What the award provides
The official text states that students benefit from a 1000 euros grant for 3 years and from a room on one of the ENS-PSL campuses. At the end of their studies, these students have graduated with a master degree in their speciality and with the diploma of École normale supérieure.
The schedule adds that the first payment of the scholarship is made in October 2027, covering September and October, and that the next payments are made monthly, between the 5th and the 10th.
Two separate competitions
There are two International selections, each with its own dates, disciplines and documents: one in Arts & Humanities and one in Sciences. You choose a single discipline in the process of the competition.
- Arts & Humanities disciplines: Anthropology, Archeology, Classical studies (Greek, Latin), 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, Sociology.
- Sciences disciplines: Biology, Chemistry, Earthscience, Computing science, Mathematics, Physics, Cognitive sciences.
Key dates for the 2027 sessions
The application window for both the Arts & Humanities 2027 and the Sciences 2027 sessions is from 16 October 2026 (14.00, Paris time) to 15 December 2026 (14.00, Paris time).
- Arts & Humanities: shortlist results from 21 January 2027; tests between 15 February 2027 and 26 February 2027; admission results from 9 March 2027.
- Sciences: shortlist results from 27 January 2027; tests between 3 March 2027 and 19 March 2027; admission results from 26 March 2027.
Applications go through the OnePSL30 application platform. The text warns that no applications submitted via email will be processed, and that incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration. It also asks applicants not to use @icloud.com email addresses, neither for the candidate nor for the referees.
Eligibility conditions as stated
For Arts & Humanities, candidates must:
- Be no older than 25 years of age as of the application opening date (must not have turned 26).
- Not have resided in France for more than 10 months during the academic year of the competition or the preceding academic year.
- Provide proof of completion of at least three years of study toward a foreign university degree, in the form of complete transcripts for all university coursework.
- Not have previously applied to the International selection.
You may apply if you are currently in your 3rd year of studies. On rare occasions, the Director of ENS may authorise applications from candidates whose academic background is non-standard.
For Sciences, candidates must:
- Be under 26 years old on the opening day of applications.
- Justify at least one year of undergraduate studies awarded by a foreign university, and at least two years of undergraduate studies at the time of their enrollment.
- Not have been registered in a high school or higher education institution in France more than 6 months (in total) during the academic year of the competition and the preceding year.
- Not have applied to the International selection before.
Again, on rare occasions the Director of ENS may authorise applications from candidates whose academic background is non-standard.
What to prepare as an applicant from Nigeria
The eligibility tests are built around a foreign university degree and transcripts, not around nationality. The official text does not list eligible nationalities; it speaks of students coming from all over the world and of studies in a foreign university. If you are applying from Nigeria, you should confirm your specific position with ENS-PSL before relying on this page.
Two conditions deserve attention against a Nigerian academic record. First, the residency rule: for Arts & Humanities you must not have resided in France for more than 10 months during the academic year of the competition or the preceding academic year; for Sciences the limit is not more than 6 months registered in a French high school or higher education institution over the same two-year span. Time spent studying in Nigeria does not count against you here, but any French exchange or enrolment does.
Second, the transcripts. Arts & Humanities requires proof of at least three years of study toward a foreign university degree, submitted as complete transcripts for all university coursework. Sciences requires at least one year of undergraduate studies awarded by a foreign university at application, and at least two years at the time of enrollment. Gather official transcripts covering every year of your degree, not just the final one.
Documents to submit
For Arts & Humanities, in this order: curriculum vitae; motivation letter of 1 to 3 pages (Times New Roman, 12 pt, 1.5 line spacing) written in French, with candidates in Economics, Linguistics or Cognitive studies submitting it both in French and in English; a research project of 3 pages maximum (10 000 characters including spaces) written in French, with the same three disciplines allowed to submit it either in French or in English; university transcript; high school diploma; and 2 to 4 letters of recommendation requested through the OnePSL30 platform.
The research project is not a cover letter. The text says it should address a well-defined topic, deal with a core issue, develop a set of arguments and provide a few hypotheses, describe precisely the material it relies on (fieldwork, corpus, database, archives), and refer to existing scientific literature. It includes a bibliography of 10 books, including articles or literary works you have read.
For Sciences: high school diploma; university transcript; curriculum vitae; an argued cover letter of 1 to 3 pages (Times New Roman, 12 pt, 1.5 line spacing) in French or English specifying the interest in joining ENS and the training department of the chosen discipline and presenting the study plan; and 2 to 4 letters of recommendation requested through the platform. These documents must be deposited, merged as a unique PDF, on a platform whose link is sent once you have filled your initial application form.
The tests
The examination takes place in two steps: a selection based upon application, then oral and written tests remotely for shortlisted candidates. The marks obtained at the tests determine the list of admitted students.
In Arts & Humanities there are three exams: a written exam in French related to the candidate's discipline (weight 1); an oral exam before a panel of the candidate's discipline (weight 2); and an interview about the candidate's academic background and project before a single panel for all candidates, lasting 20 to 30 minutes (weight 2). Both the oral exam and the interview are conducted in French; the candidate may use English. Dictionaries or any personal document are forbidden.
In Sciences the admission phase includes two tests: a scientific oral test in the field chosen by the candidate (weight 6), which might include a preparatory part possibly including a written test; and an oral interview on the candidate's scientific culture and motivation (weight 3). During the interviews the candidate chooses to answer either in French or in English.
What the award does not cover
The official text does not describe tuition fees, travel costs, visa fees or health insurance as covered by the grant. It does state that admitted candidates receive an invitation letter, an attestation for the visa, a list of documents to prepare for administrative registration in September (university diplomas translated and certified, a birth certificate translated and certified, 3 ID photos), information about French lessons, and information about ENS-PSL, administrative registration, the multifunction card, the health office, health insurance (sécurité sociale), liability insurance, opening a French bank account and the residency permit. Admitted candidates must apply for a student visa where needed and prepare the documents required for administrative registration.
For Arts & Humanities, the text recommends being fluent in French, since the training begins with a welcome event and 3 weeks of conferences and debates in Sciences and Humanities, department visits, intensive French lessons and cultural visits of Paris.
