[5][6][7] Grandes écoles are elite academic institutions that admit students through an extremely competitive process, and a significant proportion of their graduates occupy the highest levels of French society.

[14][15] CGE accredited programs:[16][17][18] Grandes Écoles are highly selective public or private institutions accredited by the CGE with degrees are awarded by the Ministry of Higher Education (France) (French: Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur) and recognized worldwide.

Although they are more expensive than public universities in France, Grandes Écoles typically have smaller class sizes and student bodies and many of their programs are taught in English.

International internships, study abroad opportunities, and close ties with government and the corporate world are a hallmark of the Grandes Écoles.

[33] Grandes écoles in the 18th century focused mostly on training civil servants and military engineers, and the curriculum was primarily mathematics and physical sciences.