On Saturday, April 25, 2026, approximately 1,000 candidates took the written entrance examinations for Sciences Po Strasbourg as part of the national competitive admissions process for the Sciences Po network. The exams were held at the Alsace examination center, where aspiring students from across France competed for a place in the institution’s first-year undergraduate program.
This Strasbourg session was one of seven metropolitan examination centers hosting candidates for the Sciences Po concours commun, a unified entrance exam shared by Sciences Po Aix, Lille, Lyon, Rennes, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Strasbourg and Toulouse. According to official information from the Réseau ScPo, the 2026 concours commun offered a total of 1,220 places across all participating campuses, with candidates applying through the national Parcoursup platform.
Candidates in Strasbourg sat for three written examinations, each lasting three hours and scored out of 20 points. The subjects included contemporary questions, history, and foreign languages. In the contemporary questions segment, applicants chose between two essay topics: “Are public solidarity policies adapted to contemporary challenges?” or “Should the defense of living beings take social issues into account?” For the history exam, candidates analyzed documents related to either “The role of women in French political life since the 1930s” or “1956, a year of crises and turning points toward a new world order.”
The Sciences Po Strasbourg campus emphasized its commitment to equity through the “Égalité des chances” program, which supported 74 high school students from underrepresented backgrounds in taking the 2026 entrance exams. These students received preparatory assistance as part of the institution’s broader efforts to promote social diversity in access to elite higher education.
All exams were conducted anonymously, with no individual score eliminating a candidate from consideration. Admission decisions are based solely on the cumulative performance across the three written tests. Results for the 2026 concours commun were scheduled to be released starting June 2, 2026, via the Parcoursup platform, allowing successful applicants to confirm their enrollment for the upcoming academic year.
Sciences Po Strasbourg announced that 185 laureates admitted through the 2026 concours commun would commence their studies at the Cardo campus in Strasbourg at the start of the 2026–2027 academic year. The Cardo site, located in the heart of the city, hosts undergraduate teaching and administrative functions for the Strasbourg institute.
The concours commun process is designed to streamline admissions across the Sciences Po network, allowing candidates to apply to multiple campuses with a single application and examination day. Examination center assignments are determined based on the applicant’s registered address in Parcoursup, with efforts made to place candidates in the nearest available center. Candidates who confirmed their participation on Parcoursup by April 1, 2026, were guaranteed to sit the exams on April 25, 2026, as per the network’s published timeline.
Accommodations were available for candidates with disabilities, including extended examination periods such as 8:30 a.m. To 12:30 p.m. And 1:30 p.m. To 5:30 p.m., subject to prior approval and individual convocation details. Standard examination hours for most candidates were set from 9:00 a.m. To 12:00 p.m. And 2:00 p.m. To 5:00 p.m.
As one of France’s most selective undergraduate pathways, the Sciences Po concours commun continues to draw tens of thousands of applicants annually. In 2026, nearly 10,000 students registered for the exams across the network’s metropolitan and overseas examination centers, reflecting sustained interest in the institution’s interdisciplinary curriculum in social sciences, law, economics, and international affairs.
Prospective applicants and current candidates seeking official updates on the Sciences Po admissions process are directed to the Parcoursup website and the individual campus pages of the Réseau ScPo institutions. All official communications regarding exam schedules, results, and enrollment procedures are distributed through these verified channels.
For those preparing for future admissions cycles, Sciences Po recommends reviewing past examination topics and familiarizing oneself with the structure of the concours commun through materials published by the Réseau ScPo. The network emphasizes that preparation should focus on developing analytical and writing skills rather than rote memorization, aligning with the exams’ emphasis on critical thinking and argumentation.
Stay informed about developments in French higher education admissions by following official announcements from the Ministry of Higher Education and Research and the Parcoursup service. Candidates are encouraged to verify all information through government-affiliated platforms to ensure accuracy and timeliness.
Have you or someone you know experienced the Sciences Po admissions process? Share your insights in the comments below, and help others navigate this competitive pathway. If you found this overview useful, consider sharing it with peers preparing for university applications in France or abroad.