IP Paris is a public higher education and research institution created in 2019, bringing together five prestigious French engineering Grandes Écoles: École Polytechnique, ENSTA Paris, ENSAE Paris, Télécom Paris, and Télécom SudParis.
Institut Polytechnique de Paris, IP Paris, was created in 2019 as a federation of five engineering schools on the Saclay plateau: École Polytechnique, ENSTA Paris, ENSAE Paris, Télécom Paris and Télécom SudParis. It has about 8,000 students and 3,000 staff, and around 40 percent of the students are international. The main campus is the one in Palaiseau, with Télécom SudParis located in Evry.
The idea was to build a European research university from schools that had specialised for a long time. École Polytechnique brings mathematics and physics, ENSTA Paris adds mechanical, energy and naval engineering, ENSAE Paris contributes statistics and economics, and the two telecom schools provide networks, electronics and information technology. Students can choose master’s programmes across these areas, with doctorates organised in a single graduate school.
Research focuses on artificial intelligence and data science, cybersecurity, energy, applied mathematics and mechanical engineering, with a strong link between the laboratories and the industrial partners of the plateau. A shared research centre for AI, Hi! PARIS, was created with HEC Paris and funded by companies, and it supports start-ups and doctoral projects. The institute also hosts a large incubator for deep technology projects.
The engineering degrees and master’s programmes are selective, and international students apply directly or through Campus France. Fees depend on the programme and on the student’s nationality, and several scholarships are offered for international master’s students. Teaching is in English or French depending on the programme, and many master’s degrees are fully in English.
Students live in campus residences or in nearby towns, and the Paris metro line 18 is being extended to the plateau. About 40 percent of the faculty hold international positions or visiting posts. For students who want a research career in engineering, the combination of laboratories and a large doctoral school is the main attraction.
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, Manufacturing, Materials, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Nanotechnologies, Optics, Physics, Process Control, Project Management, Robotics, Signal Processing, Software Engineering, Statistics, Telecommunications, Thermodynamics
Diplomas*:
Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Federation of 5 Grandes Écoles. Aims to be a world-class science and technology institution. Strategic partnerships with industry and international universities.
Research:
AI & Data Science, Cybersecurity, Energy for Climate, Bioengineering, Quantum Technologies, Defense Technologies.
Famous Alumnis:
N/A
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
3000
Current students***:
8000
Foreign students***:
40%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Combines the strengths of five elite engineering schools, strong research potential, focus on cutting-edge technologies.
Cons
New institution, building its unified brand and international recognition, campus primarily based around Palaiseau.
Best For
A world-class institute of science and technology formed by five leading French engineering schools.
X - École Polytechnique follows much the same lines as this school, with aerospace, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies as common ground, and it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely master's and doctoral.
On content, Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon and this school are close, as both teach aerospace, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies; it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely master's and doctoral.
The comparison with Grenoble INP - Institut d'ingénierie et de management is straightforward on subjects, since both focus on aerospace, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies, and it has almost the same size, at about 8,000 students, and is also a public institution.
Another national school that puts aerospace, nanotechnologies and optics at the centre is CentraleSupélec, and it covers structural engineering as well, and is smaller, enrolling about 4,300 students against roughly 8,000 here.
Among national alternatives, Université de Technologie de Compiègne stands out for its focus on bioinformatics, nanotechnologies and optics, and it covers ergonomics and UX and microbiology and genetics as well, and is smaller, enrolling about 5,000 students against roughly 8,000 here.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
For aerospace, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies outside the home country, EPFL in Switzerland is a natural reference; it is also a public institution and also offers bachelor's programmes.
The closest overseas parallel on aerospace, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies is Universität des Saarlandes, located in Germany; it covers sound engineering and ergonomics and UX as well, and is larger, enrolling about 17,000 students against roughly 8,000 here.
Abroad, Harbin Institute of Technology (China) covers aerospace, nanotechnologies and optics in a comparable way, and it is also a public institution and also offers bachelor's programmes.
If this school is on your list for aerospace, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies, Tokyo Tech in Japan deserves a comparison, because it covers astroscience and microbiology and genetics as well, and is slightly larger, at about 10,000 students against roughly 8,000 here.
Tsinghua, based in China, is built around aerospace, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies much like this institution, and it is far larger, with about 50,000 students against roughly 8,000 here, and is also a public institution.
*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 IP Paris?
The main campus is on Route de Saclay in Palaiseau, south of Paris. Télécom SudParis is in Evry.
How large is IP Paris?
About 8,000 students and 3,000 staff, with around 40 percent of students from abroad.
When was it created?
In 2019, as a federation of engineering schools on the Saclay plateau.
Which schools belong to IP Paris?
École Polytechnique, ENSTA Paris, ENSAE Paris, Télécom Paris and Télécom SudParis.
What does it teach?
Engineering, mathematics, statistics and economics, networks and information technology, artificial intelligence and energy.
In which language are courses taught?
Both French and English, and many master's programmes are fully in English.
How do you apply?
Engineering and master's programmes are selective. International students apply directly or through Campus France.
What is Hi! PARIS?
It is a research centre for artificial intelligence and data science created with HEC Paris and supported by companies.
What does it cost?
Fees depend on the programme and nationality, and scholarships are available for some international master's students.
Where do students live?
In campus residences or in nearby towns, with the new metro line planned to improve links to Paris.
*: 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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