FAQ - Master
Master (67 questions)
Applicant's profile (5 questions)
- Can I join Sciences Po for the second year of the Master’s programme (for two-year Master’s programmes)?
- I hold a Bachelor's or Master's degree from Sciences Po, am I required to apply through your platform?
- Can I apply if I have not yet graduated?
- Is there an age limit for applying to a Sciences Po Master's Programme?
- I am a professional and I wish to apply to Sciences Po. What can you recommend?
You may apply if you can prove that you have an undergraduate diploma (180 ECTS credits) or an accreditation of prior experiential learning ("VAE" in French) equivalent to 180 ECTS credits form a French higher education institution.
Please note: We do not provide accreditation of prior experiential learning.
You have several options:
- Our Master's programmes;
- Our One-year Master's programmes, if you can demonstrate 1 to 5 years of post-graduate professional experience, depending on the programme;
- Our Executive Education programmes.
Admission process (7 questions)
- Does my nationality determine the admission pathway through which I should apply?
- Does the selection process for a One-year Master's programme include an oral interview or a written examination?
- I am studying/have studied in two higher education institutions, one French and one non-French. May I apply through the international procedure?
- I am attending a non-French double Bachelor’s degree, therefore I have two averages. One of them is below the prerequisite. Will my other average, above the prerequisite, be taken into account?
- How many credits do I need to have validated in order to be eligible for your graduate admissions procedure?
- Do I have a better chance of being admitted if I apply early? Will my application be considered if I apply towards the end of the admissions campaign?
- I attended Sciences Po as part of an undergraduate or graduate exchange programme and I would like to stay on or come back later to complete a Sciences Po Master's degree. How should I proceed?
Choose a programme (13 questions)
- Can I apply for both a master's programme and a dual degree programme?
- Can I apply for two master's programmes?
- Can I apply for two dual degree programmes?
- Can I apply to a Master's degree and a dual degree from two different schools?
- May I apply to both a dual degree programme and a one-year Master's programme?
- Is it possible to apply to two different one-year master’s programmes at the same time?
- What is a Partnership Programme?
- Can I work full time while attending a one-year Master's programme?
- What is an apprenticeship master's programme?
Sciences Po offers the possibility of an apprenticeship within certain Master's programmes.
During their apprenticeship, students receive a salary from their company. They are exempt from tuition fees, which are paid by the company. The work-study schedule is specific to each Master's programme.
For more information on apprenticeship, click here.
- Does one of your Master's programmes offer higher chances of admission?
- I have applied to both a dual degree programme and a Master’s programme. My application has been rejected for one of them. What are my chances for the other one?
- I am applying through the international procedure/I am applying to a one-year Master’s programme: Do I have a better chance of being admitted if I apply early?
- Are your joint Master’s programmes (Joint Master in Journalism and International Affairs or Joint Master of Law and Finance) considered dual degrees?
Financial Information (9 questions)
- I do not have a credit card, how do I pay the application fee?
If you do not have a credit card, you can use someone else's card or ask for Sciences Po's bank details and make a transfer. If you have a bank account in France, you can also pay by cheque. Before making a transfer or sending a cheque, please contact us.
We will send you an email as soon as we receive the money. Once the payment is registered, you will see it on your dashboard.
Please note: Paying the fee does not automatically submit your application. Once the payment is registered, you must manually submit your application by clicking "Submit application".
- In case of an incomplete, withdrawn or unsuccessful application, is the application fee refunded?
- What grants/scholarships are available for Master's programmes?
- How do I apply for the Emile Boutmy scholarship ?
- Are there any Sciences Po scholarships for one-year Master's programmes?
- Can I apply for both Eiffel and Emile-Boutmy scholarships?
- How much are the tuition fees at Sciences Po?
- How do I apply for the Eiffel scholarship?
- If I have applied for a dual degree, can I apply for the Eiffel scholarship?
Create your account (1 question)
Language requirements (4 questions)
- May I apply to a graduate programme without my language test scores?
Yes, you may. If you apply to a one-year or two-year Master's programme (excl. dual degree programmes) your application can be processed without your language test scores. Therefore, your application can be rejected, or you can receive a conditional offer of admission (see "Newly admitted" section below) before providing them.
If you are selected, you will receive a conditional offer of admission. You will be required to provide proof of your language proficiency as defined on our website before the deadline set every year, otherwise our conditional offer of admission will no longer be valid.
However, your application will not be processed without a language test score if:
- You apply to a dual degree programme: You must provide your language test score no later than the deadline of the programme you are applying to.
- You apply for a scholarship (Boutmy or Eiffel): You must provide your language test score no later than the deadline of the scholarship you are applying for.
Some exemptions may apply.
