Admissions
If you are an exchange students, you will first need to be nominated by your home university. Your home university coordinator will then let you know how to proceed to apply to Sciences Po Lille.
If you are a free mover student, please contact us for more information.
If you are a degree seeking student, the procedure is detailed here.
Make sure to visit this link for more information.
If you are a degree seeking student, the procedure is detailed here.
Make sure to visit this link for more information.
For exchange students: Your application will be evaluated by the International Admissions’ Commission. In the case where you are admitted to Sciences Po Lille, your letter of admission will be issued and sent via email to you and your home coordinator.
For free movers: Your application will be evaluated by the International Admissions’ Commission. In the case where you are admitted to Sciences Po Lille, your letter of admission will be issued and the scanned copy will be emailed to you.
For degree seeking students: If you are applying for a Master’s program, a “Commission de Spécialistes” will evaluate your application. In the case where you are admitted to Sciences Po Lille, your letter of admission will be issued and the scanned copy will be emailed to you.
For degree seeking students: If you are applying for a Master’s program, a “Commission de Spécialistes” will evaluate your application. In the case where you are admitted to Sciences Po Lille, your letter of admission will be issued and the scanned copy will be emailed to you.
In case you are unable to come to Sciences Po Lille as an exchange students, let us know by sending us an email to international.students@sciencespo-lille.eu and your home coordinator to confirm your cancellation.
Courses
The online course registration platform will be opened before your arrival, which will allow you to choose the classes you want to attend. It will reopen at the end of the first week of classes to allow you to make changes to your choices by adding or removing classes. The course selection is made every semester.
If you are a Free mover student or an international exchange student, you can indeed! The 2022-2023 course catalogue for international students can be viewed here. There is a variety of classes taught in English, French and some in Spanish. The course catalogue for the next academic year is published in July.
If you are accepted in a Master's degree at Sciences Po Lille, the courses you will follow will depend on your Major and are mostly taught in French. Make sure to read the following page (under Ma Maquette Pédagogique) for more information.
If you are accepted in a Master's degree at Sciences Po Lille, the courses you will follow will depend on your Major and are mostly taught in French. Make sure to read the following page (under Ma Maquette Pédagogique) for more information.
International exchange students and free mover students can follow French language courses if they want to (this is not compulsory but recommended for everyday life in France). There are 8 Groups, each one corresponding to a different level from complete beginner to advanced.
There is indeed an Orientation week for international students at the start of every semester. The first day is the Welcome Meeting where we will provide you with some information about Sciences Po Lille, life in the city and the International Students' Office will give you some useful tips. During the rest of the week, you will be able to attend 6 hours of French classes and 6 hours of methodology class. These classes are not mandatory and will not grant you any ECTS. Make sure to check the full calendar here to know the exact dates.
Fees And Expenses
If you are registered as an international exchange student, you will not have to pay any tuition fees to Sciences Po Lille.
If you come to Sciences Po Lille as a free mover, your tuition fees will be calculated when you register and range from 180€ to 4000€.
If you are registered as a Master's students in Sciences Po Lille, tuition fees will depend of program of your choice andyour parents' income. The exact amount will be calculated during registration.
If you come to Sciences Po Lille as a free mover, your tuition fees will be calculated when you register and range from 180€ to 4000€.
If you are registered as a Master's students in Sciences Po Lille, tuition fees will depend of program of your choice andyour parents' income. The exact amount will be calculated during registration.
We have detailed the average cost of goods, services and transportation in our International Students' Guide (under Financing). Make sure to check it out to get an estimation of your living expenses when you are in Lille.
You should open a bank account when you arrive in France as this is mandatory for Social Security reimbursements and Housing Aid (APL). Campus France has a short but self explanatory guide on how to open a French bank account, make sure to read it here.
Health Insurance
If you come from any of the 27 EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, you can ask for a European Health Insurance Card from your national health insurance provider, which will allow you to benefit from the same reimbursement as French citizens during your stay in France. Make sure to ask for it before your arrival.
If you come from outside of these countries, you will need a valid individual or university insurance covering you for medical expenses, travel and repatriation. You will also have to register to the French Social Security system by visiting this link which will allow you to get the same reimbursements for your health expenses as French citizens.
If you come from outside of these countries, you will need a valid individual or university insurance covering you for medical expenses, travel and repatriation. You will also have to register to the French Social Security system by visiting this link which will allow you to get the same reimbursements for your health expenses as French citizens.
Housing
There are several ways to find accommodation in Lille, the most useful ones are listed here. The International Students' Office may also be able to give you some tips to find a good apartment!
Be careful when browsing Facebook or ad websites such as Le Bon Coin (which is the most popular in France) as there can be a lot of scamming attempts there. In general, if somebody is requiring you to pay in advance, is asking for a Mandat Cash payment or if the ad seems too good to be true, this should raise red flags...
Be careful when browsing Facebook or ad websites such as Le Bon Coin (which is the most popular in France) as there can be a lot of scamming attempts there. In general, if somebody is requiring you to pay in advance, is asking for a Mandat Cash payment or if the ad seems too good to be true, this should raise red flags...
The prices vary depending on the location and the type of room you wish to rent. However, be prepared to pay up to two months' rent before moving in (one month rent in advance and a one-month "security deposit").
When browsing for an apartment, you may find that you sometimes need a guarantor and a security deposit, which can be a problem... Fortunately, there is a no cost solution called VISALE which should ease the procedure. A detailed article on how to apply for VISALE can be read here.
You can apply for the “Aides au Logement” (national accommodation subsidy). This is a subsidy from the French state. Once you have signed your accommodation contract, you can apply through the CAF (French administration in charge of processing the applications) website. Please note that you will need to stay at least 8 months in your accomodation in order to benefit from this financial support. If you want to estimate the amount that you could receive, make sure to try the CAF simulator.
Miscellaneous
If you come from any European Economic Area country (European Union country and Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein) or Switzerland, you will not need a visa to study in France. If you do not, you will need to apply for a study visa, regardless of the duration of your stay.
You can apply for a study visa online by visiting the France Visas website. For a more detailed explanation of the different types of visas, make sure to read this article. The important thing to keep in mind is to validate your visa within 3 months after your arrival in France. This can also be done online here.
There are a few documents that we recommend you to read before your arrival and during your stay at Sciences Po Lille as they contain some useful information and tips:
- Courses Catalogue: You can find all courses available for international students in this document
- Fact sheet: A quick overview of key details about Sciences Po Lille
- International students' guide: A detailed guide on everything you should know about Lille and Sciences Po Lille
- Academic Calendar: The most important dates regarding your mobility are there, this is useful to know when you can expect your next vacation...
- Grading scale conversion: A useful guide to help convert the grades you receive at Sciences Po Lille
You are absolutely right... Praline is Sciences Po Lille's mascot, you may be able to see her roaming around the corridors from time to time...
Contact
If you have not found the answers to your questions here, contact us!
Fabienne Zélent-Clairis
Coordinator of Incoming Mobility
Office 2.34
+33.3.20.90.42.75 
Valentin Dumetz
Assistant in charge of international exchanges
Office 2.31
+33.3.20.90.48.54