Language of instruction
Generally available as a second or third preference.
The Ecoles Centrales Group is a consortium of 5 engineering universities (Lille, Lyon, Nantes, Paris, and Marseille), created in 1990. The 5 Ecoles share the same attitude towards training students to become high-quality general engineers and have set common objectives.
Lille is the third largest French university city with more than 100 000 students. For over 160 years, the Ecole Centrale de Lille has been transforming and adapting to technological and societal developments.
Strengthened by 150 years of experience, Centrale Lyon combines a fundamental basis of scientific and technical skills with an approach towards humanities and the social sciences, providing graduates with an ability to quickly acquire the competencies needed to execute the management positions and international roles they may hold in the future.
Centrale Marseille engineers acquire solid scientific and technical skills, as well as qualities necessary for their future role: entrepreneurship, creativity, management, sharing, communications and leadership.
In keeping with the traditions of French Engineering schools, Centrale Nantes trains versatile engineers to a very high scientific and technical level. Equipped with a strong managerial culture, they are capable of placing scientific subjects into a global context incorporating environmental and societal issues.
Semester dates
Lille, Marseille and Nantes campuses:
| UQ Semester | Host Semester | Dates |
| Semester 1 | Spring Semester | February–June/July |
| Semester 2 | Autumn Semester | September–January |
Students are only able to participate in a single semester of exchange at Ecoles Centrales Lille, Marseille and Nantes.
View the Marseille academic calendar.
Lyon campus:
| UQ Semester | Host Semester | Dates |
| Semester 1 | Spring Semester | January–June |
| Semester 2 | Autumn Semester | September–December |
Students are able to participate in a single or double semester of exchange at Ecoles Centrales Lyon.
Guides and additional information
Ecoles Centrales has online resources to help get more out of your exchange:
Campuses
The Ecoles Centrales Group is a consortium of 5 engineering universities:
Exchange deadlines
Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 1:
Open: 24 April (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Close: 31 May (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 2:
Open: 24 September (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Close: 31 October (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Extended Deadline: 28 Nov 2024 (for exchange in Sem 2, 2025)
Full-time study load
30 ECTS credits per semester at Ecoles Centrales is equivalent to 8 UQ units.
Host university requirements
GPA
You will need a minimum cumulative GPA of 4.5 to study at Ecoles Centrales.
Language
Students wishing to study at Lille, Marseille or Lyon must have an Assessment of Language Proficiency form completed by their French lecturer. The minimum acceptable level for Lyon is a B1, and Lille and Marseille require a B2.
Study Options
You must study within the Faculty of Engineering.
Semester Restrictions
Exchange recommended for UQ semester 1 only, as most courses in English are offerred in that semester.
- Students are only able to participate in a single semester of exchange at Ecoles Centrales Lille, Marseille and Nantes.
- Students are able to participate in a single or double semester of exchange at Ecoles Centrales Lyon.
Note: Host university eligibility criteria are at the discretion of the host and may change without notice.
Find courses
Search the Ecoles Centrale course catalogue for each school:
Crosscheck the courses you found in the host course catalogue with the Credit Precedent Database to see if UQ credit has previously been granted. The database should be used as a general guide only. Few courses from each host will be in the database and many course precedents in the database may have expired. Note, the credit precedent database does not replace the host course catalogue. If a course is not listed in the CPD, you can still ask for it to be assessed on your study plan.
Study areas taught in English
Academic restrictions
Exchange deadlines
Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 1:
Open: 24 April (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Close: 31 May (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 2:
Open: 24 September (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Close: 31 October (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Extended Deadline: 28 Nov 2024 (for exchange in Sem 2, 2025)
Accommodation
Centrale Lyon offers on-campus housing across 2 student residences. Students in their 1st year receive priority for room allocation. For 2nd and 3rd year students, scholarship holders and international students receive priority for room allocation.
International students at Centrale Marseille are generally housed in Cité Alice Chatenoud or Cité Claude Delorme.
French and international students joining the 1st year of the Engineering Programme are automatically offered a place in the Max Schmitt Residence. Centrale Nantes can also offer international students accommodation in 4 "CROUS" residences.
Cost of living
To assist you in preparing your time on exchange, each school provides some budgeting guidelines for living and studying in the particular region.
Financial support
A range of funding for student exchange including scholarships, grants and loans are available to UQ students.
Students undertaking exchange studies in France can apply for the Nicolas Baudin Program through the French Embassy in Canberra.
Insurance
Students approved to participate in a Semester-based Exchange are automatically covered by UQ’s Travel Insurance for the country of their host university only.
For more information, read the Student Travel Insurance Policy Summary on UQ’s Travel Insurance web page (login required).
If you plan to travel outside of your host country, you should purchase additional insurance.
Please read through this important information about Health Insurance for exchange students in France.
Exchange deadlines
Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 1:
Open: 24 April (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Close: 31 May (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 2:
Open: 24 September (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Close: 31 October (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Extended Deadline: 28 Nov 2024 (for exchange in Sem 2, 2025)
Organise your visa
It is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct visa for the country where you will be studying. As the Global Experiences team is not a visa-issuing authority we cannot provide visa advice.
Contact the French Consulate for visa and immigration information.
Travel risk levels
The University of Queensland cannot and does not allow students to travel to any country with a risk level of 3 (Reconsider your need to travel) or above, as assessed by the Australian Government.
If a country's risk level changes to 3 or above, experiences to that country are suspended until the risk level improves.
Find out the risk level and travel advice, and sign up to receive updates for your host country on the Smartraveller website.
Exchange deadlines
Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 1:
Open: 24 April (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Close: 31 May (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 2:
Open: 24 September (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Close: 31 October (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Extended Deadline: 28 Nov 2024 (for exchange in Sem 2, 2025)