ÉCOLE POLYTECHNIQUE

BACHELOR PROGRAM
Rules & Regulations
2022-2023
TABLE OF CONTENTS
 4 Bachelor Academic Handbook

6 General Terms
12 
Section 1: Recruitment and Selection of Applicants
14 
Section 2: Registration Procedure, Tuition and Fees
17 Section 3: Knowledge Assessment
24 Section 4: Bachelor Program Academic Council
25 Section 5: Student Progression and Graduation Committee
26 Section 6: Disciplinary Committee and disciplinary sanctions
27 Section 7: Transcript and Degree

29 Bachelor Program Code of Student Conduct

45 Inter-Year – Course Offering

55 Year 1 Course Offering

79 Year 2 Course Offering

111 Year 3 Course Offering

BACHELOR ACADEMIC
HANDBOOK

Reference Texts
Education Code – Articles L.675-1 and L.755-1;

Decree n° 2015-1176 dated 24 September 2015 relating to the organization and the
administrative and financial status of École Polytechnique;
5
The resolution of the École Polytechnique Board of Directors dated 22 October 2015

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delegating the authority to establish the fees for services provided by École Polytech-

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nique to the Chairman;

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The recommendation of the École Polytechnique Board of Directors dated 23 June
2016 relating to the creation of the Bachelor and Graduate Degree diplomas;

Decision n° 061120 EP/PCA/DER/DF/DDPB dated October 28, 2020 setting the

Bachelor’s Programs tuition fees;

Decision n° 2016-164 EP/SG dated July 19, 2016 setting the Bachelor’s Programs appli-
cation fees;

Decision n° 2017-83 EP/SG dated February 22, 2017 setting the Bachelor’s Programs
terms of attribution of tuition-fee waivers based on students’ financial needs;
 General Terms
This Academic Handbook defines the Two additional documents supplement
general principles governing the selection this Academic Handbook, setting out the
of applicants and their admission to the framework for students’ training:
École Polytechnique’s Bachelor Program. ❯ École Polytechnique Rules and
Furthermore, it outlines the structure and Procedures (Règlement Intérieur)
conditions of the Program’s three years of ❯ Code of Student Conduct
6 study.

This document applies to students enrol- In the event of any inconsistency between
led in the Program as of the 2022-2023 these documents, the École Polytechnique
academic year. Terms outlined in this Rules and Procedures shall prevail.
Handbook may be revised as needed.

1. École Polytechnique’s Bachelor Program

École Polytechnique’s Bachelor Program the values of excellence, audacity, and

is a multidisciplinary degree taught pri- integrity, to use these skills and values to
marily in English and primarily based on improve our world.
the natural sciences, mathematics fore-
most, coupled with exposure to social The Program’s coursework is outlined in
sciences and humanities. Consistent with the syllabi published annually, which may
the diverse backgrounds of its students, be revised as required. For each course,
the Program trains them to take charge students will receive a course outline
of their adult lives through personal deve- which lists the course objectives, the skills
lopment. As such, the Bachelor Program they are expected to acquire upon course
strives to allow each student to develop completion, and the ways in which their
their multi-faceted personality through performance will be assessed.
its unique academic curriculum. There-
fore, École Polytechnique seeks to serve The Bachelor Program’s first year is a
the greater good by preparing interna- foundational year in which students will
tionally-oriented students who hold dear develop the skills required to successfully
complete their academic training. This larly through sports, to foster their perso-
initial year of study also allows students nal development.
to discover various scientific fields to sup-
port them in selecting a major. By their Depending on their academic perfor-
second year at the latest, students must mance, students may be eligible to com-
specialize between the following double plete a semester abroad (see section 3
majors, which are subsequently pursued
in the Program’s second and third years:
below for additional details). Students
must also complete a Bachelor thesis
7
❯ Mathematics and Physics which is a lab-based research project in
❯ Mathematics and Computer Science their sixth semester (second semester of

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❯ Mathematics and Economics Year 3). During their study breaks and

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holidays, students may pursue professio-

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nal internships on a voluntary basis in
Throughout their Program, students par- accordance with relevant École Polytech-
ticipate in activities and courses, particu- nique policies.

2. Program Structure

The Bachelor Program consists of six tives or to complete projects complemen-

semesters over the course of which at tary to their area of study, both of which
least 180 ECTS credits must be obtained. reinforce the key skills acquired through
These six semesters are divided over three their academic training, and for which
years; thus, two semesters per academic they may receive ECTS credits.
year. Each semester allows students to
obtain at least 30 credits. Semesters one Students are eligible to take (a) supple-
to five are limited to a maximum of 36 mentary course(s) which would cause
credits. Should a semester be validated them to surpass the semestrial 36-credit
in two years, rather than one, the 36 cre- limit. Only certain courses can be desi-
dit maximum applies to the total num- gnated “supplementary courses” for the
ber of credits obtained for the related students.
semester(s). Students can opt to take elec-
 Supplementary courses are optional and Students who wish to pursue a specific
are awarded ECTS credits; however, the individualized project requiring a spe-
credits obtained through the completion cific learning agreement, and/or which
of such courses do not count towards would prove to be incompatible with
the credits required for graduation or the general structure of the Program as
progression from one year to another. it is, may file a request to do so with the
Furthermore, the grades obtained in sup- Bachelor Program Office. Those requests
plementary courses do not count towards will be studied on a case-by-case basis by
8 calculating the student’s GPA. the Academic Council. Students who see
their request approved may be authorized
Students who commit to taking a supple- to obtain the ECTS required to graduate
mentary course must complete the entire through different means, to be decided by
course (i.e. attend all classes, submit all the Academic Council. Students who see
coursework, take the final exam when their request approved may also pursue a
applicable). As such, an «F» cannot be diploma with a single major instead of a
removed from transcript as it implies that double major.
the course has not been completed. Once
their grade is known, and if the course has The degree is awarded only if a student
been properly completed, students may attains at least 180 ECTS credits over the
file a request with the Bachelor Program course of six semesters.
Office to ask that the supplementary
course be omitted from their transcript. Each of the Program’s subject pillars (i.e.
To be considered, their request must be mathematics, physics, computer science
filed within two weeks of the first busi- and economics) is represented by at least
ness day following the publication of one Academic Advisor, selected by these
results. Furthermore, requesting such a respective departments.
change on the transcript is irreversible.
3. Semester Abroad

Subject to the specific conditions outli- least 90 ECTS credits by the end of
ned below, Bachelor Program students semester 3 and hold a cumulative GPA of
may apply for a semester abroad in their at least 3.3 (overall B average, see Articles
fourth or fifth semester, depending on the 7.1 and 23 for information regarding
double major, either at a a partner insti- grades and GPAs, respectively).
tution via the Official Student Exchange
Program, or at another institution via an Even if initially accepted into the study
Independent Student Exchange Program. abroad program, students are only eligible
Official and Independent Exchange Pro-
gram committees are held during the
to leave if they have:
❯ 90 ECTS credits completed by the end
9
second year. of semester 3
❯ 120 ECTS credits completed by the

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In either case, students’ academic plans end of semester 4 for those leaving in

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must be approved by both committees semester 5

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composed of the following: ❯ no more than one remedial exam in the
❯ the Dean of the Bachelor Program academic year prior to departure
❯ the Director of the Bachelor Program ❯ a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher at the
❯ the Bachelor Program Head of Perso- end of every semester.
nal Development
❯ Bachelor Program Student Exchange
Academic Advisors While abroad, students must follow their
❯ The Associate Director of the Bachelor signed learning agreement and adhere to
Program the rules and regulations of the host uni-
❯ Bachelor Program Second- and Third- versity. This includes, but is not limited
Year Officers to, attendance policy, grading policy, and
❯ Student Mobility Managers from the access to remedial exams. Only the cre-
department of international relations. dits approved in the learning agreement
will be taken into account.

