🇫🇷 Studying in France as an Irish student

Our database holds ten bachelor rows for France, most of them English-taught. They cover business at EDHEC, ESSEC, SKEMA and emlyon, politics at Sciences Po, hospitality at Institut Lyfe and science at Ecole Polytechnique. There are no medicine, dentistry or nursing rows. Published tuition runs from EUR 0 to EUR 14,900 at Sciences Po (set by household resources) up to EUR 23,900 per year on EDHEC's Global Business track. Selection is by file, with tests and interviews at most schools.

How an Irish student gets in

We found no Leaving Cert grade rule for France. The EDHEC and SKEMA rows note that no Irish Leaving Cert rule is published, and Sciences Po lists no subject requirements. Institut Lyfe, ESSEC, emlyon and Polytechnique say nothing about the Leaving Cert in our data. Check each school's admissions page (links in Sources).

Sciences Po (Le Havre, Reims). There are no specific subject requirements. Selection uses three evaluations: secondary school results, academic performance and progress, and written pieces on motivation. SAT or ACT is optional. Candidates who pass the minimum mark are interviewed. English-taught tracks need C1 English, assessed in the interview and written texts. A test certificate is optional. Documents include transcripts for the last three years of secondary school, two academic references and a EUR 150 non-refundable fee.

Ecole Polytechnique (Bachelor of Science). There is no written entrance exam. The file is reviewed as a whole. Advanced mathematics and at least one advanced science course are expected. For other curricula, mathematics and one other scientific subject should have been studied at a high level. Shortlisted candidates have a video interview of about 50 minutes in English. English at C1 is needed (TOEFL iBT 90, IELTS 6.5 with at least 6 in each skill, or Cambridge CAE/CPE 176). Exemption applies for native English speakers (passport) or two preceding years of schooling entirely in English, though the committee may reject it. Application fee: EUR 105.

EDHEC (International BBA). There is no Irish-specific rule. Most secondary diplomas that meet university entry requirements are accepted. Science, maths, economics, humanities or languages are recommended. You sit the Emage-me personality test and an online English assessment, then an online interview. Documents include transcripts for the last three semesters, a CV and a one-page personal statement. The application fee is EUR 100 and the deposit is EUR 5,000 within two weeks of admission.

ESSEC (Global BBA, Cergy). English proof is mandatory for the English Track: TOEIC 850, IELTS Academic 6.5, TOEFL iBT 90 or Cambridge B2 First 175. It is not required if the last two years of schooling were entirely in English. Shortlisted applicants have a 30-minute interview. The application fee is EUR 100 and the deposit is EUR 5,500.

SKEMA (Global BBA). Selection is weighted: academic file 40%, interview 35%, portfolio 15%, English 10%. The interview is 20 minutes, usually on Teams. Predicted grades are accepted. There is no minimum English score for first-year entry.

emlyon (Global BBA). Online cognitive, general knowledge and behavioural tests, plus a video interview (weight 3 of 10).

Institut Lyfe (Hospitality). Open to all baccalaureate holders or international equivalent. Selection day has an 80-question multiple-choice test, an English or French test and an interview.

What it costs

• Sciences Po: EUR 0 to EUR 14,900 per academic year for first enrolment 2026-2027 with fiscal residence in the EEA, calculated from household resources. Nationality is not taken into account.
• Ecole Polytechnique: EUR 15,900 per year for EU and EEA students (EUR 19,600 non-EU); academic year not stated. Fees stay constant through the programme and are subject to change.
• emlyon: EUR 15,500 per year for first-year admission, 2027-2028 (EUR 15,050 tuition plus EUR 450 administrative fees). A 10% discount applies to admitted international students applying in the first session.
• EDHEC: EUR 15,900 per year (Business Management track) and EUR 23,900 per year (Global Business track), for the 2026 intake. The 2027 fee is not yet published.
• SKEMA: EUR 14,500 per year plus EUR 500 service fee per year of study (2026-2027, provisional). The same page's Q&A says EUR 14,000 plus EUR 2,000, so the page contradicts itself.
• ESSEC and Institut Lyfe: no tuition figure in our data.

Accommodation.

• Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau: EUR 606 per month for an on-campus individual room, 2026 intake. This is a university price, revised each January. The school gives estimated annual living costs of around EUR 12,000.
• Institut Lyfe, Ecully (Lyon): EUR 535 to EUR 595 per month for a single room in the Le Clipper student hotel-residence, breakfast included. This is a university-published, non-contractual price.

We have no accommodation figures for the other cities.

Deadlines

No 2027 dates are in our data for ESSEC or Institut Lyfe.

Health courses

Our database has no health programmes for France.

