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Key Facts: Concours Commun ScPo Exam

Regional IEP Institutes

Réseau ScPo

6 hours

Total Written Examination

Réseau ScPo

210 €

Registration Fee (40 € boursiers)

Réseau ScPo

~1,100–1,200

Admitted Places Across IEPs

Réseau ScPo

Written Examination Papers

Réseau ScPo

Bac+0 / Bac+1

Candidate Eligibility

Réseau ScPo

The Concours Commun Réseau ScPo admits ~1,100–1,200 candidates annually to 7 regional IEPs (Aix, Lille, Lyon, Rennes, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Strasbourg, Toulouse). The 6-hour paper exam features Questions contemporaines (3h), Histoire (2h), and Langue vivante (1h). This 100-question practice bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation.

Sample Concours Commun ScPo Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Concours Commun ScPo exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1In Gøsta Esping-Andersen's seminal typology in 'The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism' (1990), which welfare regime is characterized by high levels of decommodification, universal benefits based on citizen rights, and an egalitarian commitment to social solidarity?

A.The Social Democratic regime (Scandinavian model)

B.The Liberal regime (Anglo-Saxon model)

C.The Conservative/Corporatist regime (Continental model)

D.The Mediterranean/Familialist regime (Southern European model)

Explanation: The Social Democratic welfare regime, exemplified by Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, is defined by maximum decommodification and universal citizen entitlements funded primarily through progressive taxation. In this model, the state actively promotes egalitarian social solidarity by crowding out market dependence and delivering comprehensive public services across all social strata.

2How does the historical Bismarckian model of social protection fundamentally differ from the Beveridgean model in terms of institutional eligibility and revenue generation?

A.The Bismarckian model funds healthcare via progressive national income taxes, whereas the Beveridgean model relies exclusively on employer payroll surcharges.

B.The Bismarckian model ties benefits to employment status and payroll contributions (social insurance), whereas the Beveridgean model provides universal flat-rate coverage funded by general taxation.

C.The Bismarckian model delivers means-tested aid strictly to indigent citizens, whereas the Beveridgean model requires private commercial insurance enrollment.

D.The Bismarckian model was designed in post-war Britain for agricultural workers, whereas the Beveridgean model was created in 19th-century Prussia for industrial guilds.

Explanation: The Bismarckian model, created in Germany in the 1880s, is an occupational social insurance framework where benefits are earned through salaried labor and financed through contributions from employers and employees. In contrast, William Beveridge's 1942 British blueprint established a universal, state-administered safety net funded by general tax revenue to guarantee a national minimum for every citizen regardless of employment history.

3What is the primary socio-political function of the Conservative/Corporatist welfare regime identified by Esping-Andersen in nations such as Germany and France?

A.To maximize market dependency by forcing all citizens to contract private financial pensions

B.To eradicate all income inequality through strict state wage leveling

C.To maintain existing social status hierarchies, professional stratification, and familial subsidiarity

D.To restrict state assistance solely to individuals who fail asset means-testing

Explanation: In Esping-Andersen's Conservative/Corporatist model, social rights are tied to class and occupation, thereby maintaining established social hierarchies and professional status differentials. Furthermore, the state intervenes only when family resources are exhausted, upholding the Catholic social principle of subsidiarity and traditional familial solidarity.

4In Émile Durkheim's sociological classic 'The Division of Labour in Society' (1893), which form of solidarity is generated by the specialization of functions, social interdependence, and advanced industrial differentiation?

A.Mechanical solidarity

B.Organic solidarity

C.Segmental solidarity

D.Anomic solidarity

Explanation: Durkheim defined organic solidarity as the social cohesion that arises in modern, advanced societies where individuals perform specialized tasks and rely on one another to survive, analogous to the organs in a biological body. In contrast, mechanical solidarity characterizes pre-industrial societies where cohesion is based on similarity, shared beliefs, and a strong collective consciousness.

5Which philosophical and legal premise formed the foundation of Léon Bourgeois's political doctrine of Solidarism ('Solidarité', 1896), the official philosophy of the French Third Republic's Radical Party?

A.The complete abolition of individual property rights in favor of centralized state syndicalism

B.The absolute autonomy of market actors governed solely by classical laissez-faire natural law

C.The concept of an implicit 'social debt' (dette sociale) and quasi-contract incurred by every citizen toward collective society

D.The theological doctrine of Christian charity managed exclusively by ecclesiastical parishes

Explanation: Léon Bourgeois argued that no individual achieves wealth or intellectual development in isolation; everyone inherits centuries of accumulated human civilization and collective infrastructure, creating a retroactive 'social debt' (dette sociale) and a quasi-contract. Solidarism synthesized individual liberty and republican collective duty, providing the philosophical justification for progressive taxation, social legislation, and public education.

6Why was the Contribution Sociale Généralisée (CSG) introduced in France under Prime Minister Michel Rocard by the Finance Law of 1991?