In order to apply for a semester abroad,

students must be on track to obtain at
 4. Bachelor Thesis

Students are required to complete a Bache- representative in their absence. The Aca-
lor thesis linked to their double major in demic Council may exceptionally autho-
their sixth semester (second semester of rize students to pursue a thesis related to
Year 3) in order to graduate. The thesis is their minor (if applicable).
composed of a lab-based research intern-
ship (see 5-Internships), written report, Students must undertake a literature
and oral defense. review in their area of interest, identifying
gaps or inconsistencies to develop their
10 The internship is worth 14 ECTS cre-
dits, and is undertaken in a lab at École
own argument or hypothesis which they
will test.
Polytechnique or at a partner institution,
when possible, and requires the equiva- Students will receive a letter grade (from
lent of at least eight weeks (280h) of pre- A+ to F) for their Bachelor thesis, taking
sence in the host lab. Students who wish into consideration work in the lab, the
to undertake their internship off campus written report and oral defense, in accor-
must submit a request to be validated by dance with Section 3, Article 7 of this
the Bachelor Program Dean or designated handbook.

5. Internships

5.1 Summer internships accordance with the labor code/stan-

Internships are an optional component dards of the country in which the
of the Bachelor Program’s academic internship takes place. If a student
curriculum. Students are responsible requires work authorization to under-
for finding their own internship(s), take the internship in a foreign country,
which typically take(s) place over the s/he is responsible for obtaining such
summer months after courses end (i.e. authorization. Language requirements
approximately July 1 to August 31). may apply to certain destinations.
Internships can take place in France,
within Europe, or overseas, in accor- Although the Bachelor Program Office
dance with the student’s wishes. They does not actively seek out internship
may or may not be remunerated, in opportunities on behalf of students, it
is closely involved in supporting them *Note: The names and signatures of these
through their work experience. individuals must appear in each student’s
internship contract.

5.2 Common rules to internships inclu-

ding Bachelor thesis 5.3. Preparing for an internship
Each student completing an internship When a student receives an internship
is assigned the following: offer, s/he must inform the Bachelor Pro-
• Internship Supervisor (référent): this
individual is assigned to the student
gram Office who will then assign him/
her an internship supervisor. At that
11
by the Bachelor Program Office to point, the student must complete the
mentor and support them throughout internship agreement form provided. To

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their internship. Internship supervi- this end, students must provide their site

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sors are also responsible for reviewing supervisor’s name and contact details,

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and approving the conditions under the length of the internship, the number
which a student will be expected of hours to be worked, the amount of the
to work. An internship supervisor stipend (if applicable), etc.
must have a link to École Polytech-
nique and can be anyone deemed Subsequently, the internship agreement
competent by the Bachelor Program must be signed by the student, the
Office, including but not limited to: internship supervisor, site supervisor,
an instructor, an École Polytechnique and École Polytechnique’s representa-
alumnus/alumna, a Personal Deve- tive responsible for signing internship
lopment Officer, etc. agreements.

• Site Supervisor (tuteur): this indivi- In the event where a hiring company/
dual is appointed to a student by the organization refuses to agree to an
hiring company/organization. The internship agreement drafted by École
student will have regular interac- Polytechnique, the student should
tion with this person as s/he will be contact and inform the Bachelor Pro-
reporting directly to him/her in their gram Office immediately.
internship. The site supervisor must
be able to properly communicate in
English or in French.
 Section 1
Recruitment and Selection of Applicants

Article 1. studies or an entrance certificate to enter

Application Procedures higher education.
Applications are open to the following: A decision of the President of École Poly-
❯ those preparing for a diploma awarded technique sets the amount of the applica-
for the completion of secondary edu- tion fee. This €95 application fee is due
cation (French baccalaureate, bacca- when the application is submitted and is
laureate with an international option, non-refundable, regardless of the admis-
12 International Baccalaureate, Swiss
Gymnasium Matura, European certifi-
sion decision. Payment of the fee is a pre-
requisite for the application to be consi-
cate attesting the completion of secon- dered by the Admissions Committee;
dary education, high school diploma, therefore, non-payment of the fee results
etc.), in the automatic rejection of the associa-
❯ those preparing for an entrance certifi- ted application. Only one application per
cate to enter higher education, scientific academic year may be submitted. Addi-
universities in particular, tional applications, regardless of the plat-
❯ those who have already obtained a form, will be disregarded.
diploma or entrance certification ena-
bling them to enter higher education.

Applications are to be made online and Article 2.

supporting documents to be submitted Selection
include transcripts, a personal statement, Applications are reviewed by a Prese-
a certificate of English level, a CV or its lection Committee and an Admissions
equivalent in Parcoursup and two refe- Committee, both of which are chaired
rence letters or its equivalent in Parcour- by the Provost, the Vice Provost or their
sup. Following a review of their applica- representative.
tion, preselected applicants are invited to The membership of the Preselection Com-
take part in a video conference interview. mittee is the same as that of the Admissions
Applicants selected following the inter- Committee. The mandatory members are:
view are either admitted directly or put on ❯ the Provost or the Vice Provost. He/
an admission wait-list. Admission to the She can choose to be represented by the
École Polytechnique Bachelor Program Dean of the Bachelor Program on a
is contingent on obtaining a diploma case by case basis
awarded for the completion of secondary ❯ the Director and the Dean of the Bache-
lor Program or his/her representative
❯ the Director of Military Training and Selection criteria are primarily based on
Personal Development, or his/her outstanding academic results already
representative achieved in previous education. Howe-
❯ a representative from either the Depart- ver, they also take into account personal
ment of Pure Mathematics or from the motivation, applicants’ academic projects,
Department of Applied Mathematics their proficiency in English, as well as
❯ a representative from either the Depart- their commitment to studying and living
ment of Physics or the Department of
Mechanics
in an international and multicultural
environment.
13
❯ a representative from the Department
of Economics Once the Admissions Committee has

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❯ a representative from the Department of reviewed applications, the Bachelor Pro-

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Computer Science. gram Office notifies applicants of their

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(in)admissibility by email. An official cer-
Non-mandatory members acting in an tificate of admission is sent to all admit-
advisory capacity are: ted candidates. However, students are
❯ a representative from the Department advised that registration for the Bachelor
of Marketing Program is conditional on their obtai-
❯ a representative from the Department of ning a diploma awarded for the comple-
International Relations tion of secondary education or any other
❯ a representative from the École Poly- diploma or certificate mentioned in this
technique Alumni Association Handbook (see Article 1 – Application
❯ a representative from the École Poly- Procedure).
technique Foundation
❯ the Associate Director of the Bachelor
Program
❯ Bachelor Program first-, second- and
third-year officers
❯ the Bachelor Program Admissions
Team.
 Section 2
Registration Procedure, Tuition and Fees
Registration is mandatory and enables 2. Administrative registration cancelation
students to attend courses and take final by École Polytechnique due to non-
exams. It consists in annual administra- compliance with the criteria listed in
tive registration and academic registra- the conditional offer of admission.
tion each semester.
In very specific circumstances, students
may request a reduced tuition deposit of
Article 3. €400. To be eligible for this, the student
14 Annual Administrative Registration
Students complete their annual admi-
must have been awarded an interest-free
loan in the amount of €12,000 per year
nistrative registration online. In Year 1, in collaboration with the École Polytech-
administrative registration is conditional nique Foundation, and they must also
on the payment of a first non-refundable have received at least one other form of
€1,400 tuition deposit and a second non- financial aid from École Polytechnique or
refundable €1,400 tuition deposit when the Foundation (i.e. tuition waiver, Excel-
applicable: the first is due upon accep- lence Scholarship, Living Costs Scholar-
tance of the offer of admission, while the ship, Women in Science Scholarship).
second must be submitted in July. While
all students have to pay the first €1,400 Students must be covered by a public
tuition deposit, the amount of the second health insurance plan (sécurité sociale)
tuition deposit may vary for students when they register at the start of each aca-
benefiting from tuition waivers. demic year. Students from countries out-
side the European Union must adhere to
Students’ administrative registration the French public health insurance plan,
is confirmed once these deposits have while students from countries within the
been received and their online registra- European Union have the option to keep
tion has been completed. These deposits their home country’s health insurance.
are applied towards students’ first year
tuition. All students in France have to pay the
Student and Campus Life Contribution
The deposits are eligible for reimburse- (CVEC- Contribution vie étudiante et de
ment only in the following two cases: campus). It is intended to finance social,
1. Withdrawal due to the student’s medi- cultural, and sports endeavors in higher
cal issues for which a medical certifi- education in France. This fee must be paid
cate must be provided. prior to beginning courses and students
must submit an attestation – proof of pay-
ment – to École Polytechnique. Failure to ponding justification must be submitted
do so will result in access being revoked to to the Year Officer. The course(s) to be
classes and online tools. dropped, if approved, will be designated
by the Bachelor team (Dean, Director
Students are required to produce a civil or Associate Director) after consultation
liability insurance certificate, covering with the related Academic Advisors.
them against any damage caused during
the Program. Although not compul- By the end of Year 1, students choose
sory, purchasing a private top-up health
insurance policy (mutuelle) is highly
their double major for Years 2 and 3 from
among those offered by the Bachelor Pro-
15
recommended. gram. The chosen major is approved by
the Bachelor Program Academic Council,

