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Higher Education outside Universities :
grandes écoles and specialized schools
For the academic year 2000/2001, 16 000 foreign students, of some
412 different nationalities, were enrolled in " grandes écoles "
(top business and engineering schools) which are members of the
" Conférence des grandes écoles " (CGE). In addition to this number
are the thousands of students in schools which do not belong to
the CGE.
Increasingly, the " grandes écoles " recognise the European Credit
Transfer System (ECTS), which allows students to study different
courses in any of the partner institutions of the ECTS network.
An ever growing number of courses are taught in English. A recent
survey by the CGE found that in 2000/2001, 27 " Mastères Spécialisées
", 19 Masters, 3 Bachelor degrees, 24 MBAs, 1 DBA, 10 Masters in
Management and 10 DEA or Doctorates were taught either wholly or
partially in English.
The " grande école " are typically French. They can be state schools
or public schools. They represent an original type of establishments,
in parallel with the university system and have a peculiar place
: they are more or less compulsory for most engineering programs,
regarded by the majority as necessary to a top-rank management career
and a gateway to reach teaching and administration positions.
The most highly rated schools (HEC, Ecole des ponts et chaussées,
ENA…) are considered as the elite path compared with the university
system.
Yet, the differences with the university which was for long regarded
as the place leading to research work, tend to vanish with the setting
up of professionalized programs and engineering training inside
the university.
The grande écoles admit foreign students in their large majority,
but they may not be of equal interest for all the foreign students.
For instance, ENS (grande école for training of teachers) has little
interest for foreign students insofar as it trains teachers and
research workers as they will work in the French system.
Engineering Schools : The fact
that 14,66 % of students enrolled in engineering schools are from
abroad illustrates the growing internationalization of these schools.
Certain schools have introduced programmes especially designed to
appeal to foreign students. For example, the INSA in Lyon offers
EURINSA, ASINSA and AMERINSA programmes. The INSA in Toulouse has
created programmes for Norwegian, Chilean and Argentinian students
and numerous Master of Science programmes. More than 30 " grandes
écoles " accept that the oral part of the thesis be
given in English.
They offer a high level vocational training to meet the needs of
industry. The engineering schools are generally State Schools and
they were the first French Grande Ecoles. There are today more than
700 of them accommodating about 70 000 students.
The registration mode can vary according to the school. The access
is open after two years after the baccalauréat in preparatory
classes and a competitive exam, or sometimes to " Bac +5 "
students.
The most famous is l'Ecole Polytechnique, which is a military academy
training executives for the army and engineers for the technical
bodies of the State.
Some engineering schools offer complementary training to DEA holders
(or equivalent diploma) to students with an engineering diploma
or a management diploma. This is a one-year training program (with
four months of training periods) and leads to a high level certificate
: the mastère.
To obtain the list of these schools, according to the orientation
and the registration mode, apply to CEFI (Studies Committee on Engineering
Training Programs 7, rue Lammenais, 75008 Paris. Tel. : 01 42 89
15 73).
Military schools
Four out of the seven military schools delivering
an engineering diploma accept foreign students. Most of the
time, those students must have been introduced by their government
within the scope of military cooperation agreements.
l'Ecole polytechnique ;
l'Ecole spéciale militaire (ESM) de Saint-Cyr. (specific
military academy) ;
l'Ecole de l'air (EA) de Salon-de-Provence. (Air Force School)
;
l'Ecole navale (EN) de Brest. (Naval College).
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The grandes écoles of Management
and Business : They are not as old as the engineering
schools. Their programs are based on business and management and
are organized around several majors : economics, marketing, finance,
human resources…
Among these schools, the Business Institutes are the only state
schools. Some public schools, known as consular schools, are the
emanation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
The most famous recruit their students after two or three years
of preparatory schools and a competitive exam. The program is three
years long. Among them : HEC, ESSEC, ESCP-EAP (the " three
major "), EDHEC in Lille, EM Lyon et the ESC (Higher Schools
of Management) in the provinces.
About one hundred schools accept students just after the baccalauréat
for a three-year training. But their diploma is not a State Diploma.
However, the registration fees are extremely expensive.
In recent years, the " grandes écoles " have set
up international exchange programmes which have me to a large number
of partner institutions and dual degrees (287 dual degrees between
195 partner universities). By various different means, all the "grandes
écoles" accept foreign students onto their programmes,
many of which may be in English.
This means that almost 25 % of students enrolled in a " Grande
Ecole de commerce " are foreign students, with a large number
of courses being in English. At l'ESCEM, 75 % of courses may be
taken in English. At the ESCP-EAP, on the other hand, the 2nd &
3rd years of the programme may be taken in English. Many other schools
have translated a large proportion of their courses into English,
such as the ESC Rouen and the ESC Toulouse. Some schools have reformed
their programmes in order to conform to international standards.
The IESEG is one of the few schools which offers up to 5 year programmes
with entry level straight after the " Baccalauréat ".
Having reorganised their degree programmes, they now offer a 3 year
Bachelor degree followed by a 2 year Master of Science. The IESEG
expects that foreign students will make up 1/3 of the total number
enrolled on the Master of Science degree.
