Ecole Normale Superieure, Paris

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The Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS Paris) ranks first - not only in France but in continental Europe as a whole - according to the Times Higher Education Supplement. The ENS has held this preeminent position for years running and is widely considered to be the most selective and most challenging institution of higher learning and research in France.

Founded in 1794, the ENS has long been a national legend. Unrivaled in training leading French intellectuals in all fields the ENS counts amongst its alumni such figures as Henri Bergson, Jean-Paul Sartre, Michel Foucault, Louis Pasteur, Paul Langevin and Laurent Schwartz. In mathematics all French Fields Medals are held by ENS alumni, as are all 12 French Nobel prizes across all disciplines. Since 1945, the ENS has garnered half of the National Research (CNRS) Gold Medals, France's topmost research award.

Nearly every field of knowledge and research is represented at the ENS. Because of its competitive admittance process, the ENS has the luxury of remaining on a human scale : it counts approximately 2500 students. Most research centers and facilities, even student dormitories, are situated in the historical buildings of the rue d'Ulm, located in the heart of Paris' student Latin Quarter. Unlike other French universities, the ENS prides itself on fostering a true community of students and a rich campus life. Intellectual and cultural events abound, from conferences, films, concerts and debates, to athletic and social events, to cozy cafés and welcoming restaurants both inside and nearby school buildings.

Students are selected for their intellectual promise, on the basis of their synthetic and critical faculties, as well as the breadth and depth of their knowledge in one or more academic field, in either the sciences or the humanities. Enrolled students are completing or have just completed their undergraduate studies. Upon matriculation from the ENS, students can obtain the prestigious "ENS Diploma" (an advanced M.A) or a Ph.D. degree.

The ENS is internationally renowned for its outstanding research teams and laboratories, and for excellence in training through research: it fosters creativity and innovation through the best of intellectual environments. Every student engages with the leading French and international academics in his field and benefits from close one-on-one tutorship with the advisor of his choosing. The ENS renowned libraries are another of its many assets; the main humanities library, for instance, has a remarkable collection of open-stack books, a rarity much envied in Paris and in France.

The Ecole Normale Supérieure is increasingly seeking to recruit outstanding international students. An International Selection process was established in 2002: every spring, twenty foreign students are admitted for a period of three years during which they receive a monthly 1000 euro stipend. Foreign students may enroll for one or more years through one of the many exchange programs, and also apply directly.