Preparatory courses for the 1st entrance examination

To apply for a preparatory class place, candidates must first meet the entrance requirements for the ENM first entrance examination. They undertake to enrol and sit the written papers for the 1st entrance examination at the following session. The preparatory class can only be taken once.

Selection of applicants

The criteria for acceptance on the preparatory course are:

• to hold the minimum qualification required to sit the entrance examination;
• means of the applicant and their family;
• results in previous studies;
• motivation;
• geographical origin.

Applicants are selected by a committee. The committee examines the applications and draws up a list of applicants to call to an admission interview. After these interviews, it finalises the list of applicants accepted for the preparatory class.

Financial support

Students accepted for one of the preparatory classes can apply, subject to certain conditions, for a means-tested grant, which is awarded based on the CROUS (student welfare office) scale for 2020/2021. For information, the minimum amount in 2019/2020 was €325.30 and the maximum €561.20. It is paid throughout the duration of the course, subject to regular attendance. It cannot be paid in conjunction with any other grant. However, the ENM grant may be paid on top of a diversity allowance (allocation pour la diversité). Applications for the diversity allowance are considered directly by the General Secretary for Regional Affairs (SGAR) for Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Attending a preparatory class confers student status (student card issued by the ENM).

A law professor or associate professor coordinates the teaching delivered in the preparatory class. He/she also provides academic tutoring to the students.

The preparation includes:

• teaching geared to the written and oral tests for the ENM first competitive entrance examination;
• methodological input and the organisation of "mock" examinations;
• general and academic support provided though tutoring;
• cultural activities.
   

Around twenty public educational institutions offer preparatory classes for different civil service entrance examinations.