Philippe Baptiste Assures After First Parcoursup Results: “There Is No Reason for Despair”

Paris – 04.06.2026: After the release of the first results on the French university admission platform Parcoursup, Philippe Baptiste, Minister of Higher Education, stressed that there is no reason for despair. “The campaign has just started, and everyone will find a study place,” Baptiste said on Wednesday at a press conference.

Parcoursup has been the central allocation system for university places in France since 2018. Students enter their preferences there, and universities allocate places according to available capacities. This year, a total of 657,000 students registered, of whom 640,000 confirmed at least one choice.

The main admission phase, during which most study places are allocated, began on June 2, 2026. Already, about two-thirds of applicants have received positive feedback. Nevertheless, the results for about one-third of young people are still pending. Baptiste called for patience in this context and assured that the coming weeks will bring many more admissions.

He emphasized that the admission process is complex, as each applicant indicated several choices and capacities in some programs are limited. Even if not everyone received an immediate acceptance, there are still various options, including waitlist places or alternative programs. The main phase officially ends on July 11, 2026.

Baptiste also pointed to the high quality of French higher education and the many pathways students can take to successfully continue their educational journey. He urged students to calmly follow the process, not to be discouraged, and to make use of counseling options at schools and on the platform.

The government has continuously worked since the introduction of Parcoursup to make the admission process more transparent and fairer. In recent years, adjustments have been made to reduce pressure on applicants and to standardize selection criteria. Baptiste said these efforts will continue in 2026 to ensure all students have a fair chance.

Overall, the situation highlights the challenges associated with the increase in student numbers and the limited capacity in popular courses. The debate about the further development of the university admission system remains lively, also with a view to future reforms to further improve equal opportunities.

Philippe Baptiste concluded with the words: “There is no reason for despair. We are only at the beginning, and everyone will find their place.” The upcoming weeks will show how admissions develop and what consequences this will have for students and the higher education landscape.