Pre-MSc Foundation Track



A 6-month preparatory programme designed as a pathway to ESILV’s Master of Science (MSc) degrees.




Pre-MSc Foundation Track

Delivered on ESILV’s campus in Paris La Défense, the Pre-MSc Foundation Track is a 6-month preparatory programme designed as a bridge into ESILV’s MSc programmes and into the study style of a French engineering Grande École.

It is built for students who hold a Bachelor’s-level degree (or equivalent) but need to strengthen their technical foundations in systems, programming, data, or cybersecurity before joining an MSc taught at Postgraduate level, or who want to adapt to the pace, rigour and project-based learning of a French engineering school.

Over six months, students build the technical fundamentals in IT systems, software engineering, data and cybersecurity that the MSc programmes assume as a starting point, while also developing their academic French through dedicated French as a Foreign Language (FLE) classes. At the end of the track, students progress directly into the first year of one of two MSc programmes: MSc Computer Science & Data Science and MSc Cyber Resilience & Crisis Leadership.

Pre-MSc Foundation Track  • 6 month preparatory programme • 30 ECTS • Intake: March 2027 • Tuition fee 17800 € for the 18 month cycle (Pre-MSc Foundation Track + MSc programme)

Available MSc Programmes after the Foundation Track:

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    Download the brochure





    Overview

    Programme objectives

    The Pre-MSc Foundation Track has been designed to:

    • Provide a bridge into ESILV’s MSc programmes, for students whose academic background needs reinforcing in systems, programming, data or cybersecurity
    • Build solid technical foundations, harmonising the level of an intentionally diverse student cohort before advanced MSc coursework begins
    • Prepare students for the demands of an MSc, in terms of methodology, technical rigour and autonomous work
    • Develop academic and everyday French, so students can study, work in teams and live comfortably in France
    • Ease the transition into French Grande École life, through the project-based, exam-intensive and highly structured pedagogy that characterises ESILV

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    Key Benefits

    The Pre-MSc Foundation Track gives you the academic, technical and personal footing you need to succeed in your MSc.

    • Build the technical fundamentals required to access ESILV’s MSc programmes in Computer Science and Cybersecurity
    • Adapt to the rhythm and standards of a French engineering Grande École
    • Strengthen your French language skills through dedicated FLE classes, taught alongside your technical curriculum
    • Develop an engineering mindset — structured problem-solving, project work and rigorous technical documentation
    • Join ESILV’s international community, on a campus at the heart of La Défense, Europe’s largest business district

    A structured path toward your MSc

    The Pre-MSc Foundation Track is organised around five core teaching blocks, each combining technical content with the applied skills students will need in their MSc, as well as one block dedicated to French as a Foreign Language (FLE).

    Systems, Networks & Infrastructure Fundamentals

    Objective: build the technical foundations needed to understand modern IT architectures.

    • Computer system architecture
    • Linux, Windows and virtualisation
    • TCP/IP networking, DNS, DHCP, routing, VLANs
    • Introduction to enterprise infrastructure
    • Cloud and container fundamentals
    • Active Directory concepts
    • System and network hardening principles

    Programming & Software Engineering

    Objective: bring every student to a consistent level in software development ahead of advanced coursework.

    • Python, from fundamentals to intermediate level
    • Object-oriented programming
    • Git and collaborative development
    • Testing, documentation and code quality
    • REST APIs and the basics of web architecture
    • Introduction to DevOps and CI/CD
    • Secure development best practices

    Data, Databases & Pipelines

    Objective: provide the foundations needed to analyse, store and process data.

    • Data modelling
    • SQL: queries, joins, aggregations
    • Introduction to NoSQL databases
    • Data manipulation with Python
    • ETL/ELT concepts
    • Data quality, cleaning and transformation
    • Introduction to pipeline orchestration

    Cybersecurity, Governance & Risk Management

    Objective: establish a shared foundation in digital security and information systems governance.

    • Core principles of cybersecurity: confidentiality, integrity, availability
    • Common software vulnerabilities
    • Authentication, authorisation and identity management
    • Secrets and access management
    • Security of systems, networks and applications
    • Introduction to data governance
    • Digital risk management
    • Notions of compliance and accountability

    Digital Intelligence, Information & Decision-Making

    Objective: connect technical skills to strategic, cognitive and decision-making challenges.

    • Competitive intelligence and information monitoring
    • Crisis, communication and digital reputation
    • Cognitive biases and social engineering
    • Introduction to OSINT
    • The geopolitics of digital technology and information conflict
    • Introduction to machine learning as a decision-support tool
    • Ethics, digital trust and accountability

    French as a Foreign Language (FLE)

    All students on the Pre-MSc Foundation Track follow dedicated French as a Foreign Language classes throughout the 6 months, alongside their technical curriculum. Students are placed into the appropriate level group after an initial French assessment, so that every student — from complete beginner to advanced — progresses at the right pace. The goal is not only academic French, but the everyday language skills needed to live, work in teams and integrate confidently into life in France.

