CentraleSupélec is a public grande école for engineering and systems sciences, with its main campus in Gif-sur-Yvette, south of Paris. It trains more than 5,400 students on four campuses, and 25% of them are international.[1] It is a founding member of Université Paris-Saclay.[1]
For engineering students entering in 2026/27, tuition is €2,500 to €5,000 per year depending on family income for EU students, and €6,180 for non-EU students; students with Crous (French means-tested) grants are exempt.[2] The engineering degree takes three years and is taught in French.[3] We found no separate QS 2027 placement for the school.[4]
Key facts
| Official name | CentraleSupélec |
| Location | Gif-sur-Yvette (Plateau de Moulon, 3 rue Joliot-Curie); further campuses in Metz, Rennes and Reims[1] |
| Type | Public grande école; founding member of Université Paris-Saclay[1] |
| Founded | 2015, by the merger of École Centrale Paris (1829) and Supélec (1894)[1] |
| Students | More than 5,400 on four campuses, 25% international (press release of 10 Nov 2025)[1] |
| Partners and research | More than 170 partner universities; 18 laboratories and research teams[1] |
| Main degree | Three-year engineering degree (Bac+5, entry at Bac+2 or Bac+3), accredited by the Commission des Titres d’Ingénieur and labelled EUR-ACE[3] |
| Other programmes | Three bachelor’s programmes, MSc and MSc&T programmes, specialised master’s (Mastère Spécialisé), doctorates and executive education[5] |
| Language of teaching | French (engineering degree), with two compulsory foreign-language courses[3] |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | No separate placement found; Université Paris-Saclay is 76th[4] |
| Tuition 2026/27, EU students entering the engineering degree | €2,500–€5,000 depending on family income; Crous grant holders exempt[2] |
| Tuition 2026/27, non-EU students entering the engineering degree | €6,180 (half rate €3,090 for some gap and repeat years)[2] |
| Official website | centralesupelec.fr |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 5 November 2026.
About CentraleSupélec
CentraleSupélec was born in 2015 from the merger of École Centrale Paris (founded 1829) and Supélec (founded 1894). It describes itself as a public institution and a founding member of Université Paris-Saclay.[1]
The Paris-Saclay campus is at the Plateau de Moulon, 3 rue Joliot-Curie in Gif-sur-Yvette; the school also has campuses in Metz and Rennes and a site in Reims.[1] It reports 18 research laboratories and teams, more than 170 partner universities and 25% international students.[1] Wikipedia adds that it is classed as a grande école and a grand établissement.[6]
How is CentraleSupélec ranked?
We could not confirm a separate QS World University Rankings 2027 placement for CentraleSupélec. The table of French institutions published by L’Étudiant after the QS release of 18 June 2026 has no CentraleSupélec row.[4] As a member of Université Paris-Saclay, it is part of an institution that QS ranks 76th.[4]
Rankings differ by publisher and year, and engineering schools are often assessed in separate national rankings; treat any single position as one view. How we compile rankings.
What can you study at CentraleSupélec?
The flagship is the three-year engineering degree, a national Bac+5 degree entered at Bac+2 or Bac+3. It is taught in French, built around 8-week sequences, and students pick a major in the final year. Options include entrepreneurship and research tracks, international mobility, dual degrees, the Digital Tech Year and the Shift Year. An apprenticeship route leads to the same diploma.[3]
Beyond the generalist engineering degree, the school lists engineering specialisations (cybersecurity, physics, electrical engineering, computer science, digital systems and electronics), three bachelor’s programmes, MSc and MSc&T programmes, specialised master’s degrees (Mastère Spécialisé), doctorates and executive education.[5]
International students who do not yet speak French can start with the International Class (Classe internationale), a one-year full-time preparation for licence (bachelor’s) studies at Université Paris-Saclay. It includes 500 hours of teaching in French as a foreign language, methodology and fundamental sciences.[7]
How much does CentraleSupélec cost in 2026/27?