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Once the administrative registration is as defined in section 4, depending on the

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complete, each student will be provided student’s academic level, in the manner

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with a badge, which doubles as a student and timeframe indicated beforehand.
card, at the start of the academic year. Any request to change majors from
Badges must be returned to École Poly- Year 2 must be duly justified and sub-
technique at the end of the Program. mitted to the Academic Council for its
consideration.

Article 4.
Academic Registration Article 5.
Academic registration each semester is Tuition and Fees
mandatory. Academic registration serves Tuition and fees are determined by
as registration for final exams for the rele- the President of École Polytechnique
vant semester. Students must communi- annually. Tuition and fees may be refun-
cate their chosen courses to the Bachelor ded only for medical reasons in which a
Program Office in the manner and time- student is unable to continue in the Pro-
frame indicated to them. If they fail to do gram for which a medical certificate must
so, their courses will be allocated to them be provided. Tuition and fees are not
automatically by the Bachelor Program refunded in cases of expulsion from École
Office. Registration is final once submit- Polytechnique.
ted and classes cannot be dropped at a
later date except for exceptional medical Students are committed to paying the
accommodations. In such a case, an offi- entirety of their annual tuition by Octo-
cial request from the student with corres- ber 15. Unpaid tuition by the deadline
 will result in the student’s deregistra- ❯ Vice-Provost for Education or his/her
tion from the Program; this entails loss representative
of access to his/her École Polytechnique ❯ Director and the Dean of the Bachelor
email account, inability to access the Program
institution’s online platforms, to request
transcripts/official documents, and ineli-
gibility to take final exams. In addition, Invited, non-voting members, include:
students with unpaid tuition are unable ❯Admissions Officer of the Bachelor
to progress from one year to the next; Program
all tuition and fees must be paid in full ❯A ssociate Director of the Bachelor
before graduation. Program
16 ❯Bachelor Program Head of Personal
Development
Article 6. ❯Head of Legal Services, or his/her
Financial Aid representative
Students admitted with honors and who
demonstrate financial need are eligible
to apply for tuition waivers. Funds attri- The Financial Aid Committee ensures
buted to tuition waivers may not exceed that it awards comparable tuition-fee
20% of the sum of all tuition paid in a waivers to students admitted with honors
given year. Eligible students may apply for during the various rounds of admissions.
tuition fee waivers in the manner outlined The decision to award tuition-fee waivers
by the Bachelor Program Office. Tuition shall be taken by the Director General
fee waiver applications are evaluated by on the advice of the Committee. Unless
the Financial Aid Committee composed otherwise specified, need-based tuition-
of the following individuals: fee waivers are granted to each beneficiary
❯ Director General or his/her represen- student for a period of three years, except
tative Secretary General (Committee if the student repeats a year. A student
Chair) who repeats a year loses the benefit of the
❯ Director of the Budget, Finances and tuition waiver for the repeated year and
Procurement, or his/her representative must then pay tuition fees in full for that
❯ Director of International Relations, or year.
his/her representative
❯ Director of the Accounting Department
❯ Head of Diversity, or his/her
representative
❯ Head of the Administration and
Finance, Provost’s Office, or his/her
representative
Section 3
Knowledge Assessment

Article 7. ❯
D: The course’s academic objectives
Grading system were minimally attained with persistent
1. Grading weaknesses
For each course, students will receive a ❯ E: The course’s academic objectives were
letter grade (from A+ to F). At the begin- not attained
ning of the course, the instructor must ❯ F: The course’s academic objectives were
outline the manner in which students not attained as the student demons-
will be evaluated and must enumerate the trated no or little effort (e.g. numerous
course’s academic objectives each student
must acquire upon course completion.
unexcused absences, failed to attend
final exams) and/or committed/attemp-
17
ted to commit an academic offense (e.g.
Letter grades are as follows: A+, A, A-, B+, cheating, plagiarism).

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B, B-, C, D, E, F. These grades indicate

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the level to which the student has achie- Grades ranging from A+ to D are passing

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ved a given course’s academic objectives. grades which allow students to receive
ECTS credits. Grades of E and F allow
Letter grades mean the following: students to take remedial exams (see
❯ A+: The course’s academic objectives Article 12 for additional details).
were surpassed and the student has gone
above and beyond expectations 2. Language Requirements
❯ A: The course’s academic objectives Learning French is obligatory for non-
were fully attained and the student has Francophone students. Unless otherwise
demonstrated particular capabilities deemed by the Department of Languages
during the course and Cultures, students are considered
❯ A-: The course’s academic objectives non-Francophone if they have not comple-
were fully attained ted at least three years of their high school
❯ B+: The course’s academic objectives education in French. A “B2” French level
were mostly attained on the Common European Framework
❯ B, B-: The course’s academic objectives of Reference for Languages (CEFRL) is
were generally attained required of non-Francophone students
❯ C: The course’s academic objectives to obtain their degree. The Department
were partially attained with ade- of Languages and Cultures may grant an
quate knowledge to move on to more exception to this requirement, that has to
advanced work be then further approved by the Student
Graduation Committee.
 Francophone students must learn another 4. Humanities and Social Sciences
foreign language. If their knowledge level Requirements
permits, they may also take culture and Over the course of the three years of the
civilization courses in a foreign language. Program, the students have to follow
Regardless of the initial foreign language at least two courses in Humanities and
class taken (including French), a “C1” Social Sciences in order to graduate.
CEFR level is required for a student to
begin learning another foreign language
that replaces the language initially selec-
ted. This requirement may be waived by Article 8.
the Academic Council, and all changes to Coursework and Final Exams
18 foreign language classes must be appro-
ved by the Department of Languages and
Knowledge acquisition is assessed in
either of the following two ways, as deter-
Cultures. mined by the instructor of each course:
❯ Coursework throughout the semester
3. Specific Terms Relating to Personal (e.g. take-home/in-class assignments,
Development and Sports group work, quizzes, etc.).
Unless exempted by the Director of Mili- ❯ Coursework as described in the bullet
tary Training and Personal Development, above AND a final exam.
playing sports is required, as it is a funda-
mental element of the program’s personal Coursework allows for students’ progress
development component, which allows and knowledge acquisition to be regularly
students to develop all facets of their monitored; as such, it must consist of at
personalities. least 50% of the final grade for courses
lasting more than 8 weeks.
École Polytechnique believes it is neces-
sary for students to become involved in the The final exam schedule is communica-
collective and individual duty of applying ted to students by the Bachelor Program
the terms of this program handbook Office. Once final exams are corrected,
and of the student handbook. Collective and final grades are approved by the
living and academic life are governed by Academic Council, corrected final exam
the same guiding principle: responsibility copies are then made available to students
shared between staff and students. The upon request.
objective is for everyone to achieve a sense In order to request a copy of their correc-
of responsibility and autonomy. The Per- ted final exams, when applicable, students
sonal Development courses, contributing must submit their request via email to the
to enhancing commitment to the concept Academic Support, within the deadlines
of personal development, are intended in communicated by the Bachelor Pro-
that spirit.
gram Office. Exam copies are provided It is the responsibility of each student to
electronically. make up for missed classes and to inform
the professor(s) concerned. Acceptable
All final exam copies are archived until reasons for absences, which must all rely
the students who took the exams gra- on written justification, are the following:
duate. After this date, 1% of the total ❯ Medical reasons;
exam copies per course, or at least 3 ❯ Family emergency (e.g. death of a
copies, will continue to be archived while relative);
the other copies are destroyed. ❯ Obligation set up by the École Poly-
technique Bachelor Program (e.g. a
student representative asked to miss a
Article 9.
Attendance
class to attend a Committee);
❯ Administrative obligation (e.g. a student
19
Attendance at all classes and exams is who has to attend to a mandatory civic
mandatory. duty).

