FAQ Graduate admissions

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Please visit this page to find out all the useful information. In just a few clicks, the PSL Admission form will allow you to discover the procedure to follow (calendar, portal) according to your profile and the PSL master's degree you wish to apply for.

Applications for PSL international master's degrees (cognitive sciences, energy, applied economics for example) will open on 11 January, 2024.

Depending on the Master’s degree, candidates are selected:
•    based on their application; 
•    or based on an application supplemented by interviews:
o    personal interview,
o    and/or written or oral examinations,
o    and/or a competition. 
For some programs that require a minimum level of English, language examinations may also be held to confirm each candidate’s language level.
Candidates are selected based on their application or an application and interview.
You’ll find all the relevant information at the page for each degree program.
 

Candidates are asked to visit the degree program’s website and/or the application portal to learn what specific information and documents are needed in order to complete and submit their application. An application for a PSL Master’s degree program typically includes the following: 
•    A duly completed online application form for electronic applications, or a print application if appropriate;
•    A detailed curriculum vitae;
•    A personal statement describing the candidate’s personal and career goals;
•    Certificate of qualification, diplomas and academic transcripts for the three years of the undergraduate degree or the equivalent (for degrees obtained outside France, a translation into French by a certified translator will be required). Master’s Year 2 candidates must also include an academic transcript and certificate of qualification for the Master’s Year 1 or the equivalent;
•    Academic and/or professional references or letters of recommendation.
Depending on the program, candidates may also be asked to provide the following documents:
•    For students from outside the European Union: a copy of their photo ID/passport or a copy of the residency permit (carte de séjour) or a confirmation of receipt of the residency permit application for the current year;
•    Personal work (portfolio, bibliography, thesis, research project, etc.);
•    Questionnaire;
•    Offer of a work-study contract;
•    Professional certifications;
•    Certified, dated French and/or English language test results, as required by the major (TOEIC, TOEFL IBT®, GMAT, Cambridge Certificate, DELF/DALF, TEF or TCF, etc.);
•    Supporting documentation for any past internships, international mobility and professional experiences, as applicable.

Please note that the documents to be provided and the required language (CV, personal statement, research project, etc.) vary depending on the major or Master’s degree program. That information is available on the website for the relevant Master’s program.
For each major or program, the recommended undergraduate degrees for applying are clearly indicated on the program website.
 

The language prerequisites vary with each program. They are indicated on the degree program’s website and at the application portal.
In support of their application, candidates must provide supporting documents that indicate they have the required mastery of English and/or French, depending on the information given at the Master’s program’s website and/or the application portal. That supporting evidence may be the TOEIC, TOEFL, GMAT, IELTS, Cambridge Certificate, etc., for English, or the DELF/DALF, TEF or TCF for French. 
Please note that for majors or programs taught in English, students must generally have at least a C1 level of English proficiency. For majors or programs taught in French, non-French speakers must generally have a B2 or C1 level of proficiency on the DALF/DELF. 
In some case, proficiency tests (French or English) may be offered for candidates who are unable to provide a certificate at the time they submit their application.
 

To find out about the required level, please read the presentation on the targeted Master's program. Please note that the concentrations or tracks offered in English are available to the non-French speaking students without prerequisite in French.

•    BAC+3 or the equivalent (180 ECTS) for the Master’s Year 1
•    BAC+4 or the equivalent (240 ECTS) for the Master’s Year 2
 

• Candidates may submit applications to multiple different PSL Master’s degree programs in a single year, so long as they meet the admissions requirements for each program, as indicated on its website.
• For Master’s programs that provide for a special, fast-track international admissions procedure in addition to the standard procedure, candidates are asked to submit only one application for each program during a single admissions cycle. 
• For Master’s programs that have multiple recruitment rounds as part of a single annual admissions cycle, candidates may only submit one application per program. In other words, a candidate who is ineligible or not admitted during the first round of recruitment may not reapply during the second or third round in the same year.
• When deciding whether to submit an application for Master’s Year 1 (M2) or Master’s Year 2 (M2), candidates are asked to carefully review the prerequisites for each year of the Master’s degree program and submit their application via the appropriate procedure. Candidates who have a question about degree equivalency may contact the Master’s program at the e-mail address indicated or, as necessary, the PSL admissions office.