    Career

    Career Services & Employment

    The ESILV careers service aims to help students realise their potential by offering dedicated careers coaching to define and achieve their career goals.

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    Each year, the ESILV careers service proposes 40 exclusive on-campus events to introduce students to companies and to our network of 13,500 alumni:

    • International Week
    • Alumni fairs (in Paris and overseas in partner institutions)
    • Meet & Greet with corporate partners
    • Career development workshops
    • Job fairs (in Paris and overseas in partner institutions)
    • Devinci Startup events

    ESILV is proud of its student community engagement and its three career-oriented student clubs:

    • Devinci Partners (focused on relations with corporate partners)
    • Devinci Junior Entreprise (offers junior consultant services to companies)
    • Devinci Investments (opens the doors for students hoping to learn more about Finance)

    The careers service and employment in numbers:

    • 15,000 internship opportunities published on our dedicated platform
    • 40 company visits/conferences per year
    • More than 200 corporate partners attend our events
    • 7 job fairs per year
    • 1 Devinci Startup service to guide you to create your company

    Learn more about our careers events.


    How to Apply

    How to apply


    Requirements

    ESILV welcomes self-motivated students looking to tackle new challenges. We look for students from an engineering background with a clearly defined study project or career goal.

    Applicants must meet the following minimum requirements:

    • 4 year undergraduate degree or 240ECTS or equivalent.
    • IELTS 6.5 (or TOEIC/TOEFL/CEC equivalent)
      Native English speakers, and those who have previously graduated from a programme taught in English, are exempted

    If you are unable to take your English test at a dedicated Language center, we are happy to offer some alternatives:

    1. If you have previously passed an official English test, even if it is past its expiry date, you can submit it with your application.
    2. You can take the TOEFL iBT® Special Home Edition
    3. You can take the Duolingo online English test 
    4. If you have previously passed an EasySpeaking test, you can include it with your application.

    For more information contact

    For further information, please contact the international admissions team:  international.admission@devinci.fr

    Whatsapp +33 (0)7 86 16 74 66

    Apply online in 5 minutes

    Application process

    Admission to ESILV programmes is selective. We encourage candidates from engineering backgrounds to apply. Selection is based on academic excellence, study projects, personal achievements, international awareness, and the willingness to contribute to ESILV’s learning environment. Candidates will be evaluated first on their application documents and secondly on their performance during the online interview.

    All applications to programmes at ESILV must be made on our online application portal. Your application will be evaluated by the admissions team and by the course director. You will be notified by email of the final decision.

    Important Note: Please use only ONE email address to submit your Online Application and to communicate with the Admissions team.

    Your application may be done in several stages. The information entered each time will not be lost. Application fees must be paid online by bank card. The application fee is not refundable under any circumstances. If you encounter any problems during the completion of your online application, please send an email to international.admissions@devinci.fr


    Faculty

    Pascal pinot – Pascal Pinot Pascal Pinot Directeur Ingénieur diplômé de l'ENSTA Bretagne et de SupOptique Chevalier de…
    Cecile frankart – Cécile Frankart Cécile Frankart Directrice Adjointe Doctorat en biologie cellulaire de l’Université de Reims-Champagne-Ardenne
    Remy Sart – Rémy Sart Rémy Sart Directeur des Etudes Doctorat, Mathématiques, Université de Clermont Ferrand -…
    Francesco 2 – Francesco Salvarani Francesco Salvarani Director of Research PhD, Mathematics, ENS & Università di Genova…
    Nicolas travers – Nicolas Travers Nicolas Travers Directeur adjoint de la recherche Doctorat, Informatique, Université Paris Sorbonne…
    Gael Chareyron – Gaël Chareyron Gaël Chareyron Responsable Département Doctorat, traitement d’images et informatique, Université de Saint-Etienne…
    Samir yahiaoui – Samir Yahiaoui Samir Yahiaoui Responsable Département Doctorat, Mécanique des fluides, Université Paris 6 -…
    Martino Grasselli – Martino Grasselli Martino Grasselli Responsable Financial Group Doctorat, Sciences de gestion, Université Paris 1…
    Cyril Grunspan – Cyril Grunspan Cyril Grunspan Responsable Département Doctorat, Mathématiques, Ecole Polytechnique de Paris_Télécom Paris Finance
    Ali jaghdam – Ali Jaghdam Ali Jaghdam Chargé d'Enseignement Doctorat, Sciences économiques, Université Paris Dauphine Mathematiques
    Berengere Branchet – Bérengère Branchet Bérengère Branchet Enseignant Chercheur Doctorat, Mathématiques appliquées, Université de Bordeaux Responsable Projets…
    Nedra – Nédra Mellouli Nédra Mellouli Responsable de la majeure Data et Intelligence Artificielle Doctorat, Informatique,…

    See all members of Faculty

    Tuition fees

    Tuition fees & Finance your education

    FEES: €17800
    APPLICATION DEADLINE: November 2026

    Fees include :

    • Tuition fees for the 18-month cycle: MSc Foundation Track + MSc specialisation of choice (according availability)
    • School administrative fees
    • Access to student facilities (campus, including library, sports rooms, cafeterias, incubator)
    • Access to the ESILV careers service during your studies
    • Lifetime access to the ESILV alumni network

    Scholarships

    ESILV offers merit-based scholarships and guidance for government scholarships.

