Montpellier, a leading student city in France

Voted the second best student city in France in 2025 by L’Étudiant, Montpellier now has more than 80,000 students, representing over 17% of the city’s population.

A city focused on youth

With a student recommendation rate of 92.77%, the city of Montpellier is particularly appealing to students for its dynamism, architecture, proximity to the sea, and wide range of educational opportunities. Free public transportation is another significant advantage, allowing Montpellier to maintain its place on the podium for the past two years.

The strengths of Montpellier

The L’Étudiant ranking is based on several indicators in which Montpellier performed exceptionally well:

• Attractiveness: the city appeals with its dynamism and numerous events.
• Training: the training offering was described as strong, including a comprehensive range of preparatory courses for competitive entrance exams and prestigious universities.
• Student life: a theme that encompasses local initiatives implemented by the city to support young people (social assistance) as well as cultural offerings.
• Living environment: it translates into a pleasant living environment with an affordable cost of living. It includes expenses related to housing and transportation, the number of sports facilities, the size of natural areas, and the length of bike paths.
• Employment: Montpellier is recognized as a dynamic city with many jobs and low unemployment.

Montpellier Management located in France’s top student city