ENS Concours d'Admission exam-day guide
ENS Concours d'Admission · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Convocation and photo ID
Bring the convocation (summons) issued for your session together with a valid photo identity document. The exact ID accepted and whether a copy is needed vary by école and by whether you sit the banque d'épreuves or an individual school's concours: confirm with the provider which document is required and check that the name matches your registration exactly.
Verify your convocation details
Re-read the convocation for the address of the centre, the reporting time, the order and duration of the épreuves, and any instructions about materials. Centres are sometimes not the school itself (lycées, universités, or partner institutions host them), so check the route in advance. If anything is ambiguous, confirm with the provider rather than guessing.
Writing materials
Bring several black or blue ballpoint pens, pencils, an eraser, and a pencil sharpener. For handwritten épreuves (dissertation, composition, analyse de texte) legibility matters for the correctors. Check the convocation for whether any particular colour or pen type is required.
Non-programmable calculator
Some scientific or economics-related épreuves may permit a calculator. Only a non-programmable model without a communication capability is normally acceptable, and the list of authorised models differs by concours: confirm with the provider whether a calculator is allowed for your épreuves and which models are accepted.
Watch or small clock
Exam rooms do not always have a visible clock, and you may not be allowed to use a phone for timekeeping. A simple analogue watch without a smart function is the safe choice. Confirm with the provider whether any timepiece is prohibited in your centre.
No connected devices
Phones, connected watches, earphones, and any device that can store or transmit information are normally banned from the room and often must be switched off and left in a designated place. Do not rely on being able to keep a phone at your desk; plan to hand it in.
Food, water, and medication
Oral épreuves and written sessions can run long, and breaks between épreuves may be short. Bring a small snack and water for outside the room, and any prescribed medication with its documentation. Whether food or drink is allowed inside the room is centre-specific: confirm with the provider.
Plan the journey and a backup
Work out the route to the centre, the travel time at the relevant hour, and a backup option (second train, bus, or taxi number). Aim to arrive well before the reporting time so that a delay does not become an exclusion. Late arrival rules are set by the concours: confirm with the provider what happens after the doors close.
Review format, not new content
In the last days, re-read the official notice (notice du concours) for the format of each épreuve: duration, coefficient, whether there is a choice of subjects, and whether a short preparation time precedes an oral. Confirm the coefficients and any recent format changes with the provider, since they are revised between sessions.
Prepare for the oral épreuves
If your concours includes entretiens or oraux, prepare a short, honest presentation of your motivation and be ready for questions on your dossier. Rehearse aloud with a timer. The precise format of the entretien (length, number of examiners, whether documents are given) should be confirmed with the provider.
Sleep and logistics the night before
If the centre is far away, consider staying nearby the night before so that morning transport is not a risk. Pack your bag the evening before with the convocation, ID, pens, and watch in one place, and set two alarms.
Check reporting time and room assignment
The reporting time on the convocation is usually earlier than the start of the épreuve, because of identity checks and seating. Room and seat assignments are often posted on site on the day. Confirm with the provider whether assignments are published in advance or only at the centre.
Plan the day
Re-read the convocation and the official notice line by line: centre address, reporting time, list and order of épreuves, durations, coefficients, and authorised materials. Verify the journey and, if needed, book or confirm accommodation. Do light consolidation only: your own summary sheets, method reminders for dissertation and composition, and formulas you tend to forget. Do not start a new topic. Prepare the physical checklist (convocation, ID, pens, calculator if permitted, watch) and put it in one bag.
Stop intensive revision in the late afternoon. Re-read your method notes for each épreuve type and the timing plan you will use (for example, how many minutes for planning, writing, and checking). Lay out clothes and the packed bag. Check transport timetables for the morning, including the backup route. Eat normally, avoid an all-nighter, and go to bed at a reasonable hour. If you have an oral, rehearse your presentation once aloud, then stop.
Eat a proper breakfast and leave with more margin than you think you need. Take the packed bag and check that the convocation and ID are inside before you close the door. On arrival, find the room list and your seat, switch off and stow your phone as instructed, and use the waiting time for calm review of method, not for cramming new facts. Follow the invigilators' instructions on identity checks and materials.
Read the whole paper and any instructions before writing, and note the end time. Allocate time by coefficient and difficulty, and keep a reserve for checking. Write legibly, structure answers with clear introductions and conclusions where the épreuve expects them, and answer the question actually asked. If you are stuck, move on and return. For orals, listen to the full question, take a moment to structure your answer, and speak clearly. Watch the clock so that you are not caught by the final announcement.
Rules to check
You must be able to prove your identity on the day. Bring the convocation and a valid photo ID whose details match your registration; the accepted documents are set by the concours, so confirm with the provider what is required and what happens if a document is missing.
Arrive by the reporting time on the convocation. Access to the room after the doors close is governed by the concours rules, and late candidates may be refused entry: confirm with the provider rather than assuming you will be admitted.
Connected and recording devices are prohibited in the exam room. Phones and smart watches must be switched off and placed where the invigilators direct; possession of a device during an épreuve can lead to disqualification.
Only materials explicitly authorised for a given épreuve may be used, and the list differs between épreuves and between concours. If the convocation does not clearly state whether a calculator, dictionary, or text is permitted, confirm with the provider before the day.
During an épreuve, communicate only with the invigilators. Talking to other candidates, exchanging materials, or looking at another candidate's paper is treated as fraud and can lead to cancellation of the épreuve or of the whole concours.
Breaks and exits are at the invigilators' discretion. You normally may not leave the room during the first part of an épreuve or without supervision; ask an invigilator if you need to leave, and do not assume a break will be long enough for anything beyond a quick snack.
Scoring is by épreuve and by coefficient, and some concours apply elimination thresholds or minimum marks. The exact coefficients, thresholds, and compensation rules are set each session: confirm them with the provider and read the official notice rather than relying on second-hand accounts.
Follow the instructions of the invigilators and correctors at all times, including during oral épreuves. Any incident or dispute should be raised through the official channel indicated by the concours, not with the examiners in the room.