PSL Research University

Excellence, cross-disciplinarity and creativity form the backbone of Université PSL. Created in 2011 and awarded “Investments for the Future” funding from the French government, PSL encompasses a rich array of prestigious schools and institutions that in celebration of their historical relationships and their cultural and geographic proximity decided to together create a new university that promotes breakthrough thinking and the spirit of experimentation.

Covering the arts, sciences, engineering, the humanities and social science, PSL’s diversity is its strength--diversity that also shines through in its students, who hail from multiple geographical, cultural, and social backgrounds.

Knowledge forms the foundation of all of contemporary society’s great transformations. PSL’s students, researchers and faculty are actors in a globalized world. Aware of their individual and collective social responsibility, they are eager to contribute to transforming society through their ideas, discoveries, and innovations. PSL is educating the leaders of tomorrow: scholars, artists, engineers, entrepreneurs, executives.

The important relationship between universities and civic life is what informs our commitments and how we see and relate to the world. At the heart of Université PSL’s mission to educate and train future researchers is its vocation to help forge these societal bonds. As such, PSL is committed to being welcoming and to fostering futures, so that each and every individual is empowered to make choices and determine his or her own path.

Being welcoming means being committed to providing equal opportunity access to PSL, and ensuring that each and every individual at PSL finds optimal conditions for their personal development and the means for becoming a unique, valuable player within the greater collective of fellow students and researchers.

Fostering futures means being committed to providing fertile ground for inquiry and initiative, equipping each and every individual with the knowledge and skills to become advocates for an open society rich in achievement and forward-looking solutions.

With rich diversity in individual backgrounds, the collective reaps a wealth of cross-pollinating ideas and approaches, rich in exchange and sources of inspiration. PSL is committed to offering equal access to premium education regardless of individual backgrounds, financial resources, and geographical location. This is our focus as we strive to marshal all of the necessary means for providing equal access to our schools and institutes and to support the advancement of a diverse pool of talent throughout full paths of education and research.

We implement this commitment through initiatives to inform future students of our education programs, provide the keys to achieving our demanding requirements, and support future applicants as they prepare for entry into our education programs. Likewise, we forge partnerships with schools and put extensive thought into creating the best possible conditions for future students to join PSL.

Students at PSL involve themselves actively in a wide and varied range of organizations in many spheres. Some focus on the world around us, some involve adventure or discovery, others revolve around common passions and some enliven day-to-day life on campus.

Humanitarian and solidarity, sporting or festive; we have grouped some of the organizations at PSL into three areas but recognize that for many, a single label is difficult to apply!
For more information, browse the PSL Student Union website, where you will find a directory of all the university organizations.
And don’t miss the opportunity to find out more about student life and campus organizations at the Student Orientation Week!

PSL students make a difference! More than 50 humanitarian, responsible, and socially engaged student organizations are hard at work at PSL to create a better world through tutoring, environmental protection, efforts to welcome and assist refugees and persons with disabilities, and support hospitalized youths. Here are just 12 of them that have received financial support from PSL as part of the university’s calls for student initiatives. To read about all our student organizations, visit the PSL Student Union website.

1. Study at a globally-ranked university

At PSL, number 4 in he 2018 QS and Times Higher Education Young University Ranking, you gain access to an unparalleled education in science, the arts, literature, and culture provided by the country’s leading institutions.

2. Study at a dynamic, approachably sized university

You will enjoy a curriculum and teaching methods designed to facilitate your success, with small classes, low student/professor ratios, and strong connections to the latest developments in research and design right from the start.

3. Learn to combine Science, Literature, and the Arts

PSL is a place where excellence and diversity meet to inspire creative dialogue among and between all areas of inquiry--economics, humanities, life sciences, law, history, management, chemistry, artistic design, and more. By studying at PSL, you will explore novel intersections between disciplines and work alongside top researchers to create the world of tomorrow.

4. Create, launch, innovate

With 181 laboratories, artist workshops, Fab Labs and incubators, advanced training for PhDs and postdocs, PSL offers a unique scientific and cultural environment for 17,000 students and 4,500 researchers from around the globe. Take charge of your career and walk in the footsteps of 26 Nobel Prize winners, 10 Fields Medal winners, 44 César award winners, and 75 Molière award winners.

5. Find your calling while following your passions

Do you see yourself as a future artist, entrepreneur, engineer, researcher or executive? PSL will help you build that career. From critical thinking to creativity, versatility, and team spirit, our classes will help you develop the skills most sought after in professional life. Student life and the organizations active on the PSL campus offer every opportunity for you to flourish and draw out your talents.

6. Expand your horizons

Student organizations, sporting and cultural events, cross-institutional programs and exchanges are all opportunities to meet students from a hundred countries studying a range of disciplines. You can discover shared passions, launch joint projects, and meet your future mentors, employees, and team members. In short, you will be building a rich, diverse network for the rest of your life.

7. Join a university with strong values

While selective and attentive to all talent, PSL promotes equal opportunity and strives to help each individual achieve excellence. Our vision is to not only to cultivate a diverse range of talents, but also to cultivate a sense of civic duty and social and collective responsibility in our students, who are the next generation of decision-makers and entrepreneurs.

8. Paris life

The myriad of museums, trade shows, exhibits, plays, lectures, concerts, operas, ballets, and libraries of Paris beckon... and PSL will help you get your bearings and take full advantage of the doors the campus opens for you.