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Financing
FINANCING YOUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Once you have selected a training programme, it’s time to determine how you will fund the programme. Whether you're an employee in the private or public sector, a business owner, self-employed, or seeking employment, there are several ways to finance your training. Who to contact within your company for reliable information, which government organisations can help, what kind of support do they offer, and under what conditions? Here are some answers to help you develop your project.
Employer-financed Training
Employees in private companies or under contracts in the public sector can benefit from an annual skills development plan.
The entire training offer detailed in the skills development plan is covered, totally or partially, by the employer. This training plan meets a French legal obligation for every company in France, across all sectors.
Preparing your Request for Executive Education Funding
Whether you have been in your position for several years, are considering a career change, or returning to the workforce, professional development programmes serve to advance your career and increase your salary. Your organisation’s HR department can help you develop your training project. You can also undertake a skills assessment that can evaluate the specific training requirements for your career change or progression.
Once you’ve clearly identified the right training programme, whether it's a degree programme, certificate programme, or short training course, you will need to set deadlines in order to have all documentation and approval in place for the start of the programme. Allow for extra response time from your employer and/or other sources of funding.
Employees seeking professional training financing from their employer often ask: is the annual performance review the best time to discuss this matter? Logically, it is the right time, during a discussion with your manager about professional objectives and challenges. Strategically, however, it may be more conclusive to make the training request at a time when requests for funding are not as common (such as at the end of the calendar year).
Anticipating Discussions with the Human Resources Department
A professional development project requires time for reflection and several discussions with your employer. Meetings with your HR manager should be thoroughly prepared, and you must provide convincing arguments as to why the training programme is of immediate interest not just to you, but to your company as well. Be sure to have consulted your company’s internal training plan and the list of learning & development providers in advance.
You’ll also want to be prepared if your company proposes an alternative training programme, or if they only agree to partially finance your executive education programme. Are you able to finance the remainder of the training cost yourself? Likewise, keep in mind that the company may make a counteroffer or introduce a training payback clause to your contract.
Prepare for your meeting with HR by seeking the services of a professional development advisor. Executive-level employees in France can contact APEC to learn more.
Financing your Professional Development with your Personal Training Account
If you are employed in France, then you most likely have a Personal Training Account (Compte Personnel de Formation, or CPF). Since January 1, 2019, as part of the "Freedom to Choose One's Professional Future" act, the Personal Training Account (CPF) of each employee is credited in euros rather than in training hours. The CPF allows every working individual to acquire training points that can be used throughout their professional life, whether while employed or unemployed. The training programmes registered in the National Directory of Professional Certifications (RNCP) or the Specific Directory (RS) accept CPF financing.
Science Po Executive Education programmes that accept CPF financing are clearly identified in our programme catalogue as well as on the individual programme descriptions online.
You can check your CPF credit, search for trainings that accept CPF financing, and apply your credits towards the training programmes of your choice on the following website: Mon Compte Formation.
HCERES Accreditation
The Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po) is accredited by the High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (Hcéres), an independent administrative authority responsible for evaluating all higher education and research institutions, as well as for validating evaluation procedures conducted by other bodies. Through its analysis, evaluations, and recommendations, Hcéres supports and advises on enhancing the quality of higher education and research in France. As a result, institutions accredited by Hcéres are exempt from Qualiopi certification, as equivalent according to the law of September 5, 2018. The law specifies that the requirements between certifications should be aligned (point III).
Below are the texts specifying this: Law of December 5, 2018 - Art. L. 6316-4
"II. - Public higher education institutions accredited in accordance with article L. 613-1 of the education code after evaluation by the High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education or after an evaluation whose procedures have been validated by it, as well as private higher education institutions evaluated by the advisory committee for private higher education mentioned in article L. 732-1 of the same code and those evaluated by the commission mentioned in article L. 642-3 of the said code are deemed to have met the certification obligation mentioned in article L. 6316-1 of this code.”
"III. - The accreditations and evaluations mentioned in II are implemented according to criteria and indicators that are the subject of an annual conference between France compétences, the High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education, and the commission mentioned in article L. 642-3 of the education code. This conference contributes to achieving the goal of aligning the criteria for evaluating the quality of apprenticeship training.”
Meet our programme Funding Experts
Our programme advisors are available to answer all your questions and provide personalised advice to find suitable funding sources at our Information Sessions.