Other courses

Partly verified rows: EDHEC's published tuition is for the 2026 intake and the page does not separate EU from non-EU fees. SKEMA's fee is inconsistent on its own page. ESSEC's tuition amount and 2027 session dates were not in the page text we could read. Institut Lyfe's tuition and 2027 deadline are not on its website.

Things that catch Irish students out

• Fees that may change for 2027. EDHEC's figures are for the 2026 intake and its 2027 fee is not published. SKEMA's 2026-2027 fee is marked provisional.
• Fees that do not split by nationality. EDHEC and SKEMA do not separate EU and non-EU fees on the pages we read. Sciences Po prices by household resources and says nationality is not taken into account. Polytechnique charges EUR 15,900 to EU/EEA students and EUR 19,600 to non-EU students.
• Early rounds. EDHEC's first round closes 3 November 2026, and Polytechnique's Round 1 closes 20 October 2026. Sciences Po's first rolling date is 4 November 2026.
• Deposits. EDHEC asks for EUR 5,000 and ESSEC EUR 5,500 within two weeks of admission.
• English proof. ESSEC requires a test for the English Track unless the last two years were taught entirely in English. Polytechnique's exemption can be rejected by the committee. Sciences Po tests English in the interview and written texts.
• Missing papers. SKEMA wants an extracurricular portfolio of 2 to 5 files, and certified translations of documents not in French or English.

FAQ

Is there a Leaving Cert grade rule for France?

Not in our data. EDHEC and SKEMA publish no Irish Leaving Cert rule, and Sciences Po sets no subject requirements. Polytechnique expects advanced maths and one advanced science. Check each school's admissions page.

What do French business schools charge?

In our data, emlyon charges EUR 15,500 (2027-2028), EDHEC EUR 15,900 or EUR 23,900 (2026 intake), and Polytechnique EUR 15,900 for EU and EEA students. SKEMA's page gives two different figures, so confirm it with the school.

Is Sciences Po priced differently for Irish students?

Sciences Po states EUR 0 to EUR 14,900 per academic year for first enrolment in 2026-2027 with fiscal residence in the EEA, set by household resources. It says nationality is not taken into account.

Do I need an interview?

Sciences Po, Polytechnique, EDHEC, SKEMA, emlyon, ESSEC and Institut Lyfe all list an interview in our data. Sciences Po and Polytechnique interview shortlisted or qualifying candidates only. Interview dates are in the Deadlines table.

What does student housing cost?

Two figures exist in our data: EUR 606 per month at Ecole Polytechnique (on-campus room, 2026 intake) and EUR 535 to EUR 595 per month at Institut Lyfe's Le Clipper residence. Both are university prices.

Sources

Sciences Po

• https://www.sciencespo.fr/students/en/fees-funding/tuition-fees/
• https://www.sciencespo.fr/admissions/en/undergraduate/foreign-secondary-schools/
• https://www.sciencespo.fr/en/news/candidates-all-you-need-to-know-about-undergraduate-admissions-through-the-international-admiss/
• https://www.sciencespo.fr/admissions/en/undergraduate/foreign-secondary-schools/language-requirements/
• https://www.sciencespo.fr/admissions/en/undergraduate/foreign-secondary-schools/documents
• https://www.sciencespo.fr/en/academics/undergraduate-college/
• https://www.sciencespo.fr/college/en/campus/le-havre
• https://www.sciencespo.fr/college/en/campus/reims

Ecole Polytechnique

• https://programmes.polytechnique.edu/en/bachelor/costs-and-funding/tuition-fees
• https://programmes.polytechnique.edu/en/bachelor/admissions/admissions-criteria-and-procedure
• https://programmes.polytechnique.edu/en/bachelor/admissions/faq
• https://programmes.polytechnique.edu/en/bachelor/about-the-bachelor/bachelor-of-science

EDHEC

• https://www.edhec.edu/en/programmes/bba/admissions-and-tuition-fees/international-admissions
• https://www.edhec.edu/en/programmes/bba/degrees/business-management-track
• https://www.edhec.edu/en/programmes/bba/degrees/global-business-track

ESSEC

• https://www.essec.edu/en/program/global-bba-international/

SKEMA

• https://www.skema.edu/en/programmes/global-bba
• https://www.skema.edu/programmes/bachelors/admissions/admission-procedure

emlyon

• https://em-lyon.com/en/student/bachelor/global-bba

Institut Lyfe

• https://en.institutlyfe.com/admissions/
• https://en.institutlyfe.com/faq/
• https://en.institutlyfe.com/level/bachelors/bachelor-hons-in-international-hospitality-management/
• https://en.institutlyfe.com/apply/
• https://en.institutlyfe.com/student-life/accommodation/

Details can change. Check the official page before you apply.