France has extensive coastlines along the North Sea, English Channel, Atlantic Ocean, and Mediterranean Sea, providing varied environments for marine life, research, and education.
Combined with France’s high quality of education, this coastal geography makes the country an appealing destination for aspiring marine scientists. Before pursuing a degree in this field, however, it is important to identify universities with relevant programs for international students. This article highlights top schools offering marine biology or marine science programs in France.
Top Schools Offering Marine Biology Programs in France
1. Sorbonne University
Sorbonne University was established on January 1, 2018, through the merger of Paris-Sorbonne University and Pierre and Marie Curie University. It offers a two-year Master in Marine Sciences through its Faculty of Science and Engineering.
The university is organized into three main academic faculties: Arts and Humanities, Health, and Science and Engineering. The Marine Sciences master’s program trains students in biological oceanography, marine ecology, and marine biogeochemistry within an interdisciplinary framework.
The first year combines French-taught courses with some fundamental oceanography courses taught partly in English. Third-semester courses are taught in English because they are also offered to students in the International Master of Science in Marine Biological Resources program. Students complete practical training at Sorbonne University’s marine stations, an introductory research placement, and a six-month final internship in a laboratory or company.
2. University of the Littoral Opal Coast
- Study Program
- Degree Offered: Master’s | Medium of Instruction: French
The University of the Littoral Opal Coast is a public university in northern France. In the QS Europe University Rankings 2026, it is ranked #=170 in Western Europe.
Its Master in Marine Sciences, Marine Ecology and Fisheries program provides multidisciplinary training in marine and coastal environments. Its curriculum covers marine ecosystem structure and dynamics, fisheries ecology, aquaculture, conservation and restoration, stock assessment, biogeochemistry, marine law and policy, environmental impact studies, and coastal-risk management.
The program combines classroom instruction with field and laboratory work. Students complete an eight-week internship during the first year and a five- to six-month internship during the second year. The university’s official program page reports an average period of 3.7 months for graduates to find their first job.
3. Côte d’Azur University
Université Côte d’Azur, based in Nice, has operated in its current institutional form since January 1, 2020, when it replaced Université Nice Sophia Antipolis and the Université Côte d’Azur community of universities and institutions created in 2015.
The university offers the English-taught MSc MARRES in Ocean Science, Conservation and Innovation. Its current options include a two-year Science and Society track and a one-year Blue Managers track.
The program combines marine ecology and conservation with sustainable development, law, data and numerical tools, and the management and innovative use of marine resources. Depending on the selected track, students complete common modules, specialization modules, immersion projects, a capstone project, and thesis-related work. In the two-year track, the fourth semester is devoted to a master’s thesis completed through a six-month internship or an entrepreneurial feasibility study.
4. Aix-Marseille Université
Aix-Marseille Université offers a Master in Marine Sciences at its Marseille Luminy campus. The program is taught in French and is organized over four semesters.
Students begin with a common first-semester curriculum before specializing in one of two pathways: Physical Oceanography and Biogeochemistry (OPB) or Biological Oceanography and Marine Ecology (OBEM). The OBEM pathway includes options in ecosystem dynamics and functioning, conservation and management, and organismal biology and marine ecology.
The program is delivered in person through lectures, tutorials, laboratory sessions, coastal fieldwork, and boat-based activities. Students also complete a final-semester internship in a research laboratory, company, association, government body, or another relevant organization.
As marine ecosystems face pressures from climate change and human activity, these four programs can help students develop the scientific and professional skills needed for careers in marine research, conservation, and sustainable resource management.
We hope this article has helped you decide where to study marine biology or marine science in France. Check out our Guide to Studying in France for more tips and scholarship opportunities. If you are still considering other destinations, you may also explore Available Programs in Europe!
