Institut Lyfe is a private higher education school in Ecully, on the western edge of Lyon, that trains managers for hotels, restaurants, culinary arts and pastry. Until 2023 it operated as Institut Paul Bocuse. The school says it has about 1,200 students from 75 nationalities, and its bachelor’s degrees are approved by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research. This guide covers what applicants usually check first: the curriculum, the qualification awarded, the language of instruction, the age question, the fees and the key school facts.
The school dates its origins to 1990, when it was created with the backing of chef Paul Bocuse and Gérard Pélisson, co-founder of the Accor hotel group. The new name was announced in spring 2023. According to trade coverage at the time, “Lyfe” stands for Lyon for excellence, education, exploration and experience. The historic culinary campus became the Paul Bocuse campus, and a new hospitality and management centre opened in 2023 as part of a 25-million-euro expansion. Institut Lyfe operates as a non-profit association under French law and belongs to the Conférence des Grandes Écoles. It also lists THE-ICE accreditation and AACSB and EFMD membership.
The flagship program is the Bachelor in International Hospitality, Restaurant and Wine and Beverage Management, a four-year full-time course worth 240 ECTS credits. The first two years form a common core covering operations, sales, customer experience, human resources, accounting, purchasing, law and market research. Students complete two work placements in those years, each lasting at least 12 weeks, in France or abroad. In year three they choose a major in hospitality, restaurant management or wine and beverage, and spend a semester abroad on an exchange or an international placement. Year four is a specialization, followed by a six-month placement. The six specializations are:
- Hotel Management and Operational Management
- Design and Marketing for Hotel Brands
- Financial and Strategic Analysis of the International Hospitality Industry
- International Wine, Spirits and Beverage Management
- Strategic Events Management and Communication
- Restaurant and Hospitality Business Management and Entrepreneurship
Two other bachelor’s programs cover culinary arts management and pastry management. The school’s Campus France profile lists both as three-year degrees. Postgraduate options are a Master of Science in International Hospitality Management, run with emlyon business school, and an MSc in Culinary Leadership and Innovation, run with Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences in Finland. The same profile also lists an MSc in Sustainable International Wine Tourism.
The leaving qualification depends on the route. The hospitality bachelor is a state-approved Bac+4 degree, and the school cites the Official Bulletin of 9 July 2026 for the approval. The school says the 240 credits allow graduates to continue to a master’s in France or abroad. The MSc programs sit at Bac+5. According to Campus France, the hospitality MSc carries an RNCP Level 7 title, the French national qualification framework’s master’s level. A limited number of bachelor’s students can pursue dual degrees, either at Woosong University in South Korea after 2.5 years in Lyon or at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University after two years in Lyon.
Language of instruction varies by program. The hospitality bachelor is offered in French and English or fully in English. The school says the postgraduate programs are full-time and taught entirely in English, and Campus France lists English-language options across all courses. English-taught bachelor’s students also take French courses. For selection, applicants sit an English or French test depending on the language track they choose.
Institut Lyfe does not publish an age range. Its admission pages set requirements by qualification, not by age. First-year bachelor’s entry is open to holders of the French baccalaureate or a foreign equivalent, which makes it a post-secondary school, and the school runs immersion days for high school students. Later-year and postgraduate entry is open to people with prior study or work. The culinary MSc, for example, accepts professionals with at least five years of managerial experience through validation of professional experience.
For first-year bachelor’s entry, applicants with a French baccalaureate apply only through the national Parcoursup platform. Holders of a foreign equivalent apply directly on the school’s website through its admissions page. Selection combines an 80-question multiple-choice test on general culture, business culture, mathematics, logic, grammar and spelling, plus the English or French test and an interview. The school says the interview looks at motivation and career plans. Third-year entry into culinary and pastry programs adds a technical test in cooking or baking.
Merit-based entry is available for later years. Second-year hospitality entry requires 60 ECTS credits from prior higher education. Third-year entry requires a Bac+2 or 120 credits. Fourth-year specializations require a Bac+3 or 180 credits, with a portfolio, an English text analysis, an interview and a reasoning test. The hospitality MSc asks for a Bac+4, with an international Bac+3 sometimes considered, and selects on a portfolio and a video interview. A four-week catch-up course is offered to applicants without hospitality experience. The culinary MSc accepts a Bac+3, or a Bac+2 with three years of managerial experience, and offers a six-week pre-start program to students without culinary training. The school lists September 2027 as the next start date across these programs.
Fees are the weak point of the public information. The school’s program pages do not list prices and direct applicants to a pricing form. The Campus France profile, dated June 2026 and marked “for information only”, gives 13,390 to 14,980 euros per year for bachelor’s programs and 19,530 to 24,000 euros per program for master’s and MSc degrees. Third-party directories give different figures. One lists a first-year cost of about 22,200 euros, but these estimates cannot be checked against the school. A partner page for the school’s International Classes preparation route says tuition covers registration, uniforms, educational materials, a meal plan, sports activities and alumni membership. Applicants should ask the school for a written price for their program and year, since the figures above are indicative and not financial advice.
Funding options are documented. Bachelor’s and MSc programs are eligible for Crous state scholarships, which can cover up to half of tuition, although the school says international students are generally not entitled to them. The school’s foundation offers Equal Opportunity grants of 2,600 to 7,400 euros for Crous scholarship holders entering the first year. It also offers an Excellence scholarship for French and international students who earn a baccalaureate mark of 16 out of 20 or higher. In 2025 it awarded six of these worth 2,500 euros each. Ten Tremplin MSc scholarships of 5,000 euros go to the school’s own bachelor’s graduates who move on to a Bac+5 program. Students can also take a student loan through a banking partner and earn income from paid placements, which the school says can total up to 21 months.
The campus covers about 17,000 square meters and includes two châteaux set in a park. Training venues include a five-star hotel, a Michelin-starred restaurant, several training restaurants and bars, and cooking and pastry laboratories. Counts differ between the school’s pages, which give six or seven restaurants and 17 to 21 applied learning environments, so applicants should confirm current numbers on a visit. The school runs a student residence, Le Clipper, about five minutes’ walk from its two campuses. Campus France describes Lyon as two hours from Paris and one hour from Geneva.
Several headline claims come from the school itself. It says its bachelor’s has topped the Eduniversal ranking in tourism and hospitality since 2009. Its Campus France profile reports a 98 percent employability rate within six months. These figures are school-reported and were not independently verified for this article.
Key school information at a glance:
- Type: private, non-profit school in Ecully, Lyon, formerly Institut Paul Bocuse
- Qualifications: state-approved bachelor’s degrees (Bac+3 and Bac+4) and MSc programs (Bac+5)
- Hospitality bachelor: four years full time, 240 ECTS
- Language of instruction: French and English, or English only for the hospitality bachelor; MSc programs in English
- Age range: none stated, with entry based on the baccalaureate or a foreign equivalent
- Tuition: about 13,390 to 14,980 euros a year for bachelor’s programs and 19,530 to 24,000 euros per program for MSc degrees, per Campus France (indicative)
- Next start: September 2027
- Size: about 1,200 students, 75 nationalities, and 40 percent international students according to Campus France
The school’s own pricing form is the place to confirm final figures. Applicants should also check the latest requirements with the admissions team, since the school updates its pages each year.
