Paris Sciences et Lettres University : Class Profile & Alumni

Paris Sciences et Lettres University Alumni

International Students

20

% of international students in the university

3400

Total International Students in the university

A relatively young institution formed in 2010, PSL brings together some of France’s most prestigious grandes écoles and research institutions. Despite its recent establishment, its constituent schools have educated Nobel laureates, Fields Medalists, philosophers, and global leaders.

Alumni Name	Notable Achievement / Famous For	Degree	Graduating Year
Louis Pasteur	Pioneer of microbiology and vaccination	MSc, PhD	1845
Henri Bergson	Nobel Prize-winning philosopher	BA	1877
Simone Weil	Philosopher, mystic, and political activist	BA	1928
Paul Valéry	Renowned poet and essayist	BA	1889
Jean-Paul Sartre	Philosopher and writer, Nobel Prize (declined)	BA	1924
Raymond Aron	Philosopher and political scientist	PhD	1930
Laurent Schwartz	Fields Medal-winning mathematician	PhD	1943
Cédric Villani	Fields Medal-winning mathematician	PhD	1998
Jacques Hadamard	Influential mathematician (prime number theory)	PhD	1892
Georges Charpak	Nobel Prize-winning physicist	PhD	1954
Serge Haroche	Nobel Prize-winning physicist (quantum physics)	PhD	1971
Alain Aspect	Nobel Prize-winning physicist (quantum entanglement)	PhD	1983
Michel Serres	Philosopher and historian of science	PhD	1968
Pierre-Gilles de Gennes	Nobel Prize-winning physicist	PhD	1953
Bernard Arnault	CEO of LVMH, one of the world’s richest individuals	BA, MSc	1971
Christian Dior	Legendary fashion designer	N/A	N/A
Jacques Derrida	Philosopher, founder of deconstruction	PhD	1956
Louise Bourgeois	Renowned sculptor and artist	BA	1938
Maurice Merleau-Ponty	Phenomenologist and philosopher	PhD	1929
Valérie Masson-Delmotte	Climate scientist, IPCC co-chair	PhD	1993
François Englert	Nobel Prize-winning physicist (Higgs boson theory)	PhD	N/A
Alain Finkielkraut	Philosopher, essayist, media figure	BA	1969
Barbara Cassin	Philosopher and philologist	PhD	N/A
Émile Durkheim	Founding figure of sociology	PhD	1886
Bruno Latour	Philosopher, sociologist of science	PhD	1975
Michel Foucault	Philosopher and historian of ideas	PhD	1950s
Emmanuel Macron	President of France (took classes at ENS, a PSL institution)	N/A	N/A
Pierre Bourdieu	Sociologist and anthropologist	PhD	1950s
André Weil	Mathematician, founding member of Bourbaki group	PhD	1928