The Eiffel Tower rising above Paris rooftops at sunset.

France September 2027 intake: applications open early November 2026; deadline mid-February 2027

École Polytechnique International Bachelor Scholarship

École Polytechnique (l'X) — France's most prestigious engineering grande école — offers merit scholarships to international applicants to its 3-year English-taught Bachelor's programme. Awards range from EUR 4,000 to EUR 12,500 per year (LKR 1.4M-4.3M/year) and can also include living-cost support for the strongest profiles. Tuition for the Bachelor's is EUR 14,500/year for non-EU students. École Polytechnique's Bachelor is taught entirely in English (unlike the famous Ingénieur programme which requires French), making it accessible to Sri Lankan A/L students with strong maths and physics. The school is famous for producing French heads of state, Nobel laureates, and the highest concentration of CAC 40 CEOs in France. Located at Palaiseau, 30 km south of Paris.

École Polytechnique

University-funded

emoji_events Award Overview

savings

Value

EUR 4,000 - 12,500/yr Tuition

school

Duration

3 Years (renewable)

task_alt

Application

Automatic at Admission

fact_check Eligibility Criteria

school

Final Year of Secondary School

You must be in your final year of secondary school (A/Ls, IB, French Bac, etc.) and not yet enrolled in any post-secondary programme. Students who have completed any university study (including foundation programmes) are typically not eligible.

code

Strong Maths + Physics Background

École Polytechnique Bachelor is heavily mathematical. Required subjects: A/L Combined Mathematics + Physics + (Chemistry OR CS). Top performers typically have 3 As at A/L, IB Higher Maths and Physics 7/7, or French Baccalauréat 18+/20 in maths and physics.

language

English Proficiency

The Bachelor is taught entirely in English. Required: IELTS 7.0+, TOEFL iBT 100+, or Cambridge C1 Advanced 185+. Sri Lankan applicants with English-medium A/Ls are well-placed. French is NOT required for admission but useful for daily life (free French classes provided on campus).

gavel

Demonstrated Excellence Beyond Academics

École Polytechnique evaluates applicants holistically. Strong extracurriculars matter — Olympiad medals (Maths, Physics, Informatics), top sports placements, debating, music, or research projects. The Bachelor's selection committee specifically looks for students who will contribute to campus life.

account_tree Application Process

Apply via École Polytechnique Bachelor portal

Submit your Bachelor's application via the École Polytechnique online portal between November 2026 and mid-February 2027. Application fee EUR 95. Required: school transcripts, A/L statements (predicted + actual where available), IELTS/TOEFL, references, personal essays.

Submit standardised tests

École Polytechnique accepts SAT (1450+ for competitive candidates), ACT, or equivalents. Sri Lankan applicants typically submit SAT scores — the school may also accept A/L results in lieu where the academic record is exceptionally strong.

Interview round

Shortlisted candidates are invited to virtual interviews with École Polytechnique faculty and current Bachelor's students. Interviews assess academic preparation, motivation, English fluency, and personality fit. Conducted in English.

Decision + scholarship

Admission and scholarship decisions are communicated together in April-May. The scholarship tier is itemised in the offer letter based on academic merit + interview performance. Successful candidates accept by 1 June and apply for the French student visa at the French Embassy Colombo (or directly via VFS).

Why École Polytechnique?

École Polytechnique (l'X) was founded in 1794 by the French Revolutionary government and is France's most elite engineering institution. Its alumni include three Presidents of France, four French Nobel laureates, the founder of CERN, and the highest concentration of CAC 40 CEOs of any single school. The 3-year English-taught Bachelor's programme (launched 2017) is the school's main pathway for international undergraduates who don't have the French maths-physics preparation needed for the famous Ingénieur cycle.