Should you have precise questions about a program, please find the name of the contact on the presentation or brochure. However, for all general enquiries about PSL, please send a message to admissions-psl@psl.eu

For PSL Master’s degrees that are administered by multiple institutions, classes are generally taught on their respective campuses, and primarily on what we call the “provider” institution’s campus. This is the institution where you will be registered as a student: ENS - PSL, École nationale supérieure de Chimie de Paris - PSL, MINES Paris - PSL, Observatoire de Paris - PSL, EPHE - PSL, ENC - PSL, ESPCI - PSL, Dauphine - PSL or CNSAD - PSL.

When writing to request further information or to appeal (to challenge the rejection), you are advised to:

• Put your last name, first name, address and contact details (telephone and email) in your email / letter
• Give the course title, the level of study, the method you used to apply and also provide your application number or student number
• Provide all the necessary details to ensure that your request can be carefully examined:
  • Clear reasons why you are appealing the original decision
  • Any evidence that support your reasons and on the basis of which you consider the rejection to be questionable
  • Any new information or documents (e.g. transcripts, testimony, letter of recommendation, etc.) that can be presented to      the academic commission

NB – There is no need to send the documents that you have already provided at the time of your first application.     

• Send your appeal to the program concerned no later than two months after the rejection letter date

If you are an international student from one of the countries shown on this list, you must use the “Etudes in France” online platform to begin the consular process as a student, regardless of the institution to which you have been admitted (and regardless of whether the institution is affiliated with Campus France).
 

Yes, your diplomas and academic transcripts must be translated into French. The French Embassy is authorized to provide a certified translation of those documents.
 

Tuition fees: ~243 euros / year + 95 € (CVEC), with the exception of a few masters' degrees such as Energy, Material sciences & engineering, Integrative Chemistry, Nuclear energy etc. -> Differentiated tuition fees. Please have a look to the master's program websites.


 

If you are an international student and you want to prepare your arrival in France and in PSL, please contact the Welcome Desk (welcomedesk@psl.eu). They will help you before, during and after your arrival for all administrative tasks (visa, housing, health care) and your settling in Paris. More information about the PSL Welcome Desk here and the services for international students here.

To obtain a grant, we recommend that you contact your government and the French embassy in your home country prior to departing for France. Remember to consult the grant search directory maintained by Campus Bourses.
Some PSL degree programs offer merit scholarships to international students. You can find out more by contacting the program at the address indicated on its online information page or in its brochure.
 

You may need to apply for a study visa in order to come to France, depending on your nationality, your status and the length of your stay. Information about visas can be found at the page on preparing for your arrival.
 

You should have a monthly budget of €600 to €900 to cover your housing, food and transportation costs (this does not include expenses for recreation and entertainment).
The cost of living in Paris varies significantly depending on the type of housing you have (CROUS dorm room, studio, room in shared accommodations, etc.) and its location (central Paris vs. the greater Paris region).
Note: Students from outside the European Union will be required to show they have income of at least €615 per month in order to renew their residency permit at police headquarters (Préfecture de Police).
 

Housing options, along with helpful contacts for finding housing in Paris, can be found on the Housing page.
 

In addition to the events hosted by the institution where you are enrolled or your department, the PSL Welcome Desk invites all international students to attend one of its Welcome Days events. Welcome Days are daylong workshops on practical matters (housing, health care, student life, understanding PSL, dealing with culture shock, etc.) plus a day of cultural and recreational activities. The goal of Welcome Days is to tell you about administrative formalities you need to address, introduce you to your new campus and help you meet other international students.    
For more information on events held at the start of the academic year, contact your orientation advisor or the PSL Welcome Desk.
 

PSL institutions offer a Buddy Program for international students. For more information, contact your orientation advisor.
If your host school does not offer a Buddy Program, you can register with Partner@PSL, the sponsor program coordinated by the PSL Welcome Desk. 
In fact, you can register with both your home school’s Buddy Program and Partner@PSL.
 

The PSL Welcome Desk will offer a greeting service at the airport or train station during the month of July and from August 17 to September 30, 2020.
Contact the PSL Welcome Desk to learn how it operates.
 

Information on learning French as a Foreign Language at Université PSL can be found on the Learn French page.