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Absence and tardiness disrupt class for Absences for other reasons should still be

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others and may adversely affect the cour- notified, but will not be excused. Repea-
sework grade. More than three unexcused ted absences, whether excused or not,
absences from courses with small groups having a significant impact on academic
such as tutorials, labs, seminars, sports performance, may result in discontinua-
and language classes or two unexcused tion of the studies for the year or perma-
absences from courses lasting under 8 nently. The Director General makes such
weeks per semester, will result in a maxi- decisions based on recommendations pro-
mum coursework grade of C. Absences vided by the Academic Council.
and tardiness during lectures can be
penalized by the lecturer and may impact
the coursework grade. Article 10.
Plagiarism and Cheating
Absences and tardiness may also be fur- Evaluation of knowledge acquired throu-
ther penalized by the Academic Council. ghout the course seeks to assess students’
individual and group work skills. All
All absences should be notified and justi- coursework produced by students must be
fied with appropriate documentation wit- his/her own personal work, or the work
hin 7 days. The Bachelor Personal Deve- of his/her group for instances involving
lopment team (coaches) is charged with groupwork.
validating the documentation provided to
justify absences from class and/or exams, Plagiarism means the representation
and is responsible for excusing absences. of another’s work, published or unpu-
 blished, as his/her own in any academic consequences may range from receiving
writing (e.g. essay, thesis, research report, an F for the coursework and/or exam
project or assignment) submitted in a concerned to permanent expulsion from
course, whether the material so repre- École Polytechnique.
sented constitutes a part or the entirety of
the work submitted. École Polytechnique
reserves the right to employ the means Article 11.
necessary to identify plagiarism and Make-up Exams
cheating, and to prosecute such offences Make-up exams are scheduled for each
in accordance with the institution’s rules semester and take place during the time-
and regulations. frame outlined in the academic calendar
20 All infractions during exams may lead to
provided to students. When a student has
an excused absence from an final exam,
a disciplinary procedure brought forth then s/he automatically has the right to a
against the student concerned. In the make-up exam.
event of a flagrant case of cheating or
attempted cheating, the exam invigilator Unexcused absences from exams may
shall take all appropriate measures to stop result in a grade of F for the relevant
the cheating, or attempted cheating, while exam(s) and do not allow access to make-
allowing the suspected student(s) to com- up exams.
plete their exam. Materials or ressources
used to support cheating shall be submit- The result of the make up exams, in addi-
ted to the Bachelor Program Office. The tion to the results related to other cour-
latter will transmit it to the Disciplinary sework, allows the instructor to attribute
Committee which will use the evidence a letter grade (A+ to F) in accordance with
to establish the facts of the situation. the terms outlined in Article 7 (Grading).
The invigilator shall immediately draft a Students who fail the make-up exam are,
report, which must be signed by the other like other students, eligible to participate
invigilators present, as well as by the per- in remedial exams.
petrator who cheated/attempted to cheat.
When the perpetrator refuses to sign, this
shall be reflected in the report. Article 12.
Remedial Exams
Plagiarism, cheating or attempted chea- When a student does not receive ECTS
ting may result in an F grade given by credits for a course given his/her poor
the instructor and in possible prosecu- academic performance, s/he may take
tion before the Disciplinary Commit- a remedial exam. Remedial exams take
tee. In cases in which plagiarism, chea- place during the timeframe outlined
ting or attempted cheating is proven, in the Academic Calendar. Content of
remedial exams is guided by the courses
a student failed (i.e. the courses in which Promotion and repeating a year for the
they received a grade of E or F). École Bachelor Program’s three years occurs as
Polytechnique does not offer remedial follows:
exams for courses taken abroad. ❯ Year 1
– Upon completion of at least 60 ECTS
When a student passes a remedial exam, credits: promotion to Year 2, specia-
s/he can only receive a maximum grade lization selections pending review by
of C. This grade replaces the failing grade the Academic Council/Student Pro-
initially obtained. gression Committee;
– Upon completion of 59 ECTS cre-
Absence from a remedial course exam,
whether excused or unexcused, results in
dits or fewer: readmission to Year 1
reviewed by the Academic Council/
21
an automatic failure of the exam. Student Progression Committee.

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Article 13. ❯ Year 2

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Promotion – Upon completion of at least 120

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Degree conferral requires at least 180 ECTS credits: promotion to Year 3;
ECTS credits obtained through the – Upon completion of 119 ECTS cre-
course of at least six semesters. All dits or fewer: readmission to Year 2
students are required to obtain these cre- reviewed by the Academic Council/
dits and to graduate with no more than 4 Student Progression Committee.
years; the Academic Council may provide
an exception to this rule in exceptional ❯ Year 3
circumstances (e.g. medical issue). This – Upon completion of at least 180
four-year rule may be waived for han- ECTS credits: degree conferred;
dicapped students, whose progression – Upon completion of 179 ECTS cre-
requirements will be defined on an indi- dits or fewer: readmission to Year 3
vidual basis by the Academic Council, reviewed by the Academic Council/
taking into account the specific handicap Student Progression Committee.
of the student.
The Student Progression and Graduation
Promotion from one year to the following Committee may provide exceptions to the
requires to have followed courses for rules stated above.
at least 60 ECTS credits per year. Pro-
motion from one year to the next is not
automatic and only occurs once approval
is granted by the Academic Council and
Student Progression Committee.
 Article 14. Article 15.
Appeal Procedures Leave of Absence
1. Grade Appeal A leave of absence may be granted for
In the event of a grade appeal, a writ- students in compelling circumstances.
ten, duly justified and signed request Leaves of absence are considered for
must be sent to the instructor in charge students who plan to undertake an acti-
of the relevant course and copied to vity that is consistent with their acade-
the Director or Dean of the Bachelor mic and professional goals. Leaves of
Program within two weeks of the first absence are only granted one time to cur-
business day following the publication rent students for after Year 1 or Year 2.
of results. Such leave must be requested in writing
22 The decision to modify the challen-
and must be addressed to the Director
General. The letter which must state the
ged grade belongs to the instructor in exact dates of the leave, should outline the
charge of the course. reason(s) for the leave of absence, how this
leave advances the student’s academic/
The instructor may re-evaluate a paper professional goals, and how it is consistent
or exam when appropriate in a manner with his/her academic path at École Poly-
devised by himself/herself and commu- technique. Any relevant supporting docu-
nicated to the student concerned. mentation should also be submitted.

