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Higher education in France

HIGHER EDUCATION IN FRANCE

France is often listed among the top 5 global destinations for international students seeking to study for their bachelor degree. With fairly low tuition fees and over 1,000 English language programmes, it is no wonder why France is so popular. There is an enormous amount of cultural richness and social diversity in France, with countless museums, arts, food culture and monuments. If your French is not good enough or you feel more comfortable studying in English, it will be music to your ears to know that there are more than 1,100 programmes that are taught entirely in English, including undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, as well as short and professional courses. European students and students from all over the world are welcomed in this wonderful country to enjoy an exciting academic programme and complete their master or doctorate.

 

ACCEPTANCE PROCESS

Foreign students must complete an initial registration form (which is called “dossier de demande de première admission en premier cycle”) and submit their application before the 1st of February in order to be admitted the following October (the school year runs from October to June). Application forms are available from the cultural sections of French embassies. Applicants must show a residence permit valid for at least one year or the one of their parents if they have a residence permit valid for three years. Foreign students from any country are able to be admitted to French colleges on the basis of equivalent standards to the French baccalauréat. Universities in France accept British ‘A Levels’ as an admission qualification, the same goes for other countries in Europe but an American high school diploma is usually not accepted and American students usually need to spend another year in French high school or have a BA, BBA or BSc degree. The system guidelines state that all foreign students are required to have a thorough knowledge of the French language, which is normally tested if they do not have a baccalauréat. Preparatory French lessons are also provided on our campuses. There is a special selective university entrance exam for adult students without a baccalauréat so that they are still able to realise their educational dreams. Also in France, scholarships are common and available at a variety of institutions for a variety of individuals based on selected criteria. For example, to study at the university, the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research offers scholarships to international students based on a social criterion.

 

SCHOOLS THAT PREPARE FOR GREATNESS

Grandes écoles and écoles supérieures are universities specialised in professional training, where admission depends on competitive examinations (concours). Different from a ‘’université”, before qualifying for a grande école, a student must spend two years at a special preparatory school (Classes Préparatoires aux Grandes Écoles/CPGE). Given the calibre of the quality in education in these schools the tuition fee might be higher than in public institutions but there are numerous services that are able to help conquer this hurdle.

Grandes écoles were founded at the time of Napoleon to provide for the engineers and administrators of the Republic to obtain their degree. INSEEC schools are a part of this category with a growing number of students. With campuses in Paris, Lyon, Chambery and Bordeaux we offer the best education and research facilities on a national and international level within the higher education system. We are dedicated to training high-level specialists, especially in the fields of engineering, applied sciences, administration and management. Grandes écoles are located outside the university system and are controlled by the Ministry associated with the relevant speciality. At each grande école, all students receive the same subjects, excluding subjects that have nothing to do with the specialisation in question. An école polytechnique specialises in multiple disciplines. A great career is almost guaranteed for graduates of grandes écoles, who fill the top positions in government, public administration and big companies. Many companies only hire graduates of grandes écoles that were involved in Sciences PO for management positions, and they usually prefer graduates of business schools with an MBA. 

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INSEEC U. is a private multidisciplinary higher education and research institution located in Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux and Chambéry. With campuses in London, Monaco, Geneva, San Francisco and Shanghai, INSEEC U. occupies a unique place in the French educational landscape.
16 Schools
28,000 Students
345 Faculty Members
9 Campuses in France and Abroad
115 Specializations
Management
Engineering
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creation, digital world and design
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and international relations
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wine & spirits, digital world
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