Preparation for
the Civil Service Exams

I was admitted to the competitive entrance examination of the French National Institute for Territorial Studies (INET) after completing my Master’s degree in Public Policy, alongside the second year of the PCA program.

This preparatory year was truly enriching, both academically and methodologically. I particularly appreciated the quality of the guest speakers currently working in the field, who shared their experiences and day-to-day responsibilities, as well as the availability of the teaching team. We benefit from personalized support that helps us build our career plans based on the various competitive exams we aim to take. The very regular training sessions—especially for oral examinations—were highly valuable and essential to my preparation.

I was also fortunate to benefit from the “Talents” program, which helped me approach this year with greater peace of mind, through financial support and enhanced coaching for the oral exams.

In short, the PCA provides a strong, tailored foundation for succeeding in public service competitive exams and opens up excellent career opportunities!

After graduating from Dauphine’s LISS program, I joined the Master’s in Public Policy and, in my second year, the PCA track. There, I found a rigorous, well-structured programme that is firmly grounded in the contemporary realities of public action. The PCA provided me with essential knowledge, methodology, and resources that played a decisive role in my success in the INSP entrance exam.

Thanks to the small class sizes, personalised support, faculty expertise, and regular practice sessions, I was able to develop a strong methodological foundation, refine my analytical skills, and gain confidence both in written and oral work. When I became eligible for the INSP oral exams, the support offered by the teaching staff was crucial to my effective preparation and to my success in each of the interviews.

Beyond academic preparation, I found within the PCA at Dauphine a stimulating intellectual environment, a friendly working atmosphere, and broad exposure to the many challenges and issues of public action thanks to the wide range of courses offered.

To anyone joining the PCA today, I would say: believe in your abilities and make the most of everything available to you in order to succeed in one of the many competitive exams you can prepare for here!

Determined to pursue a career in the civil service, I completed the Master’s degree in Public Policy as well as the preparatory program for administrative civil service examinations at Paris-Dauphine University. Thanks to the many strengths of this program, I was able to gain admission to INET upon completion of the second year of the Master’s degree.

I would particularly like to highlight the quality of the teaching staff, who are demanding, dedicated, and attentive to the specific challenges faced by each student. Often young senior civil servants themselves, they have a concrete understanding of the expectations of competitive examinations and are able to support students effectively throughout the year.

Moreover, the “à la carte” organization of the curriculum makes it possible to target specific examinations and optimize one’s training pathway. Finally, the small class sizes within the PCA foster a strong sense of camaraderie, encouraging healthy emulation without competition.

As such, provided one is willing to fully commit, the Dauphine PCA offers an ideal environment for succeeding in some of the most demanding civil service examinations.

Furthermore, after completing my 18 months at INET, I joined the Val-d’Oise Departmental Council. I am currently Head of a Finance Department modernization project, which notably involves a major overhaul of the Department’s entire budgetary framework, as well as a comprehensive review of budgetary and accounting processes.

I took two years of ENA prep courses at Dauphine after studying at ESSEC Business School. After my first year of schooling, I was eligible for the hospital director exam but did not pass it. So I decided to retake the entrance exams. Meanwhile, during the first six months of my coursework at Dauphine, I was fortunate enough to complete an internship at the Inspectorate General of Finances. I ended up passing the ENA entrance exam. What do I take away from the preparatory program? The methods I took (HD and ENA) were the core target of the exams the program prepares you for, along with a framework and exceptional meetings. 

I have a very positive memory of the preparatory program for the civil-service entrance exams [PCA], both in terms of the "atmosphere" (not as competitive as it can be in other preparatory programs; mutual assistance among students; and close proximity to professionals), as well as the facilities (a library reserved for doctoral students, therefore quite peaceful; CROUS, rooms, etc. - basically, a variety of conditions that made it easier to get work done!) and course content (especially the ones taught by young civil servants actively serving). Also some nice coaching sessions for the interview portion, which is really important! If I had to summarize the PCA in two words, it would be "rigor" and "commitment". It's kind of like a long-distance race! 

The PCA offers the widest possible range of civil service exams. This is a good thing for students, as it means they're not required to prepare for the ENA, unlike in other preparatory programs for civil service exams in Paris that are considerably more specialized. The course offering was significantly varied. Some of the courses were taught not by research professors but by young civil servants who had recently passed their exams, which was very appropriate, and by the end of the year, these classes translated into good exam scores. 

I did the PCA as a continuation of my studies at Dauphine, having completed a Bachelor's in Science of Society and a year abroad (in Brazil). After the preparatory program, I took the written portion of the Foreign Affairs Ministry exam, which I passed on completion of the admissions interviews. Then, after a three-month training program, I was immediately assigned to the head office. I have very positive memories of the preparatory program. First because it allowed me to pass my exams! But also because the open recruitment system resulted in a diverse, dynamic, and supportive group, within an environment conducive to preparing for the exams. 

The PCA was just the tool I needed! There were different subjects to choose from and plenty of freedom in our individual work. For example, the economics professors gave students the option to complete a homework assignment each week that would be corrected. Unlike other preparatory programs in Paris, especially the ENA, the PCA offers preparation for other exams, including the so-called social exams, with courses on social security. I also appreciated the interview prepping. One last important point: I remember the library being a pleasant work environment. 

The preparatory program allowed me to prepare for several exams and to earn a degree. Dauphine's reputation was crucial as I was deciding which program to pursue. I started by taking the IRA exam and the one for editor at the Bank of France. I then took three others (ENA, BDF, and DGFIP) between August and September. Finally, I passed the exam for inspector of public finance. I've held my position since September 1, 2015. I was very happy with the courses taught in the PCA, as they prepared me for the written and oral exams. The fact that some of the classes were taught by civil servants also gave me a good sense of my future profession. 

At the end of my year in the PCA, I passed the IRA exam. After a year-long training program in Metz, I was hired as an administrative officer at the Ministry of Culture, where I'm in charge of supervising museums, a very detailed and particularly interesting office. One thing in particular I'll retain from the preparatory program is a way of working. Getting to do mock interviews is really useful when you're eligible [for the interview portion]. In addition, the wide variety of courses allows for an on-demand curriculum based on the exams you plan to take. Another plus: the optional practice sessions offered every Tuesday. It was very instructive. 

I did IEP in Rennes up to my fourth year, then the PCA for my fifth year of education. My case is sort of unusual, because I took the Secretary of the Chancery exam right at the start of the school year, in October. In December, I found out I was eligible. I completed the interviews and was accepted in April. Starting in July, I started working at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, following two weeks of training. What led me to choose the PCA was the ability to select courses based on the exams I was preparing for. It's really adapted to the variety of exams. Additionally, it's a degree program that awards a formal 2nd-year Master's diploma.