École polytechnique Bachelor: admission guide for international applicants, 2027 intake

École polytechnique admits school-leavers from abroad to one programme, the three-year Bachelor of Science taught entirely in English, and the FAQ prices it at €15,900 a year for EU and EEA students and €19,600 for non-EU students for the 2027 intake. Round 1 of the latest published application rounds closes on 20 Oct 2026 at 11:59 PM (CEST); the admissions page lists these rounds under the caption "You can find 2026 intakes right below".

The Bachelor of Science is the only École polytechnique programme entered straight from secondary school. It takes applications for Year 1 only, with no transfers into Years 2 and 3. The other programmes at École polytechnique, the Ingénieur polytechnicien programme, the Master of Science & Technology and the PhD, build on earlier higher education and are outside the school-leaver route.

Aerial view of the École polytechnique campus in Palaiseau

The table collects what École polytechnique publishes for the Bachelor. Each row names the page it comes from in its scope column, so you can see which figures belong to which intake.

Two points about timing. The round dates come with the label "2026 intakes" on the English page, and the French page gives the same dates without an intake label (French page). Only the tuition answer names the 2027 intake. Round 1 closes on 20 Oct 2026, and Round 2 opens on 21 Oct 2026.

What the Bachelor asks for

• Applicants are studying for a high school leaving certificate recognised either internationally or in their home country, or for a scientific university entrance certificate (admissions page).
• Academic level: advanced mathematics and at least one advanced science course, with a strong overall average (admissions page).
• Interview: shortlisted applicants receive an invitation to a videoconference interview of around 50 minutes, conducted entirely in English. École polytechnique does not publish a written admissions test for the Bachelor.
• Other routes: the Ingénieur polytechnicien programme is entered by an entrance examination in two steps, which is a different procedure from the Bachelor application.

École polytechnique's pages print no overall QS, THE or ARWU world position with a number. What the school puts forward is a self-description as one of the World's best small universities (Bachelor of Science page), a 2026 Fields Medal awarded to Hong Wang, X 2010, and one master's programme ranked 2nd in the world in the 2027 QS rankings.

A ranking is only as useful as the table behind it, and École polytechnique does not print an overall QS, THE or ARWU position with a number on its programme pages. École polytechnique uses ranking labels without a figure, and makes one claim in its own words: École polytechnique "is ranked as one of the World's best small universities" (Bachelor of Science page), with no ranking or edition named. Read that line as the university's description of itself, not as a publisher's result.

What the school points to

• A 2026 Fields Medal: École polytechnique announces that Hong Wang, X 2010 and an honorary doctorate recipient of the school, was awarded the 2026 Fields Medal.
• A graduate programme as context: the MSc&T Data Science and AI for Business X-HEC is described as ranked 2nd in the world in the 2027 QS rankings. This is a master's programme, not the Bachelor.

None of these items is a ranking of the Bachelor of Science. They show what the school chooses to put forward. For a decision, compare the Bachelor on what you will actually get: the curriculum, the cohort, the price and the interview process, covered in the chapters that follow.

École polytechnique, known as l'X, was established on 11 March 1794 and is still under the military command of a general officer, the director general, who reports to the Minister of the Armed Forces (military school page). Today it stands on a campus 20 km south of Paris and belongs to Institut Polytechnique de Paris, created in June 2019.

The school began as the École Centrale des Travaux Publics on 11 March 1794 and was renamed École polytechnique on 1 September 1795. École polytechnique says that the Committee of Public Safety entrusted Gaspard Monge, Lazare Carnot and several other scholars with recruiting the best minds of their time by a competitive process (presentation page). The first foreign students arrived from northern Europe in 1798.

École polytechnique building on place Jacqueline-de-Romilly, Paris 5th arrondissement

Military status today

The military status still applies: École polytechnique remains under the military command of a general officer, the director general, who reports to the Minister of the Armed Forces for military regulations and for the military training of engineering students (military school page). The school describes itself as the only grande école in France whose students are confronted with the military world (same page).

For a Bachelor applicant this status has a limit. The military training and the uniform described on those pages concern the engineering students. The school states that all Polytechnic engineering students, French and international, have a made-to-measure uniform called the "Grand Uniforme" (military school page). The Bachelor of Science is a separate programme with its own admissions procedure.

Key figures

The French presentation page of École polytechnique lists key figures without a date: 3700 students, 40% international students, 480 teacher-researchers and 30 000 alumni who are members of the AX.

