International selection
To apply, please go to the OnePSL30 application platform (link HERE)
International selection in Arts&Humanities 2027:
- Application : From 16 October 2026 (14.00, Paris time) to 15 December 2026 (14.00, Paris time)
- Shortlist results : From 21 January 2027
- Tests : Between 15 February 2027 and 26 February 2027
- Admission results : From 9 March 2027
International selection in Sciences 2027:
- Application : From 16 October 2026 (14.00, Paris time) to 15 December 2026 (14.00, Paris time)
- Shortlist results : From 27 January 2027
- Tests : Between 3 March 2027 and 19 March 2027
- Admission results : From 26 March 2027
Presentation
The Ecole normale supérieure - PSL aims at varying its students’ profiles and incorporates students to be enrolled in the 3rd year of bachelor (licence 3) or 1st year of master (master 1), coming from all over the world and from all disciplines. The competitive examination of the International selection is intended to young graduates in Arts & Humanities as well as Sciences, who justify at least of one year undergraduate studies in a foreign university and distinguish themselves with outstanding results.
Joining ENS-PSL through the competitive examination of the International selection gives access to training of excellence, through contact with exceptional researchers, in a privileged training and research environment. Integrated to the community of the normaliens, international students continue their studies at ENS-PSL and at the university at the same time, while benefiting from a 1000 euros grant for 3 years and from a room on one of the ENS-PSL campuses. At the end of their studies, these students have graduated with a master degree in their speciality and with the diploma of École normale supérieure.
The examination takes place in 2 steps: a selection based upon application, then oral and written tests remotely for shortlisted candidates.
Procedure
- Please submit your application on the OnePSL30 platform before the deadline.
- If the jury selects your dossier, you are invited to take written and oral tests remotely.
- The marks obtained at the tests determine the list of admitted students.
Documents
Frequently Asked Questions - International Selection (English version)
List of Jury Members - International Selection in Arts and Humanities - 2027 session : to be announced.
List of Jury Members - International Selection in Sciences - 2026 session : to be announced.
During their 3 years of study, students from the International selection discover Paris in exceptional conditions. Above all, they benefit from the intellectual freedom and multidisciplinarity characterizing training at the ENS-PSL. Beyond the outstanding academic results expected from the candidates, ENS looks for young students driven by curiosity, open-mindedness and a taste for research. ENS-PSL is rich of the diversity of its students’ profiles, experiences and origins, and is concerned with enhancing the aptitudes of each one. For studying Arts& Humanities, we recommend you to be fluent in French.
The training begins with a welcome event (1 day) and 3 weeks of conferences and debates in Sciences and Humanities, department visits, intensive French lessons, cultural visits of Paris as well as activities and entertainments organized by the various student associations of ENS.
Read more about the ENS graduate degree in Arts & Humanities
Academic disciplines offered through International selection in Arts&Humanities: Anthropology, Archeology, Classical studies (Greek, Latin), Cinema, Theater studies, History of Art, Musicology, Cognitive sciences, Economics, Political studies, Geography, History, History and Philosophy of Law, History and Philosophy of Sciences, Linguistics, Literature, Philosophy, Sociology.
Eligibility Criteria
Candidates :
- Be no older than 25 years of age as of the application opening date (must not have turned 26)
- Must not have resided in France for more than 10 months during the academic year of the competition or the preceding academic year
- Must provide proof of completion of at least three years of study toward a foreign university degree. This proof must be submitted in the form of complete transcripts for all university coursework
- Must not have previously applied to the SI.
You may apply if you are currently in your 3rd year of studies.
On rare occasions, the Director of ENS may authorise applications from candidates whose academic background is non-standard.
