- School Profile
- School Stats
- Additional Info
- Departments
- Programs
- Scholarships
The ENS Lyon, like other French "Grandes Ecoles", occupies a special niche in France's higher education system. Students come to the ENS Lyon pursue their graduate studies in a high-level research oriented institution, initially in a research oriented master program before, in many cases, going on to complete a PhD at the ENS Lyon or elsewhere.
Our students, after thorough preparation, become privileged actors in teaching and research in public or semi-public organizations and in the private sector. Research innovation and daring, strong specialized knowledge and openness towards other disciplines for teaching are the ideals which accompany the commitment of those who study and work at the Ecole normale superieure de Lyon. The motivation behind this interdisciplinary scientific education is the construction of tomorrow's world.
Faculty
Undergraduate Information
Graduate / Postgraduate Information
Students
Graduate Output
Entry Requirements
Research Productivity & Quality
Main claims to international academic or non-academic excellence
The excellence of the faculty at the ENS Lyon is widely recognized. Several faculty members have received international awards and distinctions, they include:
- Francis Albarede, Professor, ENS Lyon Earth science laboratory, Goldschmidt Award 2008, Arthur Holmes Medal from the European Union of Geosciences 2001.
- Nalini Anantharaman, associate professor - ENS Lyon, Prix Gabrielle Sand et Marie Guido Triossi (French Academy of Sciences), 2007.
- Jean-Francois Pinton, senior researcher, ENS Lyon physics laboratory, Prix des Ingénieurs 2007.
- Jan Traas, senior researcher, RDP plant reproduction and development laboratory, Prix Jaffé 2007 (Institut de France)
- Cedric Villani, professor ENS Lyon, UMPA pure and ammpled mathematics unit, Prix Jacques Herbrand 2007 (French Academy of Sciences).
- Thierry Barbot, UMPA pure and applied mathematics unit, Prix Maurice Audin 2006.
- Alice Guionnet, research director - CNRS, UMPA pure and ammpled mathematics unit, Prix Paul Doistau – Emile Blutet 2006
- Alain Arneodo, Director of Research at the CNRS, team leader at the Laboratoire Joliot Curie and member of the Laboratoire de Physique at the l'ENS Lyon, Prix de l'Academie Royale des Sciences, Lettres et Beaux-Arts de Belgique, 2005.
Patrick Flandrin, Director of Research at the CNRS, Laboratoire de Physique, Wavelet Pioneer Award from the SPIE, 2001.
Emmanuel Grenier, Professor, UMPA pure and ammpled mathematics unit, European Mathematical Society Prize, 2000.
- Fourteen professors from the ENS Lyon belong to the Institut Universitaire de France (highly selective research financing framework supporting young and senoir professors.)
- Three faculty members belong to the French Academy of Sciences
- Editors in chief of international scientific journals:
- Etienne Ghys, Les Publications Mathematiques de l'IHES (Institut des Hautes Etudes Scientifiques)
- Michel Peyrard, Journal of Biological Physics
Range of Fees
215 euros (master) and 325 euros (PhD)
University education being highly subsidized by the French government, the tuition fees indicated cover administrative costs.
Basic TOEFL/IELTS requirements
Being a French institution, most programs do not have an English language requirement for admission.
However, the ATOSIM Master program, being a co-sponsored program with classes taught in English does require a level corresponding to 650 on the TOEFL Paper-based exam, or a 6.5 IELTS
Accommodation
Different types of housing exist, though students are usually assigned to shared one room apartments.
Shared one room apartments:
This is a double room which is occupied by two people (one room with two single beds). It is furnished and equipped with a kitchenette, bathroom, telephone and internet. Bed linens, dishes, and cooking utensils are not provided. These rooms are between 30 and 33m2 (323 to 355 sq ft).
One room apartments:
This is a single room which is occupied by one person (one room with a single bed). It is furnished and equipped with a kitchenette, bathroom, telephone and internet. Bed linens, dishes, and cooking utensils are not provided. These rooms are between 19 and 21 m2 (205 to 226 sq ft).
Two bedroom apartments:
This is a two bedroom apartment for two people (two bedrooms with one single bed in each room). It is furnished and equipped with a kitchenette, bathroom, telephone and internet. Bed linens, dishes, and cooking utensils are not provided.
Accommodation Range
Accommodations in our on-campus student residence range in cost from about 193 euros a month for a one-room apartment shared by two people to 304 euros a month for an individual room in a one or two bedroom apartment.
Finance and Scholarships
The ENS Lyon organizes an international recruitment for Master studies fellowships. This selection is aimed at outstanding students who have already completed or are currently in their final year of undergraduate studies in a higher education institution outside of France. Graduate students in their first year are also eligible to apply for this fellowship in order to obtain a master from the ENS Lyon.
If accepted, candidates become ENS Lyon International Students and receive a monthly allowance of 1,000 euros. The scholarship is awarded for one or two academic years.
