The Mines schools, which were placed under the administrative supervision of the Ministry of Industry, joined the Institut in March 2012 when it took on its current name and gained the status of Grand établissement.

It combines high academic and scientific legitimacy with a practical proximity to business and a unique positioning in 3 major transformations of the 21st century: Digital Affairs, Energy and Ecology, and Industry.

French students can take the exam after receiving their baccalauréat, but many will first attend a two-year prépa (Classe préparatoire aux grandes écoles) and obtain 120 ECTs.

[8] Although the IMT schools are selective and can be more expensive than public universities in France, Grandes Écoles typically have much 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.

[9][10] Degrees from the Institut Mines-Telecom are accredited by the Conférence des Grandes Écoles[11] and awarded by the Ministry of National Education (France) (French: Le Ministère de L'éducation Nationale).