Civil servants around the world: get trained in France to prepare yourselves for tomorrow's public policy challenges!
Young public managers, experienced senior executives, promising middle managers: develop your skills in public administration by learning alongside French students and your international counterparts! Applications to join the international cycles of the French National Institute of Public Service (INSP, formerly ENA) and the French Regional Institutes of Administration (IRA) are open!
3 high-level training courses
Every year, the INSP and IRA, France's leading public service schools, welcome international students. This provides a fantastic opportunity for public servants from all over the world to acquire new skills and prepare for the challenges of public policy in the future.
2 international courses at the French National Institute of Public Service (INSP)
The INSP, created in 2022, is the successor to the National School of Administration - École nationale d'administration (ENA). The INSP is the public benchmark dedicated to the recruitment, initial training, and continuing training of French top executives and managers.
1 international course at the French Regional Institutes of Administration (IRA)
Created in 1971, the IRA train civil servants, the management category that forms the backbone of the French administration.
A shared recruitment process
The selection procedure, managed by the INSP, is carried out through French embassies around the world. There are several stages to the process: candidates register online, are pre-selected on the basis of their applications, sit a written test and an oral test, and receive confirmation that they have been admitted.
Further information on admission procedures and tests is available on the web pages dedicated to each course.
The Long International Training Course (Cil)
This course enables young public managers to familiarise themselves with the French administration, in particular by following joint courses with French students undergoing initial training at the INSP, and by completing a practical internship in a French administration.
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Profiles | Young international civil servants or academics
Or, in exceptional cases, young professionals at the start of their career who are intending to pursue a career in their country's public service.
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Diploma obtained | International Diploma in Public Administration
Possibility of double courses with professional masters at prestigious French universities: Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Université de Strasbourg and its Institut d'études politiques.
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Duration | 13.5 months (end of August 2026 → October 2027)
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Location | INSP Strasbourg
« The practical aspect of the course is a real asset, which has given me the opportunity to strenghten my soft skills, for example in international and interministerial negotiations. »
- Alumna of the Class of 2023-2024 (Joséphine Baker) of the Long International Training Course
To find out all you need to know about the conditions for admission, the stages in the selection process, the course, the fees, the provisional timetable, etc. go to the Long International Training Course presentation page:
More information about the Cil
The International Advanced Training Course (Cip)
This course enables experienced senior managers to familiarise themselves with all aspects of public management in France, in particular by following joint courses with French students and completing a practical placement in a French administration.
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Profiles | Civil servants from foreign public administrations, who hold positions of responsibility and have potential for further advancement and influence
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Diploma obtained | International Diploma in Public Administration
Possibility of double courses with professional masters at prestigious French universities: Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Université de Strasbourg and its Institut d'études politiques.
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Duration | 8 months (November 2026 → June 2027)
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Locations | INSP Strasbourg and Paris
« The Cip offers a robust academic and professional curriculum, with the opportunity to build a network of decision-makers (senior civil servants, diplomats, academics, etc.) from the French-speaking world and beyond. I studied alongside my French classmates and experienced administrators from more than 19 countries. From Paris to Washington, this network is a key asset for developing an international career. »
- Alumn of the Class of 2024 (Laïcité) of the International Advanced Training Course
To find out all you need to know about the conditions for admission, the stages in the selection process, the course, the fees, the provisional timetable, etc. go to the International Advanced Training Course presentation page:
The IRA International Course (CiIRA)
The CiIRA welcomes international promising middle managers to the graduating class of the French Regional Institutes of Administration (IRA). Every year, around ten high-potential auditors are trained under this scheme, making a total of more than a hundred since it was set up in 2012.
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Profiles | High-potential middle managers from foreign public administrations, at the start of their career or already experienced
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Diploma obtained | Training certificate as a foreign auditor of the international course, with the possibility of earning a Master's degree
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Duration | 8 months (October 2026 → May 2027)
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Location | IRA Lille, Metz or Lyon
To find out everything you need to know about the conditions of access, the stages in the selection process, the course, the fees, the provisional timetable... Go to the IRA International Course presentation page:
What the alumni have to say
Getheme Mansoh Mango
Former student of the IRA in Metz, originally from Côte d'Ivoire, responsible within the association of former IRA students (AAEIRA) for the network of international IRA auditors.
Gabriela Mwimba Abudra
Former student at the IRA in Lille, originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, assigned to the Secretary General's Office in charge of the Budget, chairwoman of the network of female Énarques from the DRC
Do you have any further questions?
The INSP team is here to help! You can contact them by e-mail at the following address, and they will get back to you as soon as possible:
cyclesinternationaux2026@insp.gouv.fr
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