ENS Paris-Saclay (formerly ENS Cachan) is a prestigious public higher education institution (Grand Établissement) focused on research and training in basic and applied sciences, engineering sciences, and social sciences.
ENS Paris-Saclay is a grande école and public research institution with a particular mission: to train researchers, teachers and senior experts in science, engineering, economics and social sciences. It was created in 1912 as the École normale supérieure de l’enseignement technique, to prepare teachers for technical education, and it moved to Cachan, south of Paris, in 1955, where it became known as ENS Cachan. It took the name ENS Paris-Saclay in 2016, and it relocated to a new campus in Gif-sur-Yvette, on the Plateau de Saclay, in recent years. It has about 2,000 students and 1,000 staff.
The school is a founding member of Université Paris-Saclay, which gathers laboratories and institutions of the region. It is organised around departments in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, mechanical and electrical engineering, computer science, economics, social sciences, design and languages, and it combines teaching with research from the first year. Its laboratories include units of the CNRS and the CEA, and students can join them early.
Selected students traditionally have the status of paid civil-servant trainees, and they commit to a career in public service or research for a number of years. Preparation for the agrégation, the competitive exam for teachers, is a historical specialty. Alain Aspect, a physicist, graduated from ENS Cachan and later taught at the school. He received the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics for experiments on quantum entanglement, and his work illustrates the research orientation of the institution.
Admission comes through competitive entrance exams after preparatory classes or through selection for students at the level of a bachelor degree, including international applicants for some programmes. Courses are in French, and many master’s programmes are in English. Check the current tariff for fees, which differ by status.
The Saclay campus is a science district with the École polytechnique, CentraleSupélec and many research centres. It is served by bus lines and, in the coming years, by the metro line 18, and housing is available on the campus and nearby.
Domains taught:
Aerospace, AI and Machine Learning, Automation, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Computer Vision, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Fluid Dynamics, Industrial Design, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Materials, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Nanotechnologies, Optics, Physics, Process Control, Project Management, Robotics, Signal Processing, Software Engineering, Statistics, Structural Engineering, Telecommunications, Thermodynamics
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Founding member of Université Paris-Saclay. Strong links with research labs (CNRS, INRIA, CEA) and industry.
Research:
Advanced materials and manufacturing, Civil engineering and sustainable construction, Energy systems and electrical engineering, Computer science and AI, Design and innovation.
Famous Alumnis:
N/A
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
1000
Current students***:
2000
Foreign students***:
20%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Excellence in research and education for science and engineering, strong focus on interdisciplinary research, prepares for academic and industrial research careers.
Cons
Highly selective, demanding curriculum, campus located in Paris-Saclay cluster.
Best For
Elite institution for research and education in basic and applied sciences and engineering sciences.
Anyone who wants a second school in the same country with a similar spread of bioinformatics, nanotechnologies and optics can consider École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, and it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers astroscience and geotechnics as well.
École Normale Supérieure de Rennes overlaps with this institution on bioinformatics, nanotechnologies and optics, so the two are easy to compare, and it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers microbiology and genetics as well.
Another national school that puts aerospace, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies at the centre is X - École Polytechnique, and it does not run the bachelor's programmes found here and covers military as well.
The comparison with École des Ponts ParisTech is straightforward on subjects, since both focus on aerospace, fluid dynamics and industrial design, and it is also a public institution and also offers mba programmes.
For students who like the aerospace, nanotechnologies and fluid dynamics focus of this institution but want another option nearby, Mines Paris - PSL fits well: it is also a public institution and also offers graduate certificate programmes.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Toyohashi University of Technology, in Japan, takes a similar route through bioinformatics, nanotechnologies and optics; it is slightly larger, at about 2,500 students against roughly 2,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Tokyo Tech, based in Japan, is built around aerospace, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies much like this institution, and it is far larger, with about 10,000 students against roughly 2,000 here, and is also a public institution.
For aerospace, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies outside the home country, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna di Pisa in Italy is a natural reference; it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers agriculture and food science as well.
For optics, signal processing and fluid dynamics outside the home country, Koszalin University of Technology in Poland is a natural reference; it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
The closest overseas parallel on optics, signal processing and fluid dynamics is Kielce University of Technology, located in Poland; it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers transportations and quality as well.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is ENS Paris-Saclay?
On the Plateau de Saclay, in Gif-sur-Yvette, south of Paris.
When was it created?
In 1912, as the École normale supérieure de l'enseignement technique.
What was it called before?
ENS Cachan, after it moved to Cachan in 1955. It took the name ENS Paris-Saclay in 2016.
How large is it?
About 2,000 students and 1,000 staff.
What is its mission?
To train researchers, teachers and senior experts in science, engineering, economics and social sciences.
Is it part of Université Paris-Saclay?
Yes, it is a founding member.
Which Nobel laureate graduated from it?
Alain Aspect, 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics, for experiments on quantum entanglement.
What is the agrégation?
The competitive exam for teachers, which the school has a historical specialty in preparing.
How do students enter?
Through competitive entrance exams after preparatory classes, or through selection at bachelor level.
What does it cost?
Fees differ by status. Check the current tariff.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Civil Engineering, Engineering, Innovation, Sustainable Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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