Graduate studies: first enrollment of a student

Verified 06 November 2026 - Public Service / (Prime Minister)

If you want to continue your studies in higher education after obtaining your baccalaureate or equivalent degree, the registration procedure depends on the chosen training. You have to do the step on Parcoursup for a training of 1er public higher education cycle. Some courses are not managed by Parcoursup. The registration process then depends on the school that manages the training. This information concerns you if you are French or European.

You have to go through Parcoursup to register for the following courses:

  • Non-selective training: Bachelor's degree, specific pathways access to health (PAS), preparatory pathways to the school teacher (PPPE)
  • Selective training: CPGE: titleContent ,BTS: titleContent, GOAL: titleContent, DNMADE: titleContent, DCG: titleContent, schools of architecture, engineering, business and management, IFSI (nursing training institutes) and other paramedical training, EFTS (social work training institutions), Institutes of Political Studies, French National Veterinary Schools (ENV), training in the professions of culture, animation and sport, training of the Navy, the Army.

On the other hand, registration for certain training courses is not done on Parcoursup. This includes enrollment in private and specialized educational institutions: schools of computer science, art, communication, audiovisual, journalism, accounting.

Parcoursup

You can enroll in a higher education institution if you are in one of the following cases:

  • Student in a senior class preceding the academic year for which you wish to enroll
  • Non-bachelor, but holder of DAEU (diploma of access to university studies)
  • Non-bachelor, whether or not engaged in working life, and having obtained a validation of prior learning (VAE)
  • Bachelor who wishes to resume his studies
  • Holder of a French baccalaureate obtained abroad or a European baccalaureate
  • European student with a European baccalaureate
  • Non-European student with a French baccalaureate obtained in a high school of the French Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE).

The browse procedure takes place in several phases. A timetable must be respected.

1st step: information, registration and wishes on the Parcoursup platform

Information on the courses offered

You can inquire about the training available on Parcoursup.

Registration

You must then register on Parcoursup.

Parcoursurp: enrollment in higher education

You must choose a valid and regularly consulted email address. You can download the Parcoursup app on your mobile phone. You are assigned a file number and you choose your password. Keep them.

Please note

If you are a high school student staying in a boarding school located in an academy other than that of your legal representatives, the address of the boarding school’s accommodation shall also be taken into account as the reference address. This gives you an additional geographical area for your choice of admission to a higher education institution.

Formulation of wishes

You must choose a maximum of 10 training wishes, without classifying them.

2nd step: Receipt and acceptance of proposals on Parcoursup

The higher education institution examines your application.

Depending on your project, your academic background and the course requested, it gives you one of the following answers:

  • Proposal for admission
  • Waiting for a place
  • Refusal

If you receive only one proposal for admission, you can accept or waive, and ask to keep all or part of your pending wishes.

If you receive more than one proposal for admission, you can accept one proposal and waive the others, and ask to keep all or part of your pending wishes.

If you only receive pending responses, you must wait for a seat to become available.

If you receive only negative answers, the Committee on Access to Higher Education will make proposals to you.

3rd step: final registration

After accepting the proposal for admission to a higher education institution, you must make your administrative registration with this establishment.

The formalities vary from one establishment to another.

You should therefore contact him or consult the instructions on his website. This will allow you to know the deadlines for the steps to be taken.

Yes. You have to pay registration fees at the time of registration in the establishment. They allow you to obtain the student card.

Private institutions and schools of higher education set the amount of tuition fees freely.

Please note

If you are a scholar, you are exempt tuition fees in public higher education institutions.

Out of Parcoursup

You can enroll in a higher education institution if you are in one of the following cases:

  • Student in a senior class preceding the academic year for which you wish to enroll
  • Non-bachelor, but holder of DAEU (diploma of access to university studies)
  • Non-bachelor, whether or not engaged in working life, and having obtained a validation of prior learning (VAE)
  • Bachelor who wishes to resume his studies
  • Holder of a French baccalaureate obtained abroad or a European baccalaureate
  • European student with a European baccalaureate
  • Non-European student with a French baccalaureate obtained in a high school of the French Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE).

Schools that do not depend on Parcoursup often have their own registration and admission systems.

You should therefore contact them to find out what steps to take.

Yes. You have to pay registration fees at the time of registration in the establishment. They allow you to obtain the student card.

Private institutions and schools of higher education set the amount of tuition fees freely.

Please note

If you are a scholar, you are exempt tuition fees in public higher education institutions.

FAQ