École normale supérieure – PSL in Paris invites international students to apply for its International Selection, a route into study in arts and humanities or in sciences. Applications close at 14:00 Paris time on 15 December, so start your documents early.
This is not a short visit or an exchange semester. Selected students join ENS-PSL for a full programme of study shaped around research. The process is competitive and can only be attempted once.
At a glance
| Institution | École normale supérieure – PSL |
| Location | Paris, France |
| Tracks | Arts & Humanities, and Sciences |
| Who can apply | International students under 26 meeting track rules |
| Length of study | Three years (Arts & Humanities); not specified (Sciences) |
| Support | Accommodation and a grant; amount not specified |
| Deadline | 15 December, 14:00 Paris time, both tracks |
Two tracks, one selection
You apply to one of two tracks. Arts & Humanities covers history, philosophy, literature, linguistics, sociology, economics, geography, political studies, anthropology, archaeology, history of art, musicology, cinema and theatre studies. Sciences covers biology, chemistry, earth science, computing science, mathematics, physics and cognitive sciences, with one discipline chosen.
Check yourself before you start
Three rules remove more applicants than any other part of the process. You must be under 26 on the date applications open, you must not have applied to the International Selection before, in either track, and your time in France must stay within the limit for your track. If any rule excludes you, no strong project or letter can change the outcome.
For Arts & Humanities, you must not have resided in France for more than ten months during the competition academic year or the preceding one. You must also prove at least three years of study toward a foreign university degree, through complete transcripts. Students currently in their third year may apply.
For Sciences, you need at least one year of undergraduate study at a foreign university when you apply, and at least two years by enrolment. You must also not have been registered in a French school or higher education institution for more than six months in total during the competition academic year and the preceding one. The two tracks measure your time in France differently.
Language also differs by track. For Arts & Humanities, fluency in French is recommended and the written test is in French, although candidates may use English in the oral exam and interview. For Sciences, candidates choose French or English during the interviews.
What selected students receive
Selected students are accommodated and receive a grant, with a scholarship set up at registration. The official page states no monthly grant amount, so this article quotes none, and be cautious about third-party pages claiming an exact figure. It gives no figure for living expenses, travel or tuition, so budget for costs the grant may not cover.
How selection works
Selection has two stages. First, examiners review your file and shortlist candidates; Arts & Humanities results appear from 21 January and Sciences results from 27 January. Second, shortlisted candidates take tests by videoconference. Arts & Humanities tests run between 15 February and 26 February: a written exam in French, an oral exam in your discipline, and an interview about your background and project lasting twenty to thirty minutes. There is no set reading programme, and dictionaries and personal documents are forbidden.
Sciences tests run between 3 March and 19 March: a scientific oral test in your chosen field, which may include a preparatory or written element, and an interview on your scientific culture and motivation. Admission results appear from 9 March for Arts & Humanities and from 26 March for Sciences, and all candidates are informed by email.
Documents you need to prepare
An incomplete application is not taken into consideration. For Arts & Humanities, prepare the following, in this order:
- Curriculum vitae
- A letter of motivation
- A research project (four pages maximum), with a title, the discipline chosen, a description of the project and its bibliography
- The application form, including a declaration of honour
- Two letters of recommendation, from professors able to assess your academic profile, written in French or English
- Transcripts for the current year and for previous years, translated into French or English if needed
- A certificate of enrolment for the current year
- A copy of your passport or identity card
- A photograph
- A certificate showing your level of French, if you have one
For Sciences, prepare the following, in this order:
- Curriculum vitae
- A letter of motivation, a maximum of two pages, about your choice of discipline, your motivation and your research project
- A research project (four pages maximum), with a title, the discipline chosen, a description of the project and its bibliography
- The application form, including a declaration of honour
- Two letters of recommendation, from professors able to assess your academic profile, written in French or English
- Transcripts for the current year and for previous years, translated into French or English if needed
- A certificate of enrolment for the current year
- A copy of your passport or identity card
- A photograph
How to apply well
Start with the referees and the transcripts: those are the items most likely to stall an application. Ask for letters early, and allow time for translations and enrolment certificates.
Write the project to the page limit and to one discipline. Name the discipline in the title and keep the bibliography inside the four pages. A project that drifts across disciplines reads as unfinished.
Proofread for the discipline you chose, then check the file order once more. The official application link is below.
Other scholarships worth a look
If ENS-PSL does not fit your subject or stage of study, consider the UCL Research Excellence Scholarships, the Erasmus Mundus MESPOM Scholarship, and the Yenching Academy Scholarship at Peking University.
Common questions
Q: Can I apply for both tracks?
A: No. Choose one track and one discipline, and apply once.
Q: Can I apply a second time?
A: No. The process can only be attempted once.
Q: Can I still apply if I have studied in France?
A: Only if your time in France stays within the limit for your track. For Arts & Humanities, that is ten months in the competition year or the preceding one; for Sciences, six months of registration in total across those two years.
Q: Does the scholarship cover all costs?
A: The official page states no amount, so do not budget on a figure from another site. Plan for costs the grant may not cover.
Q: Are dictionaries allowed in the tests?
A: No. Dictionaries and personal documents are forbidden.
