True or False? Campus Life and Student Clubs at Sciences Po

At Sciences Po, student groups, cultural activities, and athletics also set the pace for the academic year. Over 300 associations are active on a daily basis across our seven campuses, covering a wide range of areas: culture, environment, education, solidarity, discovery, reflection, and debate. They offer more than 200 activities in over 60 sports and artistic disciplines.

Conferences are organised throughout the year with leading figures from the political, economic and academic realms, not to mention sporting competitions, festivals, public speaking contests, themed weeks, creative events and exhibitions. In total, more than 2,000 student events bring the campuses to life every year.

Beyond the stats (and clichés), what are our students' favourite areas of action? A fact-checking overview that sheds light on a generation in tune with its times.

The main student clubs are affiliated to political parties: FALSE

The three most represented categories are Art and Culture, followed by International, and then Debate/Politics. Within this category, political party offshoots are in the minority, compared to debate associations and think tanks. Recent years have been marked by a form of “deinstitutionalisation” of political engagement. Further down the rankings, fourth place is shared by Education and Solidarity/Civic Engagement.

An artistic performance by dancer and choreographer Benjamin Millepied with Art'Core student association and the Institute for Arts and Creation:

The students get to decide which students clubs are approved: FALSE

Since 2016, the status of recognised association is granted by the Student Life and Education Committee, in accordance with the conditions set out in the Student Life Regulations, including registration with the French local authority.

The student initiatives must campaign at the beginning of the semester and demonstrate student support in order to be selected. Sciences Po students value this format, which allows them to launch initiatives with a strong short-term impact. In the first term of 2026, 57 student initiatives were elected, bringing their total number to 152 for academic year 2025-2026 (counting the 95 elected in Fall 2025).

Among their topics: research with the Asia Pacific Research Circle, international affairs with the Ukrainian initiative U'Art or Pô Canada, debate with the Jessup Team, media with the launch of a radio station, art with Sciences K(PO)P, etc.

The Sciences Po Sports Association is a key player in campus life: TRUE

Did you know that Sciences Po's Sports Association (AS) has been around since 1931? Athletics, like the arts, can be part of the curriculum: it can even earn our students ECTS credits. Today, the Sports Association offers more than 45 sporting activities, from horse riding to rowing and Zumba, and around 20 cultural activities, from opera singing to calligraphy.

The Paris campus hosts around fifteen competitive teams that take part in three major annual events: the French Championships (among French universities), the Inter-Sciences Po Games (JISPO, between the 10 French political science institutions) and the Collegiades (which brings together the 7 Sciences Po campuses).

Volunteering is also available as part of the curriculum: TRUE

Formative volunteering experiences can contribute to shaping students. As such, all our undergraduates have to take part in the Civic Learning Programme, a demanding exercise that includes a 140-hour civic internship completed during the summer of students’ first year, a 50-hour independent or group civic engagement project, running continuously throughout students’ second year, and a final Capstone Project supervised by an academic mentor. 

Further opportunities are available to master's students. Every year, the Paris School of International Affairs enables its students to play a key role in the Paris Peace Forum and the Youth & Leader Summit.

There’s no room left for new student clubs: FALSE

Got an idea for an association or initiative? Go for it.

The Student Life and Education Committee, with the Department of Student Life, can grant the recognised association status for a period of two academic years. The Department of Student Life will assist you in setting up your student association.

You will need to put together a team, find people who are interested in your project and learn to work with them. In doing so you’ll be developing your capacities for decision-making, team work, public speaking, civic engagement, and activism: all vital skills that the university promotes and supports.