The page of the Ingénieur polytechnicien programme says that the school has close to 50 000 alumni all over the globe.

Institut Polytechnique de Paris

Institut Polytechnique de Paris, or IP Paris, was created in June 2019 as a public institution of higher education and research. The English presentation page says it encompasses 5 French engineering schools: École polytechnique, ENSTA Paris, ENSAE Paris, Télécom Paris and Télécom SudParis. The French page says it brings together six grandes écoles and adds the École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées (ENPC).

École polytechnique is a member school of that institute. Figures about IP Paris describe the institute, not the Bachelor of Science.

Programmes and campus

École polytechnique states that admissions procedures vary from one programme to the other (admissions page). The programmes with their own procedure are the Bachelor of Science, the Ingénieur polytechnicien programme, the Master of Science & Technology, the PhD programme and the Executive Master, plus exchange programmes. The campus sits 20 km south of Paris on a site of almost 200 hectares.

If you are finishing secondary school abroad, the route into École polytechnique is the Bachelor of Science: applicants must be studying for or already hold a high school diploma, and the Bachelor takes students into Year 1 only. The Ingénieur polytechnicien programme, the master's and the PhD are entered after higher education or classes préparatoires.

École polytechnique runs its programmes with separate admissions procedures, so the first decision is which door applies to you. The table sets the routes side by side, and each cell comes from the page of that programme.

The Bachelor of Science

École polytechnique states that the Bachelor of Science is the programme for applicants who are still at school or have just finished: you must be studying for a high school leaving certificate recognised either internationally or in your home country, or for a scientific university entrance certificate (admissions page). The page does not name national certificates such as the Polish matura, the Abitur or a US diploma. Applications are considered for Year 1 only, and the school does not accept transfer students in Years 2 and 3.

The Ingénieur polytechnicien programme

This is a separate programme taught in French, entered by a competitive examination. Which of the 4 exams you take depends on your earlier studies and nationality, and every track starts from earlier higher education or a preparatory class:

• Classes préparatoires track: for students coming from classes préparatoires taught in France (CPGE).
• French University Track: for international or French students from French universities, and for French students from international universities (FUF).
• International University Track: open to international students enrolled in higher studies at international universities, and the only one of the 4 tracks whose exam can be taken in English.
• International University Track, French Education: for international students coming from classes préparatoires taught abroad (FUI-FF).

Bachelor graduates who want to join the Ingénieur polytechnicien programme face its entrance examination. The French University Track is made for international or French students from French universities (FUF). A later chapter covers the programme, the exam and the fees.

Master and PhD, for context

The Master of Science & Technology is a master's degree with 12 specializations that starts in September. The PhD route is a five-year programme combining an MSc and a PhD, designed for outstanding students of all nationalities. Both are graduate programmes, so they matter after a bachelor's degree rather than after school. École polytechnique does not publish the share of applicants by country for any of the routes.

École polytechnique does not publish an admission rate for the Bachelor. What it publishes instead is the cohort mix, 80% international students from 37 nationalities, and a programme designed for top students with very high potential.

The school gives no count of offers and no rate. The French admissions page links a public Parcoursup report for the 2023 session.

Quotas by round or by nationality

École polytechnique states that there are no quota limits per application round and no quotas based on nationalities (admissions page). The three rounds are described in the chapter on how to apply.

The profile the school describes

The admissions page says that the Bachelor Program is designed for top students with very high potential who can follow a rich and demanding curriculum (admissions page). The school also warns that even excellent results do not necessarily mean that you will be selected (same page).

École polytechnique publishes no grade threshold, so the only guide to the level is the profile above: a high potential in mathematics and a strong GPA (FAQ). École polytechnique does not publish the country mix of the cohort or a number of students from Poland.

École polytechnique selects Bachelor students with a holistic review of the whole file and a 50 minute interview in English, and a board of faculty members and deans takes the final decision on the file and the interview together. The school publishes no minimum grades and no weights for the parts of the file.

The admissions page says that students are selected with a holistic approach. The Admissions Committee considers academics, meaning strong performance in high school and especially in mathematics and science, and also non-academic factors (admissions page). The school adds that it looks for the skills and aptitude needed to succeed, for example the ability to think and work both independently and as a team, together with the motivation to follow a demanding curriculum (Bachelor of Science page).