The internationalisation of schools has also meant new accreditation
by international organisations such as the EFMD, EQUIS, the Open
University (in Great Britain) and the AASCB. Such accreditations
can reassure foreign students as to the quality of the different
schools and their programmes.
Other grandes écoles and top schools
: Beside the management and Engineering grandes écoles, there
are others delivering top rank training in various fields : training
teachers and research workers, training in public administration,
in arts…
Here are some of the most famous ones :
The Ecoles normales supérieures
(ENS) (grandes écoles for the training of teachers)
They are elite schools and aim at training high level teachers and
researchers. Yet, more and more " normaliens " take jobs
in firms and public administration. There are four ENS (three in
and around Paris : ULM, Fontenay-Saint-Cloud, Cachan ; one in the
provinces in Lyon). According to the sections, the access comes
after two years of preparatory classes in literature, sciences,
economics or arts, and a competitive exam.
The program lasts four years. The students can prepare for university
diplomas (Degree, Master's Degree, DEA) and the National Education
competitive exams (especially the agrégation : the highest
competitive exam for teachers in France).
In the ENS, the foreign students from the EU are, like any other
ENS student, civil servant-trainees. They are paid about 1 067,14
euros per month and sign for a minimum of 10 years at the State's
service from the day of their admission in the school. They can
after profit from the possibility to have part-time jobs as AMN
(ENS's allocatees graduates) to complete the PhDs they have started
at school.
The foreigners from countries that do not belong to the EU are recruited
on competitive exam, do not earn wages, cannot profit from ANM but
some particular devices exist for some countries.
Institutes of Political Studies (IEP)
There are 9 IEPs in France at the moment, most of them, linked to
universities. The most famous one is in Paris.
Selection is done after a competitive exam (end of June/beginning
of September). From 10 to 20 % only of the candidates are admitted,
according to the IEP. The baccalauréat holders with A + grade
can integrate immediately. Theoretically, the IEPs can be integrated
directly after the Baccalauréat but in practise, especially
for IEP Paris, one year of preparatory class (literature with politics
option, one year of higher education…) is necessary to get
the level required for the competitive exam.
The studies last three years and the students choose between different
subjects : public services, economics and finance, communication
and human resources, international relations…. When they have
obtained their diploma, most students (4 out of 5) keep on studying
(DEA, DESS, the highest administrative examinations, - especially
ENA (National School of Administration) - journalism…
The National School of Adminstration (ENA)
This school is the royal path to the highest bodies of the State
and senior Civil service. The entrance competitive exam is of highest
level and is opened to students under 28 who hold a Degree, a Master's
Degree, a IEP diploma or a diploma from a Grande Ecole. The number
of students admitted is set each year (50 in 96) Preparatory courses
delivered in some IEPs or universities are absolutely necessary.
The International Institute of Public
Management
It trains foreign civil servants introduced by their governments.
The studies last ten months and lead to the diploma delivered by
the school. The students can also prepare for a DESS.
Access is possible with a Master's Degree or equivalent.
The school also proposes short cycles of improvement courses (between
2 and 8 weeks) for civil servants with a minimum of three years
of experience.
The School of High Studies in Social Sciences
(EHESS)
It trains top rank teachers and research workers in social sciences.
The students are prepared for national diplomas or the diplomas
of the school, in three years. The admission is based on a written
research project and an application file.
National Schools of veterinary Surgeons
There are four national schools and give a six-year training approved
by the diploma of doctor-veterinary surgeon. The students must follow
a preparatory class called " veto class " which corresponds
to the first training year and then pass a competitive exam.
Senior Schools of Arts
In the artistic field, there are various types of schools :
for visual arts, there are four higher national schools (ENS) :
Ecole nationale supérieure des beaux-arts (ENSBA), Ecole
nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs (ENSAD),
Ecole nationale supérieure de création industrielle
(ENSCI) and Ecole du Louvre ;
for drama, there are three state schools with an excellent reputation
among the professionals : The Higher School of Drama linked with
the Theatre of Strasbourg (ESAD), The National Academy of Dramatic
Arts of Paris (CNSAD), The National Higher School of Theatre Arts
and Techniques (ENSATT or " Ecole de la rue Blanche ")
;
for music and opera, there are two national academies in Paris and
Lyons ;
for photography and the cinema, the National School Louis Lumière
(ENSLL, aka " Vaugirard "), The national School of Photography
in Arles (ENP), The European Foundation of trades of Image and Sound
(FEMIS ex-IDHEC).
Choosing a grande école :
We have seen that the grandes écoles, whatever their specialties,
are numerous. The quality of training is unequal. The studies are
about free in state schools but they can be very expensive in public
schools. Nevertheless some have signed agreements for students loans
in some banks or propose grants.
Generally speaking, we can say that the students would do better
to choose a school which admits students two years after the baccalauréat
or on competitive exams for students in preparatory classes.
To make your research easier, here are other criteria which will
help you make the selection :
whether the diploma of the school has been recognized by the State
or not ;
For engineering schools, make sure that the diploma delivered by
the school has been entitled by the Commission of engineer titles,
the only reference authority.