    ESILV Early Bird scholarship

    The Early Bird is a 20% tuition fee waiver at ESILV for candidates who complete their application and pay their deposit before March 31st for the October Intake and September 15th for the January Intake.

    De Vinci Excellence Scholarship

    De Vinci Higher Education Group has made funds available to talented students hoping to pursue their studies at ESILV and EMLV.

    Eiffel scholarship

    The Eiffel scholarship program is a tool developed by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs to allow French higher education institutions to attract the best foreign students in diploma courses at Masters’ and Doctorate/PhD level.

    Other scholarships

    Campus France is a public institution responsible for promoting French higher education abroad and welcoming foreign students and researchers to France. It encourages international mobility and manages scholarship programmes and the alumni network. Campus France manages Campus Bourses (Campus Scholarships), which provides information on the scholarships offered to foreign students.

    Find full details of ESILV scholarships on the Fees and Funding page


    FAQs

    Frequently Asked Questions


    Accomodation

    The school does not own or manage its own accommodation. We have a partnership with a dedicated online housing search platform. Once you have paid the deposit, you will be granted access to that platform to begin your search.

    You should budget around 750 and 900 euros for a studio. We strongly encourage students to begin their search as early as possible (even before applying for a visa).

    Application

    If English is not your first language, you must demonstrate a B2 level. You should provide a test score (TOEIC, TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, Cambridge). If English is your first language or if you have graduated from a programme taught in English, you do not need to present an official test score. We will ask you to prove that you graduated from a programme fully taught in English (eg a letter from your school).

    All applications must go through our online portal. Once you have uploaded all your documents online, you must pay the application fee to submit your application. Next, we will schedule an online interview to assess your profile and motivations.

    The admissions team attends numerous international student fairs throughout the year. The list of fairs that we will be attending is on our web site, learn more here Please contact (international.admissions@devinci.fr) to arrange an appointment during our visit to your country.

    Yes, you can apply and might be accepted if you score higher than 80% during the interview or if you provide a French certificate (DALF, DELF, TCF) of at least B1 level.

    Accommodation: 750€ – 900€ per month Food: 150€ – 250€ per month Transport: 75€ per month

    Please check the programme page for specific requirements.

    If you are admitted, you must pay the deposit to secure your place on the programme. Then you will receive an official enrolment letter, which will allow you to start your Visa application.

    Applications open in October and close in early July.

    There is only one intake per year in September or October.

    You will need your CV, your motivation letter, a copy of your grade transcripts and any degrees your already hold, your language test score (if applicable), a copy of your passport, and a photograph of yourself.

    Financing

    We offer various scholarship each year. Please consult our dedicated page for more information.

    Please check the programme page for up to date pricing, which varies from one programme to another. More info on fees and funding.

    After being accepted to study, you must make the deposit payment to secure your place. Your remaining fees will be invoiced after the start of your programme and can be paid in instalments.

    Internships

    The school does not operate a direct placement system but does offer a full support. We host on-campus careers fairs so that you can meet company recruitment representatives. You will also have seminars to help you with CV writing, interview preparation, etc. The school will also provide all the necessary documentation to validate your internship.

    In France, by law, companies must pay interns who work for longer than 2 months.

    Programme

    Students must have spent one full year in France to be eligible to study in Alternance. So, you cannot study in Alternance during your first year in France.

    You will have classes from Monday-Friday; you may occasionally have an exam on a Saturday. Your earliest class might begin at 8.30am and your latest class might finish at 8.30pm, but you will never have a full 12 hour day. You will have been 18-24 hours of class per week, depending on your programme. Your timetable changes from one week to the next and will be available online one week in advance.

    All of our English-taught programmes have compulsory French classes included as part of the tuition fees. You will sit a French test when you arrive to find your level, so we can put you in an appropriate group.

    Student Visa

    French law authorises foreign students to an auxiliary work of 964 hours during the year, the equivalent of 60% of the legal working year. It can only be auxiliary income. When you work in France, whether or not you are a student, you are guaranteed a minimum wage by law. We recommend that you begin your programme before looking for a job – your school work is your priority and we cannot allow absences for your job.

    Your Visa application should go through your local Campus France office. You can use your enrolment letter from the school to begin your Visa application.

    We will refund your deposit upon presentation of the official refusal document.

    Yes. International students who have graduated from an RNCP or CGE accredited ESILV programme are eligible for Job seeker/ new business creator residence permit ( former APS. This residence permit allows students to renew their student visa for 1 year to look for a job or create a company in France. Learn more here






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