2. Appeal of a Decision of the Student Pro- Typically, a leave of absence takes place
gression Committee for one academic year from September
In the event of an appeal against the to August; therefore, leave requests must
decision of the Student Progression be submitted to the Bachelor Program
and Graduation Committee, a written, Office by June 30 immediately preceding
duly justified and signed request must the leave.
be sent to the Chairman of the Com-
mittee (see art. 19) within two weeks The ability to make decisions concerning
of the first working day following the leave requests is vested in the Leave of
publication of the decision. Absence Committee, which is composed
of the following members:
The right to modify the challenged ❯ Director General
decision belongs to the Chairman of ❯ Provost (or his/her delegate)
the Committee. ❯ Director and the Dean of the Bachelor
Program
❯ Bachelor Program Head of Personal
Development
❯ At least two Bachelor Program Acade- Article 16.
mic Advisors Expulsion
❯ At least one student representative A student may be expelled for disciplinary
reasons and/or for poor academic per-
formance. A decision to expel a student
If approved, the student concerned is permanently for disciplinary reasons is
required to maintain regular contact taken by the Director-General, according
with the Bachelor Program Office and to the recommendation of the Discipli-
must keep the Office up-to-date on his/ nary Committee, which may meet on
her situation during the leave; the nature the recommendation of the Bachelor Pro-
of this contact is determined upon appro- gram Academic Council or the Bachelor
val of the leave of absence by the Leave
of Absence Committee. Students who
Program Office. 23
receive financial aid are ineligible to A decision to expel a student permanently
receive such funding during their leave. for poor academic performance is made

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by the Student Progression and Gradua-

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In the event the Leave of Absence Com- tion Committee after the student has

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mittee refuses to grant leave to a student, been allowed to assert his/her position.
he/she may contest this decision in the
French judicial system within two months
after the date the requestor receives the
Leave of Absence Committee’s decision.
 Section 4
Bachelor Program Academic Council

Article 17. Article 18.

Organization and Membership Role of the Bachelor
Members of the Bachelor Program Acade- Program Academic Council
mic Council are: The Bachelor Program Academic Council
❯ the Vice Provost for Education, is tasked with checking and validating the
❯ the Director and the Dean of the Bache- grades awarded to students.
lor Program,
24 ❯ the Bachelor Program Head of Personal
Development,
Taking into account any particular cir-
cumstances which may affect the personal
❯ Bachelor Program Academic Advisers, and academic progress of each student,
❯ Bachelor Program first-, second- and the Academic Council formulates recom-
third-year officers, mendations to the Student Progression
❯ the Manager of Academic Records, Committee. More specifically, it advises
❯ student representatives. on students’ double majors or speciali-
zations, the electives and supplementary
courses they can pursue, and their choice
It is chaired by the Vice Provost for Edu- of university for the semester abroad.
cation or by the Director or Dean of the
Bachelor Program in his/her absence. The The Academic Council reviews program
Council may also invite guests, such as components and makes recommenda-
instructors and departmental representa- tions as to areas for improvement. It ana-
tives as needed. lyses the course evaluation forms comple-
ted by students and acts as an advisor for
continuous improvement.

The minutes of the Academic Council

are prepared under the supervision of the
chairperson who signs them.

The Bachelor Program Office undertakes

the secretarial duties of the Academic
Council.
Section 5
Student Progression and Graduation Committee
Article 20.
Article 19. Role of the Student Progression and
Organization and Membership Graduation Committee
The Student Progression and Graduation Promotion from Year 1 to Year 2 and
Committee’s voting members are: from Year 2 to Year 3, as well as gradua-
❯ the Provost, tion approval occurs after deliberation of
❯ the Vice Provost for Education, the Student Progression and Graduation
❯ the Director and the Dean of the Bache- Committee. It bases its decisions on all
lor Program,
❯ Bachelor Program Academic Advisers,
the results achieved by students, taking
into account the recommendations from
25
❯ the Director of Military Training the Academic Council.
and Personal Development or his/her

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representative. The decisions of the Student Progression

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and Graduation Committee are final.

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It is chaired by the Provost or the Vice The Committee may, after deliberation,
Provost for Education in his/her absence. modify or compensate each grade and/or
decide to award one or more additional
A preliminary Committee meets prior to ECTS credits to students.
the Student Progression and Graduation
Committee. Its membership is extended The Student Progression and Graduation
to the following members, acting in an Committee may impose sanctions on the
advisory capacity: grounds of poor academic performance,
❯ the Bachelor Program Head of Personal which can extend to permanent expulsion
Development, of the student concerned.
❯ Bachelor Program first, second-
and third-year officers, student The minutes of the Student Progression
representatives. and Graduation Committee are prepared
under the supervision of the chairperson
who signs them. The Bachelor Program
The Manager of Academic Records is Office undertakes the secretarial duties of
also present during the whole duration the Student Progression and Graduation
of the Committee, acting in an advisory Committee.
capacity.
 Section 6
Disciplinary Committee and disciplinary sanctions

Article 21. Article 22.

Disciplinary sanctions Disciplinary Committee
As stated in article 53.6 of École Polytech- The Disciplinary Committee meets at
nique Rules and Procedures, any miscon- the request of the Director General, upon
duct and/or failure to comply with the recommendation of the Bachelor Program
rules stated in École Polytechnique Rules Academic Council, the Bachelor Program
and Procedures, in this Academic Hand- Academic Team and/or the Bachelor Pro-
26 book or in the Code of Student Conduct,
may lead to the following disciplinary
gram Personal Development Team. As
stated in École Polytechnique Rules and
sanctions for the student concerned: Procedures the Disciplinary Committee
❯ A warning; may impose sanctions on disciplinary
❯ An official blame; grounds, which can extend to perma-
❯Temporary exclusion of up to one nent expulsion of the student concerned.
month; The Disciplinary Committee includes
❯Permanent expulsion from École representatives from École Polytechnique
Polytechnique. Faculty as well as student representatives,
The warning is issued by the Director and is chaired by a Professor from École
General after the student concerned has Polytechnique.
been put in a position to assert his/her
rights. The other sanctions are issued by
the Director General, upon advice of the
Disciplinary Committee.
Section 7
Transcript and Degree

Article 23. provided s/he has met all administrative

Transcript and Degree Award and academic requirements.
Procedures
Diplomas and transcripts are personal There is no indication of ranking on the
documents which may only be given to diploma. However, distinctions awarded
the individuals concerned or their legal to certain students are inscribed on the
representatives. diploma, as follows:

At the end of each semester, students

❯ Summa cum laude: this distinction is
awarded to students who graduate with
27
receive a transcript summarizing the a cumulative GPA of 4.0 or more;
grades and ECTS credits achieved. Trans- ❯ Magna cum laude: this distinction is

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cripts also include a GPA for each semes- awarded to students who graduate with

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ter and a cumulative GPA. GPAs are a cumulative GPA of 3.9 or more, up to

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based on a scale of 4.0 and are weighted 4.0;
and calculated as follows: ❯ Cum laude: this distinction is awarded
to students who graduate with a cumu-
lative GPA of 3.7 or more, up to 3.9.
A+ 4.3
A 4.0
A valedictorian in each double-major is
A- 3.7 designated based on the highest cumula-
B+ 3.3 tive GPA.
B 3.0
These distinctions are awarded by the
B- 2.7 Student Progression and Graduation
C 2.0 Committee to recognize those students
D 1.0 who have distinguished themselves by
their academic excellence, their sustained
E/F 0
efforts and their involvement in their class
year and in École Polytechnique.

At the end of the Program, the student is

awarded École Polytechnique Bachelor of Revised
Science and the French grade de licence, June 2022
BACHELOR PROGRAM
CODE OF STUDENT
CONDUCT
This is the latest version of the Code of research and is conducive to personal
Student Conduct. It will be updated as development grounded in the military
needed. tradition. Upholding respect for diverse
backgrounds and behaviors, École Poly-
29
Students will be formally notified should technique seeks to help students grow into
changes be made in this document. responsible adults while guiding them

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through the academics of the Bachelor

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Program. Students are therefore expected