A.To replace the corporate income tax with a flat-rate levy on commercial real estate

B.To broaden the tax base funding social security beyond wage payroll contributions to include capital, investment, and replacement incomes

C.To provide an emergency defense fund for French operations during the Gulf War

D.To establish privatized individual pension investment funds on the French stock exchange

Explanation: Introduced in 1991, the CSG was designed to solve the financial strain on the French Social Security system (Sécurité Sociale), which had relied almost entirely on labor payroll contributions (cotisations sociales). By levying a proportional direct tax on employment wages, retirement pensions, capital investments, and gambling winnings, the CSG shifted funding toward a broader, more equitable social solidarity base.

7What major conceptual shift occurred in French healthcare rights with the transition from the Couverture Maladie Universelle (CMU, 1999) to the Protection Universelle Maladie (PUMA, 2016)?

A.Healthcare access became conditioned on passing an annual medical fitness examination.

B.Reimbursement rights were transformed from being tied to employment status or derived entitlement (ayant droit) to an individual, continuous right based solely on stable and legal residence in France.

C.Public health coverage was abolished for all adults earning above the minimum wage (SMIC).

D.The management of national healthcare was transferred from the Sécurité Sociale to private mutualist syndicates.

Explanation: Created by the 2016 Social Security Financing Act, PUMA guaranteed that every person working or stably and legally residing in France is entitled to personal healthcare coverage on an individual, autonomous basis. This eliminated the cumbersome administrative status of adult 'dependent beneficiaries' (ayants droit) and ended coverage disruptions caused by career transitions, divorce, or changes in marital status.

8What institutional innovation was introduced by the French Constitutional Law of 22 February 1996 (part of the Plan Juppé) regarding democratic governance of the social welfare budget?

A.The abolition of social security boards and replacement with direct regional voter referendums

B.The creation of the annual Social Security Financing Laws (Lois de Financement de la Sécurité Sociale, LFSS), giving Parliament budgetary oversight and establishing the ONDAM health spending ceiling

C.The transfer of all social security reserve funds directly to the European Central Bank

D.The privatization of family allowance funds (CAF) into employee-owned joint-stock banks

Explanation: Before 1996, social security budgets were negotiated exclusively between employers and labor unions without parliamentary voting. The 1996 constitutional reform established annual parliamentary voting on the LFSS and instituted the Objectif National de Dépenses d'Assurance Maladie (ONDAM), an annual spending target voted by Parliament to control health expenditure growth.

9Which principle defines the mechanism of the French pay-as-you-go pension system (retraite par répartition) as opposed to a fully funded capitalization system (retraite par capitalisation)?

A.Each employee's pension contributions are invested in financial stock portfolios to generate personal capital at retirement.

B.Contributions collected from current working employees are immediately redistributed to pay the pensions of current retirees, based on an intergenerational pact.

C.Pensions are paid entirely from state sovereign gold reserves accumulated during the 19th century.

D.Retirees receive identical lump-sum allowances financed exclusively through corporate carbon taxes.

Explanation: Under the pay-as-you-go (répartition) system, there is no personal accumulation of financial capital; current workers pay compulsory contributions that are immediately converted into pension payouts for current retirees. This mechanism embodies institutionalized intergenerational solidarity, where today's active labor force supports yesterday's workers in return for future workers supporting them.

10In demographic and social security analysis, what does the old-age dependency ratio specifically measure?

A.The percentage of state budget expenditure allocated to pediatric intensive care

B.The ratio of the population aged 65 and older to the working-age population aged 15 to 64

C.The total number of retired individuals residing in rural healthcare deserts

D.The ratio of private pension fund assets to public social security deficit obligations

Explanation: The old-age dependency ratio compares the number of elderly individuals (typically defined as aged 65 and older) to the active working-age population (typically aged 15 to 64). A rising ratio signals demographic aging, meaning fewer active workers are available to finance each retiree's pension in a pay-as-you-go system, putting pressure on statutory retirement age and contribution rates.

About the Concours Commun ScPo Exam

The Concours Commun Réseau ScPo is the joint entrance examination for admission into the first year of seven French regional Instituts d'Études Politiques: Sciences Po Aix-en-Provence, Lille, Lyon, Rennes, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Strasbourg, and Toulouse. Administered on a single day, the examination comprises three written tests: Questions contemporaines (a 3-hour dissertation, coefficient 3, on two annual themes), Histoire (a 2-hour critical document analysis, coefficient 3, focused on 20th-century political and social history), and Langue vivante (a 1-hour language paper, coefficient 2, testing comprehension and essay writing). This practice bank offers 100 high-yield questions adapted into an English-language multiple-choice format to reinforce core conceptual, historical, and lexical knowledge.

Exam sponsor: Réseau ScPo (IEP d'Aix-en-Provence, Lille, Lyon, Rennes, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Strasbourg, Toulouse). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Three written papers held on a single day: Questions contemporaines (3 hours, dissertation, coefficient 3, choice between two subjects), Histoire (2 hours, critical analysis of documents, coefficient 3), and Langue vivante (1 hour, reading comprehension and short essay, coefficient 2).