What counts in the file

The expected profile on the FAQ page is a high potential in mathematics, a strong GPA, an excellent knowledge of English at CEFR level C1, the ability to cope with a heavy workload and to be at ease in an international context. The school does not say how much each element weighs.

Non-academic achievements are recognised too. École polytechnique names exemplary and sustained achievement in any field of intellectual or creative endeavour, performing arts or athletics, scientific competitions, internships, leadership in your school or community, and volunteering (admissions page). Two referees write for you: at least one must be a mathematics teacher at your current institution, and referees cannot be family members or family friends.

The interview

The interview is designed to assess your academic potential and your ability to learn, think independently, adapt and engage with new ideas (interview page). The school says you might be asked about a mathematics problem, invited to discuss aspects of a physics exercise or have a conversation about a scientific publication (interview page). Your level of English is evaluated during the same interview (interview page).

Competitions and reapplying

Scientific competitions appear on the list of recognised non-academic achievements, and the school states no weight for them. A separate scholarship exists for International Olympiad medalists: a student is eligible to apply if awarded one or more medals in the two years prior to enrolment, covered in the chapter on scholarships. The page does not tie admission itself to a medal.

If your application is not successful and you feel that you have the academic potential, the school invites you to apply again the following year (admissions page). Applications are for Year 1 each time. École polytechnique publishes no estimate of chances for any profile.

École polytechnique names no written entrance exam for the Bachelor: final decisions rest on the application file and the interview, which includes 30 minutes of mathematics questions. The Bachelor pages set no SAT or ACT minimum.

The admissions page states that the final decisions take into consideration all aspects of the application, the contents of the file as well as the interview (admissions page). The interview is the only assessment beyond the file that the school describes.

The interview, step by step

Shortlisted applicants receive an invitation to an interview conducted remotely by videoconference; it lasts around 50 minutes and is conducted entirely in English. It has two parts: 30 minutes of mathematics questions mainly about your high school curriculum and 20 minutes on scientific culture, knowledge and motivation. Both rules are stated on the Bachelor pages as published in October 2026.

The Polish matura, the Abitur and US high school diplomas are not named on the Bachelor pages. The pages speak of a high school leaving certificate in general terms, and they judge level through the file and the interview. The Ingénieur polytechnicien programme is different: its International University Track is the only entrance exam track of 4 that can be taken in English. For the English test side of the Bachelor application, see the chapter on English and French.

The Bachelor has three application rounds: Round 1 runs 17 Sep 2026 to 20 Oct 2026 at 11:59 PM (CEST), Round 2 runs 21 Oct 2026 to 6 Jan 2027 and Round 3 runs 7 Jan 2027 to 8 Feb 2027. The English page presents the table under the caption "You can find 2026 intakes right below".

The French admissions page gives the same dates for the first wave, 17 septembre 2026 to 20 octobre 2026, and for the second and third waves, with the third ending at 14h00 CET, but it does not label the table with an intake. Its caption only says that the dates of the waves are listed below. No page labels these rounds as "2027 entry". The tuition answer in the FAQ is the one place that names the 2027 intake.

Where you apply

Applications to the Bachelor are only available through the online application system of École polytechnique (admissions page). You first create an applicant account and then begin the application on the portal (FAQ). The admissions table also has a Parcoursup row whose dates follow Parcoursup.

Documents

Applicants submit official academic transcripts, a personal statement, a CV, a form of ID, a photo, the application fee and contact details for two referees (admissions page). If no transcript exists yet for your current year, you can upload a document that lists the exact courses you are taking, or your predicted grades if your high school provides them (FAQ).

Application fee

Each applicant pays an application fee of €105 by credit card or bank transfer.

After an offer

Interviewed applicants receive an email in the weeks following the interview that tells them whether the application was successful (admissions page). A scholarship page adds a 1,500 Euro annual administration fee, due by all students and non-refundable. École polytechnique is not in contact with Campus France, and you do not need to apply for a pre-registration to undergraduate studies with them (admissions page).

The Bachelor asks for English at CEFR level C1, shown by TOEFL iBT 90, IELTS 6,5 (with 6 in each skill) or Cambridge CAE/CPE B - 176 (with 169 in each skill). No French is needed to apply, but level B2 is a graduation prerequisite.

The admissions page lists IELTS, TOEFL iBT and the Cambridge tests Advanced (CAE) and Proficiency as the accepted certificates (admissions page). Duolingo and PTE are not on the list. The programme itself is taught entirely in English.

