European School of Political and Social Sciences (ESPOL)

What European School of Political and Social Sciences (ESPOL) does

ESPOL is a higher education institution within the Université Catholique de Lille in France, providing bilingual French-English programmes in political science, international relations, and philosophy-politics-economics. The school operates as an EESPIG (Établissement d'Enseignement Supérieur Privé d'Intérêt Général) since 2015 and is part of the nonprofit Institut Catholique de Lille, a recognised association d'utilité publique. It serves undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and exchange students through three bachelor's programmes (Relations Internationales, European Political Science, Philosophy-Politics-Economics), four English-taught master's specialisations (Multilevel Governance in Europe, Climate and Sustainability Politics, International and Security Politics, Digital Politics and Governance), a flexible non-degree Programme in European Politics, and doctoral research via its ESPOL-Lab laboratory.

ESPOL's core offering is its educational portfolio, distributed primarily through the Lille campus with in-person instruction and supplemented by an international partner university network that enables student mobility from year two. The institution uses standard digital learning infrastructure including the AGORA student portal for course announcements, exam schedules, and administrative notices, alongside the YOCHI mobile application for schedule access, campus maps, and resource links. Research outputs are disseminated through the HAL open science archive, and ESPOL hosts the TransformEU Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence for research on Europe's twin digital and green transitions.

Revenue is generated primarily through tuition fees, which are income-adjusted based on family resources and scholarship status through CROUS, ranging from €3,555 to €12,315 annually for degree programmes, with the non-degree Programme in European Politics charged at a flat €10,500/year or €5,250/semester. Recruitment occurs through France's national platforms (Parcoursup for first-year bachelor's, Mon Master for master's, Campus France for non-EEA students), education fairs across Europe, and on-campus open days. As a nonprofit EESPIG institution, ESPOL is not venture-backed and operates within the broader Université Catholique de Lille system, which provides shared administrative services, housing (20 residences, 1,360 rooms), dining, health, and sports facilities.

Name

European School of Political and Social Sciences (ESPOL)

Legal name

Institut Catholique de Lille, Association Déclarée Reconnue d'Utilité Publique et Établissement d'Enseignement Supérieur Privé d'Intérêt Général (EESPIG)

Website

https://espol.school

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ESPOL is a French higher education institution within the Université Catholique de Lille offering bilingual political science and international relations programmes at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels, serving students preparing for European institutions, diplomacy, and policy careers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lille

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees - Licence/Bachelor: Annual tuition for undergraduate programmes ranges from 3,555€ to 12,315€ depending on family resources and CROUS scholarship eligibility
2. Tuition Fees - Master: Annual tuition for master's programmes ranges from 3,555€ to 12,315€ depending on family resources and CROUS scholarship eligibility
3. Programme in European Politics: Non-degree programme with flat-rate tuition of 10,500€ per year or 5,250€ per semester
4. National Scholarships and Financial Aid: Students may receive national higher education scholarships based on social criteria distributed through CROUS

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ESPOL is a higher education institution offering bilingual (French/English) three-year Licence (Bachelor's) programmes in International Relations, European Political Science, and Philosophy-Politics-Economics, alongside four two-year Master's programmes taught entirely in English covering European governance, climate politics, security politics, and digital politics. The institution also provides a non-degree Programme in European Politics and supports doctoral research through the ESPOL-Lab research laboratory.

Product overview

ESPOL (École européenne de sciences politiques et sociales) is a higher education institution within the Université Catholique de Lille offering a portfolio of undergraduate (Licence) and graduate (Master's) programs in political science and international relations. The institution provides three bilingual (French/English) three-year bachelor's degrees: Relations Internationales, European Political Science, and Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE). At the graduate level, ESPOL offers four two-year Master's programs taught entirely in English: Multilevel Governance in Europe, Climate and Sustainability Politics, International and Security Politics, and Digital Politics and Governance. Additionally, a non-degree Programme in European Politics offers flexible one or two-semester options. The institution also supports doctoral research through its ESPOL-Lab research laboratory, which conducts conferences, publishes research, and facilitates academic collaboration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ESPOL-Lab: Research laboratory of ESPOL dedicated to studying political dynamics in a globalized world

