Student handbook

A year at Sciences Po

The academic year is organised into two semesters, autumn and spring. Depending on which year you are in, each semester consists of either 12 weeks of teaching or a semester off campus.

The university calendar is available online, and the calendar for the following year is always published in April at the latest. Calendars may differ from campus to campus.

Students complete their administrative registration each academic year and course registration each semester. This is done online through the student account and is compulsory.

Mid-term and final Exams

The academic year is punctuated by several evaluations in various forms:

• Mid-term exams, a period of interim assessments, are held each semester on Saturdays from the 6th to the 10th week of instruction.
• Final Exams, at the end of each semester.
• The Grand Oral, the final exam of the degree programme, also at the end of each semester.

The dates of the mock exams and exams are published with the university calendar. A detailed version is sent out mid-semester, along with instructions to help ensure the exam periods run smoothly (PDF, 30 Ko).

Cheating in exams is severely punished, as specified in the academic rules and regulations. The academic integrity charter (PDF, 59 Ko) is a reference on this issue; please read it carefully.

Course completion and credits

For each successfully completed course unit, students are awarded a mark, a certain number of credits (European Credits Transfer System and an “ECTS ranking“.

The curriculum for each programme, the conditions of completion and a list of coursework and assignments are available on the Undergraduate College website and the website of each School.

Academic and course requirements

To complete a degree programme, compliance with academic and course requirements is essential.

Students must take note of the academic rules and regulations (PDF, 136 Ko) when they complete their administrative registration. This document sets out the rules of student progression, attendance, intellectual integrity, teaching evaluations, programme modifications, etc.

All important events and dates (orientation week, mock exams and exams, choice of Master's programme, gap year, graduation ceremonies, etc.) are announced in the newsletters sent to students at their Sciences Po email address.

Attendance and punctuality

Students must attend all the courses they are registered for. Any absence must be justified to the academic secretary no later than five days after the absence. Persistent lateness will be counted as absences.

When a lecture or class is cancelled, it will be rescheduled at a later date. Attendance at this make-up session is compulsory , unless it clashes with another lecture or class.

After more than two absences, including justified absences, from a course of 24 hours or more, or one absence from a course of less than 24 hours, a student is considered to be in “default”, whatever the reason for the absences.