Competitive Entrance Exam and Admission Requirements

Who can apply?

• Economic Sciences degree graduates wishing to pursue engineering may be accepted to the first year of one of the five Écoles Centrales.
• Holders of foreign equivalent degrees may apply under the same conditions.

These routes of access to the École Centrale Group aim to accept candidates who have completed a rounded university program, with rare exceptions granted by the jury (e.g.: long-term illness). Consequently, candidates who have completed Preparatory Classes in Grandes Écoles will not be selected except in exceptional circumstances reviewed by the jury.

CASTIng = École Centrale Competitive Entrance Examination for an Engineering Title

To simplify access procedures for all Economic Sciences degree students, a single examination series in one location is planned. Any graduate with a non-specialized scientific degree may present themselves to the CASTing, École Centrale Competitive Entrance Examination for an Engineering Title.

Feeder universities of students selected

Students selected for the École Centrale Engineering program via CASTing come from many universities throughout France, including Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Paris Descartes University, Pierre and Marie Curie University (UPMC), Université Paris Diderot, Université Paris-Dauphine, Paris-Sud University, University of Cergy-Pontoise (UCP), Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ), and the universities of Toulouse, Bordeaux, Marseille/Avignon, Lyon, Grenoble, Nice, Lille, Nancy/Metz, Nantes and Brittany.

Postal address and location of competitive entrance exams:

The competition secretariat can be reached:

• By e-mail: admissions@centralesupelec.fr
• By phone: +33 1 75 31 62 61
• By mail: CentraleSupélec
  Campus de Gif-sur-Yvette
  Plateau de Moulon
  3, rue Joliot Curie
  F-91192 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex
  The examination centre is the Gif-sur-Yvette Campus.

Admissions

The admission procedure includes two stages:

• Provisional selection by application
• Entrance examinations:
  • a written science exam
  • an oral science exam
  • an interview

The interview will assess each candidate’s motivation and professional goals.

The two science exams, chosen among Mathematics, Physics and Mechanics, will be determined by the pre-selection committee according to the program of each pre-selected candidate. Programs will be communicated one month prior to the exam.

The jury, composed of representatives of the five mainland France Écoles Centrales, will assess the candidate’s overall results. The jury has the final word.

Students who successfully pass the competitive entrance exams and interview will be allocated to schools according to the choices they present in their applications and their competitive entrance exam results.

Registration fees are €100 and give access to all Écoles Centrales (École Centrale Lille, École Centrale Lyon, École Centrale Marseille, École Centrale Nantes and CentraleSupélec). Scholarship students are exempt from paying this.
 

Some words from selected candidates 

Alizée – Paris-Sud University – Class of 2014
" I graduated with a degree in Applied Mathematics from Paris-Sud University. I heard about the competitive entrance exam in my first year of university as I was researching engineering schools. I think the CASTing competitive entrance exam is a good option for students who are serious and motivated; you have to try your luck! My first year was difficult because I had to learn new subjects and a new teaching method, but I found this method very pedagogical in many aspects. I really enjoyed investing in team projects, especially in my first-year project, which won third place! On the École Centrale Paris campus, I discovered the associations and was a member of Parrainage (taking new students under older students’ wings). I recommend you try your luck because it is really worth it!”

Nathaniel – Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne – Class of 2013
“Joining CentraleSupélec with the École Centrale Engineering program opened lots of doors for me and enabled me to determine my future. Yes, there is quite a bit of work, but it is really worth it.” 

Alexandre – Aix-Marseille University – Class of 2013“
I found the standard of the École Centrale Engineering program education was really excellent. The lessons, associations, all the opportunities we have by being here and not elsewhere […]”

Mohand Akli – Pierre and Marie Curie University – Class of 2013 “
Being accepted onto the École Centrale Engineering program became my main objective in the final year of my degree. Before, I always thought it wasn’t an option for me. What appealed to me the most was the international dimension, and the guaranteed successful professional placement. So I really recommend that you apply!” 

