ENS International Selection 2027: €1,000 a Month and a Room in Paris for Three Years at École Normale Supérieure

Full Program Details

Behind a modest stone doorway at 45 rue d'Ulm sits one of the most famous schools in France. The École normale supérieure has trained Nobel laureates and Fields medallists, and most of its students win their place through a gruelling French exam. There is a second door, though, and it is built for students abroad.

The ENS International Selection takes young undergraduates from foreign universities into the third year of a bachelor's (licence 3) or the first year of a master's (master 1), and keeps them for three years. Applications for the 2027 session opened on 16 October 2026 and close on 15 December 2026 at 2pm Paris time.

Successful candidates receive a grant of €1,000 a month for three years and a room on an ENS-PSL campus in Paris, and they graduate with a master's degree and the ENS diploma.

Details at a glance:

• Host: École normale supérieure, part of Université PSL, Paris
• Entry point: third year of a bachelor's (L3) or first year of a master's (M1)
• Tracks: Sciences, and Arts & Humanities
• Value: €1,000 a month for three years, paid between the 5th and 10th of each month, plus a campus room
• Award: a master's degree in your field and the ENS diploma
• Applications opened: 16 October 2026 (2pm Paris time)
• Deadline: 15 December 2026 (2pm Paris time)
• Application fee: none mentioned by ENS

What It Covers

• A monthly grant of €1,000 for three years
• A room on one of the ENS-PSL campuses
• Study at ENS and at a university at the same time, leading to a master's degree and the ENS diploma

ENS does not describe this as a full scholarship covering every cost, so plan for other expenses such as flights and your visa.

Which Subjects Can You Choose?

• Sciences: Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Computing science, Mathematics, Physics or Cognitive sciences. You choose one.
• Arts & Humanities: Anthropology, Archeology, Classical studies, 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 or Sociology.

Who Can Apply

• You must not have turned 26 on the day applications opened (16 October 2026).
• Sciences: at least one year of undergraduate study at a foreign university when you apply, and at least two years by the time you enrol.
• Arts & Humanities: at least three years toward a foreign university degree, with complete transcripts, and fluent French.
• You must not have spent much time in the French system recently: no more than six months of enrolment at a French school or university (Sciences), or no more than ten months of residence in France (Arts & Humanities), during the competition year and the year before.
• You must not have applied to the International Selection before. You get one attempt.

The Sciences track does not list a French language requirement, and its interviews can be held in French or English. That makes it the realistic route for most applicants from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, India and other English-speaking countries.

How to Apply

1. Pick your track and one discipline.
2. Create your application on ENS's OnePSL30 platform before 2pm Paris time on 15 December 2026.
3. Upload your high school diploma, university transcripts and CV.
4. Write your letter. Sciences: an argued cover letter of one to three pages in French or English explaining why ENS and why your chosen department. Arts & Humanities: a motivation letter in French plus a research project of up to three pages with a bibliography of 10 works (Economics, Linguistics and Cognitive studies candidates may write in English).
5. Request two to four recommendation letters through the platform.
6. Check that nothing is missing. ENS does not consider incomplete files and does not accept applications by email.

Selection and Timeline

Shortlisted candidates sit remote tests. Sciences candidates take a scientific oral test in their field and an interview on scientific culture and motivation. Arts & Humanities candidates take a written exam in French, an oral exam and an interview.

• Sciences: shortlist from 27 January 2027, oral tests from 3 to 19 March 2027, admission results from 26 March 2027
• Arts & Humanities: shortlist from 21 January 2027, tests from 15 to 26 February 2027, admission results from 9 March 2027

GizPulse Verdict

Who this is for: Young, academically strong undergraduates, especially in maths, physics, computer science and biology, who want a three-year path into French research with housing sorted and a steady monthly grant.

Who should pause: If you are 26 or older, have already applied once, or have studied in France for more than a few months recently, you are out. Humanities applicants without fluent French should not apply. For a master's in France without these limits, look at the Eiffel Excellence Scholarship.

One tip to stand out: The scientific oral carries twice the weight of the motivation interview. Start revising core theory in your discipline now, not after the shortlist, and use your cover letter to name the specific ENS department and research themes that pull you to Paris.

Read the full rules and apply on the official ENS International Selection page.