Rules for the English certificate

• Age of the result: the test result should be less than two years old when you enter the Bachelor.
• Upload a copy: you upload a copy of your IELTS, TOEFL iBT or Cambridge results to the online form. Results sent directly in electronic format from the certification organisation are not accepted.
• IGCSE: École polytechnique does not accept IGCSE as an English-level certificate (admissions page).
• No result yet: you may still apply, and any admission offer is then conditional on receiving one of the certificates at the required level (admissions page).
• The interview: if you are shortlisted, your English level is evaluated again during the interview, which takes place in English (interview page).

Exemptions

Two groups may be exempted from the certificate. The first is native English-speaking candidates, who need to provide a passport from an English-speaking country (exemption one). The second is applicants who followed a high school diploma or higher education course taught entirely in English for at least the two years before their entry into the programme; the French page words both exemptions the same way (French page). The word on the page is "may": the Admission Committee reserves the right to reject exemption requests and confirms its decision definitively during the admission procedure (admissions page).

French

No prior knowledge of French is necessary to apply. Students whose level is below B2 on the Common European Framework take French classes during the programme, because B2 is a graduation prerequisite. Teaching in the Bachelor itself is entirely in English.

École polytechnique publishes no grade threshold per diploma for the Bachelor: it expects a high potential in Mathematics, a strong GPA and, per curriculum, advanced mathematics and at least one other advanced science. It accepts a high school leaving certificate recognised either internationally or in your home country.

The admissions page asks applicants to be studying for a high school leaving certificate recognised either internationally or in the home country, with the French Baccalaureate, the OIB, the International Baccalaureate, the Swiss maturité and the European high-school certificate as examples. The French page gives the same list of examples (French page). A scientific university entrance certificate also qualifies (admissions page). École polytechnique names no national list of certificates, so the Polish matura, the Abitur and a US high school diploma are not mentioned; they fall under the general wording.

Across all curricula the admissions page asks for the same core: advanced mathematics courses and at least one advanced science course, with a strong overall academic average (admissions page). These lines are stated on the Bachelor pages as published in October 2026.

Grades

The Bachelor pages give no minimum mark for the IB, A-levels, the French bac, a US diploma or the matura. What they do state is the expected profile: a high potential in Mathematics and a strong GPA. Treat the absence of a published threshold as the absence of a stated gate, not as a sign of the level of admitted students.

If you have not finished school yet

You can apply while you are still studying for your certificate. When applicable, the final confirmation of your admission depends on completing the secondary school leaving certificate or the scientific university entrance certificate (admissions page). If no transcript is available yet for your current year, you can upload the list of exact courses you are taking or your predicted grades, if your high school provides such a document (FAQ).

The Bachelor of Science takes 3 years and 180 ECTS, is taught entirely in English and starts with first-year classes in Mathematics, Computer Science, Economics and Physics before students work towards one of three double majors. A separate five-year track with Columbia Engineering adds a Columbia master's degree after the Bachelor.

École polytechnique says that students need to complete 3 years of studies, corresponding to 180 ECTS, to obtain its Bachelor's degree. The first year is built around Mathematics, Computer Science, Economics and Physics classes, with several scientific options that help students choose their double major (structure page). The programme is taught entirely in English, and the study of at least one foreign language is a mandatory part of the curriculum (Bachelor of Science page).

The three double majors

In the first year students have Mathematics, Computer Science, Economics and Physics classes, with scientific options that help them choose their double major (structure page). Mathematics is part of every double major.

• Mathematics and Physics, and Mathematics and Computer Science: students may choose a minor in Biology or Chemistry (structure page).
• Mathematics and Economics: the second-year classes cover Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Econometrics and Finance, and students may choose a minor in Computational Mathematics (programme page, structure page).

The degree

The programme is accredited by the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation to award a "grade de licence", which the school describes as the official undergraduate degree in French higher education (Bachelor of Science page).

The Columbia BS/MS track

École polytechnique describes the BS/MS track as a highly selective five-year programme taught entirely in English. The Bachelor takes place at École polytechnique and the master's degree at Columbia University through a Columbia Engineering master of science. You apply once for both tracks and make your final choice of track in Semester 2. Students enrolled in the BS-MS Dual Degree with Columbia University are not eligible for a semester abroad (semester abroad page).

The school's own pages give two different lengths and two different counts for the master's part of the track, so each version is shown with its source.

