Ecole Normale Supérieur of Paris

[Bishup]

Now, I wanted to make this thread to attract a very interesting prospect that possibly very few international students have ever envisaged. Note this is not a direct undergraduate program but you may apply to it after your first year of university abroad.

Ecole Normale Superieur of Paris is the best university in France and in the top 20 of the World beating University College London, John Hopkins, McGill and many more. If you are interested in taking a pure scientific subject at university or a pure humanity subject at university and want to improve your french whilst having to be 0 fees and get PAYED 1000€ a month ENS in the centre of Paris might be the place to be.

This is only available to international students and it's called la séléction internationale so if you are one of 20 promising students you get to study at an amazing place where some of the best people of France studied. Michel Foucault (most renowned philosopher of modern times according to some), Louis Pasteur and many French Nobel prize winners.

So if you want to study History, Chemistry or Mathematics consider ENS.

I know this is not as convenient as going straight for undergrad and then masters if that's what you want to do but you get 1000€ interest free money a month

Please comment

Edited September 11, 2010 by Bishup

[elmar]

I was reading the site (after I translated it to English with Chrome, of course) and saw that students need to be in their first year of college. Is this true, because I saw that there were many mistakes in the translation and wanted to clarify.

The reason I ask is because I would like to study in France. However, what I would like to study is very varied, ranging from Biology to any of the social sciences (Psychology, Sociology). Either way, the chance to study in France without expensive fees is my dream and I will defiantly look into this!

[Bishup]

yes you do have to be in the first year of college which is kind of odd and surprising if I think about it. I'm not sure that in France you can choose a multitude of subject areas although I'm not sure, i'm sure you could follow up on some courses outside your specific course let's say philosophy. Check out the subjects they offer though. Look at the website.

[elmar]

Obviously, it is very competitive to get in. But how does it look upon graduation? Could I return to the U.S. to continue my studies in the same subject, or would I have to go back to continue from the year I left? I'm not entirely sure how degrees of other countries are assigned.

[Lylo]

If you take the Bachelor degree (License), it should be right for you to return to US, though. Am I right ?

It may be off topic, but if I'd like to enter in a French school for my bachelor degree such as HEC or ESSEC, do I still have to do these 2 years of Preparatory class (prépa) ?

[Bishup]

If you take the Bachelor degree (License), it should be right for you to return to US, though. Am I right ?

It may be off topic, but if I'd like to enter in a French school for my bachelor degree such as HEC or ESSEC, do I still have to do these 2 years of Preparatory class (prépa) ?

For HEC yes you sit a prepa and depending on your score they will assign you to Paris or elsewhere. Do you do have 2 years of prepa but you're guaranteed a place elsewhere. ESSEC is perhaps semi-private or private but I'm not sure if there is such a prepa system, I doubt it.

[nicão]

from what I have read at the ENS website, you can only apply for the selection internationale if you are in the last year of university...have I misunderstood the website? also, could I apply for the selection internationale on the same year I finish my undergraduate degree to start my master's course there?

[elmar]

from what I have read at the ENS website, you can only apply for the selection internationale if you are in the last year of university...have I misunderstood the website? also, could I apply for the selection internationale on the same year I finish my undergraduate degree to start my master's course there?

I was reading the website and had the same question.

From my understanding, it depends on what you want to apply for and study at the college. If you want to study Letters, you need to apply in the last year of your undergraduate studies (as in your senior year of college). If you want to study the Sciences, you can/need to apply any year after your first (freshmen) year.

In order to be able to participate to the ENS international selection in Humanities, candidates must be enrolled in the last year of undergraduate studies, meaning the year they will graduate in Licence or Bachelor ... In order to be able to participate, candidates must be enrolled in the second, third or fourth year of undergraduate studies (in short the last year of undergraduate studies), and must be attending a university outside France.