Get into Sciences Po Paris, it's for many high school students passionate about politics, the Grail, and yet once again this year, many are disappointed who, despite excellent applications and thorough preparation, have not received an offer. Same goes for the regional Institutes of Political Studies (IEPs). 

With the abolition of the written competitive examination and the entry procedure which now goes through Parcoursup, the number of applications has soared this year and the selection method has left a bitter taste in the mouth of many unfortunate “very good” candidates who weren't even called for an interview.  

Faced with the complexity of gaining admission to this ultra-selective course, more and more sixth-formers are choosing to apply through parallel pathways to comparable training courses at internationally renowned universities ouch United Kingdom, English (UK) Europe or to Canada, which allows them to await the Sciences Po admission results with greater peace of mind. 

Why choose to study Political Science abroad? What are the advantages of these Bachelors abroad?

• Their strong multicultural dimension 

Studying political science in a multicultural environment with teachers and students of diverse nationalities and cultures is obviously very enriching, particularly if one Prepare for an international career. This is also the opportunity to start building a wide professional network.

• Mastery of one of the most widely spoken languages in the world

All courses being taught in English, at the end of their Bachelor's degree, the student will be, perfectly bilingual in writing as well as in speech, and he will know how to juggle the subtleties of the language.

• A strong impact on his personal development 

By going abroad for training, the student steps out of his comfort zone, develops its capacity for adaptation and acquires a fluency in conversation with students from different cultures that will undeniably serve them in their future professional career.

• The choice of bespoke training

Many universities, especially in the UK, offer a wide selection of training courses in Politics and International Relations with various perspectives and orientations. Everyone can therefore find the training that matches one's own expectations and aspirations. Furthermore, with the interplay of options, the student refine her course of study and can test domains that interest her before perhaps specialising in a Master's degree: sustainable development, international security, law, business, etc.

And why not follow up with a second degree to boost your profile?

After their Bachelor's degree, the student can top up their studies with a Specialised Master's degree abroad or in France, and why not, if he still wishes to, apply for a Master's at Sciences Po.

With their Bachelor's degree obtained abroad, the student will also be able to apply for a Grande École Programme en passant via the international admissions track and thus complete his studies before entering the business world.

But, among all the possible destinations, how do you make your choice? What are the criteria to take into account?

• The international reputation of the training course

The Prestige of the university, his league table in the various rankings are particularly important criteria if the student subsequently wishes to aim for a Master's degree in a Grande École (HEC, ESSEC, ESCP, etc.) or at a highly recognised university in France or abroad.

• The relevance of the training in relation to the student's aspirations

The comparison of contents courses offered by the various universities is essential to determine which ones best match their aspirations: a three-year or four-year programme with a placement year or at a partner university abroad, the choice of optional modules, examination methods, etc.

• The cost of studying and living

Before embarking on the process, it is important to appreciate the overall cost of these studies and the value for money resulting from it.

Lthe United Kingdom, which remains one of the best destinations alongside the United States in terms of the quality of its education and international reputation, has applied the international fee to French students since Brexit, which can be a deterrent for some. Thus, you need to budget upwards of £30,000 for a degree course in International Relations in the universities of UCL, King’s College London or Bristol.

The Netherlands for their part, which were already attracting many French people, have been going from strength to strength since Brexit as they also offer very good training courses like The Bachelor International Relations and Organisation in Leiden for an attractive annual tuition fee for Europeans.

One final point. Watch out for check carefully in advance the requirements of each training course that may differ from those required for training courses in France (See our article on choosing subjects for the Baccalauréat). Thus, for example to apply in International Relations and Organisations à Leiden in the Netherlands, it is recommended to have studied up to Terminale Maths, either with the specialism or with the Further Maths option.

Once the decision has been made, how do you get started?

It is important to understand beforehand how each procedure works of the target universities. Indeed, these differ depending on the country and the university:

• going through an admissions platform like in the UK or the Netherlands, or applying directly to the university as in Canada
• consideration of Year 12 and Year 13 transcripts or predicted A-level grades provided by the school 
• provision of letters of recommendation, 
• writing a cover letter/personal statement, or essays...

It is advisable to thinking from the end of the Year 12 (Lower Sixth) with the choice of universities and courses in order to refine the selection before starting Year 13. During the summer, the pupil will also be able to complete any work experience or other extracurricular activities that can help to confirm their choice of studies and potentially to strengthen one's application. Additionally, he will be able to drop by the language tests required by universities in order to be released from them so as to start one's final year of high school with greater peace of mind.

Expat Student helps you apply stress-free at prestigious universities in the UK, Europe and Canada on courses as diverse as International Business, Management, Engineering, English Literature, History, International Relations and Politics, International Law, Medicine, Veterinary Studies. 

We support you in all your international study projects by offering you a tailored one-to-one support. 

Enjoy a free consultation remotely by contacting us  contact@expatstudent.fr / + 33 (1) 34 84 70 94

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