The French École Libre des Sciences Politiques de Paris (ELSP) is internationally recognized for its academic excellence and the remarkable accomplishments of its alumni,

It offers a unique approach to education through its Validation of Acquired Experience programs in Political Science, Business, Finance, Accounting, Humanities, Public Service & Sociology.

École Libre des Sciences Politiques® is a registered and protected trademark, with the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) and the EUIPO (European Union Intellectual Property Office) under number 1848930.

Countries covered by the registration: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, and Switzerland. Any unauthorized use or infringement of the trademark exposes the infringer to legal action and criminal sanctions in accordance with applicable law.

The VAE Process

The Validation of Acquired Experience (VAE) is a French government initiative introduced in 2002 that allows individuals to earn a diploma or certification based on their professional experience. This process recognizes the skills and knowledge gained through work, volunteering, or personal projects.

The VAE process consists of the following stages:

  1. Complete the Questionnaire & pay the application fee of €60.
  1. Submit Supporting Documents to support your candidacy.
  2. Admission Decision within 15 days. If accepted, pay the VAE jury fees:
  1. Interviews, Inquiries & Analysis by the VAE Jury to assess your experience.
  2. Final Decision within 2 months, by the VAE jury. If approved, you will receive your diploma along with the UNESCO Diploma Supplement in English, sent by registered post or presented during the formal graduation ceremony.

Important Notes:

  • Application fees are non-refundable, even if the diploma is not awarded.
  • The decisions of the VAE jury are final and cannot be appealed.

Notorious Alumni

Nouvelle ère: Donald J. Trump (HC) / Nicolas Sarkozy (VAE)

Important legal and historical information

L’Ecole Libre de Sciences Politiques is a private French higher education institution that awards degrees according to the articles L151-6 “Higher education is free” and L731-1 to L732-3 of the French Education Code. It is a registered trademark in all Europe (27 countries) and Switzerland.

L’Ecole Libre des Sciences Politiques® (ELSP) has always been a French private institution. It is politically neutral and non-denominational. ELSP is proud to have absolutely no link with the SciencesPo (IEP) and the Fédération Nationale des Sciences Politiques (FNCP).