The pages do not reconcile the figures. Before you plan the second part of the track, check the current Columbia programme list and the length of the master's with the admissions office.

The Ingénieur polytechnicien programme lasts 4 Years, is taught in French and is entered by an entrance examination in two steps, never straight from secondary school. International students do not study free: non-French students entering from 2019 onwards pay €19,000 for 3 years if they are EU students and €38,000 for 3 years if they are non-EU students.

École polytechnique describes the programme as a unique degree with 3 years of studying on campus to get a Master of Engineering, Science and Technology, and a 4th year that can be done on another campus and outside France for a specialisation (programme page). Because the programme is taught in French, all non-French speakers go through intensive French language and culture courses before the official start of the year (programme page).

The entrance examination and its tracks

To be admitted, applicants pass an entrance examination in two steps, admissibility and then admission (concours page). Depending on earlier higher studies and nationality, students qualify for one of 4 tracks. Every track starts from earlier higher education or a preparatory class, so none of them is entry from secondary school.

The international track is therefore for students who already study at a university abroad, not for school-leavers. École polytechnique does not publish the number of places on the pages of the programme, and the exam detail is not summarised here.

Military and human training

French students in the engineering programme are under military status as cadets during their studies (military school page). After an integration week in September, initial military training takes place for three weeks at the La Courtine military camp. The human training period is compulsory for all first-year engineering students and lasts six months, in the army and the Gendarmerie or in a civilian organization.

What the programme costs

French students are treated differently: French students in the engineering program are under military status as cadets during their studies (military school page). For international students the fees in the table above apply.

The school reports that one in three students of the cycle continue to doctoral level. For a student from abroad who wants this programme, the entry is the exam, taken after earlier higher education.

Most Bachelor graduates keep studying: in the 2025 first-employment survey 90 % of the graduates who answered continue their studies, mainly in master's or PhD-track programmes, and 46 % of respondents begin a doctorate. École polytechnique states that the primary purpose of the Bachelor is to open the doors of master's and graduate programmes at École polytechnique or other major institutions worldwide (Bachelor of Science page).

The survey results come from a news article of École polytechnique on the 2025 first-employment survey. It covers the graduates who answered the survey. Among them, 80 % of the further studies are in Europe, with 44 % remaining in France, and 47 % of the doctorates are abroad. The school adds that, among graduates already on the job market, 100 % found a job within six months of finishing their master's studies.

Which graduating class the 2025 survey covers

Two pages of École polytechnique label the same 2025 survey differently. The news article says the 2025 survey was conducted among graduates of the class of 2021 (BX21). The after-graduation page of the Bachelor refers to the latest results of the 2025 survey "What Becomes of Our Graduates BX22". The pages do not reconcile the two labels, so the figures above are given for respondents of the 2025 survey, as the news article describes them.

Three years after graduation

The after-graduation page gives a second picture. Three years after graduation, in 2026, 54% are still pursuing university studies, while just over a third have started a professional career in business, half of them in France and the other half internationally.

Where graduates received offers

The Bachelor of Science page lists the universities from which students received offers in 2020: Berkeley, Bocconi, Caltech, Cambridge, Carnegie Mellon, CentraleSupélec and Columbia University, and the list on the page continues with further universities. An offer is not an enrolment, and the list is for one year.

For the 2027 intake, École polytechnique's FAQ sets Bachelor tuition at €15,900 a year for EU and EEA students and €19,600 a year for non-EU students, and it estimates living costs at around €12,000 a year. The fees are not the same for everyone, and one page of the school still shows a different non-EU figure.

Three pages give the same figures, and the programme overview page is the exception with €19,200 for non-EU students; it adds that rates are subject to change. The dated figure for the 2027 intake is the FAQ's €19,600. Tuition fees remain constant throughout the programme (tuition fees page).

In the Bachelor/Master track with Columbia, the school states that the rates above are exclusive to École polytechnique and that your years at Columbia University follow Columbia's rates (tuition fees page).

Administration fee and application fee

Besides tuition, a scholarship page says that the 1,500 Euro annual administration fee is due by all students and is non-refundable. The application fee is a separate item of €105.

Living costs

The CVEC is a mandatory annual student fee paid directly to the French government. L'ORE is the board of the Bachelor student associations, and its annual subscription is the figure above. The rent of the campus residence is covered in the chapter on housing.

Working during the Bachelor

École polytechnique warns that the academic workload is such that it is not possible to have a student job during the programme (tuition fees page). Plan the budget without income from work.