Remember: After you sit for your language test, you may have to wait two to three months before receiving your score. You must therefore take the necessary precautions in order to be able to provide your score by the deadline. When submitting your application, you must enter the date on which you will take your test.
- How long are the test results valid for?
- The required language is my mother tongue. Do I need to take a language test?
- Which language test should I take when applying to Sciences Po programmes?
References (7 questions)
- Do the referees need to fill the form or may they send a letter by email?
- May I send more than two professional references to apply to a one-year master's programme ?
- May I add or delete a referee from my application form?
- How do my referees receive the form to fill out?
Once you have entered the contact details of your professional or academic referees in your application form, an e-mail will be sent inviting them to complete the recommendation form which will be automatically attached to your online application.
We therefore recommend that you make arrangements with your referees beforehand and make sure that they will be able to respond to your request. Bear in mind that your referees receive many such requests.
Make sure your referees know when the reference is due and in which language they must write it. If they don't use the required language, your application will be considered incomplete and will not be processed.
If you are applying to a dual degree programme with a non-French partner university, the references must be written in English.
Be sure your referees know that the reference must be completed online. The quality of your file depends on it. It is your responsibility to make sure your referees have received the email asking them to complete the reference form.
If they have not received it, please contact us.
- May I submit my application with a missing reference?
- May I read the references provided by my referees?
- In which language should references be written?
For Sciences Po Master's programmes: Reference forms must be completed in French or English (unless otherwise instructed).
For dual degree programmes, they must be written in English (unless otherwise instructed).
If you apply to both a master's programme and a dual degree programme, they must be written in English (unless otherwise instructed).
Check the prerequisites and supporting material by programme.
Personal statement (2 questions)
Upload the requested material (6 questions)
- Should I write my resume in English or French?
Master's programmes: you must write your resume in French or English, depending on the language of instruction of the selected programme. If you are applying to two programmes, one of which is taught in French and the other in English, your resume must be attached in English.
One-year programmes: you must write your resume in English.
Dual degree programmes: you must write your resume in English unless otherwise instructed.
- What transcripts should I attach to my application file?
- How to provide my cumulative grade average ?
- Do I need to translate the transcripts I attach to my application?
- I am currently working or doing an internship and my contract runs beyond next summer. What end date should I enter in the 'work experience' section?
- Do I have to send the original of my degree certificate?
Admission decision (2 questions)
- How will I know the outcome of my application?
- I am applying to two programmes, how will I be notified of the decisions for each of them?
You will receive a decision for each programme separately.
For your first choice (dual degree), you will be notified 2 to 3 months after the deadline of the programme.
For your second choice (regular Master) the decision will be released at the beginning of June 2023 (domestic procedure) or at a date that depends on the validation of your complete application file (international procedure).
Newly admitted (8 questions)
- I need proof of my admission in order to obtain my visa, what should I do?
Once you have accepted our offer of admission, you may download an enrollment certificate through the student services centre in your online student space. This document will help you in obtaining a visa.
If you need to know the exact start and end dates of the programme, please check our university calendar or contact our Student Services center.
- At what time of the year can I join Sciences Po?
- What does "conditional offer of admission" mean?
You have been admitted at Sciences Po on the condition that you prove the required language proficiency for the programme.
Applicants who have received a conditional offer of admission must provide their language test scores according to the language requirements before the given deadline. If you are unable to provide satisfactory language scores by then, your admission is no longer valid.
There is no conditional admission for the dual degree programmes (with the only exception of the LSE) nor for applicants to Eiffel and Boutmy scholarships.
- I am newly admitted, who are my new contacts?
If you have been admitted to Sciences Po, please check the Students website for information on your next steps, orientation programmes and more.
If you need information on your registration (tuition fees, health insurance, student card...) or scholarships and financial aid, student welfare and support as well as housing and residence permits please contact the Student services center through their online contact form.
The Admissions office only answers questions regarding admissions and ongoing applications (newly admitted students must refer to the Student Services Center).
For any question related to your programme (choice of courses, gap year, internships, etc.), please contact the academic advisor of the programme.
If you are an exchange student, please contact the International Affairs Office.
If you are a new student and you have trouble accessing your student account, please contact the Helpdesk.
If you have special needs, please check the Accessibility page.
- I am admitted, how do I finalize my enrolment?
On our offer of admission, you will find your username (student ID) and a temporary password that will allow you to sign in to your student account and accept the offer.
Visit our Students website to learn more about your first administrative steps (access your online account, register, chose your classes, check the calendars, and all useful information).
- I have been admitted to a dual degree programme. Is it possible to defer my enrolment?
- I have been admitted to a graduate programme. May I transfer to a different one?
- I have been admitted to a graduate programme (Master's or One-Year Master's programme). Is it possible to defer my enrolment?