Products and services

• Licence de Relations Internationales (Bachelor's in International Relations) A bilingual (French/English) three-year bachelor's degree providing a global approach to political science with emphasis on relations between France, Europe and the rest of the world. Targets high school graduates seeking an international orientation.
• Licence européenne de Science Politique (Bachelor's in European Political Science) A bilingual three-year bachelor's degree focused on the functioning of political systems and decision-making processes, with a generalist approach and European cultural emphasis. Targets high school graduates.
• Licence de Philosophie, Politique et Économie (PPE) A bilingual three-year multidisciplinary bachelor's degree combining political science, economics and philosophy for critical analysis of contemporary socio-political and economic issues. Targets high school graduates.
• Master's in Multilevel Governance in Europe A two-year master's program taught entirely in English focusing on European governance structures and multilevel political systems. Targets bachelor's graduates seeking advanced specialisation.
• Master's in Climate and Sustainability Politics A two-year master's program taught entirely in English examining climate policy, sustainability governance and environmental politics. Targets bachelor's graduates.
• Master's in International and Security Politics A two-year master's program taught entirely in English covering international relations, security studies and geopolitical analysis. Targets bachelor's graduates.
• Master's in Digital Politics and Governance A two-year master's program taught entirely in English exploring the intersection of technology, governance and political processes. Targets bachelor's graduates.
• Programme in European Politics A flexible one or two-semester non-degree program in global and European politics, offering international mobility opportunities. Targets visiting and exchange students, with flat-rate tuition of €10,500/year or €5,250/semester.
• Doctoral Programme (École Doctorale) PhD research program conducted under the supervision of ESPOL faculty members, with funding support options available. Targets candidates pursuing original research culminating in a doctoral thesis.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students can study up to three foreign languages during their programme
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Université Catholique de LillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerESPOL is an integral component of the Université Catholique de Lille, sharing campus facilities, administrative services (including All services for housing, dining, health, and sports), and the broader university community. Students have access to all university-wide resources and services.
• International Partner UniversitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerESPOL maintains exchange agreements with universities worldwide, enabling students to spend semesters abroad from their second year. Students have studied at institutions including the American University of Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan. The international network spans multiple continents.
• Institut Catholique de LillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal parent entity: INSTITUT CATHOLIQUE DE LILLE, ASSOCIATION DÉCLARÉE RECONNUE D'UTILITÉ PUBLIQUE. ESPOL operates as a constituent school within this association, which provides institutional governance, accreditation, and shared services.
• European Commission / EU Erasmus+ ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerESPOL participates in EU Erasmus+ programmes and has been awarded Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence status (TransformEU) by the European Commission for research on Europe's twin transitions.
• Clarife Language CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLanguage learning services provided through the university's Clarife centre, offering instruction in 15 languages including German, Spanish, Italian, Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, and Turkish.
• CROUS de LilleminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational student welfare organisation managing scholarship disbursements and providing housing services through Lokaviz platform for private rentals.
• Campus FranceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial platform for international student applications from non-EEA countries, facilitating recruitment of international students to French higher education institutions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Sciences Po (Paris): Sciences Po Paris is the flagship French political science institution with 13,000+ students and global brand recognition. While much larger and broader in scope than ESPOL, it competes directly for the same target students interested in political science, international relations, and European affairs, particularly at the Master's level where ESPOL's English-taught programmes overlap.
• UCL (University College London): UCL is a major UK research university with strong departments in political science, European studies, and international relations. While much larger and broader in scope, UCL competes with ESPOL for European and international students interested in political science and European affairs.
• London School of Economics: LSE is a leading UK social science university with prestigious departments in political science, international relations, and European studies. While far larger than ESPOL and offering a much broader portfolio, LSE competes for the same pool of high-achieving students interested in European and international politics, particularly at the Master's level.

Direct peers

• College of Europe: College of Europe (Bruges and Natolin) is a postgraduate-focused institution specialising in European political studies, law, and economics. Both ESPOL and College of Europe focus on European politics and policy with English-taught Master's programmes and a multilingual environment, making them direct peers for European-focused students.
• Sciences Po Strasbourg: Sciences Po Strasbourg is the IEP in eastern France with particular focus on European politics and international relations. Given its location near the European institutions in Strasbourg, it has specific strength in European affairs similar to ESPOL's positioning, making it a direct peer for European-focused political science students.
• Sciences Po Lyon: Sciences Po Lyon is another IEP in the Sciences Po network offering political science and international relations programmes. ESPOL's bilingual and international focus differentiates it from Sciences Po Lyon's more traditional IEP curriculum, but both compete for students seeking French political science education with European orientation.
• IE University: IE University is a private Spanish institution with bilingual (Spanish/English) programmes in politics, international relations, and law. Both IE University and ESPOL are private universities offering bilingual international social science programmes to students across Europe and beyond, with similar international career positioning.
• LUISS Guido Carli: LUISS is a private Italian university in Rome with strong programmes in political science, international relations, law, and economics. Both LUISS and ESPOL are private universities offering bilingual/English-taught social science programmes, competing for European students interested in policy and international careers.
• Hertie School: Hertie School in Berlin is a private university focused on public policy and governance, offering English-taught Master's programmes. Both institutions serve similar students interested in European governance, public policy careers, and international affairs, competing for the same European talent pool.
• Sciences Po Lille: Sciences Po Lille is one of the seven Institut d'Études Politiques (IEP) in the Sciences Po network, located in the same city as ESPOL. Both institutions offer political science programmes at undergraduate and Master's level with bilingual and international dimensions, making them direct competitors for the same student pool in Lille.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/ESPOLLILLE
• Facebookfacebook.com/EspolLille
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/espol-lille
• Instagraminstagram.com/espol_lille

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about European School of Political and Social Sciences (ESPOL)