Context: the Ingénieur polytechnicien programme

The Ingénieur polytechnicien programme is priced separately. Non-French students entering from 2019 onwards pay €19,000 for 3 years if they are EU students and €38,000 for 3 years if they are non-EU students.

Aid for the Bachelor at École polytechnique is limited: the Excellence Scholarship is €4,800 a year for 3 years and only students admitted with honors are eligible to apply for it, and International Olympiad medalists can receive up to €87,900 per non-EU/EEA student and €78,750 per EU/EEA student, tuition fees plus living allowance.

Aid at École polytechnique comes as merit scholarships and as need-based aid: a tuition fee waiver granted by the school and/or an interest-free loan supported by the Foundation (scholarships page). The school states that this aid is limited and generally does not cover the entire cost of tuition (tuition fees page).

Merit-based aid

For International Olympiad medalists the page sets a maximum scholarship limit that covers tuition fees plus a living allowance, 87,900 Euros per non-EU/EEA student and 78,750 Euros per EU/EEA student. A student is eligible after a medal in the two years prior to enrolment, with a priority given to gold medalists. The Excellence Scholarship amounts to 4,800 Euros in total per year, for 3 years, and the Women in Science Scholarship to 4,800 Euros in total per year, for 3 years.

Need-based aid

French and assimilated students whose families have fewer resources may benefit from the CROUS bursary from their first year, and EU/EEA citizens may apply for it from the second year. All other candidates, international, European or French without a CROUS bursary, may benefit from need-based aid proposed by École polytechnique and its Foundation: a tuition fee waiver and/or an interest-free loan (scholarships page). Any need-based aid that may be awarded will only partially cover fees or expenses (scholarships page), and the tuition page adds that this aid is limited and generally does not cover the entire cost of tuition (tuition fees page). The aid page names no AMX scholarship, and the Foundation's role on the Bachelor page is the interest-free loan.

The page also lists loans: preferential loans from partner banks and 0% interest loans funded by the École Polytechnique Foundation, available to a limited number of students selected based on financial need.

When to apply for aid

As the amount of aid is limited, students needing financial aid are encouraged to apply in early admissions rounds (scholarships page). Candidates are informed of their Excellence Scholarship result after the admission results are announced and before the administration fee for pre-enrolment is due, unless otherwise specified (scholarships page). Keep in mind that you will have to provide a financial plan to the French authorities in order to receive your visa (scholarships page).

Other funding the pages list

The CMA CGM Excellence Fund for Education finances more than 10 École polytechnique students each year across all programmes, including the Bachelor of Science. The Eiffel Excellence Scholarships and the Fulgence Excellence Scholarships appear on the aid page of the Ingénieur polytechnicien programme, not on the Bachelor page; Eiffel applications are submitted directly by the institution on behalf of the student in December.

École polytechnique guarantees on-campus housing to all incoming Bachelor students, and the FAQ puts the rent at €606 per month for the 2026 intake, not included in the tuition. The school gives different room sizes and rents on different pages, so the details below are given source by source.

The FAQ states: "We guarantee on-campus housing for all of our incoming Bachelor students" (FAQ). The accommodation facilities on the campus include around 2000 dwellings, 1836 of which are reserved for students (housing service page).

The pages do not reconcile these descriptions. The room is around 15 square meters on one page and 18 square meters on another, and the housing service describes shared apartments where the Bachelor housing pages describe individual rooms. The Bachelor pages give €606 for the rent, and the housing service gives a wider range for learners in general. The pages do not say which description applies to which building.

What the rent includes

The housing service says that the charges included in the rent cover electricity, water, heating, unlimited internet through Wi-Fi and home insurance (housing service page). Bedding is not provided, but the equipment service sells a bedding kit with a pillow, fitted sheet, duvet and duvet cover at 59 euros.

Housing aid

Students can benefit from housing assistance from the Family Allowances Fund (CAF), which covers a partial amount of the monthly rent (housing service page). The living-costs page warns that the housing allowance is never available for the first month of your stay on campus and that it usually takes a few months for the first payment to be made (living-costs page). Budget the first months without it.

Bachelor students live on a campus 20 km south of Paris, where the L'ORE board of Bachelor student associations runs events, sports, orientation and trips, and where students practise sport at least once a week. École polytechnique says that the campus has more than 100 nationalities.