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to abide by the following:
General principles ❯ Integrity in academic and personal life
❯ The pursuit of excellence
The Bachelor Program Code of Student ❯ Open-mindedness
Conduct is aligned with current French ❯ Community spirit and mutual care
laws. Therefore, all the provisions of the ❯ The commitment to serve the public
French Civil Code and Penal Code are good.
in force within it. The Bachelor Program
Code of Student Conduct supplements
École Polytechnique’s Rules and Regu- École Polytechnique strives to give all
lations (Règlement intérieur). It aims to students the chance to realize their full
structure community life by formally des- potential and to cultivate the different
cribing the behavior expected of students. aspects of their personality within the set-
Students in the Bachelor Program are ting of the Bachelor Program. This Code
voluntarily pursuing studies at a scienti- of Student Conduct, which is based on
fic institution overseen by the Ministry of the fundamental principles of respect for
the Armed Forces, and they abide by its persons and property, represents the gua-
rules. rantee that every individual will be able to
enjoy a peaceful coexistence on campus.
École Polytechnique offers an envi-
ronment that fosters the pursuit of École Polytechnique is composed of
knowledge through academic work and students, faculty and staff from very
 diverse backgrounds, who are engaged II. Daily Life
in learning, teaching, research, sports
and other activities. All members of 1. Respect for others
this community are devoted to creating Politeness and courtesy demonstrate the
a positive environment in which res- mutual respect that should be shown to
pect, civility, diversity and inclusiveness members of the community at large and
are paramount. This Code of Student particularly to those of École Polytech-
Conduct reflects École Polytechnique’s nique, whether they are students, instruc-
commitment to these values and attempts tors or administrators.
to ensure that all community members
can be fully active and engaged in all of Each member of the École Polytechnique
the institution’s undertakings. community must respect the dignity of
other community members and must
30 treat them fairly and equitably. In addi-
tion, all members have a responsibility to
I. Responsibility promote and maintain an environment
free of any form of harassment and dis-
École Polytechnique believes that students crimination. As such, no member of the
need to play an active role in the collective community is permitted to create a condi-
and individual responsibility to enforce tion that unnecessarily endangers, threa-
this Code of Student Conduct. Academic tens or undermines the health, well-being
life and student life are governed by a sha- or dignity of others.
red philosophy: individual and collective
responsibility and understanding of rights Respect for diversity, particularly diffe-
and obligations. rences in gender, religion, beliefs, natio-
nality, culture, social origin, geographic
At the beginning of the program, students origin and physical ability should guide
commit formally to assuming these res- all daily actions and the relations among
ponsibilities by signing a charter of good students and between students and the
conduct, an example of which appears at rest of the community.
the end of this Code of Student Conduct.
Self-respect and respect for others are
The administration of École Polytech- demonstrated through perseverance in
nique reserves the right to react decisively academic, social, extracurricular, on- and
in case any rules are breached, particu- off-campus commitments, and in perso-
larly with regard to respect for persons nal moral commitments.
and communal property.
Students must be considerate of their
peers’ need to study, concentrate and
rest by limiting noise disturbances and
by not disrupting their sleep. No noise of
any form will be accepted in the housing suit with dress shirt and tie; skirt/pants/
accommodation after 10p.m in accor- dress and blazer).
dance with French law.
Hygiene: Individual bathroom facilities
Groups of students may not make noise and École Polytechnique laundry rooms
near study areas and lounges. Disrup- are available so students can maintain
tive use of a device (e.g. telephone, laptop personal bodily hygiene and wash their
computer, stereo, radio, etc.) is prohibited clothing. These personal hygiene rules
between 10p.m. and 7a.m. must be observed for self-respect as well
as respect for others.
Unless students are granted special per-
mission to be absent, their attendance in It is strictly prohibited to bring animals
class and at scheduled activities is man- onto the École Polytechnique campus,
datory. Students are expected to comply
with posted schedules. École Polytech-
including in the student residences. 31
nique is especially strict about beginning Students should be considerate toward
class on time. École Polytechnique staff by trying to

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facilitate their work.

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The use of cell phones in class is prohibited.

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Students must respect everyone’s privacy.
Dress code: Respect for others is demons- In particular, they must limit the number
trated through proper clothing as well of people not affiliated with the institution
as through proper behavior, during aca- whom they bring into the student resi-
demic activities as well as in daily life. dences. When receiving visitors, students
Modest, appropriate clothing correlates must stay with the visitor and ensure that
closely to the concentration needed to the visitor behaves appropriately.
work seriously and efficiently. In lab pre-
mises and during sports activities, clo-
thing must be in accordance with safety 2. Respect for the living
regulations. environment
Community life is grounded in respect
Athletic attire is reserved exclusively for for property and people. Students are
physical education classes. expected to make sure not to damage the
equipment and facilities made available to
When Bachelor Program students parti- them and to safeguard their living envi-
cipate in major events at École Polytech- ronment from any defacement.
nique (e.g. ceremonies, lectures, visits by
figures of authority, etc.) or in certain Students are prohibited from using École
examinations (e.g. a defense with a jury), Polytechnique’s facilities, resources,
they must wear business attire (e.g. full equipment or services for reasons unre-
lated to the institution’s activities. Fur-
 thermore, students are forbidden from the common areas be found in a state
stealing, destroying, defacing or dama- that prevents them to be maintained by
ging École Polytechnique’s property, and the cleaning staff, they can be closed tem-
students are not to harbor stolen or illicit porarily by decision of the housing office
materials on campus. and/or the DFHM.

Housing on campus: Students are tenants Students agree to facilitate the inspection
of a room in a communal building on and maintenance of the rooms and other
campus. They may not sublet this room. housing facilities that are done regularly
by the Personal Development Officers
Subletting one’s room may lead to an and housing staff. The rooms are usually
exclusion from the students residence. inspected in December and May.

32 They may not house a third party for free

over a prolonged period. Should a student 3. Freedom of expression
wish to host for a short period an over- Philosophical, religious or political
night guest who does not hold a housing opinions or beliefs are free and may be
agreement on campus, the guest should expressed in public or private during acti-
be registered at the housing office for the vities that are authorized and approved
purpose of the invitation. They receive a by the administration of École Polytech-
lease, sign a move-in inspection form and nique. This is particularly the case for
pay a security deposit that will be retur- lectures, discussions or forums organized
ned to them when they leave, based on by students. This does not mean that
the move-out inspection. individuals may say whatever they wish,
wherever they wish: expression may be
They pay rent on a monthly basis. They restricted when it violates the Fench law.
are responsible for the upkeep of their Different opinions should be stated in
accommodation. The special terms and way that guarantees mutual respect and
conditions of maintenance and use of civility. In addition to Article 24 of the
their accommodation are subject to sepa- Code of Conduct with regard to the prin-
rate regulations published by the housing ciples of the separation of church and state
office. A rental lease is signed by both par- (laïcité), due to its special status under the
ties upon arrival on campus. Smoking is oversight of the Ministry of the Armed
prohibited in common areas and indivi- Forces, École Polytechnique has military
dual rooms. and civil defense chaplaincies within the
Department of Personal Development
Students have access to common areas and Military Training (DFHM). They
(e.g. shared kitchen, lounge, meeting advise the administration and provide
rooms). The daily upkeep and compliance religious and moral support to students
with hygiene measures in these common and staff of École Polytechnique. The
areas are everyone’s responsibility. Should
chaplaincies are organized by faith (i.e. ❯ If they feel they have not been heard,
Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Protestant). they may send an e-mail to the rele-
Freedom of expression shall not, by vant administrator, up to the level of
action, threat or otherwise, intentionally Director-General.
obstruct the institution’s activities. Such
activities include teaching, research, stu- Students are represented by Student
dying, administration, sports and events. Representatives for each class and the
l’ORE (student organisation), both
Students may express themselves freely elected. Student Representatives are elec-
through poster campaigns, newspa- ted at the beginning of each academic
pers or computing channels set aside for year. They participate in the Academic
that purpose. Messages may not include Councils and provide student feedback
insults, personal attacks, harm to human to faculty and administration. The l’ORE
dignity, discriminatory, racist or sexist
statements, or opinions that are likely to
board is usually elected at the end of the
first year and is active during the second
33
harm École Polytechnique or the Ministry year. Its role is to organize extra-curricu-
under which it falls. The individuals who lar activities and build school spirit. Posi-

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anonymous, are responsible for them.

