The NATIONAL INSTITUTS FOR APPLIED SCIENCES or INSA take students who have completed their secondary school studies and select them on the basis of their examination results and their academic records. The recruitment is highly selective. In 1991, 11,000 candidates with a science baccalaureat applied for about 1,200 places.[1] It is therefore obvious, that the INSAs attract students with a high level of scientific education in mathematics, physics and chemistry.

The studies begin with a two-year basic study program in the PREMIER CYCLE, which is comprised of general science courses in mathematics, physics, chemistry, mechanics and computer science. These courses are also complimented with courses in the Liberal Arts. The students who pass the first and second year exams are admitted to the Engineering Departments where t

The École Polytechnique constitutes the "graduate schools." It takes 2 to 3 years of study and, in 1993, there were 46,000 students enrolled in the second cycle.[3] Each year, the École Polytechnique admits slightly more than 400 students into the Second Cycle, via traditional competitive examinations.[4] These students are of both sexes, may be either French or foreign, and are approximately 21 years old. The instructional program for the Second Cycle consists of two years of advanced courses in the fundamental sciences. The program is evenly divided between a core curriculum, and an elective curriculum that includes individual research projects.

Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics, 1996

Figure 1.1 This diagram illustrates the basic Second Cycle

7. Horvath-Peterson, Sandra. Victor Duruy & French education:

Those foreign students who enter the École Polytechnique, and then complete their training at a first-class institution either in their home country or elsewhere, will belong to an international network of highly qualified individuals. They will have obtained knowledge of the sciences, ease in different cultural environments, and ability in languages will naturally place them in a position of exceptional strength to meet the challenges of the coming century. There is a clear and growing need for scientifically qualified individuals who are able to work on a large variety of projects. The internationalization of the economy, the increasing importance of multinational groups and projects, and the intensifying interdependence of large corporations all contribute to a growing demand for such men and women.

EURINSA is another two-year European first cycle in engineering studies that has, since 1991, been training European students (including French students) to be part of an international team. The scientific training, conducted in French but adapted to engineering students from different backgrounds (language abilities), allows the students to enroll in any one of the four INSAs in France or even in one of their European counter parts. The program is open to approximately 100 students (at each institution) of whom 1/3 are French, 1/3 are from other European countries, and 1/3 from Central and Eastern Europe.[3]

4. http://www.frenchsl.fr/cirr.html

2. http://cri.ensmp.fr/mesr/mesr.html#second

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