Sciences Po is France's leading university in the social sciences, with seven multicultural campuses in France. Founded in 1872, Sciences Po has been educating decision-makers in the public and private sectors for over 140 years. Half of the students are recruited internationally, and form an inter-cultural community representing 150 nationalities. 

Sciences Po Paris — officially the Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris — is where seven French presidents have studied, including Emmanuel Macron and Jacques Chirac, along with thirteen prime ministers, dozens of European Union commissioners, and heads of UN agencies. In the QS World University Rankings 2025 for Politics and International Studies, the university ranks 2nd globally — just behind Harvard, and ahead of Oxford, Cambridge, and LSE. 

The Sciences Po Alumni list includes over 80,000 individuals in 150 countries: seven presidents of the French Fifth Republic, thirteen French prime ministers, dozens of European Union commissioners, directors of the OECD, UNESCO, WTO, and UN agencies, as well as CEOs of global corporations including LVMH, BNP Paribas, and TotalEnergies.  Other distinguished alumni include former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, former UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former IMF President Michel Camdessus, former ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet, writer Marcel Proust, fashion designer Christian Dior, and Olympic founder Pierre de Coubertin.

Sciences Po has seven campuses across France: the main campus in Paris, and regional campuses in Dijon, Le Havre, Menton, Nancy, Poitiers and Reims. The university enrolls approximately 14,000 students across all campuses representing 150 nationalities from around the world, with international students making up approximately 49% of the student body. The institute has more than 300 permanent faculty members, more than 100 visiting researchers and 11 research units. 

Sciences Po operates under a foundational principle that financial difficulties should never be an obstacle to the academic success of talented students. More than €15.5 million of Sciences Po's own funds are dedicated annually to scholarships and financial aid, creating one of the most comprehensive support systems in French and European higher education. In 2024–25, 36% of Sciences Po students were exempted from tuition fees entirely. 

Sciences Po follows the French academic calendar (September start) with a single annual intake for most programs.

Primary Intake — Fall Semester (September):

• Undergraduate (UG) — International applicants from foreign secondary schools: Application deadline 20 January 2026 (for September 2026 entry); results released by mid-May
• Graduate (Master's) — International procedure: Applications open end of September 2025 for the 2026 intake; deadline 22 February 2026 (general international procedure); early submission by 18 January 2026 for results by 26 March 2026
• Graduate (Dual-degree / Law programs / Journalism): Application deadline 5 April 2026; rolling results depending on submission date

Important for Indian Students:

• Sciences Po does not use the Parcoursup platform for international candidates; Indian students apply directly through the Sciences Po online admissions portal (sciencespo.fr)
• The EEF (Études en France / Campus France) procedure is mandatory for non-EU students alongside the Sciences Po application; complete through the French Embassy in India (New Delhi or Chennai)
• Application fee: €150 (approximately ₹13,650) — non-refundable; paid online during application
• CVEC (Student Campus Life Contribution): €103/year — mandatory for all enrolled students
• Tuition is income-based for EU students; Indian students as non-EU/non-EEA pay flat rates (see Cost section)
• Post-study: France offers an 18-month APS job-seeker visa after graduation; no employer sponsorship required

Note: Sciences Po offers graduate programs exclusively on the Paris campus. Regional campuses (Dijon, Reims, Le Havre, etc.) host the 3-year undergraduate program only. Polygon Campus primarily assists with graduate-level admissions. Confirm program-specific deadlines on sciencespo.fr.

Sciences Po offers 69 courses in total: 14 at UG level (including BA and BBA) and 55 at graduate level. UG courses are of 3–4 years duration and graduate courses are of 1–2 years duration.  Sciences Po is organised around its undergraduate college and seven graduate schools on the Paris campus, each a globally recognised specialist institution:

Undergraduate College (3-year Bachelor's)

• Bachelor's Degree in Social Sciences and Humanities — multidisciplinary, bilingual (French/English) — all 7 campuses
• Each campus offers a unique regional specialisation: Reims (North America), Menton (Middle East/Mediterranean), Nancy (Eastern Europe), Poitiers (Latin America), Le Havre (Asia/Pacific), Dijon (Europe), Paris (Paris Programme)
• Mandatory third year abroad at a partner university (Columbia, UC Berkeley, Oxford, Sciences Po partners)

