Application deadline for 2027: to be announced later

All applications should be submitted via the PSL portal.

The Master in Cognitive Science will have a single admission session in 2027. The application period is expected to open in January 2027 and close in February 2027.

Do not take unnecessary risks: to avoid any last-minute technical issues, you are strongly advised to complete and submit your application well before the deadline; ideally the day before, or at least several hours in advance.

Application process 

The procedure requires an online application and interviews. 

Admission is only possible for the first year (M1) of the program, with no option for direct entry into the second year (M2). There are a total of 50 slots available, and applications are evaluated by a panel based on the applicant's prior education and qualifications.

Note: If you are already normalien and want to join our master's program, you do not need to follow this application process. Please get in touch with the director of studies of our department (boubenec@ens.fr).

Timetable for the application process (2026 dates; the 2027 dates will be similar but not identical):

  1. January 15, 2026: Opening of the admissions portal
  2. February 24, 2026 at 23:59 (Paris time): Closing of the admissions portal
  3. March: Publication of eligibility results
  4. March-April: Interviews of eligible applicants (remote interviews accepted)
  5. Mid-April: Publication of final admission results 

In preparing your application, please include the following:

  • On-line application form
  • Résumé (CV)
  • Cover letter: The cover letter is an essential part of your application. You must carefully read the guidelines provided here before writing it.
  • All higher education grade transcripts and diplomas (with French or English translations, if originals are in another language)
  • Recommendation letter (at least 1).
  • Optional writing sample: You can add a piece of written work produced during your previous studies (dissertation, thesis, or other essay produced during a class). If you have no such document, do not write one specifically for the application. Your covering letter is much more important.
  • Note that no official English test is required to apply.

Prerequisites 

This program is open to any student with a bachelor's degree in science or the humanities. Knowledge of French is not required.

Tuition fees

Tuition fees are set by ministerial decree (€334 in 2021/22).
 

Become a Normalien: apply to the ENS double degree and scholarship

Master's degree candidates are strongly encouraged to also apply to become a Fellow of the École Normale Supérieure, also known as a Normalien, a highly prestigious status in the French academic system with a number of very important benefits, including the virtual certainty of receiving a PhD scholarship after the Master's degree, and a scholarship of around 1000€ per month for foreign students. Additional details can be found here. 

 

Maximize your chances of joining PSL: consider the "Digital Mental Health" track in the PSL master's program "Science & Technology for Health"

If you are a student in engineering or medicine with an interest in cognitive science, we strongly encourage you to also consider applying to the "Digital Mental Health" track of the PSL master's program "Science & Technology for Health" (ST4Health). While we hope to welcome you in our Cognitive Science program, places are extremely limited, so applying to both in parallel is a great way to maximize your chances of joining PSL.

ST4Health offers excellent training in digital health, and as a PSL student, you will benefit from the same academic environment, including the possibility to do internships in cognitive science at the DEC.

The two applications are fully independent, and applying to both will not affect your chances with us in any way.

This option is particularly well suited for students from medical schools or engineering schools who wish to enter directly at the M2 level, as ST4Health accepts direct applications to M2, whereas our Cognitive Science program only recruits at the M1 level.

More information on ST4Health here, and the digital mental health track here.