Time Limit

6 hours total written examination (Questions contemporaines 3h, Histoire 2h, Langue vivante 1h)

Passing Score

Strictly competitive ranking based on the three written examination scores; quota of approximately 1,100 to 1,200 admitted places across the 7 regional IEPs.

Exam / Certification Fees

210 € (40 € for boursiers du gouvernement français)

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Official sources

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

20%

Contemporary Questions: Solidarities

Welfare state typologies (Bismarckian social insurance vs. Beveridgean universalism), Esping-Andersen regimes, healthcare financing, intergenerational transfers, and inequality metrics.

20%

Contemporary Questions: The Living

Philosophical foundations of environmental ethics (biocentrism, Jonas, Latour), planetary boundaries, biodiversity conservation, bioethics (CRISPR, assisted reproduction), and legal rights of nature.

20%

Twentieth-Century International Relations

Cold War diplomatic crises, decolonization (Bandung, Geneva, Evian), European integration treaties (Rome, Maastricht), post-Cold War conflicts, and multilateral governance institutions.

20%

French Political and Social History

Key political milestones in 20th-century France: Front Populaire (1936), Vichy and Resistance, Fourth Republic reconstruction, Fifth Republic constitution and political dynamics, and major post-1968 social reforms.

20%

Geopolitical English and Reading Comprehension

Diplomatic register vocabulary, rhetorical argumentation in international affairs, strategic policy comprehension, and international relations discourse analysis.

Preparing for the Concours Commun ScPo Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Strictly competitive ranking based on the three written examination scores; quota of approximately 1,100 to 1,200 admitted places across the 7 regional IEPs.
Assessment: Three written papers held on a single day: Questions contemporaines (3 hours, dissertation, coefficient 3, choice between two subjects), Histoire (2 hours, critical analysis of documents, coefficient 3), and Langue vivante (1 hour, reading comprehension and short essay, coefficient 2).
Time limit: 6 hours total written examination (Questions contemporaines 3h, Histoire 2h, Langue vivante 1h)
Exam / certification fees: 210 € (40 € for boursiers du gouvernement français) Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

Work through all 100 available questions
Review every answer and explanation
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Concours Commun ScPo: Suggested Study Strategy

1Master key social and political philosophy texts (Esping-Andersen, Pierre Rosanvallon, Hans Jonas, Bruno Latour) to cite concrete theoretical models in Questions contemporaines.

2Memorize exact chronological markers and legislative dates for French history (Matignon Accords June 1936, Social Security October 1945, Veil Law January 1975).

3Structure historical document analyses by contextualizing the author, assessing the author's intentionality and biases, and illuminating gaps using outside knowledge.

4Build a rigorous glossary of diplomatic and international affairs terms in English (hegemony, brinkmanship, containment, multilateralism, soft power).

5Connect environmental ethics and scientific concepts (planetary boundaries, IPBES reports, CRISPR technology) to institutional and legal debates (rights of nature, precautionary principle).

6Use this 100-question bank to identify factual weaknesses, then outline full dissertation arguments addressing the same themes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Concours Commun Réseau ScPo?

The Concours Commun is a nationwide competitive entrance examination that allows candidates to apply simultaneously to seven regional Instituts d'Études Politiques (IEP) in France: Sciences Po Aix-en-Provence, Lille, Lyon, Rennes, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Strasbourg, and Toulouse. Admitted candidates enter the first year of the prestigious five-year Sciences Po curriculum.

What are the three written examination papers in the official concours?

The examination takes place over one day and consists of three written tests: Questions contemporaines (3 hours, coefficient 3, dissertation on one of two designated annual themes), Histoire (2 hours, coefficient 3, critical analysis of one or two historical documents from post-1930s history), and Langue vivante (1 hour, coefficient 2, reading comprehension and short essay in English, German, Spanish, or Italian).

How are admission and ranking decided?

Admission is based strictly on merit ranking established from candidate scores on the written tests (combined with school academic records via Parcoursup). Candidates rank their IEP preferences, and approximately 1,100 to 1,200 total places are allocated according to rank and institute capacity.

Why is this practice question bank formatted as English multiple-choice questions?

While the official Concours Commun is a French-language written examination requiring extended dissertations and document analyses, this practice bank adapts the underlying factual syllabus, political theory frameworks, historical dates, and diplomatic English into 100 targeted MCQs. It serves as an active-recall study tool to test foundational knowledge and conceptual precision.

Who is eligible to register for the Concours Commun?

Eligibility is restricted to high school seniors preparing their French Baccalauréat (Bac+0) or graduates who obtained their Baccalauréat in the immediate previous year (Bac+1), or equivalent international secondary school credentials. Registration must be completed via Parcoursup.

What are the annual themes for Questions contemporaines?

The Réseau ScPo chooses two contemporary themes each year for the dissertation paper. For recent sessions, these themes include 'Les solidarités' (solidarities) and 'Le vivant' (the living), spanning social policy, political philosophy, environmental ethics, and bioethics.