Number of places awarded:

• Lille: 15
• Lyon: 20
• Marseille: 20
• Nantes: 20
• Paris: 40

For more information: contact the Competitive Entrance Examination Secretariat via e-mail: casting@centrale-marseille.fr
or by telephone: +33 (0)4 91 05 45 45

Contact

Erick Herbin
CASTing École Centrale Engineering Program Director

Telephone: +33 (0)1 41 13 18 90

E-mail: erick.herbin@centralesupelec.fr

The entrance examinations are based on the Scientific Grandes Écoles Preparatory Classes: superior and advanced mathematics. The minimum level required corresponds to two years of Preparatory Classes after the Baccalaureate. Separate examinations will be offered according to the course the candidate has completed (Math and Physics, Physics and Chemistry, Physical and Engineering Sciences, Physic and Technology, Technology and Industrial Sciences). For each course, a brochure provides instructions about the entrance examination and details the registration conditions and procedure (type of exam, dates, times and exam weighting) as well as written and oral presentation examination centers.

Candidates from Math and Physics, Physics and Chemistry, Physical and Engineering Sciences and Technology and Industrial Sciences disciplines

Candidates from Mathematics and Physics, Physics and Chemistry, Physical and Engineering Sciences and Technology and Industrial Sciences disciplines can read and download the brochure from the CentraleSupélec shared entrance examination website: (http://centrale-supelec.scei-concours.org). They will also find there the subjects of written examinations and jury reports from previous sessions.

To obtain information about registration (request a brochure or registration procedures) or on entrance examination procedures, candidates should contact: CentraleSupélec Competitive Entrance Examination Secretariat: contact@concours-centrale-supelec.fr

Candidates for Physics and Technology

Physics and Technology entrance examinations are organized by Banque Filière PT. Candidates from this discipline can read and download the brochure from the Banque Filière PT website: (http://www.banquept.fr).

To obtain information about registration (request a brochure or registration procedures) or entrance examination procedures, contact:

Secretariat for the Banque Filière PT Physics and Technology Competitive Entrance Examination
24, Rue Pinel
75013 Paris
Tel.: +33 (0)1 44 06 93 31/30
Fax: +33 (0)1 44 06 93 39
E-mail: contact@banquept.com

Foreign candidates

Beyond admission via the same routes as French candidates, foreign candidates may be able to apply through other specific admission routes: the “international student” competitive entrance exam for Math and Physics, Physics and Chemistry and Physical and Engineering Sciences is the special “international program” competitive entrance exam for Math and Physics and Physics and Chemistry.

The “international” competitive entrance exams take place in France. They are identical to those of the CentraleSupélec competitive entrance exam, except for the language exam and weighting applied to the writing exam. This competitive entrance exam is reserved for foreign candidates who hold a French Baccalaureate (or a foreign equivalency to the French Baccalaureate obtained with an eye to continuing higher education studies) and who have completed Preparatory Classes in Grandes Écoles in France.

The special “international program” competitive entrance exam is reserved for foreign students who have not pursued higher education in France. Written exams are held abroad, in the countries (Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia) in which courses pertaining to the Grandes Écoles Preparatory Classes program are offered. Oral exams will be held at CentraleSupélec.

For further information about registration (brochure request, registration procedure) or competitive entrance exam procedures, candidates should contact the CentraleSupélec Competitive Entrance Exam Secretariat: contact@concours-centrale-supelec.fr

The Specialization Degree is a school diploma that can be done on one of the three campuses of the School (Gif, Metz or Rennes) and corresponds to the third year of the engineer Supélec program. It is accessible to students who have obtained an engineering degree and wish to specialize in one of the five areas of the School:

AUTOMATIC Specialization:

• Systems & Control (Gif)
• Control & System Engineering (Rennes)

ENERGY Specialization:

• Energy Conversion (Gif)
• Energy (Electric Power Term) (Gif)

COMPUTER SCIENCE Specialization:

• Interactive Systems & Robotics (Computer Science Term) (Metz)
• Computer Science: Secure Information Systems (Rennes)
• Computer Science & Software Engineering (Gif)

COMMUNICATIONS Specialization:

• Telecommunications Engineering (Gif)
• Electromagnetics & Communications (Gif)
• Photonics & Communication Systems (Metz)

ELECTRONICS & SIGNAL PROCESSING Specialization:

• Electronic Systems, Networks & Images (Rennes)
• Applied Mathematics (Gif)
• Integrated Electronic Circuits and Systems (Gif)
• nteractive Systems & Robotics (Signal Term) (Metz)

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