List of documents to be submitted on the dedicated platform, in this order :
- Curriculum vitae
- Motivation letter (1 to 3 pages long, font : Times New Roman, 12 pt and 1.5 line spacing) - written in French; Candidates in Economics, Linguistics or Cognitive studies must submit their motivation letter both in French and in English
- Research project of 3 pages maximum (10 000 characters including spaces). This is not a cover letter but a research project: it should address a well-defined topic and deal with a core issue, then develop a set of arguments and provide for a few hypotheses. The material the research project relies on (e.g. fieldwork, corpus, database, archives, etc.) has to be precisely described. The research project refers to an existing scientific literature while selecting a small range of relevant and informed references.This project includes a bibliography (list of 10 books, including articles or literary works you have read and which turned out to be important in your intellectual career). It comes in addition to the study project. - written in French; Candidates in Economics, Linguistics or Cognitive studies can submit their project either in French or in English
- University transcript
- High school diploma
- 2 to 4 letters of recommendation. You should request letters of recommendation from your references directly through the OnePSL30 platform by entering their email addresses in the designated fields.
If incomplete, your application will not be taken into consideration.
| Dates | Actions |
16 October 2027 (2PM, Paris time) - 15 December 2027 (2 PM, Paris time) |
|
| From 21 January 2027 | Admissibility results published online and at ENS Shortlist on: https://www.ens.psl.eu/en/academics/admissions/international-selection All candidates will receive an e-mail, whether they have passed this first step or not. |
| 15 February 2027 - 26 February 2027 | Admission tests by videoconference: -One written test -Two oral tests |
| From 9 March 2027 | Admission results published online and at ENS All candidates receive an Email, whether they are admitted or not |
| Spring 2027 | The admitted candidates receive: · An invitation letter · An attestation for the visa (by email and/or postal mail) · A list of documents to prepare for the administrative registration in September (University diplomas translated and certified, a birth certificate translated and certified, 3 ID photos,..) · Information about French lessons · Information about ENS-PSL, administrative registration, multifunction card, Health office, Health insurance (i.e sécurité sociale), liability insurance, opening a French bank account, residency permit |
The admitted candidates must: · Apply for a visa for studies, i.e "visa long séjour pour études" (if they need to) · Prepare the documents required by ENS-PSL for the administrative registration | |
| Beginning of the French courses for foreigners | |
| September 2027 | Administrative registration with: · Setting up of the scholarship · Dossier for the residency permit application (if needed) |
| October 2027 | 1st payment of the scholarship (September and October). The next payments are made monthly, between the 5th and the 10th. |
There is no specific reading programme. After the pre-selection, the board of examiners conceives tests in order to evaluate candidates’ abilities to analyse, conceptualise and synthesise information. They also assess the scientific or literary culture and intellectual curiosity of candidates as well as the relevance of their projects.
The 3 exams are:
- A written exam in French, related to the candidate’s discipline - Duration: see here - Weight 1.
- An oral exam in front of a panel of the candidate’s discipline - Duration: see here - Weight 2. Warning: the duration in the candidate's discipline might change from year to year.
- An interview about both the candidate’s academic background and project, in front of a single panel for all candidates - Duration: 20 to 30' - Weight 2.
The regulations for distance tests are available for consultation HERE.
Both the oral exam and the interview are conducted in French. The candidate may use English.These exams will be organised as distance exams. They will be detailed later on our Web page
Disciplines proposed are : Anthropology, Archeology, Classical studies (Greek, Latin), Cinema, Theater studies, History of Art, Musicology, Cognitive studies, Economy, Political studies, geograph, History, History and Philosophy of Law, History and Philosophy of Sciences, Linguistic, Literature, Philosophy, Sociology.
Dictionaries or any personal document are forbidden.
Reports are written each year by the President of the Board of Examiners as well as test coordinators. They provide information on requirements and examiners’ expectations to help candidates with their preparatory work.
Students from the International selection are driven by curiosity, open-mindedness and a taste for research and innovation. Benefiting from good material and financial conditions (they are accommodated and receive a grant), they can dedicate themselves to their studies within a prestigious institution, while discovering Paris and living a good life.
They benefit from advanced training in their major scientific discipline and also from a multidisciplinary training, which allows them to improve their knowledge in other disciplines in Sciences and Humanities. The pursued training is customised thanks to a mentoring system. From the outset, the training is research-oriented, with lessons in their major disciplines given by the best researchers and with internship periods in laboratories.
The training begins with a welcome event (1 day) and 3 weeks of conferences and debates in Sciences and Humanities, department visits, intensive French lessons, cultural visits of Paris as well as activities and entertainments organised by the various student associations of ENS.
