Address: 60 boulevard Saint-Michel, 75006 Paris, Île-de-France, France
Energy Engineering, Materials Science, Applied Mathematics & Computer Science
Founded in 1783, Mines Paris is one of the most selective engineering schools in France. It is a constituent college of Université PSL, known for its research-intensive programs and close ties with industry.
Mines Paris – PSL was created in 1783 by a decree of Louis XVI, in order to train experts in mining at a time when the kingdom depended on its mineral resources. The school settled in the Hôtel de Vendôme, at 60 boulevard Saint-Michel, next to the Luxembourg Gardens, and it still occupies the building. It has about 1,300 students and 800 staff, which makes it a small and highly selective school. It is a constituent college of Université PSL, together with the École normale supérieure and other leading institutions of the capital.
The school has expanded its scope far beyond mining. Today it trains engineers in energy, materials, mathematics, computer science, economics, geosciences, process engineering, robotics, mechanics and the environment. Research centres are located in Paris, Fontainebleau, Évry and Sophia Antipolis, so the school has a broad geographic reach. The Mines Paris museum of mineralogy houses one of the major collections of minerals in the world, including rare specimens, and is open to visitors by arrangement.
Mines Paris is known for the relationship between teaching and the industrial world. Many of its graduates hold senior roles in companies and in public service, and engineers of the Corps des mines are among the best known. Henri Le Chatelier, who formulated the principle on chemical equilibrium that carries his name, studied at the school and later taught there. Georges Charpak, who received the 1992 Nobel Prize in Physics for his particle detectors, graduated as an engineer of the school in 1950.
Students enter mostly through the competitive concours after preparatory classes, and others through other programmes. The curriculum combines a broad scientific base and an internship in a company, and it offers double degrees with universities abroad. Courses are mainly in French, with an English track in some programmes. Check the current tariff.
The location in the Latin Quarter puts students close to the Sorbonne, the Luxembourg Gardens and several research institutes. Housing in Paris is expensive, and the RER B station of Luxembourg is next door.
Domains taught:
Aerospace, AI and Machine Learning, Automation, Bioengineering, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Computer Vision, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Fluid Dynamics, Geotechnics, Manufacturing, Materials, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Nanotechnologies, Physics, Process Control, Project Management, Robotics, Software Engineering, Statistics, Telecommunications, Thermodynamics
Diplomas*:
Doctor, Graduate Certificate, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Constituent college of Université PSL. Part of ParisTech. Numerous partnerships with companies (e.g., TotalEnergies, Orano, LVMH) and international universities.
IMT Mines Alès shares the core fields of this school, namely geotechnics, fluid dynamics and civil engineering; it is also a public institution and does not run the graduate certificate programmes found here.
CentraleSupélec takes a similar route through aerospace, nanotechnologies and fluid dynamics, and it is far larger, with about 4,300 students against roughly 1,300 here, and is also a public institution.
Mines Saint-Étienne is the closest domestic counterpart for nanotechnologies, fluid dynamics and civil engineering; it covers bioinformatics and microbiology and genetics as well, and is larger, enrolling about 2,000 students against roughly 1,300 here.
Think of École Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay when aerospace, nanotechnologies and fluid dynamics is the priority: it covers bioinformatics and optics as well, and is larger, enrolling about 2,000 students against roughly 1,300 here.
Both schools build their programmes around aerospace, fluid dynamics and thermodynamics, and École Nationale Supérieure de Techniques Avancées is the one to compare first within the country, since it does not run the graduate certificate programmes found here and covers marine science and transportations as well.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Abroad, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (Japan) covers nanotechnologies, fluid dynamics and bioengineering in a comparable way, and it is also a public institution and does not run the graduate certificate programmes found here.
Beyond national borders, Nara Institute of Science and Technology stands out as a comparable school for nanotechnologies, fluid dynamics and bioengineering; it has almost the same size, at about 1,200 students, and is also a public institution.
Seen from abroad, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (Spain) is a close relative on subject matter, since aerospace, geotechnics and nanotechnologies are central to both, and it does not run the graduate certificate programmes found here and covers ergonomics and metrology as well.
Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg in Germany pursues a similar profile in geotechnics, nanotechnologies and fluid dynamics, and it is also a public institution and also offers bachelor's programmes.
Seen from abroad, Università della Svizzera italiana (Switzerland) is a close relative on subject matter, since nanotechnologies, fluid dynamics and bioengineering are central to both, and it covers bioinformatics and signal processing as well, and is larger, enrolling about 3,500 students against roughly 1,300 here.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is Mines Paris - PSL?
At 60 boulevard Saint-Michel, in the Latin Quarter of Paris, next to the Luxembourg Gardens.
When was it founded?
In 1783, by a decree of Louis XVI.
How large is it?
About 1,300 students and 800 staff.
Is it part of PSL?
Yes. It is a constituent college of Université PSL.
What does it teach?
Engineering in energy, materials, mathematics, computer science, economics, geosciences, process engineering, robotics, mechanics and the environment.
Where are its research centres?
In Paris, Fontainebleau, Évry and Sophia Antipolis.
What does the museum hold?
One of the major collections of minerals in the world.
Which famous people studied there?
Henri Le Chatelier, who formulated the principle on chemical equilibrium, and Georges Charpak, 1992 Nobel Prize in Physics.
How do students enter?
Mostly through the competitive concours after preparatory classes.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
Innovation.world is not affiliated with this school/university. We recommend to contact them directly on their website for any special request.
To complete or correct any information here or share your opinion, please comment below or > send us a direct message <.
