At Université Paris Nanterre, almost 34,000 students are enrolled at the bachelor’s and master’s level. The university is characterized by strong international orientation and small study groups. Each year, about 600 international students are welcomed.

Located just 15 minutes by metro from central Paris, the 32-hectare campus sits in the city’s west, right next to the business district La Défense. Students enjoy all the advantages of a true campus university where every facility is within easy walking distance.

The German-French bachelor’s program leads to a double degree within six semesters:
a Bachelor of Science from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (Germany) and a Licence from Université Paris Nanterre (France).

Typical Course Progression:

From the 3rd semester onward, you study together as a joint German-French cohort. After completing your which is located on the 1st and 2nd semester, the French students spend their third and fourth semesters at JGU. Then, both groups move together to Université Paris Nanterre for the final academic year. In total, you study two years in an international cohort.

During your final semester in Paris, you will write your bachelor’s thesis in French.
At the end of your stay in Paris, you are required to complete a minimum two-month internship in a French-speaking country. Please note: In France, companies often require what’s known as a “Convention de stage”. This is a formal internship agreement between the student, the host company, and the university.
This agreement outlines the legal and practical aspects of the internship, including duration, responsibilities, tasks, and the rights of all three parties involved.

A double degree also means, first and foremost, a double challenge.

There are many good reasons why this challenge is worth taking on:

• You earn two full degrees – within the standard period of study! Unlike a semester abroad through an exchange program (e.g. ERASMUS), students in this cooperation program are fully enrolled at the partner university.
• The program is an integrated DFH degree program, which means you benefit from a coordinated curriculum at both partner universities. In addition to the German and French bachelor’s degrees, all graduates also receive a certificate from the Franco-German University – a valuable asset often seen as a gateway to the international job market.
• Once you’ve been selected for the German-French Bachelor’s program, you’ll benefit from a dedicated preparatory program. You’ll also get to know “your” cohort early on, so the intercultural experience begins well before you even arrive in Paris.
• In Mainz, support is provided through French language courses (in cooperation with the Institut Français), a mentoring program, and a workshop to help you start your studies.
• While studying at Université Paris Nanterre, you will attend courses tailored to your program that explore Franco-German relations from multiple perspectives.
• As a graduate of the double bachelor’s program, you will have demonstrated exceptional perseverance and a high degree of independence. Most importantly, your intercultural competence will give you a distinct advantage on the international job market.
• During your year abroad in Paris, you’ll have the unique opportunity to experience the French capital not just as a tourist, but as part of everyday life. Your language skills will naturally improve along the way.
• Paris is expensive. And since that’s not just a stereotype but a reality, you’ll receive solid financial support from the Franco-German University. You may also be eligible for an Erasmus+ scholarship.

The program offers the following key benefits:

• Academic training in two national education systems, each with its own higher education traditions, academic cultures, and teaching, learning, and working methods
• A well-balanced and complementary curriculum, jointly developed by the partner universities, with harmonized study and examination regulations
• Balanced, mandatory study periods in both partner countries
• Development of both general and subject-specific language proficiency in German and French
• Thorough academic, linguistic, and practical preparation for the study period abroad, including a French course during the third and fourth semesters
• Studying as part of a joint German-French student cohort
• Immersion in a different academic, professional, and everyday culture

The German-French Bachelor in Economics is supported by the Franco-German University (DFH).

The DFH is a network of member universities in Germany and France and serves as the central institution for Franco-German academic cooperation. It is jointly funded by the German federal and state governments and the French Republic. The DFH network includes nearly 200 universities in both countries, offering bi- and trinational degree programs.

The DFH’s mission is to intensify academic exchange in research and teaching between German and French universities and to strengthen binational competence among graduates across disciplines.

What makes DFH programs unique is their high degree of integration: students from both countries study together in both systems, experience different teaching methods, communicate in both languages, and immerse themselves in each other’s cultures.

This high level of integration sets the DFH’s joint programs apart from simple exchange programs or study-abroad semesters. At their core is a shared curriculum, developed collaboratively by German and French faculty.

(Source: DFH Website, as of 02.08.2018)

To be eligible, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Good to very good knowledge of French
• Enrollment in the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd semester of the Bachelor of Science in Economics at JGU
• Good academic performance during the first year of study

Students who are in their first or second semester at the time of application apply for the German-French Bachelor’s program in Economics, with the integrated year abroad, starting from the winter semester after next. Example (Scenario A):

• Program start in Mainz: Winter semester 2025/2026
• Application for a place in the Double Degree Program (1st semester): End of winter semester 2025/2026
• Preparatory phase: Summer semester 2026 to summer semester 2027
• Start of study abroad in Paris (5th semester): Winter semester 2027/2028

Students who are in their third semester at the time of application instead apply for the German-French Bachelor’s program in Economics with the integrated year abroad starting in the very next winter semester. Example (Scenario B):

• Program start in Mainz: Winter semester 2024/2025
• Application for a place in the Double Degree Program (3rd semester): End of winter semester 2025/2026
• Prepataory phase: Sommer semester 2026
• Start of study abroad in Paris (5th Semester): Winter semester 2026/2027

High school or A-level graduates who meet the entry requirements particularly well can be admitted directly into the double degree program through the “Greencard” process before beginning their studies.

The program is primarily designed for students from bilingual secondary schools and/or those with excellent grades in advanced French courses. However, applications are also welcome from students with lower French proficiency, provided they work on improving their language skills during their studies in Germany.

After your ‘Greencard’ application, you’ll be invited to an interview before the final university selection. This is a chance for us to get to know you, see if the Double Degree Program is the right fit, and guide you through the enrollment process at the University of Mainz

An offer for the program through a ‘Greencard’ does not automatically mean admission to the regular bachelor’s program in Economics. A separate application is required for that.

An offer through a ‘Greencard’ should be understood as a conditional admission to the program. If the required coursework is not completed by the end of the first semester, students may lose their place in the German-French bachelor’s program.