- Overview
- Location and Housing
- Academics
- Pricing and Dates
- Program Staff
- Application Instructions
- Additional Information
Have you always wanted to study in France? This is your chance!
The Ecole Nationale Supérieure de l'Electronique et de ses Applications (ENSEA) is a school of electrical engineering, computer science, and telecommunications located in Cergy-Pontoise, a suburb of Paris. ENSEA is just a 30-minute train ride from the heart of Paris.
This exchange program is College of Engineering (ENGR) specific, meaning only undergraduate ENGR students may participate. ENSEA and Pitt are members of Global E3, an exchange consortium of over 60 Engineering Schools from around the world. This consortium is administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE).
You must apply to both the Swanson School of Engineering Global Experiences and Engagement Office (link on this page) and to the Global E3 consortium (link on Global E3 page). Prior to application, please review the Global E3 ENSEA page and the ENSEA website for application instructions, deadlines, course descriptions, academic calendar, etc. To complete your application, you will need to meet with the program manager. Make an appointment with Alicia here. In the past, application deadlines have been early September for spring semester programs and early March for fall semester programs.
ENSEA accepts students for Fall, Spring or Academic Year. Courses in English available for undergraduate students (junior/senior level) only during the SPRING semester in the FAME program.
Typically, semesters are:
- Fall: September to mid-January
- Spring: mid-January to mid-June
As an active and engaged participant on this program, you will have the opportunity to develop:
- the ability to succeed independently in a foreign education environment.
- non-US based perspectives on your field of study and/or future career path.
- a global network of peers in similar fields of study and connections with faculty in France.
Office Responsible for International Exchange Students
International Relations Office | ri@ensea.fr
6, Avenue du Ponceau 95014 CERGY-PONTOISE, FRANCE
With its close proximity to Paris (30 minutes from the Champs-Elysées), the Roissy-CDG airport, and Versailles, Cergy-Pontoise has a great deal to offer students. Its range of cultural and sporting facilities makes it a very attractive place to live. Many leaders of industry - including 3M, Siemens, Clarins, and Vuitton - have established headquarters in Cergy-Pontoise.
Cergy-Pontoise offers a range of activities and facilities for students to enjoy, including water sports on Cergy's lake, music festivals, concerts, cinemas, theatres, swimming pools, tennis courts, and a skating rink.
Student organizations flourish at ENSEA, check out the information on the Global E3 page. . A wide variety of activities allow students to pursue management, personal development, and creativity. Motivated students can follow their ambitions to posts in the Student Union, the university newspaper, or the student entrepreneurial organization.
ENSEA does not offer on-campus housing. Off-campus residences are close by, within walking distance of the University. Visit ENSEA's website and the Global E3 ENSEA website for more information.
At ENSEA, most courses are taught in French. Students who have a B3 level of French language can take courses in French in the fall and spring.
Courses in English available for undergraduate students (junior/senior level) only during the SPRING semester in the FAME program.
Use the links below to see if the specific departments offer the types of courses you would like to take while studying abroad. We suggest you review courses available with your academic advisor prior to applying to the program.
Academic Departments:
Visit the University's website to learn more about course offerings, FAME program courses in English, and check the GE3 website for general course information. The following disciplines are available:
-
- Electrical Engineering
- Telecommunications
- Computer Science & Systems
- Mechatronics
- Embedded Systems
- Signal Processing
- Power Electronics
- Microwaves
- Measurements
- Instrumentation & Biosciences
- Control of Systems
Minimum Requirements:
- SSoE student in good standing
- Minimum 2.75 GPA for engineering students
- For the University of ENSEA, SSoE students at the junior or senior level only, can take classes in English in the FAME program.
- Sophomore standing or higher for classes taught in French.
- Students who have a B3 level of French language can take courses in French
Of note:
- All courses must be approved by the Faculty Director of your department in the Swanson School of Engineering. A course approval form must be completed and submitted to SSoE’s Engineering International Initiatives Office.
- Additionally, for the purpose of full-time status here at Pitt, students should be prepared to take what is equivalent to at least 12 Pitt credit hours.
- Courses taken at ENSEA will be treated as transfer credits and will be marked as pass/fail (S/NC) on a Pitt student's transcript. In other words, transfer credits will not affect your Pitt GPA. However, students must receive a C grade or higher in order for the credits to transfer. Actual grades earned will appear on the transcript from the exchange university.
For information about the grading scale at ENSEA, please see the website
In order to gain Pitt credit, you must receive a C or higher for each course you will transfer back to Pitt for credit.