When applying, students are invited to indicate their choice of training department.
Read more about the ENS graduate degree in Sciences
Academic disciplines offered through International selection in Sciences: Biology, Chemistry, Earthscience, Computing science, Mathematics, Physics, Cognitive sciences
Curriculum for the medallists of the International Mathematical/Physics Olympiad: HERE
Eligibility criteria
- Candidates must be under 26 years old on the opening day of applications ;
- Candidates must justify at least one year of undergraduate studies awarded by a foreign university. They must justify at least two years of undergraduate studies at the time of their enrollment ;
- Candidates must not have been registered in a high school or higer education institution in France more than 6 months (in total) during the academic year of the competition and the preceding year ;
- Candidates must not have applied to the International Selection before.
On rare occasions, the Director of ENS may authorise applications from candidates whose academic background is non-standard.
List of documents to be submitted on the application platform, as attachments to the platform form:
- High school diploma
- University transcript
- Curriculum vitae
- Argued cover letter (between 1 and 3 pages, Times New Roman, font 12, line spacing 1.5), in French or English, specifying the interest in joining the ENS and the training department of the chosen discipline and succinctly presenting the study plan (particular interests, planned courses, research themes, possible secondary discipline of interest, etc.)
- 2 to 4 letters of recommendation - You should request letters of recommendation from your references directly through the OnePSL30 platform by entering their email addresses in the designated fields.
All these documents must be deposited, merged as a unique Pdf, on a platform whose link will be sent once you have filled your initial application form on HERE
If incomplete, your application will not be taken into consideration.
| Dates | Actions |
| 16 October 2027 (2PM, Paris time) - 15 December 2027 (2PM, Paris time) |
|
| From January 27, 2027 | Admissibility results published online and at ENS Shortlist on: https://www.ens.psl.eu/en/academics/admissions/international-selection All candidates receive an Email, whether they have passed this first step or not |
| January 28, 2027 - March 2, 2027 | Personnal invitation to the tests is sent by Email |
| March 3, 2027 - March 19, 2027 | Oral tests by videoconference according to the schedule decided by each scientific departement
|
| From March 26, 2027 | Admission results published online and at ENS All candidates receive an email, whether they have passed this second step or not |
| Spring 2027 | The admitted candidates receive, or can be handed directly at the SAE: · An invitation letter · An attestation for the visa (by email and postal mail, or they can come to the SAE and be handed it) (if needed) . A list of documents to prepare for the administrative registration in September (University diplomas translated and certified, a birth certificate translated and certified, 3 ID photos,..) · Information about French lessons · Information about ENS, administrative registration, multifunction card, Health office, Health insurance (i.e sécurité sociale), liability insurance, opening a French bank account, residency permit |
The admitted candidates must: · Apply for a visa for studies, i.e "visa long séjour pour études" · Prepare the documents required by ENS for the administrative registration | |
| Beginning of the French courses for foreigners | |
| September 2027 | Administrative registration with: · Setting up of the scholarship · Dossier for the residency permit application (if needed) |
| October 2027 | 1st payment of the scholarship (September and October). The next payments are made monthly, between the 5th and the 10th. |
After the pre-selection, the board of examiners conceives tests in order to evaluate candidates’ abilities to analyze, conceptualize and synthesize information. They also assess the scientific or literary culture and intellectual curiosity of candidates as well as the relevance of their projects.
The admission phase includes two tests :
- A scientific oral test, in the field chosen by the candidate during his/her application. Weight 6. This test might include a preparatory part which may include a written test.
- Oral interview on the candidate’s scientific culture, and motivation - Weight 3.
The form of the admission tests are set by the Departments and more information are published on each department website.
During the interviews (oral tests), the candidate chooses to answer either in French or in English.
Disciplines proposed are: Biology, Chemistry, Cognitive studies, Earth Science, Computing science, Mathematics, Physics. Candidates choose one single discipline in the process of the competition.
Reports are written each year by the President of the Board of Examiners as well as test coordinators. They provide information on requirements and examiners’ expectations to help candidates with their preparatory work.
Mis à jour le 29/9/2026
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