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You are high-school student

Are you interested in cybersecurity? You’ve come to the right place!

Because our society is becoming increasingly digitalised, our online data and activities need more and more protection – and that’s where cybersecurity comes in!

This page provides you with an overview of education opportunities in cybersecurity in France.

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What is cybersecurity?

A crucial challenge for our society

Cybersecurity encompasses the measures, practices, technologies, and strategies put in place to protect IT systems, networks, and data from digital threats.

Why is it so essential?

  • To protect our personal information: Cybersecurity ensures that our contact details, National Insurance numbers, and financial information, often stored online, remain private and secure.
  • To safeguard data confidentiality: By ensuring that only authorised individuals can access information and preventing unauthorised changes, cybersecurity helps keep our data reliable and intact.
  • To prevent service interruptions: Cyberattacks can make websites and essential services inaccessible, causing major disruptions for businesses and organisations.
  • To respond to security incidents: With good practices in place, organisations are prepared to detect, respond to, and quickly recover from security incidents. They build digital security into the design of their products and services to provide maximum protection for users and raise awareness among staff.

Promising and dynamic careers

Cybersecurity offers an impressive range of careers and areas of specialisation, which are only set to grow. The sector is booming, with numerous companies, start-ups, and research laboratories dedicated to cybersecurity based in Rennes and across the wider Brittany region. Rennes is attracting talent, recruiting, and becoming a key player in the field of cybersecurity.

Working in cybersecurity means:

  • Collaborating with passionate colleagues in a network.
  • Continuously learning and staying curious about the latest innovations.
  • Contributing to innovative projects in a fast-growing field.

If you’re curious about new technologies, enjoy solving complex problems, and want to play a crucial role in protecting IT systems, cybersecurity could be the ideal path for you!

 

From high school

In France, the general baccalaureate (A-level equivalent) enables you to access post-secondary courses that will train you for the cybersecurity sector. To prepare yourself, we recommend choosing one or more of these specialities:

  • Digital and Computer Science: If you want to solve complex problems, design programs, and understand algorithms and computer systems.
  • Mathematics: If you’re interested in the theoretical and practical aspects of maths, such as cryptography, algorithms, or modelling.
  • Engineering Science: If you’re curious about how systems are designed, tested, and improved.
  • Physics and Chemistry: If you’re interested in the physical and chemical principles behind technologies, networks, or electronic devices.
  • History-Geography, Geopolitics, and Political Science: If you want to understand the geopolitical challenges and global impacts of cyber threats, as well as the legal and political aspects of cybersecurity.

The baccalauréat technologique Sciences et Technologies de l’Industrie et du Développement Durable (STI2D) spécialité Systèmes d’Information et Numérique (SIN) is also an excellent option if you’re considering a more technical path and want to understand how technical devices and networks operate.

The baccalauréat professionnel Cybersécurité, Informatique et réseaux, ELectronique (CIEL) is another option if you’re interested in the technical aspects of IT systems and want to learn how to protect infrastructures from cyberattacks.

Your higher education in cybersecurity

‘Brevet de Technicien Supérieur’ (BTS)

The BTS is a two-year course that provides the knowledge and skills needed to integrate university or some engineering schools. You can also choose to enter the job market.

Admission to the BTS is via the online platform Parcoursup.

Here are two BTS that we recommend:

  • BTS Services Informatiques aux Organisations (SIO)
  • BTS Cybersécurité, Informatique et réseaux, ELectronique (CIEL)

If you wish to continue your studies after your BTS, we recommend researching the prerequisites of the institution you’re interested in for your third year post-Bac, to choose the most appropriate BTS.

‘Classe Préparatoire aux Grandes Écoles’ (CPGE)

The Classe Préparatoire aux Grandes Écoles is a two-year course that allows students to increase their knowledge in different disciplines, with the aim of subsequently entering an engineering school, a Grande école or university.

Admission to a CPGE is via the online platform Parcoursup.

We recommend that you choose a scientific CPGE.

‘Bachelor Universitaire de Technologie’ (BUT)

The BUT, which is a three-year training course, can give you access to the cybersecurity sector.

Admission to the BUT is via the online platform Parcoursup.

The IUT of Saint-Malo or Lannion offers, for example, the ‘BUT Réseaux & Télécommunication’ with a specialisation in cybersecurity in the second year. After these 3 years, you can either enter the professional world or continue your studies in engineering schools or at university.

Engineering School or ‘Grande Ecole’

Engineering schools and Grandes écoles train students over a 3 to 5 year period (entry after the baccalaureat or after a CPGE, a bachelor degree, a BTS or a BUT depending on the establishment).

Admission to an engineering school or a grande école depends on the entry level:

  • Admission after the baccalaureat is mostly via the online platform Parcoursup. It can also be via a competitive examination, file examination and/or interview. It all depends on the establishment.
  • Admission after a CPGE, a bachelor degree, a BTS or a BUT is via a competitive examination, file examination and/or interview. Here again, it all depends on the establishment.

We advise you to consult the admission conditions of the establishment that interests you.

Here are some examples of engineering schools that train in the cybersecurity sector:

With regard to the Grandes Ecoles, the Master’s in Defence and Strategic Intelligence at SciencesPo Rennes enables you to learn about the political aspect of cybersecurity.

University

First of all, you enter a bachelor for 3 years, then you have the choice of continuing on to a master’s at the university for 2 years (classic route) or entering an engineering school or a Grande école.

Admission to a bachelor’s is via the online platform Parcoursup.

Several possibilities are available to you, depending on your profile and your desires, including:

  • A Bachelor’s in Computer Sciences
  • A Bachelor’s in Electrical and Electronic Engineering
  • A Bachelor’s in Mathematics

Digital security is a field that is also developing strongly in law and more and more training courses combine law and digital security. Thus, a legal and/or political science approach is also a very good career option.

Here are two other possibilities for a bachelor degree:

  • A Bachelor’s in law
  • A Bachelor’s in political science

You can complete a bachelor’s degree at any university. The University of Rennes offers all five of the above-mentioned degrees.

Admission to a master’s is via the online platform Monmaster.

Here are some masters that train in cybersecurity:

If you have chosen to focus on law and digital security, you can, for example, choose to continue your studies in a Master’s in Digital Law.

These masters are taught at the University of Rennes. You can access them via the bachelor’s degrees mentioned above.

What jobs in cybersecurity ?

Cybersecurity is a complex and dynamic field that includes a wide range of professions, each playing a crucial role in protecting IT systems and data. Here is an overview of the key areas in cybersecurity:

  • Security management and project leadership: This involves creating and implementing rules and plans to protect IT systems. It includes managing projects aimed at improving security, such as defining security policies and assessing risks to identify areas needing further protection.
  • Designing and maintaining secure information systems: This involves building IT systems that are well protected against attacks, including setting up security frameworks like firewalls (digital security barriers) and intrusion detection systems. Regular updates are also needed to keep these protections effective against new threats.
  • Incident and crisis management: When a security incident or attack occurs, a quick response is crucial. This area focuses on detecting issues, understanding what happened, and taking the necessary steps to resolve the problem. It also involves preparing recovery plans to minimise damage after an attack.
  • Consulting, services, and research: Experts in this area help companies improve their security by offering advice, conducting security audits, and assessing vulnerabilities. They also carry out research to develop new technologies and methods to combat cyber threats and improve cybersecurity.

Depending on the course you choose, you will be able to access several professions in these categories. You may also opt to continue your studies with a PhD and thrive in the world of research.

More info on career opportunities