The Grand Ecoles in France are the premium educational institutions, and provide admissions to a limited number of students who qualify by clearing difficult entrance examinations. The Grand Ecoles in France are part of the dual educational system, which parallels but cannot be compared with the universities due to its extraordinary educational level. The concept of Grand Ecoles in France was established in the last decade of the eighteenth century by scholars Gaspard Monge and Lazare Carnot. The Grand Ecoles that came in existence in the eighteenth and nineteenth century are: Ecole Nationale Superieure des Techniques Avancees, Ecole des Ponts et Chaussees, Ecole d’Arts et Metiers, the École Centrale des Arts et Manufactures, Hautes Etudes Commerciales, Ecole superieure d’electricite and Ecole Superieure de Commerce de Paris.

In modern day France, nearly every executive from the corporate sector, public sector or politics has received educational degrees from one of the Grand Ecoles in France. Many people argue that the total affairs of France are managed by the graduates of the Grand Ecoles. The Grand Ecoles have therefore become ideal educational institutions for aspiring managers and administrators, not only from France but also from foreign nations. Some of the foreign states are consulting the Grand Ecoles in France in order to establish similar institutions in their own region.

Before passing the entrance examination for admission to the Grand Ecoles in France, students are required to learn requisite skills of communication that include learning both French and any other foreign language. Along with communication, students need to acquire a good level of knowledge in basic sciences. In order to acquire the requisite skills students can attend several lycees, high schools where the preparatory programs are conducted depending on the interest of the students. The entrance examination for admission to the Grand Ecoles in France consists of written and oral examinations. The basic idea of these examinations is to check the actual intellectual abilities of the students and their other personal qualities match to the orientation in which they wish to make a career.

The Grand Ecoles in France provide education in different subjects that include but are not limited to: engineering, management, social sciences, economy and finance. The teachers of Grand Ecoles in France are generally veteran educators who have achieved outstanding knowledge in their respective subjects. This is reflected in the knowledge that they impart to the students of the Grand Ecoles. Today, there are more than 150 Grand Ecoles in France and every year, over 10,000 students receive degrees in various subjects.