Parcoursup platform: everything you need to know

The Parcoursup platform is a complex but indispensable system for most students looking to continue their studies in higher education in France. In this article, you'll find all the information you need to better understand this key guidance process, and above all, learn how to master it!

How does the Parcoursup platform work ?

Parcoursup is now well known to future students as the key to choosing a post-Baccalaureate course. Indeed, if you're aiming for a higher education, you'll need to use this platform to apply for your desired course (provided it's listed). Parcoursup is the only national platform for pre-registration for the first year of higher education in France.

The process generally begins at the beginning of the year, when final year pupils and students undergoing reorientation are invited to register and express their orientation wishes. They can choose up to ten options, without having to rank them in order of preference. The wish formulation period is followed by a confirmation phase, during which applicants must confirm their interest in the choices they have made.

What is the purpose of the Parcoursup platform in higher education ?

The Parcoursup platform was designed by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation and implemented in 2018, replacing Admission Post Bac (APB). Managing over 660,000 students and 15,500 courses, including those offered by the business school EDC Paris Business School, the application enables students in their final year of high school to group their higher education applications. Parcoursup simplifies the admissions process by grouping all applications and training offers in one place.

The platform helps students find the courses that match their aspirations and career plans. It offers detailed information on the different courses, job opportunities and selection criteria, helping students to make informed choices.

The big revolution in the Parcoursup system is the reduction from 24 wishes to a maximum of 10. However, it is still possible to formulate sub-selections, particularly if the applicant wishes to try his or her luck at several establishments within the same category. These wishes are no longer prioritized, as was previously the case. Instead, students receive positive or negative responses from higher education establishments. The best students generally receive a quicker response and fewer rejections.

Indeed, universities and colleges use Parcoursup to consult the academic record of each candidate, and in particular the information reported on the Avenir form. The school's educational team expresses its opinion on the applicant's ability to commit to work, and shares its ranking, as well as a number of other assessment elements. This step demonstrates the importance of seriousness in the final year of high school.

By facilitating a better match between student profiles and courses, Parcoursup aims to reduce the failure and dropout rate in the first year of university. In addition, Parcoursup is an effective tool for managing applications to higher education establishments, simplifying the admissions process and helping establishments to select applicants in line with their specific criteria.

How does the Parcoursup application process work ?

The Parcoursup platform is open to future baccalaureate holders from the end of January and closes by mid-March. All you need to register for Parcoursup is a valid email address, which can be that of your parents or main teacher. A tutorial is available to help you through the various stages of the process.

At the wish stage, you'll need to provide a detailed explanation for each wish in the "reasoned educational project" section. This is a letter of motivation to which the admissions officers will have access when examining your application. Make sure you take great care with it, not only with the argument itself, but also with spelling and grammar.

Parcoursup provides a section entitled "My preference", where you can indicate your ideal training project. If you don't receive a positive response, this information will be used to guide you towards a course as close as possible to your aspirations.

Although the closing date for applications is March 14, you will still have until April 3 to confirm your wishes and provide the necessary documents for your application, including covering letters. For each confirmed wish, the class council will draw up an "Avenir" form that you can consult on Parcoursup yourself.

We'll be sending you the answers to your questions from May 30 onwards. If you want to be informed in real time, download the application onto your smartphone. Notifications are also sent by email and via the platform's internal messaging system. Hurry: you'll have just 5 days to reply to the proposals you receive before the break for the baccalauréat exams, and 3 days to accept or refuse those you receive afterwards. If you receive offers between August and September, you will have two days to respond.

In just a few clicks, you can indicate whether you wish to accept unconditionally, accept while keeping your other wishes on hold, or refuse the higher education institution's offer. Once you've accepted an offer of admission, you'll need to register with the school to finalize your admission.