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4. Right of publicity
When students have reason to commu- Unless specified explicitly in writing, all
nicate with an audience outside École students grant École Polytechnique the
Polytechnique (e.g. news reports, journa- right of publicity (i.e., the right to use an
lism, promotion), they must first consult individual’s personal portrayal) during
with the Offices in charge of Marketing, their time at the institution and beyond,
International Relations or Communica- for communication purposes and to pro-
tions. Students should observe caution mote the institution.
when using social networks so as to avoid
endangering their own or others’ reputa- The form pertaining to the right of publi-
tion by what they post on these networks. city is included in the online enrolment
form.
Students who wish to report a specific
problem to the administration or who In addition to complying with the pro-
would like to react to an event or proce- visions of Article 26 of École Polytech-
dure have the following options: nique’s Code of Conduct regarding res-
❯ Meet with a member of the DFHM to pect for privacy and the right of publicity,
discuss the issue images are stored and circulated in strict
❯ Refer the matter to the elected student compliance with the rules on the pro-
representative bodies tection of human rights and of an indi-
❯ Contact the relevant person or the vidual’s image. In particular, the French
Bachelor Program Office Law on Information Technology, Data
 Files and Civil Liberty regarding the All absences should be notified and justi-
automated processing of personal data is fied. The Bachelor Personal Development
enforced. team is charged with validating the docu-
mentation provided to justify absences
New-generation telephones and drones from class and/or exams, and is responsible
make it possible to capture, store and for excusing absences. Acceptable reasons
circulate images. They should be used in for absences, which must all rely on a writ-
compliance with all legal provisions and ten documentation, are the following:
not harm others or the operation or repu- ❯ Medical reasons;
tation of École Polytechnique. Breach of ❯ Family emergency (e.g. death of a
personal privacy or harm to reputation relative);
are subject to criminal penalties. ❯ Obligation set up by École Polytech-
nique itself (e.g. a student representa-
34 5. Authorizations
tive asked to miss a class to attend a
Committee);
The Director of Military Training and ❯ Administrative obligation (e.g. a student
Personal Development is responsible who has to attend to a mandatory civic
for tracking the administrative status of duty).
students in the Bachelor Program (i.e.
attendance, absence) and the issuance of Absences for other reasons should still be
authorizations for absences. notified, but will not be excused.

In accordance with Article 9 of the Bache- It is the responsibility of each student to

lor Program Handbook, attendance of all make up for all missed classes and to inform
classes and exams is mandatory. the professor(s) concerned when absent.

Absence and tardiness disrupt class for Personal Development Officers and the
others and may adversely affect cour- staff of the Bachelor Program Office
sework’s grade. More than three unex- contact each other promptly when they
cused absences in courses with small learn that a student is going to be absent.
groups such as tutorials, labs, seminars,
sports, and language classes or two For health-related issues, students should
unexcused absences from courses lasting talk to their Personal Development Officer.
under 8 weeks per semester, will result
in a maximum coursework grade of C. Permission to depart early or return late
Absences and tardiness during lectures from school vacation is granted in excep-
can be penalized by the lecturer and may tional cases. Early departures or late
impact the coursework grade. returns that are not excused by an occur-
rence of force majeure are automatically
Absences and tardiness may also be fur- penalized. The penalty may be as severe
ther penalized by the Academic Council. as suspension.
III. Vacation dedicated form. Depending on the size of
the party, two at least of the organizers
School vacation dates are listed in the must be over 18. They must attend a trai-
annual calendar set by the Bachelor Pro- ning session organized by the counselling
gram Office. services and sign the charter of Student
Associations and Activities (Appendix B).
For safety reasons, when students leave
the institution, they inform their Perso-
nal Development Officer where they are
going and provide an emergency contact V. Discipline and safety
in the event of an accident.
Students are required to abide by the rules
and regulations of École Polytechnique.

IV. Student
École Polytechique reserves the right to
lodge a complaint against a student who
35
Extracurricular Activities commits wrongful acts. The penalties for
educational and academic infractions are

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1. Ethos outlined in École Polytechnique Rules

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Students are encouraged to create extra- and Regulations.

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curricular activities in a variety of areas
(e.g. cultural, athletic, social, scientific, At École Polytechnique, discipline is inse-
etc.) in order to promote personal growth, parable from the trust placed in students
foster community spirit and raise the pro- and may not be an end in and of itself or a
file of École Polytechnique. way to eliminate a problem. Rather, disci-
pline is part and parcel of a single educa-
These activities are organized with the tional approach.
support of École Polytechnique within
a regulated structure that is compatible
with the values and principles set out in 1. Penalties
this Code of Conduct. As stated in article 53.6 of École Poly-
technique Rules and Procedures, any mis-
There is an elected student council called conduct and/or failure to comply with the
the L’Ore that plans these extracurricular rules stated in École Polytechnique Rules
activities. and Procedures, in this Academic Hand-
book or in the Code of Student Conduct,
may lead to disciplinary sanctions for the
2. Parties student concerned. A student committing
Students who wish to organize a party fraud or complicit in committing fraud,
or an event on campus should request or a student who attempted fraud upon
prior authorization at least 15 working registration, during a course exam or a
days before the selected date using the final exam, or a student committing an
 act that harms the organization or opera- Damage inflicted by a group of students
tion of École Polytechnique, may be sub- may be repaired through an act of com-
ject to disciplinary action. munity service.

Acts that harm the organization or opera- The Director-General makes the decision
tion of the institution include but are not after receiving the recommendation of
limited to the following: the Disciplinary Committee.
❯ violation of the regulations of École
Polytechnique; The Director of Military Training and
❯ violation of the law; Personal Development is authorized by
❯ physical aggression; the Director-General to decide on penal-
❯ theft; ties involving community service and a
❯ threats; warning.
36 ❯ hazing;
❯ harassment; The decision made by the Director-Gene-
❯ acts of hostility; ral after the Disciplinary Committee
❯ sharing hurtful, personal, or dispara- meets is conveyed orally to the student
ging information or images of/about as well as the student’s parent/legal guar-
others via social media platforms; dian after the Disciplinary Committee’s
❯ behavioral consequences of alcohol use; meeting in case the student is minor. It
❯ consumption of drugs and behavioral is confirmed through a letter sent to the
consequences of drug use; student as well as the student’s parent/
❯ intentional or unintentional damage; legal guardian in case the student is
❯ document forgery; minor.
❯ computer crime;
❯ conscious or unconscious endanger-
ment of other people. 2. Personal safety
Students are required to enroll in a public
Penalties are determined on an individual health insurance plan and to take out third-
basis and are proportional to the infrac- party liability insurance that covers damage
tions committed. To the extent possible, they may cause. They submit their docu-
they fit the infractions: ments to the Bachelor Program Office.
❯ Warning;
❯ Official blame; École Polytechnique is obligated to gua-
❯ Suspension from École Polytechnique rantee the safety of students who are on
and/or temporary banning from the the premises.
student residence for a maximum of
one month; For that purpose, several measures and
❯ Expulsion from École Polytechnique systems are in place to prevent accidents
and/or from the student residence. and deal with emergency situations that
may arise.
When s/he is on duty at École Polytech- In all cases, students must immediately
nique, the Personal Development Officer notify or have someone else notify their
is the first person who should be contac- Personal Development Officer or, if the
ted in case of an accident that does not Personal Development Officer is not avai-
present immediate danger. lable, the DFHM officer on duty, who
can be reached 24/7 at +33 6 82 42 32 55.
All community members should always
be aware of fire hazard. Safety standards
for institutions that are opened to the 3. Security of property
public are legally mandated and must be Building access
observed. Fire detection systems are ins- Students have access to most buildings at
talled in numerous locations and there are École Polytechnique in accordance with
regular fire drills. the policies established.

It is prohibited to activate fire alarms, play In order to guarantee safety inside buil-
37
with fire extinguishers and use wedges to dings and to prevent unauthorized access,
prop doors open and block them from all community members should keep

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traffic. Because it is vital to abide by safety the entrances to buildings closed. They

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measures, all infractions will be severely are opened with an individual electronic

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punished. badge issued to each building occupant.