Students admitted to the year-long ATOSIM program receive a scholarship of 1600 euros per month.
Entry Requirements
Students are admitted to the ENS Lyon in a number of different manners. Admission procedures and requirements vary depending on the student's goals, academic history and achievement.
The master programs are open to all ENS Lyon undergraduate students.
Other students may take the second entrance examination which is reserved for the undergraduate students from French or European universities. Candidates may sit for this examination only once and choose two from among the following six disciplines: biology-biochemistry, chemistry, Earth science, computer science, mathematics and physics. Successful candidates are admitted as M1 students.
Selection upon application
French and foreign students may be admitted on the basis of their application and academic background and granted the status of auditeur, which although it does not allow them to become civil servants in training or receive a salary or scholarship, it does allow them to earn credits towards a degree. Approximately 200 students are selected as auditeurs, including about forty foreign students every year. Successful students may be admitted M1 (first year of graduate studies) students.
The ENS Lyon organizes an international recruitment for master studies fellowships. This selection is aimed at outstanding students who have already completed or are currently in their final year of undergraduate studies in a higher education institution outside of France. Graduate students in their first year are also eligible for this fellowship in order to obtain a master from the ENS Lyon. Candidates are selected based on their academic achievement.
If accepted, candidates become ENS Lyon International Students and receive a monthly allowance of 1,000 euros. The scholarship is awarded for one or two academic years.
The "ATOSIM" master course is a joint venture between three reputable higher education institutions; the Ecole normale superieure de Lyon, the University of Amsterdam, and the University of Rome-La Sapienza. It is a remarkable opportunity for students studying the computer simulation of physical, chemical and biomolecular systems. Admission is based largely on academic merit. This program is part of the Erasmus Mundus program.
Language Support
English classes are required the first year of graduate studies (M1). Students choose from a selection of theme oriented English classes. Students may also take the CLES 2 exam at the end of the academic year. This certificate attests to language competency at the B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Advanced research oriented English classes are offered to postgraduate students and research faculty.
Non-English Language Requirements
Although no specific requirement is set, the normal teaching language is French so students need to have a level that is sufficient to understand the courses. To help international students, a few courses are given in English and many teachers may begin their courses in English, switching to French after a while. Intensive French courses are offered for all international students.
- Department of Earth Sciences
- Earth and Planetary Sciences - Full Time
- Department of Information and Computer Sciences
- Information technology - Full Time
- Department of Life Sciences
- Fundamental Biology - Full Time
- Department of Life Sciences
- Department of Mathematics and applications
- Mathematics and Applications - Full Time
- Department of Physics and Chemistry
- Science of Matter - Full Time
- Biological Sciences
- Bioscience - Full Time
- Preparation French 'Agregation' in Life and Earth sciences - Full Time
- Computing/Information Technology
- Fundamental Information Technology - Full Time
- Preparation French 'Agregation' in Mathematics - Full Time
- Earth Sciences
- Earth Sciences - Full Time
- Preparation French 'Agregation' in Life and Earth sciences - Full Time
- Mathematics
- Mathematics and Applications - Full Time
- Preparation French 'Agregation' in Mathematics - Full Time
- Physical Sciences
- ATOSIM - Full Time
- Preparation French 'Agregation' in Physical Sciences - Full Time
- Science of Matter - Full Time
ATOSIM. 15 available @ EUR 1,600
Scholarship offered through the Erasmus Mundus program : ATOSIM. The number of scholarships varies each year between 12 and 18.
Specialisation
physical sciences
Deadline
1st December 2008
Master International Fellowship. 10 available @ EUR 1,000
The ENS Lyon organizes an international recruitment for master studies fellowships. This selection is aimed at outstanding students who have already completed or are currently in their final year of undergraduate studies in a higher education institution outside of France. Graduate students in their first year are also eligible for this fellowship in order to obtain a master from the ENS Lyon.
The ENS Lyon offers masters in mathematics, computer science, physics and chemistry, bioscience, and Earth science. Consult the departments directly for information about the course content of each master.
If accepted, candidates become ENS Lyon International Students and receive a monthly allowance of €1,000. The fellowship is awarded for one or two academic years.
Specialisation
fundamental sciences
Application Process
Feb, 1st - Apr, 15th : submitting applications
Apr, 15th - May 15th : departmental reviews
end of May : final selection
Application URL
http://www.ens-lyon.eu
Deadline
15th April 2009
Normalien. 100 available @ EUR 1,300
Following a nation-wide entrance examination, the top 3% are admitted as "normalien" students. These students receive a monthly salary for four years and are held to a public service obligation. The number of scholarships (salaries) awarded is fixed by the central government and varies each year.
Specialisation
all fundamental sciences
Application Process
After two years of university level preparatory courses, students take nation-wide competitive examination (written and oral).
Deadline
30th November 1999

