« In a context where excellence is too often perceived as an inaccessible fortress, this reform shows that it can, on the contrary, be a lever for inclusion. Reforming to reconcile excellence and equity means investing in a future where knowledge and openness will be the driving forces behind shared progress. »
Luis Vassy
President of Sciences Po
The three evaluations of the French admission procedure have been designed to be balanced and fair, to select excellent profiles with complementary qualities.
The first stage of the process is based on academic excellence, assessed quantitatively and qualitatively.
The sum of the two marks out of 20 obtained in these two evaluations gives a mark out of 40.
The written French test of the French baccalaureate is given pride of place in this round, accounting for 60% of the mark for Evaluation 1.
Other marks will also be taken into account:
In this first test, each candidate is marked out of 20.
The second part of this first round is an in-depth qualitative analysis of the candidate's academic performance and career path in secondary school.
Each application file is read and assesed by an examiner, who has access to the school reports for the first and last years of secondary school and the fiche Avenir completed by the teaching staff and the headmaster. The examiner considers the candidate's position in the class, in close relation to the school context (selective stream, international exposure, number of pupils), the ability to progress, the involvement in the class, the specific features of the academic journey, and the teachers' assessments.
This second evaluation is marked out of 20.
Candidates who have achieved the minimum score required in the assessment of the Parcoursup application file are invited to the third and final test: the interview. This exercise focuses on assessing the candidate's analytical and reasoning skills along with the candidate's motivation.
The oral test lasts 25 to 30 minutes and is divided into different sequences:
Note that the committee, made up of two examiners, has access to the "motivation essay" that the candidate filled in when registering on Parcoursup and may question the candidate on the elements mentioned.
This interview is organised by videoconference. It is conducted in French, but questions may be asked in English if the candidate has chosen an English-track programme.
This test is marked out of 40. The combination of this mark out of 40 and the mark for the dossier (50% each) gives a mark out of 80.
After assessing the three evaluations, and in the light of the quality of the applications, the admissions panel decides on the minimum admission mark out of 80.
On 1 February 2025, you can attend our online Undergraduate's Open House Day – in French or English. Register now.
You can also sign up for in-person open days at our seven campuses, on different dates, to meet our teams.