History
The University of Poitiers, founded in 1431 by Pope Eugene IV, later confirmed by French King Charles VII’s letters patent, was originally composed of five Colleges: theology, canon law, civil law, medicine and arts.
Education
With five main fields of training, the University of Poitiers offers, within the same institution, courses in all disciplines and at all levels, from 2-year diplomas to PhDs. There are no other higher education structures, besides universities, that offer such a wide range.
Research
On September 22nd, 2017, the University board of Governors unanimously approved the adoption of the principles of the European Charter for Researchers and the recognition of Frascati’s definition for the researcher and for the research community.
Career
Each student, from the first year of study and throughout his or her studies at the University of Poitiers, benefits from reinforced support thanks to the follow-up by his or her tutor and thanks to distance self-learning modules in order to prepare better his or her university curriculum (University Work Methodology module accessible throughout undergraduate studies).
University of Poitiers Key Statistics & Highlights
- #1013 Ranking
- 1,400 Academic Staff
- 28,000 Students
- 4,200 Students (int'l)
University of Poitiers Overview
University of Poitiers Scholarships
University of Poitiers Scholarships
Below you will find scholarships related to University of Poitiers. Distinction can be made between scholarships provided by the University and those provided by independent providers.
University of Poitiers Rankings
Study Portals Meta Ranking
Top 14.9% France
Top 11.2% Worldwide
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
Best Global Universities Rankings
1013
By U.S. News & World Report
Dropped 4 places compared to 2026
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
3 year trend Best Global Universities Rankings
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 930 | 1009 | 1013 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
QS World University Rankings
1201
By TopUniversities
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend QS World University Rankings
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 1001 | 1201 | 1201 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
World University Rankings
No 2027 Ranking
By Times Higher Education
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2027 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend World University Rankings
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| - | 1201 | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Academic Ranking of World Universities
No 2026 Ranking
By Shanghai Jiao Tong University
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2026 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend Academic Ranking of World Universities
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 901 | 801 | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Student services
Student life is not just limited to studying. Students also want and need to meet other people, to go out, to discover new things and to participate in events in order to learn and to develop their personalities. Discovering the world should also mean enjoyment and fun on campus and in town.
Housing services
In order to increase its openness to other people and places, the University has joined forces with local and regional actors in order to reach out to the public sphere. This is the case for the Poitiers concert theater (“TAP”), the Beaulieu Events Centre (“Centre d’Animation de Beaulieu”), and also for the “Festival A Corps” (which brings together professional and amateur choreographers and dancers each year).
Library services
The Poitiers University libraries (BU) provide resources for all courses. You will find:
- More than 800,000 books and 6,000 journals;
- Numerous electronic resources accessible by logging in from university’s computer workstations
- National reference collections for the medieval period;
- The possibility of consulting more than 30,000 documents published before 1830 via the Old Collections service
ICT services
- All students enrolled at the University of Poitiers are automatically given an e-mail address, a mailbox and a personalized, secure virtual desk
- Free access computer rooms are available in the faculty buildings. WiFi internet connection is available on all university sites.
Medical services
Social workers are available at both the Student Health Care Centre (SIUMPPS) and Crous . Their mission is to welcome, listen and provide information on specific student legislation to help students with personal, family, financial or school-related problems.
Campus life
The University of Poitiers became aware of biodiversity issues early on, in particular through the university botanical garden, which served as a laboratory for sustainable and diversified management actions on campus. But beyond this specific place, campus management is more complex because of the intensity of uses that generate negative impacts on biodiversity. Campuses are integrated into larger territories, cities and surroundings, and it is on this scale that green areas are defined (i.e. the ecological continuities). Campuses aim to become bridges between peripheral areas and also refuges for biodiversity.
Sports facilities
The University of Poitiers offers all students and staff around 50 different physical and sporting activities on a recreational basis, as part of discovery courses or as open sports activities.
A team of 14 Physical Activity teachers work for the University Sports Activities Service (SUAPS) to ensure the implementation of supervision of activities. The weekly activities take place on the campuses of Poitiers, Niort and Angoulême in the numerous sports facilities.
Student clubs
The community is made up of students and graduates from diverse academic, professional and geographical backgrounds. By joining the network you will diversify, boost, and expand your potential resources, knowledge, and acquaintances.
University of Poitiers Campus Locations
#1 Main Campus
France Country
Poitiers City
University of Poitiers Student Reviews & Awards
4.5
Based on 2 reviews
- 5 Star 1 Review
- 4 Star 1 Review
- 3 Star 0 Reviews
- 2 Star 0 Reviews
- 1 Star 0 Reviews
My thoughts about the University of Poitiers......
Very good university, The professors are very attentive and the classes are interesting.
Uni life in Poitier
My study experience at this university is good, because of the pandemic we had online classes and I would say they handle it well. I didn't have any issues graduating but their communication can be slow and disappointing sometimes.
Studied here? Share your experience
Improve page content