Information about the grading scale abroad can be found on the Global E3 page.
Transcripts: Please request that your university send a hardcopy to the Engineering International Initiatives Office. Make sure that you follow their instructions on how to ensure that an official copy of your grades are received. Hardcopies should be sent the following address: International Engineering Initiatives, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, 152 Benedum Hall, 3700 O’Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
Exchange university transcripts typically do not arrive from the exchange university until 3 to 4 months after the end of exchange period. Therefore, Pitt students should be mindful of how this may affect their ability to graduate, especially when exchanging during one's senior year. Another consideration is how this may affect your financial aid package, as the S/NC grades are not posted until transcripts are received.
Items Billed by Pitt
Estimated Additional Out-of-Pocket Costs |
||
---|---|---|
Travel Expenses: Airfare, Passport, Visa, Resident Permit | $2,000 | |
Room & Board | $3,000 - 5,000 | |
Personal Expenses | $1,000 - 5,000 |
The Estimated Costs reflect information provided by exchange partner and are reported to OAFA to calculate financial aid packages. The listed costs are defaulted to one semester. Multiply the costs by two for two semesters.
Personal expenses vary with individual students. Review the ENSEA's website, the Global E3 ENSEA's specific page, as well as our budgeting page for more information.
Students studying abroad through Pitt Study Abroad are automatically provided health insurance coverage during the official program dates. However, you may need to purchase additional insurance if the exchange school you will attend requires you to purchase a specific health insurance per their regulations. It is your responsibility to ensure you know the cost of that insurance prior to committing to the program.
For global scholarship opportunities, check out:
- the Pitt GEO scholarship page for links to national, provider and private scholarship samples
- PittFund$Me for Pitt sponsored funding including Pitt wide global scholarships, Nationality Rooms, VIH, etc.
- PittFund$Me for the SSOE Global Experience Scholarships!
Pitt students enroll at ENSEA for either a full semester (fall or spring) or a full academic year (two full semesters). ENSEA’s calendar may differ from Pitt's normal fall (August through December) and spring (January through April) semesters, so Pitt students should check the academic calendar at the exchange university. Like Pitt, ENSEA’s academic calendar follows a Fall-Spring progression, meaning Fall is the first semester followed by the Spring semester as the second. Please note, that English language courses in the FAME program are typically SPRING only. The dates listed above are estimated and therefore subject to change according to the host university’s schedule.
SSOE Global Experiences and Engagement Office Team
Our team is so excited to assist SSOE students in deciding which global programs work best for them. Stop by during our walk in hours or make an appointment!
Schedule an appointment
Our team is so excited to assist SSOE students in deciding which global programs work best for them. Stop by during our walk in hours or make an appointment!
Alicia JF Olalde, M.A.
Hello! Konnichiwa! I am the Director for Global Experiences and Engagement in the Swanson School of Engineering. After working for the JET program in Japan for just over two years, I decided to pursue a career in international education. I returned to the US via a few months of travel -slowing making my way west with many stops in stunning locations and with amazing people. Whenever possible, I continue explore new countries and cultures and have had the good fortune to work, study and travel all over the world. I have been fortunate to work both as an administrator and as a classroom educator in higher education; my areas of interest are international, adult and comparative education. I enjoy assisting engineering students seize global opportunities!
Schedule an appointment
SSOE students: schedule an appointment with me using Pathways via this link!
non-SSOE students-- send me an email and we'll set up a time to meet!
Questions about funding? Check out our funding pages and note that SSoE has funding specifically for engineering students! There are many other national funding sources you can review. One place to search is the Institute of International Education website.
Language Requirements:
At ENSEA, most courses are taught in French. Students who have a B3 level of French language can take courses in French in the fall and spring.
Courses in English available for undergraduate students (junior/senior level) only during the SPRING semester in the FAME program.
The University of Pittsburgh automatically provides international health and accident insurance for students participating in study abroad during the official program dates. More information about the type of insurance and coverage will be provided to you by the GEO office. However, you may need to purchase additional insurance if the school you will attend requires you to purchase a specific health insurance per their regulations. It is your responsibility to ensure you know the cost of that insurance prior to committing to the program.
- Visa application
- Valid Passport
- Verification of acceptance from sponsoring university (exchange university)
- Financial Documents, such as bank statements, tax documents or pay statements.
- Passport photos
- Application fee
- Medical/physical examination (likely to require a doctor's appointment so plan accordingly)