For management schools, make sure it is recognized by the State
(if it is a public school) and check the visa of the diploma (visa
from the Education Ministry), the approval of the title (usually,
it is a level II), the labels (particularly if the school belongs
to the Chapter of the grandes écoles, a selection carried
out by the management schools themselves).
The notoriety of the school among professionals.
The cost of the studies.
Methods of recruitment at grandes écoles
: The methods of recruitment are may be very different from one
school to another. Here are the more frequent :
Recruitment on baccalauréat level or BTS (bac + 2)
About 50 management or business schools recruit on Baccalauréat
level for thre - five year studies.
About 40 engineering schools which recruit A-level graduates are
gathered inside the Federation of Higher Engineering and Executive
Schools) FESIC. Thare are also the INSAs (National Institutes of
Applied Sciences) and the ENIs (National Schools of Engineers).
Some of these schools include a two-year preparatory class in their
program. Others propose a specialization year to BTS holders or
the possibility to prepare for an MBA (Master of Business Administration).
Recruitment based on a competitive examination
for the students of the preparatory classes to grandes écoles
(CPGE) :
The preparatory school, either in literature, sciences or management
(one or two years) is the traditional way to enter the most prestigious
grandes écoles. There are a few " private " preparatory
classes, expensive, especially for management and business training,
but mots of them are in State schools. Ti be admitted in those preparatory
classes you need a very good school report and most of the time,
a A grade at your bacalauréat. A slight proportion of the
students are foreigners (2,6 %).
The rythm of work is very high and there is some kind of competition
encouraged in the classes. Your psychologic resources must so be
as high as your level in French and humanities.
Some schools have implemented a competitive exam to recruit their
students in preparatory classes.
There is also the possibility of " parallel admission "
in grandes écoles. According to the school, this possibility
can be more or less interesting. We will speak about that point
in the third part of the guide " manage your courses ".
To register in a Grande Ecole or a preparatory class, apply to the
school you have chosen before march so as to know about their own
admission criteria.
Specialized Schools : For most
subjects, the students can choose between various schools but the
access to some professions imposes studies in specialized schools.
These programs of training cover very different fields (arts, audiovisual
techniques, accounting, documentation, real estate, journalism,
paramedical, social work…) and can last from 2 to 7 years.
They lead to :
the delivery of a State diploma (social workers, nurses…) ;
a special accreditation from the government (architect DPLG…)
or from a Concil of the Command (chartered accountants…).
Some courses, in particular in the artistic field, do not deliver
any specific diploma.
The State schools generally propose free courses (just admission
fees to pay) but the admission is selective.
Unfortunately, the selection in some public schools is essentially
financial. To make the good choice among the public specialized
schools, you will have to get information on whether it is recognized
or not by the State or approved of by the professionals of the specialty.
To help you to choose a private/public school
CNDEP (national Center of Documentation
on private education) :
20, rue Fabert, 75007 Paris. Tel. : 01 47 05 32 68. Fax : 01
47 05 05 61 52 ;
52, rue Chevreul, 69007 Lyon. Minitel 3615 FABERT. Internet
: www.fabert.com
The Office of Documentation and Information
on Private Teaching (ODIEP) :
45, avenue Bernanos, 75005 Paris. Tel. : 01 43 29 90 70. Fax
: 01 43 25 61 28.
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Conquest spirit
Francois BLAMONT,
EduFrance Manager (Public Interest Group, under the supervision
of the National Education, Research and Technology Ministry
and the Foreign Office).
" EduFrance was set up in November 1998. The origin of
its setting up was the sharp decrease in the number of foreign
students in the 90s and the fact that more and more African
French-speaking students were going to Canada. That was when
we became aware that there was no organization in France which,
in a globalization orientation, was aimed at promoting higher
French education for foreign students. Obviously, the French
delay was historic. The English and the Germans created promotion
agencies as early as in the30s. In France, we still think that
the foreign students come to us naturally and thus, we tend
to forget that education has become a trade, a special trade
of course, but anyway 'education is market ". it is necessary
now to go and promote French higher education in foreign schools
and universities. That's why EduFrance has published a catalog
of the French higher programs, after a network of 174 higher
private and State schools which have subscribed to EduFrance.
To make this catalog public, we have opened 75 EduFrance spots
in 31 countries. They convey our orientation services directly
to the foreign students in their mother country. But the scope
of our project is wider. We would like to open EduFrance spots
inside the universities in several foreign countries. We aim
at profesionalizing the services to foreign students with a
total provision. If the students uses our services, he will
obtain an 'EduFrance stay', that is we will pick him up at the
airport, we will drive him to his new home and we will keep
in constant touch with him, providing him with a personalized
service during his whole stay. The student joins the Edufrance
family.
France, which is a major European country, with its traditions,
its culture, its language, its history, has many assets. And
the foreign students, beyond their studies, come to France for
all that it can bring them. EduFrance has eventually become
a real tool foe a better visibility abroad of our educational
system. "
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The short vocational training