School of International Affairs

• Master in International Security — English-taught
• Master in International Development — English-taught
• Master in International Energy — English-taught
• Master in International Economic Policy — English-taught
• Master in Diplomacy and International Negotiations — French/English
• Dual-Degree Master's with Columbia SIPA, LSE, and 50+ partner universities

School of Public Affairs

• Master in Public Policy — English-taught
• Master in Urban Policy — partly English-taught
• Master in European Affairs — French/English bilingual
• Dual-Degree with Sciences Po / LSE / Hertie School

School of Law

• Master in Economic Law — partly English-taught
• Master in International Business Law — English-taught
• Dual-Degree LLM with Columbia, NYU, and King's College London

Urban School

• Master in Urbanism & Urban Planning — French/English
• Master in Smart Cities and Urban Policy — English-taught

School of Management and Innovation

• Master in Management and Social Entrepreneurship — English-taught
• Master in Innovation and Entrepreneurship — English-taught
• Master in Marketing and Business Development — English-taught

School of Journalism (Paris) (French-taught; B2 French mandatory)

• Master in Journalism
• Joint Master in Journalism and International Affairs — French/English

School of Research (Doctoral)

• PhD programs across Political Science, Sociology, Economics, History, Law — 5 doctoral programs
• 5 thematic doctoral schools covering democracy, history, social sciences, law, and economics

At the undergraduate level, tuition fees range from €0 to €14,900 per academic year. At graduate level, tuition fees range from €0 to €20,640 per academic year. On average, one in three students at Sciences Po pays zero tuition fees — Sciences Po grants tuition fee waivers to all students receiving the CROUS scholarship, as well as to non-scholarship holders from low-income families.

For Indian students (non-EU/non-EEA), a flat rate applies regardless of family income — but the Émile Boutmy Scholarship and other funding mechanisms can significantly reduce or eliminate this cost. Paris is a premium city for living expenses, though Sciences Po's income-based waiver system and generous scholarships make the net cost highly competitive with UK and US alternatives.

Note: All INR conversions calculated at 1 EUR = ₹91. Non-EU students pay flat-rate tuition; however, the Émile Boutmy Scholarship can reduce or eliminate this entirely. France requires non-EU student visa applicants to demonstrate approximately €7,380/year in financial resources. Please refer to Sciences Po's official tuition fee page (sciencespo.fr/en/admissions-and-financial-aid/tuition-fees) for current 2026–27 rates.

Sciences Po distributes more than €15.5 million annually to assist students financially, with over 80+ partner scholarships available from public and private sector partners for students worldwide. In 2024–25, 36% of Sciences Po students were exempted from tuition fees entirely. 

Key funding opportunities include:

• Émile Boutmy Scholarship (flagship) — Sciences Po's most prestigious award, exclusively for non-EU international students; at Master's level, entitles the recipient to a €18,500 exemption from tuition fees for each of the two years of the Master's programme; at UG level, offers grants from €3,000 to €14,210 per year for the three years of the undergraduate programme ; merit-based with social criteria; more than 250 students from over 72 countries receive this award each year; no separate application — indicate interest in the "Financial Information" section of your Sciences Po application
• Needs-Based Financial Aid (Sciences Po internal) — A sliding-scale fee waiver awarded automatically based on the Fee Assessment Form; the combined CROUS-Sciences Po package can effectively make a Sciences Po education free, including a living stipend ; open to all admitted students
• CROUS Scholarship (for EU/French students) — Government needs-based scholarship; Sciences Po provides an additional 75% top-up over the government allocation; zero tuition plus priority housing for eligible recipients
• Eiffel Excellence Scholarship — Prestigious French Government award by Campus France; covers tuition, living allowance (~€1,181/month for Master's), health insurance, and travel; apply through the French Embassy in India (New Delhi) in January of the enrollment year; highly competitive; Sciences Po is an eligible institution
• French Government Scholarships — Awarded by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs through French embassies (SCACs) abroad; apply directly through the French Embassy in India
• Mobility Grants — Available to enrolled students for semester exchanges and research stays at partner universities
• Dual-Degree Partner Scholarships — Students enrolled in joint programs (with Columbia, LSE, etc.) may access partner institution scholarships in addition to Sciences Po funding

Note: Indian students must apply for the Émile Boutmy Scholarship at the time of their Sciences Po application — there is no separate form. For the Eiffel Scholarship and French Government Scholarships, begin the process at the French Embassy in New Delhi in October–November of the year before your intended enrollment.