported and labelled.
Profile - University of Lille · Médecine, Odontologie, Pharmacie - UFR3S · International studies in economics and management - UL · Du lycée à l'université - Université de Lille · Pour apprendre le français - Services numériques de l'université · Droits d'inscription - Université de Lille · Quel budget ? - Services numériques de l'université · Candidater - Université de Lille · Licence Parcours d'Accès Spécifique Santé - PASS - UL · Bachelor Universitaire de Technologie Informatique - UL · 100% English-taught · Exonération - Université de Lille · https://international.univ-lille.fr/maison-internationale/mon-accompagnement/je-suis-etudiante · Composantes et établissements-composantes - Université de Lille · https://formation.univ-lille.fr/fr/offre-de-formation/licence-lmd-XA/licence-informatique-MG002001/double-licence-mathematiques-informatique-MX195386.html · https://formation.univ-lille.fr/fr/offre-de-formation/licence-lmd-XA/licence-droit-MG002437.html · Ecandidat - Université de Lille · TCF - Centre de Langues de l'Université de Lille · Candidater - S'inscrire - L'IUT de LILLE · https://formation.univ-lille.fr/fr/offre-de-formation/licence-lmd-XA/licence-gestion-MG002820/management-et-gestion-a-l-international-l1-l2-MX002837.html · https://formation.univ-lille.fr/fr/offre-de-formation/licence-lmd-XA/licence-droit-MG002437/droit-acces-sante-las-MX036768.html · https://formation.univ-lille.fr/fr/offre-de-formation/licence-lmd-XA/licence-portail-mathematiques-physique-chimie-sciences-de-l-ingenieur-MG148260/portail-mathematiques-physique-chimie-sciences-de-l-ingenieur-parcours-des-ingenieurs-polytech-MX148637.html · https://formation.univ-lille.fr/fr/offre-de-formation/licence-lmd-XA/licence-portail-mathematiques-physique-chimie-sciences-de-l-ingenieur-MG148260/portail-mathematiques-physique-chimie-physique-chimie-option-bilingue-MX148634.html · https://international.univ-lille.fr/fileinternational-2/user_upload/Mobilite_internationale/Documents/Guide_entrant_ULILLE.pdf · https://ufr3s.univ-lille.fr/formation-initiale/pass · Aménagements pédagogiques pour réussir sa licence - Université de Lille · Bourses, aides financières et matérielles - Université de Lille · Se loger - Université de Lille · Etudiants hors programmes d'échanges - Centre de Langues de l'Université de Lille · Venir à l'université - Université de Lille · Bibliothèques et learning center - Université de Lille · Sport - Université de Lille · S'épanouir, vivre sur les campus - Université de Lille · La santé étudiante - Université de Lille · Préparer son insertion professionnelle - Université de Lille
Photos: Faculté de droit, Université de Lille: photo Hermione59, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons · Cité scientifique, Lille Nord de France: photo Frédéric Kuhlmann, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons · Entrance of IUT A: photo Nairo5913, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons · Campus Moulins, Lille: photo Hermione59, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons · BU Lilliad, Université de Lille: photo Maxence Delsaux, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons