History
Sciences Po was founded in 1872 by Émile Boutmy in response to the political and moral crisis in France in the aftermath of the 1870 Franco-Prussian War. It was intended to educate the new elite and generate modern knowledge for a new France.
In 1945, it was partially nationalised and divided into the Fondation Nationale des Sciences Politiques (FNSP) and the Institut d’Etudes Politiques (IEP).
Education
Students gain admission to Sciences Po after passing the Baccalauréat (or a foreign equivalent) or having completed an undergraduate or graduate programme.
Students with one or more years of professional experience, as well as those preparing for competitive examinations are welcome. In addition, Sciences Po runs a popular Summer School and a variety of MOOCs, providing study opportunities for a wide range of students who attend summer courses or benefit from online learning.
Research
Sciences Po is a research university in the social sciences, internationally recognised for the quality of its scientific output. Developed with a strong focus on society, research conducted at Sciences Po enriches public debate.
At Sciences Po, more than 200 faculty members in the fields of humanities and social sciences study transformations at work in the modern world and the challenges they represent.
Career
- Sciences Po has a policy of actively assisting students in their professional orientation. Upon admission and for up to two years after graduation, Sciences Po Careers helps students and recent graduates to choose a career path, build a career plan, prepare applications, and meet employers.
- Thanks to an extensive alumni network, its community of professional teachers and its ties to the business world, Sciences Po publishes thousands of job and internship offers every year (access reserved to students and recent graduates).
- As early as the first year of study, the Career Services helps students define their professional goals.
Short Courses
University Ranking
QS World University Rankings by TopUniversities
2024
319 -60
2023
259 2
2022
261
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
World University Rankings by Times Higher Education
2024
501
2023
501 -100
2022
401
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
Housing services
- To help you find a place to stay, Sciences Po has an official housing offers website. We have also established various partnerships to ensure that some students are eligible for accommodation in a student residence.
- The Sciences Po Housing Service can help with your accommodation search. Our staff will guide you towards the housing solution that best suits your needs.
- Sciences Po has established partnerships with public and private organisations to obtain housing at preferential rates exclusively for the Sciences Po student body (under certain conditions).
Library services
With a catalogue of nearly one million documents and a wide range of digital resources, the Sciences Po library is recognised as a reference library for the social sciences in Europe.
The library facilitates access to information for all, especially through its many digital resources.
Key facts
- 950,000 documents
- 20,000 online journals
- 60% works in foreign languages
- 2,500 visitors per day
- 13,800 readers
ICT services
At Sciences Po, students enjoy a range of digital services designed to simplify academic life – from work management and new ways of learning, to countless resource materials.
- Lectures are filmed and posted online on the Moodle platform.
- Foreign languages are a fundamental component of a Sciences Po education. Students complement classwork with online courses using the eLearning digital tool.
Medical services
The Sciences Po Health Centre is available to:
- receive, inform and advise students, faculty, staff and the wider community of Sciences Po
- carry out certain routine healthcare services, on prescription or in an emergency *
- schedule medical appointments on site (but not for the provision of medical certificates for sports or absence from class)
- prescribe and renew treatments
- provide psychological support
Campus life
Sciences Po is present today in seven French cities: Dijon, Le Havre, Menton, Nancy, Paris, Poitiers, Reims.
These seven campuses are located in cities boasting exceptional historical and cultural heritage.
The seven campuses are located in cities boasting exceptional historical and cultural heritage. The campuses are home to a tight-knit multicultural student community and feature a vibrant intellectual and associative student life.
Sports facilities
- Water sports
- Team sports
- Competition sports, teams schedules
- Combat sports
- Dance
- Fitness
- Outdoor sports
- Racket sports
- Yoga classes
Student clubs
At Sciences Po, more than 200 associations help students in their personal growth through artistic, athletic and civic activities. Every year, more than 200 student associations enliven Sciences Po's campuses in Dijon, Le Havre, Menton, Nancy, Paris, Poitiers and Reims. To discover and support these organisations, join a student union or develop your own initiative, visit the Students life.