CentraleSupélec sets its own fees for the engineering degree; they are not the national university rates. The table is for students entering from September 2026.[2]
| Student group | EU, EEA, Switzerland | Non-EU |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering degree, each year | €2,500–€5,000 (by family income) | €6,180 |
| Gap year, staged or adjusted repeat year | 50% of the income-based amount | €3,090 |
| Crous grant holders and French government scholars | €0 | €0 |
Fees for EU students are calculated from the parents’ reference taxable income per household share. The amount is fixed at entry and kept for the whole programme.[2] The school set the range at €2,500 for the four lowest-income deciles of the French population and €5,000 for the two highest, and it had those thresholds defined from INSEE data.[1] Students enrolled before 2026/27 stay on the 2025/26 fees for the whole programme.[2]
The fee page also lists a full rate of €12,000 (EU) and €18,000 (non-EU) for a separate engineering-degree track, with discounts possible for partner institutions, and €18,000 for the FreeMoov programme without an agreement. Fees for double-degree and exchange students depend on the agreement with their home school.[2]
Why this differs from the national rates
Campus France’s national list for 2026/27 gives €630 for engineering degrees but names the Écoles Centrales and Mines Nancy as exceptions at €2,620.[8] That figure does not match the school’s own page for 2026/27, which is the one to follow.[2] Fees for the bachelor’s and MSc programmes are not covered here; the school says 15% of them funds scholarships.[1] The International Class costs €5,000 per year.[7]
Tuition is only part of the bill. For rent and living costs near Paris, see our France guide and the Study in France guide.
How do you apply to CentraleSupélec?
Entry to the engineering degree is mostly by competitive selection, not by a general application form. The school lists these routes:[3]
- After preparatory classes (CPGE) in France: the Concours Centrale-Supélec (MP, MPI, PC, PSI, TSI streams), the PT exam, the A BIO exam for BCPST and the ATS exam. Non-French students in French CPGE can also sit the “Concours CentraleSupélec étrangers”. Students in CPGE abroad can sit the “Cycle international” exam in countries with written centres for the Concours Commun Mines-Ponts; the oral exams are held at CentraleSupélec.
- University route: a university competition for final-year licence, Bachelor 3 or BUT third-year students.
- Parallel admission: by file for students in the Université Paris-Saclay double-degree licences.
- International double degree: students spend two years at their home university and two at CentraleSupélec; they must be selected by their home university.
The engineering page has no separate application procedure or deadlines for international students.[3] We give no deadlines here because they change every year and differ by programme. For the International Class, you apply on the school’s online platform and may be invited to an interview; contact the admissions office before applying.[7]
Which language level do you need?
The engineering degree is taught in French, and the programme includes two compulsory foreign-language courses.[3] The engineering page does not state a French test level or score, so ask the admissions office what your route requires.
The International Class is for students who are non-French-speakers or have some prior French. By the end of the year they must reach at least B2 in French, certified by a DELF or DALF diploma, the level needed for first-cycle university study.[7] The CEFR is the European scale from A1 to C2; B2 is upper-intermediate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CentraleSupélec part of Université Paris-Saclay?
How much does CentraleSupélec cost for non-EU students?
Non-EU students entering the engineering degree in 2026 pay €6,180 per year; EU students pay €2,500 to €5,000 depending on family income, and Crous grant holders are exempt.[2]
Do I need to speak French to study at CentraleSupélec?
How do I get into CentraleSupélec as an international student?
Most routes run through competitive exams after preparatory classes, a university competition, parallel admission from Paris-Saclay double-degree licences, or an international double degree selected by your home university.[3]
Is CentraleSupélec ranked in the QS World University Rankings?
We found no separate QS 2027 placement. The L’Étudiant table of French institutions lists Université Paris-Saclay at 76th but has no CentraleSupélec row.[4]
More about studying in France
- France: best universities
- Study in France: complete guide
- Cost of Studying Abroad
- International Student Scholarships
- University Ranking Methodology
More university profiles in France
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- École des Ponts ParisTech
- École Polytechnique
- École Normale Supérieure de Lyon
- ESSEC Business School
- HEC Paris
- INSA Lyon
- PSL University
- Sciences Po
- Sorbonne University
- Claude Bernard University Lyon 1
- University of Bordeaux
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- University of Montpellier
- University of Strasbourg
- Université Grenoble Alpes
- Université Paris Cité
- Université Paris-Saclay
- Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier University
Sources
[1] CentraleSupélec: press release “CentraleSupélec déploie deux nouveaux dispositifs” (in French) (dated 10 Nov 2025)
[2] CentraleSupélec: Engineering tuition fees for 2026/2027 (page without a date; the site presented a certificate warning when we opened it)
[3] CentraleSupélec: Engineering degree (Ingénieur Généraliste) (page without a date, copyright 2026)
[4] L’Étudiant: QS 2027, les universités françaises en baisse (QS publishes the ranking at topuniversities.com, which blocks automated access) (article updated 3 Jul 2026; QS edition released 18 Jun 2026)
[5] CentraleSupélec: Home page and programme overview (page without a date; latest news item dated 5 Nov 2026)
[6] Wikipedia: CentraleSupélec (legal classification)
[7] CentraleSupélec: Classe internationale (in French) (page without a date; calendar shows the 2024–2025 intake)
[8] Campus France: Tuition fees in France (page updated 25 Jun 2026)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.