MSc in Engineering in Defense and Security

In practice:

• The engineering program lasts three years. It is the same for both civilian students and IETA military students. Discover the specific features of the IETA program (only available to candidates of French nationality)
• The first year of training takes place on the Brest campus. The aim is to train versatile engineers with solid scientific, technical, and managerial skills across a broad spectrum: mathematics, mechanics, digital technology, project management, communication, modern languages, and industrial challenges, particularly in the field of defense.
• From the second year onwards, students join the campus specializing in their chosen option: naval/land systems in Brest, cyber and AI in Paris-Saclay, aeronautics and space in Toulouse.
• Teaching formats are varied to facilitate learning, including numerous application projects.
• Three internships punctuate the program, amounting to more than nine months in a professional environment, to gain skills and autonomy. The highlight is the final project in the sixth semester, culminating in a written thesis and a viva voce defense, evaluated on the campus where you completed your specialization.

At the beginning of the second year, students join the campus that covers their chosen specialization. After a third semester of core courses, which are the same for all students across all curricula, semesters 4 and 5 are largely dedicated to specialization. Here again, the courses are multidisciplinary in order to cover the overall design of systems and all their components, both mechanical and digital. The courses are taught by the teaching and research teams of both schools, with contributions from industry experts and the DGA.

Engineers who graduate from this program are valued for their ability to design, develop, and operate the most complex systems.

Career opportunities for IETA and civil engineers are extensive and include:

• the Ministry of the Armed Forces:  Military (IETA) and civil engineers constitute the expertise and innovation force spread across the many centers that form the DGA (Directorate General of Armament), including the AID (Defense Innovation Agency), the SHOM (Naval Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service), support services, and more.
• the 4,000 defense companies (200,000 jobs) that form a strategic group known as the BITD (Defense Industrial and Technological Base). The BITD brings together cutting-edge companies of all sizes, large companies, SMEs, and mid-sized companies, with military or dual (civilian and military) activities, including nine major European groups that are partners in training: Airbus, ArianeGroup, Arquus, Dassault, MBDA, Naval Group, KNDS (which comprises Nexter and KMW), Safran, and Thales.
• and all industrial sectors of civil society that design and manufacture critical, high-performance systems, in which ENSTA and ISAE-SUPAERO alumni are well represented: from cybersecurity to aerospace, transport and mobility, maritime, energy, digital, robotics and health engineering.

Find career prospects on the pages dedicated to the three options

• Land and naval systems
• Aeronautics and space
• Cyber and AI

Admission Requirements

International applicants (civilian track only)

• Applications are open to students who hold an internationally recognized science degree. Please visit the dedicated page for more information.

Admission for High-Level Athletes or Artists (SAHN)

A specific admission process is open to candidates who qualify as High-Level Athletes or Artists (SAHN). It aims to offer an admission process tailored to specific academic and personal profiles, with a view to promoting equal opportunities and diversity.

The completed application form must be submitted online by April 10, 2026. It includes:

• an application form (in French)
• proof of SAHN status (according to the indicative list provided),
• a letter of support or recommendation from a representative of the activity,
• a cover letter,
• transcripts from high school and post-high school studies, serving as proof of enrollment in CPGE, university degree, or equivalent.

Any incomplete applications or those submitted after the deadline will not be considered. Candidates will be pre-selected on the basis of their academic record and after validation of their sporting and artistic record.

Other Admissions

More information on the French version of this webpage

The curricula are designed to train defense and industry engineers, both civilian and military. The choice between these two statuses and career paths is offered to you at the start of the training, when you submit your training preferences on the competition website:

• student status. These (civilian) engineers work in all innovative sectors of industry and public bodies, in particular the DGA.
• IETA status: armament design and technical engineer. This is a dual commitment: engineer and military. Within the DGA, these engineers serve their country's defense apparatus and the armed forces by designing and implementing the most innovative programs. From the start of their training, IETA students are under contract and paid by the DGA. The engineering training is preceded by a year (“0”) of immersion in the armed forces.