Address: Cours Rivoli, 56380 Guer, Bretagne, France
Military Engineering (related fields), Defense Systems & Technology, Command & Leadership
Napoleon Bonaparte founded the École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr at Fontainebleau at the beginning of the nineteenth century, to train officers for the French Army. The academy later moved to Saint-Cyr-l’École, near Versailles, the place that gave it the name by which it is still known. After the Second World War it was re-established at Coëtquidan in Brittany, because the buildings at Saint-Cyr-l’École had been destroyed or badly damaged.
The school now occupies a military camp at Guer, in the Morbihan department of Brittany. Cadets follow a three-year course combining academic study with military training and leadership development, and graduates leave as commissioned officers. The academic side leads to master’s degrees, for example in management or international relations.
Women were first admitted in 1983, and foreign cadets are regularly welcomed. Charles de Gaulle and Philippe Pétain are among the best-known graduates.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Automation, Civil Engineering, Data Analytics, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Fluid Dynamics, Geotechnics, Logistics, Manufacturing, Materials, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Military, Optics, Physics, Process Control, Project Management, Robotics, Signal Processing, Software Engineering, Statistics, Structural Engineering, Telecommunications, Thermodynamics, Transportations
Diplomas*:
Diploma, Master, Others
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Under Ministry of Armed Forces. Partnerships with civilian universities for specific academic modules and research.
Research:
Ballistics and weapon systems, Military geostrategy and technology, Robotics and autonomous systems for defense, Cybersecurity and information warfare.
Famous Alumnis:
Charles de Gaulle, Philippe Pétain, Jean de Lattre de Tassigny
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
500
Current students***:
800
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Most prestigious French military academy, trains Army officers, strong leadership development.
Cons
Primarily a military academy, engineering is a component for some, not a pure engineering school.
Best For
Foremost French military academy for training Army officers, including technical and engineering aspects for defense.
X - École Polytechnique is a public school in Palaiseau whose engineering and science profile covers physics, mathematics and computer science.
ISAE-SUPAERO, a public school in Toulouse, trains engineers in aeronautics and space systems.
École Nationale Supérieure de Techniques Avancées is a public engineering school with applied mathematics, mechanical engineering and computer science.
Télécom Paris is public and teaches digital technologies, data science and cybersecurity.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Technion - Israel Institute of Technology (Israel) is a public institution known for engineering, aerospace and computer science.
National Aviation University (Ukraine) is public and combines aerospace engineering with air navigation and cybersecurity.
In Germany, Ruhr-Universität Bochum teaches IT security alongside materials science and engineering.
Balseiro Institute in Argentina has a small, specialised profile in physics, nuclear engineering and mechanical engineering.
*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
Who set up the academy, and where?
Napoleon Bonaparte created it at Fontainebleau in the early years of the nineteenth century. It was later transferred to Saint-Cyr-l'École, near Versailles.
Why is the school now in Brittany?
The Saint-Cyr-l'École buildings were destroyed or damaged during the Second World War, and the academy was re-established at Coëtquidan in Brittany once the war was over. The campus stands inside a military camp at Guer.
How long does officer training take?
The course lasts three years. It mixes academic teaching with military and physical training, and graduates are commissioned as officers.
Do students receive a university-level degree?
Yes, the academic programme leads to master's degrees, with subjects including management and international relations. The exact degree depends on the track followed.
When did women first enter the school?
Female cadets were first admitted in 1983. Since then the academy has trained women as officers alongside men.
Are foreign students accepted?
The academy regularly hosts foreign cadets as part of its programme. The conditions are set by the French armed forces, so interested candidates should contact the school or their own ministry of defence.
Which famous people studied at Saint-Cyr?
Charles de Gaulle and Philippe Pétain both trained there. De Gaulle later returned to teach military history at the academy.
*: 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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