Your European adventure starts here
Nantes, a city connected to everything that matters
Picture this: you're grabbing coffee and a delicious croissant in Nantes for your breakfast, capturing amazing pics for your Instagram over lunch on the Champs-Élysées, and catching a concert at a Parisian venue by evening.
Sounds impossible? Welcome to life in Nantes, where Europe becomes your campus and the world shrinks to the size of a train ticket.
The train whisks you to the capital in just two hours – shorter than most Netflix binges. You get all the cultural richness, internship opportunities, and weekend adventures of Paris without price of rent or small studio living conditions.
Think of it as having the best of both worlds: the charm and affordability of a dynamic regional city with instant access to France's beating heart.
Did you know? In Nantes, the average rent is €300 to €450 and a student meal at the university restaurant is €1 to €3.30.
Nantes Atlantique Airport sits just 15 minutes from downtown. With budget flights starting at €39 to cities like Berlin, Amsterdam, Madrid, London, and Rome, that weekend trip to check out Berlin's art scene or Amsterdam's canals isn't just a fantasy anymore.
Your Erasmus friends are scattered across Europe? Suddenly they're all neighbours.
When you need a break from lecture halls and late-night study sessions, the Atlantic coastline beckons. La Baule's pristine beaches are just an hour away – perfect for those spontaneous sunset sessions or beach volleyball tournaments. Saint-Nazaire's impressive shipyards offer a different kind of spectacle just 45 minutes out, where you can witness massive vessels taking shape and feel the pulse of the maritime industry.
From your student accommodation to European capitals, from lecture halls to ocean waves – Nantes doesn't just connect you to opportunities, it makes them irresistibly accessible. This isn't just about geography; it's about possibility.
A campus that looks just like you
Step into the corridors and you’ll hear a mix of English, Spanish, Mandarin and more — a true reflection of a global campus. Student associations light up the year with Diwali, Eid, and Christmas celebrations, all met with the same energy and excitement.
Here, you don’t have to fit in — the campus evolves with you.
By choosing to study at Nantes Université, you are joining a dynamic, inclusive and welcoming environment. Whether you need help finding accommodation on campus, navigating the essential administrative procedures or getting practical advice, the International Relations Office is there to guide you every step of the way.
For more than 20 years, the Nantes Université welcome centre, the "Guichet Unique", has been helping exchange students settle in and integrate. Our commitment to providing a quality welcome has earned us the 3-star certification of the "Bienvenue en France" label, the highest possible distinction.
The Mission Relais Handicap at Nantes Université is here to support students with disabilities, offering personalised guidance to help you navigate university life more smoothly.
Whether you're looking for adapted student accommodation (in partnership with CROUS), assistance with daily activities, access to specific support services (like the MDPH, Agefiph, or Cap emploi), or general student welfare services, our team is ready to help. We also work closely with the university health service to put in place academic adjustments recommended by an authorised university doctor.
For tailored advice and support, contact the Mission Relais Handicap – we’re here to make sure your time at university is as accessible and successful as possible.
Nantes Université implements a campus life policy fostering strong relationships with both staff and the student community. This policy prioritises the principles of quality of life (studying and working), openness and inclusion, civic engagement, sustainable campuses and solidarity.
With more than 150 student associations on our campus, student involvement is an integral part of the student experience at Nantes Université. Sport, citizenship, solidarity, culture... our student association network is rich, and there's inevitably an association for you!
Discover your passion, find your tribe
University isn't just about lectures and exams – it's about finding your tribe, discovering passions, and building connections that last a lifetime.
At Nantes Université, inclusion is built into every aspect of campus life, creating a community where international and French students don't just coexist, they thrive together.
Nantes pulses with a cultural energy that's impossible to ignore.
From your arrival to graduation, you're never navigating alone. The Univ Buddy programme pairs you with French students who become your cultural translators and weekend adventure companions. Multilingual support services handle everything from visa questions to homesickness.
Free evening French classes help you master the language at your own pace, and extended library hours mean you can study when it works for your schedule – not when administrators decide.
With 150+ student associations, finding your tribe is inevitable. The campuses come alive to the rhythm of beach volleyball tournaments on the Loire banks, sailing lessons on the Atlantic, rugby matches that turn into legendary celebrations. With a sport pass at €50 per year, giving you access to all the sport activties and sport facilities, your biggest challenge will be choosing between opportunities, not finding them.
Nantes Université also offers theatre productions, while photography clubs capture the city's endless visual stories. Entrepreneurship incubators nurture the next generation of innovators, and solidarity groups tackle everything from tutoring struggling students to launching humanitarian missions.
Where 550-year-old castle walls meet mechanical elephants, and morning coffee comes with impromptu street performances. Nantes isn't just a place to study – it's a living fusion of French art de vivre and international creative energy.
In Nantes, you can find culture around every corner. The Castle of the Dukes of Brittany hosts cutting-edge exhibitions, while the famous Machines de l'île bring industrial heritage to life with their 12-meter mechanical elephant, and hidden gems like the Japanese garden on Île de Versailles prove Nantes embraces the unexpected.
With over 40 theaters and concert halls across the city, museums opening their doors to students for free, and international festivals transforming the entire city into playgrounds for music and cinema, in Nantes, culture isn't something you visit on weekend - it's woven into the fabric of daily life.