Injury or emergency situation The doors to the studios are equipped

Students who get injured or find them- with a cylinder that corresponds to a mas-
selves in an emergency health situation ter key system set up by the locksmiths
should contact the SPIS (Fire and Safety in the Facilities Department. Tenants are
Department) directly. The SPIS may be strictly prohibited from replacing this
reached at +33 1 69 33 34 33 from a mobile cylinder with their own cylinder.
phone or at 34 33 or 18 from an École
Polytechnique internal land line. If students wish to hold a group activity in
a location used for academic purposes (e.g.
After responding and assessing the situa- classroom, lecture hall), they must submit
tion, the SPIS transfers the alert to the a request to use the site through École
relevant services (Personal Development Polytechnique’s intranet and wait for
Officer, on-call DFHM officer, Medical permission to be granted. They are then
Service, paramedics, firefighters, etc.). responsible for the site and the resources
that are found in it permanently (e.g.
In case of a less serious emergency during tables, chairs, video projector, etc.), and
normal business hours, students should they must leave the site clean and orderly.
visit École Polytechnique’s Medical Ser- Any damage found will be attributed to
vice. The office staff will check them in and the student who requested the use of the
direct them to an on-duty doctor or nurse. premises.
 Students are responsible for their belon- rized by the administration of École
gings. It is up to them to protect them- Polytechnique.
selves from theft by locking their doors ❯ A ll students must abide by the Charter
and putting valuable items away. Posses- of Community life (appendix A)
sion of dangerous objects is regulated by ❯ The possession or consumption of drugs
law. It is strictly prohibited for Bachelor is prohibited on École polytechnique
students to transport and bear dangerous campus.
objects (e.g. weapons, guns, smoke gre- ❯ École Polytechnique acknowledges that
nades, etc.) on campus. there may be alcohol or drug medical
emergencies in which the potential for
Personal vehicles disciplinary action could act as a bar-
Personal vehicles may be driven on cam- rier to students who want to seek medi-
pus in authorized areas as long as they are cal assistance for themselves or others.
38 insured and the driver holds the proper
license. Normal traffic regulations apply
When a student seeks aid for a peer
experiencing an alcohol or other drug-
to campus. related emergency, neither of the two
will be subject to disciplinary action for
It is prohibited to drive and park on the violation of the code of conduct title
grassy areas. Drivers must park in autho- V.4. However, all information related
rized areas (student, laboratory or visitor to the incident will be documented in
parking) under penalty of stopping by a report.
École Polytechnique’s Security Services
or towing by an outside service.

VI. Provisions
4. Alcohol and drugs policy Regarding Minors
❯ Students are expected to comply with
the French law regarding alcohol and In France, the legal age to be considered
drugs. an adult is 18. Minors are under 18.
❯ Minor students may not purchase or
accept acoholic beverages. This prohibi- If the Bachelor student is a minor, this
tion also applies to carry-out purchases Code of Student Conduct is signed at the
of alcohol. beginning of the program by the student
❯ Students may not possess or consume and his/her parent or legal guardian.
alcohol in an alcohol-free location. In
particular, alcohol is prohibited in the In addition, at the beginning of the pro-
shared kitchens and lounges of the gram, the parent or legal guardian of a
Bachelor’s students’ residences. In gene- minor signs all authorizations regarding
ral, the possession and consumption medical treatment and the processing of
of alcohol are regulated within strictly personal data.
designated locations which are autho-
If a minor student violates the policies take place on-site or by telephone or
set out in École Polytechnique Rules and videoconference.
Procedures, in the Bachelor Program Aca-
demic Handbook or in this Code of Student
Conduct, the parent/legal guardian is
notified. VII. Daily Life: Who
does What?
Arrivals to and departures from campus
remain the responsibility of the parent/ Communicating directly and on an
legal guardian of a minor student. ongoing basis with the Director or Dean
of the Bachelor Program, the Director of
Causing a minor to get drunk is subject to Military Training and Personal Deve-
criminal penalties in France. lopment is responsible for overseeing

In terms of sexual relations, French law

the enforcement of this Code of Student
Conduct by the students in the Bachelor
39
draws a distinction for minors depending Program. He is represented on a day-to-
on if the person is younger or older than 15. day level by the Head of Personal Deve-

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Persons under 15 receive extra protection, lopment of the Bachelor Program.

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particularly if the partner is a legal adult.

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The law also addresses sexual relations The Bachelor students non-academic acti-
between an adult and a minor between 15 vities and structure is managed by the
and 18 years old; the adult may be prosecu- Department of Personal Development
ted if a notion of authority is ascertained. and Military Training, better known
as the DFHM; the Head of Personal
Furthermore, French law punishes adults Development is a representative of this
(18 or older) who organize gatherings that Department.
include sexual exhibitions or sexual relations
that a minor may witness or participate in. The students are organized into groups,
each led by a Personal Development
Officer (also called “coach”) who is also
Dialogue between parents a representative of the DFHM and who
of minor students and the reports to the Head of Personal Develop-
administration ment of the Bachelor Program.
Parent/legal guardians are notified
promptly of their child’s situation: repea-
ted absences or tardies, academic difficul-
ties, disciplinary problems, etc.

Parents may request a meeting with

the administration. This meeting may
 APPENDIX A
Charter of Community Life
Drafted jointly by the Prevention of Risks of Alcohol Misuse Student Task Force
and the École Polytechnique Psychology Service

In order to help students thrive on cam- others (violence, sexism, xenophobia,

pus and to promote cohesion within each homophobia, etc.).
40 cohort, it is important to ensure that com-
munity life and festive events are pleasant – Living in close vicinity to others does
for everyone. not give anyone the right to disturb
others with excessive noise or to
It is vital that everyday life on campus deface anything in any way.
take place in an environment that fosters
respect for the people who work there ❯ Attentive behavior
(i.e., students and staff), for the groups – Treat peers with kindness, particu-
involved in organizing events and for the larly those in a state of vulnerability.
premises.
– Pay attention to the risky behaviors
Individuals and groups should always that may affect one’s physical or men-
behave respectfully, while complying tal health (occasional overconsump-
with the laws and regulations that apply tion of or dependence on alcohol or
to community life. any other risky product or behavior,
excessive desire to feel strong sensa-
Responsible behavior is demonstrated by: tions, exposure to STDs, etc.).
❯ Individual respect
– Respect each student’s freedom when – It is stressed that the consumption,
it comes to individual participation sale or purchase of certain psycho-
in activities: special attention must be tropic drugs (cannabis, cocaine, ecs-
paid to direct or indirect incitement tasy, hallucinogens) is prohibited on
to consume alcohol. campus.

–
Excessive consumption of alcohol ❯ Awareness of people and mechanisms
does not excuse degrading behavior available to help students
or statements targeting oneself or – Staff liaisons: Personal Development
Officer, Medical Service, Psychology
 Service, Security Command Center With full knowledge of the facts, I, the
(can be reached by dialing 18), undersigned .....................................................................................

– Task forces or study groups (Student

confirm that I will behave responsibly,
and I agree to do all that is required to
41
Life Committee, Prevention of Risks abide by this Charter.
of Alcohol Misuse, etc.), prevention

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initiatives, etc. I am aware that I put myself at risk of

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penalties in case of a serious breach of the

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❯ Compliance with the law, regulations, aforementioned policies. I am also aware
the institution’s Code of Conduct (or that the École Polytechnique administra-
those of premises outside the institu- tion shares these goals that enable a ful-
tion, where applicable), hygiene and filling community life and that it encou-
safety rules. rages dialogue above all. To this end, it
is always available to answer questions,
❯ Respect for École Polytechnique’s repu- respond to suggestions or assist with
tation and its values, both on and off problems.
campus.

Date: .........................................................................................................

Signature
42
APPENDIX B
Charter of Student Associations
and Activities

I, the undersigned ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... ,

member of the following association of École Polytechnique: ....................................................................... ;
acting as : .................................................... (president, treasurer, head of the association, member…), 43
confirm that I will help prevent risky uses and behaviors related to festive or day-to-day
activities and to addictive behaviors that are likely to occur within my purview.

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As a member of an association of École Polytechnique, I am aware of my civil and cri-

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minal liabilities. Consequently, I agree to implement the procedures needed to prevent
risks related to excessive alcohol consumption.

I have been informed that if needed, I may call on the available designated professionals
on the École Polytechnique campus: DFHM – Psychology Service (3916), Medical
Service (39 06), Security (34 33).

I am also aware of the personal development and counseling resources available to me

(intranet references: “Welcome > Campus life > Medical and social services”).

Date: .........................................................................................................

Signature