The number of students in preparatory classes rose sharply in 2024-2025

The “classes préparatoires aux grandes écoles” (CPGE, preparatory classes to grandes écoles) are exclusive and high-level study courses implemented in major high schools that prepare students during two years (three years in case of repetition) to entry exams to “grandes écoles”, which include highly prestigious institutions such as advanced teacher training colleges, veterinary schools, military schools, or engineering and business schools. Preparatory classes are open to holders of a general or technologic baccalauréat (or equivalent degree, such as A Levels), with a selection based on reviews of the academic file taking into account results and “consistency throughout the academic year”. CPGEs teach advanced multidisciplinary education, and they are organised in three specialisations: economics and business, literature and science.

An increase at all levels, both for women and men students

The number of students registered in preparatory classes reached 86,900 students in 2024, a 4,500 students increase compared with the academic year 2023. This increase is even sharper for students registered in 2nd year (+6.2%) than for those in first year (+4.9%), due to a growth of repetitions in second year. As the Note Flash explains, repetitions have indeed increased: more than 6,500 students repeated their second year of CPGE (+9,6%), a number of repeaters that increased 12.2% for men and only 4.7% for women.

In this regard, says the ministry, the growth of women numbers is similar to men’s, about 5.5%, compared with the academic year 2023. Women represent 40% of students registered in CPGE during the academic year 2024: their number increased by 6.1% in first year and 5% in 2nd year. The number of men students, however, experimented a 4.1% growth in first year and by 6.9% in second year. 

An increase in all study courses, mostly in economics 

“The number of students is on the rise regardless of the study course”, says the statistical study. Indeed, numbers grow in all study courses, but mostly in economic and scientific study courses (+5.5%). 

In detail:

• the scientific study course attracts the most students (54,000, i.e. 62% of students in CPGE, including 30% women), grows by 5.5%;
• The economics and business study course, equally shared between men and women, registered 19,900 students, a number still increasing compared with the previous year (+8.3%);
• The literature study course, with the most women, registered 13,000 students and a 2.7% increase. This trends, says the ministry, results from “an increase of the number of women, who represent seven students out of ten in this study course, with men students in this course in slight decrease”.

This growth of numbers in all study courses had already been highlighted by the Union of professors of scientific preparatory classes (UPS in French), which had already carried out its own study at the start of the academic year, to have an overview of groups of CPGE. “Since their creation 200 years ago”, says the association “these classes had never welcomed so many students than in 2024”.

Increase is sharper in private entities, but stands out anyway in all regions

Most CPGEs are state-run, but there are also preparatory classes run by private institutions under contract with the government (and some not under contract). As the Note Flash points out, public entities under the supervision of the Ministry of Higher Education registered 85,200 students in CPGEs at the start of the 2024 academic year, representing 98% of the total enrolment in this course (up 5.9% on the start of the 2023 academic year). However, the increase in enrolment is more marked for private institutions (+7.7%) than for public institutions (+5.6%).

In terms of location across France, there has been a “dynamic increase in enrolment in the Île-de-France region, as in other regions”. With 28,200 students enrolled in CPGEs at the start of the 2024 academic year, or 32% of all students, the number of students enrolled in Île-de-France is on the rise (+6%). However, this increase can be seen “in the other metropolitan regional capitals (24,700 students) and the rest of France (34,100 students)”, which also saw their enrolments rise this year by 4.1% and 6.2% respectively.