5 reasons to study in Rennes, France

If you’re considering studying in a French city, you may immediately be drawn to France’s most famous cities: Paris, Toulouse and Lyon. However, if you’re looking for a city that has all of the perks of these major cities – and many additional perks of its own - but a much lower cost of living, then Rennes may be a good option for you.   

Despite being just a stone’s throw away from Paris, Numbeo estimates that rent in Rennes is 60 percent lower than Paris. Even consumer prices are 14 percent lower in Rennes: meaning you can get a lot more for your money in the local shops.  

Luckily for students, a lower cost of living doesn’t mean you have to compromise on the quality of education.  

Rennes is home to a number of globally recognised institutions, including Rennes School of Business, EHESP and the University of Rennes 1. 

Rennes School of Business is triple-crown accredited by AACSB. AMBA and EQUIS, so students can be certain they are getting a top-quality education.  

Alongside its campus in Rennes, Rennes School of Business has recently opened a new campus in the heart of Paris, offering a range of full-time, part-time and work-study programmes at both postgraduate and undergraduate level.  

The school’s market-driven, differentiated degree programmes and its emphasis on innovation helps prepare its students to become innovative and responsible managers in a global environment.  

Rennes’ highly esteemed universities attract international students from all around the world. This gives students the opportunity to learn in a diverse, international environment and connect with interesting people from different cultures.   

Of Rennes School of Business’ 5,000 students, 55 percent are from outside France and 95 percent of the school’s permanent faculty members are international.  

The school also has an extensive network of 350 partner universities worldwide. This makes it a great option for students looking to gain the personal and professional benefits that come from studying in an international environment.  

To help students socialise and gain new skills in this environment, Rennes School of Business offers 26 student associations, focusing on everything from entrepreneurship to sports. 

Rennes’ location, in the east of Brittany in north-western France, makes it the perfect base to travel around Europe. With Belgium, the UK, Germany, Italy and Switzerland just a short plane journey away, students can make the most of their time abroad and explore these neighbouring countries.  

If you want to see more of France, you can reach most cities and towns by train and bus. St Malo takes about an hour; Nantes takes around an hour and a half, Normandy takes just under three hours and Mont St Michel takes around two hours.