University in France
Écully, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
University profile
École Centrale de Lyon (Centrale Lyon) is a public, research-intensive engineering school founded in 1857 and based in Écully, ten kilometres from central Lyon, with a second campus in Saint-Étienne. It trains around 3,200 students from post-baccalauréat level to doctorate, with students of about 80 nationalities and some 110 clubs and associations. It is a member of the Groupe des Écoles Centrale, the ComUE Université de Lyon, the Collège d'ingénierie Lyon Saint-Étienne (with ENTPE, INSA Lyon and Mines Saint-Étienne) and the Collège des Hautes Études Lyon Sciences.
The offer comprises two preparatory cycles, two bachelors (Bachelor of Science in Data Science for Responsible Business, run with emlyon business school, and a Bachelor of Technological and Industrial Change in Civil and Environmental Engineering), the three-year general engineering curriculum, four specialty engineering curricula (including Civil Engineer and Energy Engineer), sixteen master's degrees (the international masters are taught in English), five doctoral schools and institutional degrees such as the Centrale Digital Lab and the inter-institutional degree in Major Transitions. The engineering diploma is a national degree accredited by the Commission des Titres d'Ingénieur.
The Lyon-Écully campus covers 18 hectares of green space within Campus Lyon Ouest Écully (CLOE), a higher-education hub of eight schools with nearly 9,000 students. Since 1 January 2021 the École nationale d'ingénieurs de Saint-Étienne (ENISE) has been an in-house institute of Centrale Lyon, giving the school its Saint-Étienne campus. The strategy for 2022-2030 aims to make Centrale Lyon a European-style Caltech recognised for its expertise in major transitions, built on an international campus, a Transition Lab and a campus for industrial change.
Student life is organised around associations covering sport, culture, entrepreneurship, doctoral students and work-study students. Annual events include the Integration Weekend (WEI), the Centrale Lyon Challenge sports event with more than 40 engineering schools, the Intercentrales tournament and the Eclyps gala. The Écully campus has two residences on site (Paul Comparat and Paul-Emile Victor), an infirmary with a nurse, a visiting doctor, a psychologist and a social service, and catering and sports facilities.
International students are welcomed through exchange agreements (more than 140 academic exchange agreements), double degrees, the international master's cycle taught in English and special international admission streams to the general engineering curriculum. Centrale Lyon holds the Campus France 'Bienvenue en France' label for international student reception.
Fees depend on nationality of the enlarged European Economic Area (rate A) or other nationalities (rate B), unless exempt. Rate A: preparatory cycle 630 euros; engineering students starting in 2026-27 pay a modulated rate; masters 255 euros; doctorate 398 euros. Rate B: preparatory cycle 2,902 euros; engineering students starting in 2026-27 4,113 euros; masters 3,950 euros; doctorate 398 euros. Centrale Digital Lab 1,750 euros; Erasmus Mundus meta 4.0 master 4,500 euros (programme students) or 9,000 euros (partner-country students). Second concurrent enrolments pay reduced rates. Payment in three instalments may be authorised.
The CVEC (Contribution Vie Étudiante et de Campus) is paid separately by all students; the school's master's fees page gives 103 euros for 2024-2025. Rate A applies automatically to EU, Norwegian, Icelandic, Liechtenstein, Monegasque, Andorran and Swiss nationals, and also to certain residents (Quebec residents at a reduced rate, holders of specified residence permits, students in French higher education before 1 September 2019, those with French tax attachment for two years, refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection).
Holders of French Government scholarships are exempt from all registration fees. Incoming exchange students under an agreement with a partner institution are exempt from national fees for the programme covered. Differentiated-fee waivers can be checked on the Campus France site; an online fee estimator is available at estimation-droits-inscription.ec-lyon.fr.
The school gives an average living budget of about 1,000 euros per month (housing 500 euros) and about 1,200 euros of start-of-year costs plus about 500 euros for computer equipment. On-campus paid jobs (library, sports facilities, tutoring), one-off assistance from the Amis de l'École Centrale de Lyon association and partner-bank student loans are available. External aid includes CROUS scholarships, CAF housing aid, the Visale rental guarantee and Mobili-Jeune for work-study students. Details: average budget for studies.
Studéa Nexity residences (25% off administrative fees) and Nomad Campus residences (30% off with the code ECLYON, for leases signed between 1 February and 30 June).
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View scholarships for École Centrale de Lyon →The three-year curriculum is taught in French and is entered through several routes: the integrated preparatory cycle CapECL (two years, a class of 24 students); the CentraleSupélec competitive entrance exam after classes préparatoires aux grandes écoles (places include 127 MP, 82 PSI, 15 MPI, 62 PC, 5 BCPST and 24 PT); and the Concours Universitaire des Écoles Centrale for students in the final year of a scientific Bachelor's degree or equivalent (15 places at Centrale Lyon in one announcement and 20 in another, selected on application and then an exam with written science tests, an interview and an English test).
International students may come on an academic exchange (semester or year) or a double degree through a partner university, contacting their home institution's registrar. Candidates who studied in a lycée linked to the French Embassy with a classes préparatoires programme (Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia) can enter through the international-cycle competitive exam: 15 places MP, 8 MPC, 1 PC and 1 PSI. The Bachelor of Science in Data Science for Responsible Business, offered with emlyon business school, is open through a competitive examination to candidates preparing a mathematics-specialised diploma equivalent to the baccalauréat (IB, A-levels, High School Diploma, Abitur and similar).
The international scientific masters are two-year programmes taught in English. Foreign applicants are assessed on a portfolio. For the Nanoscale Engineering master, entry to M1 requires a Bachelor of Science (preferably in physics, chemistry, electronics, materials science, bioengineering or mechanical engineering) and English at B1 level; M2 requires completion of a related M1 and certified B1 English (CEFR).
Applicants need a degree conferring Master's rank (foreign degrees are assessed by the doctoral schools), supervision by a researcher authorised to supervise research (HDR) in a Centrale Lyon research unit, and thesis funding for three years. Registration has two steps: academic registration with the doctoral school on the ADUM platform, then administrative enrolment at Centrale Lyon after approval by the Thesis Committee. Thesis opportunities are posted on EURAXESS.
Students from outside the European Economic Area need a visa via the France-Visas platform and must validate their VLS-TS on the ANEF platform within three months of arrival. Registration with the Assurance Maladie is compulsory, and liability and housing insurance are required.
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