5 reasons to study in Rennes, France

Sponsored by Rennes School of Business 

The capital of the region of Brittany, Rennes – pronounced “wren” – is a beautiful historic city, with a large student population. It’s also just an hour and a half away from Paris!  

Dotted with museums, churches, bars and restaurants, this small city is anything but boring. An eclectic mixture of culture, entertainment and architecture, the city manages to be both calming and lively.  

Read on to discover what makes this city a dream student study destination.  

A lively, culture-filled city 

Rennes attracts more than 65,000 students to its prestigious universities, such as the Rennes School of Business. As a student city, the population is quite young, with 60 percent of inhabitants in the city below forty years old.  

Despite being a small city, Rennes is packed with fun and activities.  

Throughout the year the city hosts many cultural events – from music to sports to theatre. Some of these have an international reach, such as the Biennial of Contemporary Art; the November festival, Transmusicales; and the well-known July festival, the Tombées de la Nuit. 

The city is also home to more than 160 bars and restaurants. In fact, on the Rue de la Soif, you will find a different bar every seven metres.  

Rennes is one of France’s most affordable study destinations  

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.  

Rennes is home to some of France’s best universities 

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.  

Welcoming to international students   

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. 

Travel to surrounding areas  

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.