Preparatory Class Internship: promoting access to excellent scientific training

From 27 to 31 October, the Equal Opportunities Unit organised a 'CPGE Boost' course for 30 scholarship students in their first year of scientific preparatory classes, hailing from all corners of France. This edition took place on the École Polytechnique campus for the first time, enabling these young people to envisage themselves in excellence-driven scientific training programmes and to benefit from the ecosystem of a leading engineering school.

04 Nov. 2025

Campus, Education, Diversity & Success, Foundation-FX

The ‘CPGE Boost’ course aims to help disadvantaged students from preparatory classes for grandes écoles develop their potential.

Following editions organised in the Clermont-Ferrand, Orléans-Tours and Strasbourg academies in 2024, this year's course is taking place at École Polytechnique. Students have benefited from personalised support from École Polytechnique students, alumni and professors, as well as from other schools within the Institut Polytechnique. The participants had the opportunity to refine their study methods, expand their knowledge, build their confidence and approach the remainder of the preparatory programme with greater serenity.

They were offered several support sessions during the week:

scientific and methodological tutoring by students from École Polytechnique, ENSTA, Télécom Paris and Télécom SudParis;
supervised study sessions with preparatory class teachers;
campus tours led by students;
self-confidence and public speaking workshops led by trainers;
a mathematics lecture by Guillaume Dubach, a professor at École Polytechnique;
visits to the LCM (Molecular Chemistry Laboratory), BIOC (Structural Cell Biology Laboratory) and LLR (Leprince-Ringuet Laboratory) research laboratories;
an orientation evening to discover the career paths of Institut Polytechnique de Paris alumni.

The 'CPGE Boost' course took place on the École Polytechnique campus from 27 to 31 October 2025. © Jérémy Barande, École polytechnique

This initiative, created two years ago, is supported by the École Polytechnique Foundation as part of its 'Serving Science' campaign. It is carried out in collaboration with the Union of Scientific Preparatory Class Teachers.

The Anne and Frédéric Potter Endowment Fund supports twelve of the participants, providing financial assistance to brilliant students from modest backgrounds and encouraging them to pursue ambitious scientific studies.

Juliette Toumelin, Head of the Equal Opportunities Division at École Polytechnique

"We had the pleasure of welcoming 30 talented young people from all walks of life who are in their first year of preparatory science courses to the École Polytechnique campus. This intensive support week helps students to gain confidence, reach their full potential, and pursue their path to engineering school with calm determination. This initiative promotes equal access to the best scientific training, regardless of gender, social background or geography."

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