The L'ORE is the board of Bachelor student associations. Its job is to manage every aspect of Bachelor student life on campus, including events, sports, orientation, student trips and social events (living-costs page). Students practise sport at least once a week and can use the campus facilities: a swimming pool, a climbing wall, a lake for rowing and horseback riding (Bachelor of Science page). The Magnan, the on-campus restaurant, is open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner (living-costs page).

Support services

During the programme, students are guided and supported by several student services teams, including personal development coaches, who help them fit in, support them in any non-academic matters and help create cohesion between the students (Bachelor of Science page). Students who need academic support have access to specific tutorials, either one-on-one or in small groups (support page).

International students on arrival

École polytechnique describes itself as highly internationalised, with more than 100 nationalities on campus and 40% international students (campus page). After admission, a BasiX referent contacts you and guides you through the visa application (international students page).

Getting to the campus

École polytechnique describes the site as spanning almost 200 hectares and as reachable from several access points.

After admission, a BasiX referent of École polytechnique contacts you and guides you through the visa application, and the school helps with the residence permit, health cover and housing. No Campus France procedure is part of the Bachelor application.

Upon admission, you are contacted by your BasiX referent, who guides you through the visa application (international students page). Students coming from abroad receive specific assistance before, upon and after their arrival with visa procedures and setting up their health coverage (support page). École polytechnique does not set out the visa category or the visa fee. The scholarships page warns that you will have to provide a financial plan to the French authorities in order to receive your visa (scholarships page).

Residence permit

École polytechnique has opened a specialised desk that delivers residence permits, located close to its International Student Services Office (support page). When you need to renew your visa or residence permit, you receive the assistance of the BasiX with the sous-préfecture of Palaiseau (international students page).

Insurance, bank and administrative steps

• Health insurance: registration with the French public health insurance is compulsory in France when you enrol in a higher education institution (international students page).
• Bank account: you can open a French bank account on campus with one of the partner banks of École polytechnique (international students page).
• Online portal: LivinFrance is at the disposal of candidates, once they are admitted, to facilitate the administrative steps leading up to their arrival (welcome page).

Housing aid from the Family Allowances Fund (CAF) is covered in the chapter on housing.

Campus France

The Bachelor does not use Campus France. École polytechnique is not in contact with Campus France, and you do not need to apply for a pre-registration to undergraduate studies with them (admissions page). You apply through the school's online system, as described in the chapter on how to apply.

The Bachelor of Science suits school-leavers with a high potential in mathematics, a strong GPA, English at CEFR level C1 and the ability to cope with a heavy workload in an international setting. In the latest published rounds, listed under "2026 intakes", Round 1 closes on 20 Oct 2026, and the last round closes on 8 Feb 2027.

École polytechnique describes the expected applicant in four points: a high potential in mathematics, a strong GPA, an excellent knowledge of English at CEFR level C1, and the ability to cope with a heavy workload and to be at ease in an international context (FAQ). The Bachelor of Science itself is designed for students with a strong interest in Mathematics and Science (Bachelor of Science page).

Who École polytechnique describes as a good fit

• You want a three-year programme taught in English that is built on mathematics and science, with first-year classes in Mathematics, Computer Science, Economics and Physics and then one of three double majors.
• You can show a strong overall academic average, which the school requires (admissions page).
• You can plan without a student job: the school states that the workload of lectures, classes, projects and personal work is too intense for a student job or paid internship (FAQ).
• You can pay the tuition for the 2027 intake, €15,900 a year for EU and EEA students and €19,600 for non-EU students, or you qualify for the aid described in the scholarships chapter.

What the pages say about alternatives

For ENS Paris, Mines or any other school, compare programme content, teaching language and cost on that school's own pages, and set them against the chapters above.

Next steps

Before you apply, have an English certificate at the required level, two referees, one of whom is a mathematics teacher at your current institution, and your transcripts or predicted grades. The application fee is €105. Interviews follow each round, and the chapter on how to apply lists the dates and the documents.

Official pages of École polytechnique (L'X), UCAS, gov.uk and the ranking publishers. Applicant reports, where shown, are self-reported and labelled.

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Photos: École polytechnique buildings seen from the lake: photo David Monniaux, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons · Aerial view of the École polytechnique campus in Palaiseau: photo Jérémy Barande, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons · École polytechnique building on place Jacqueline-de-Romilly, Paris 5th arrondissement: photo Celette, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons