
Dining
* excluding annual closures (1 week during Christmas vacation and 2 to 3 weeks in summer) and school holidays (only weekday lunches are served). In the evening and at weekends, from January 2025, the dining hall will only open if there are enough students around who wish to use it.
Opening hours
From Monday to Friday, during term time (outside of vacation periods):
Breakfast: from 7:30 to 9:00
Lunch: from 11:45 to 13:30
Dinner: from 18:45 à 19:30
Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays
Breakfast: from 8:30 to 9:30
Lunch: from 12:00 to 13:00
Dinner: from 18:45 to 19:30
Prices
The average price of a meal is €5 (depending on the dishes chosen).
Payment
You can pay for your meal at the student dining hall by payment card, cheque or cash. We recommend topping up your meal card online to save time.
Check and top up your meal card online
To create your account:
- Scan the QR code of your till receipt or click on the link https://www.popandpay2.com/register then enter the information below
- Site: ENSTA29
- Username: this is given on your till receipt or your student card. It is the first six numbers after the 0 beneath the bar code
- Email: enter an email address
- and accept terms of use
- Check your inbox (and your junk mail) and click, in the email from popandpay2, on "Create my account"
- Complete your registration by entering your password.
Your account shows your balance, previous transactions and top-ups.
A notification can be configured to tell you when the balance is getting low.
General information for the new academic year 2025-2026
The school will be closed from August 2 to 17, 2025 inclusive.
As of August 18, you will be able to reach contacts directly. If you have sent a document or letter by certified mail with or without return receipt requested, it will be processed starting August 18.
The on-campus student residence (RDE) will open on August 15, 2024 for international students who begin class on August 19.
All other students can access the residence on August 23.
For more information, visit the residence web page
The dining hall will be open:
- from Monday, August 18: for breakfast and lunch
For international students, a special welcome is offered by the Bureau des élèves (BDE)
We invite you to follow the internet check list to prepare for your arrival. You will be asked to fill in a form giving details of your arrival dates and times at the station or airport. Do this no later than 8 days before your departure!
Through the Acor unit
AcOr staff are responsible for welcoming, supporting and guiding students in all training cycles.
Through the student office
They'll be on campus to help you settle in and get settled (contact below).
Don't hesitate to contact them with any practical questions you may have:
- via the BDE's Instagram page (permanent contact during the summer)
- or by e-mail: bde(a)ensta-bretagne.org
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with the on-campus disabled student contact person before school begins to prepare for your arrival.
Sylvie Guidal, +33(0)2.98.34.88.63
If you wish to take part in sports with the Association Sportive de l'ENSTA, campus de Brest, you must have completed the health questionnaire. Find out more
A medical certificate is no longer required except for the following disciplines: Rugby, full-contact box combat, sport shooting, biathlon, karting, pentathlon, taekwondo combat, etc.
A social worker will be on campus at the start of the school year. In case of emergency, please contact Ms Amandine CARIOU (02 98 14 85 01).
To organize your academic year, here are the 2025/2026 vacation dates at ENSTA, Brest campus
- Fall break: October 27 to November 2, 2025
- Winter break: December 22, 2025 to January 4, 2026
- February break: February 16 to 22, 2026
- Spring break: April 13 to 19, 2026
Important note: 3rd-year engineering students (i.e MSc in Eng.) as well as 2nd-year Master and Specialized Advanced Master students only break for the Christmas holidays.
Information on health insurance
New Non-EU International Students
Are you planning on studying in France for the next school year? To obtain medical coverage as soon as you arrive, you must register on the French health insurance website (French, English and Spanish versions available) : https://etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr/
New EU Students
Are you beginning your higher-education studies in France? There is no change in your medical coverage, and your medical costs will continue to be covered by your current health care insurer (usually your parents’ or legal guardians’ insurer). You will not be charged for health care in France. Please remember, however, to create an account on the French health insurance website, AMELI.
HOW TO CREATE AN AMELI ACCOUNT
- CREATE your account online at ameli.fr
- PROVIDE your bank account details
- REGISTER with a doctor, if you haven’t already done so
- UPDATE your health card (on the machines available in pharmacies or at CPAM health insurance offices)
- CHECK that your personal health insurance number (NIR) is registered with your primary and supplementary health insurance providers
- OPTIMIZE YOUR COVERAGE: we recommend supplementary health insurance coverage, whether through your parents or on an individual plan.
How to contact the french health insurance service
By e-mail |
By phone |
By visiting |
Through your Ameli online account, under the heading Ma messagerie | your local CPAM branch |
Brest, a student city





Ranking among the most popular student cities in France, Brest is well worth exploring!
With its breath-taking coastline, vibrant student life, its wide array of sporting activities – in particular watersports, its rich cultural agenda, together with efficient transport systems and affordable housing prices, there's everything you'll need to make your time in Brest an unforgettable experience.
A warm welcome
To get the year off to a flying start, the city of Brest concocts an exciting program of events for its students each year.
Brest is...
- Nearly 29,000 students, including 3,000 international students
- One university and 9 Grandes Ecoles
- Easy to get around by streetcar, bus, bike, on foot, and now even with France's first urban gondola
- Affordable accommodation: whether at the student residence on campus or downtown
- Sports for all with 124 disciplines on offer and 225 sports clubs
- An exceptionally rich cultural agenda
Talents and accolades
Hackathons
"DATA ÉNERGIE" organized by the Ministry for the Armed Forces
In 2021, the ENSTA Bretagne/Télécom Paris joint team won with artificial intelligence-led data analyses.
Digital hackathon organized by Accenture
Top spot in 2021 on a sustainable development-related programming subject.
Hackathon "ACT IN SPACE" organized by CNES
Runner-up in 2020 in this challenge geared towards space.
Sopra Steria "BREAK THE CODE" Challenge
Brest claimed victory in 2020 and 2019 with the student club CYBER
Les Entrep'
Les Entrep' is a national program aimed at encouraging business startups. Students from different institutions (on engineering, law, biology or communications courses for example.) spend a few months (18 weeks) working together on innovative and creative projects.
- 1st prize for Brittany in 2016, Brittany scooped 1st prize in the social innovation and sustainable development trophy in 2021, 2017 and 2016.
- 1st prize for Finistère in 2020 and 2018.
Perrine, elected Regional Adviser for 2020-2021
After a year as President of the "BEST ENSTA Bretagne" association, Perrine was elected Regional Adviser for 2020-2021 to jointly oversee the European network BEST 2021: the Board of European students of technology.
Hydrocontest
Thanks to their "homemade" sailboat, the ENSTA Bretagne team scooped bronze in the international Hydrocontest-X competition in the "long distance race" category in 2019. The team, which has undergone a reshuffle since the competition stopped, is working on an autonomous sailboat capable of crossing the Atlantic Ocean.
World Robotic Sailing Championship (WRSC)
1st prize in 2018 and 2013.
2021 "Cap Ingénieuses" prize and certification awarded to the "L codent L créent" initiative
The "L codent L créent" initiative is aimed at sparking the interest of girls attending high school in IT and engineering by introducing them to programming in the "Python" language. For a few years now, male and female ENSTA Bretagne students have been travelling to partner high schools to give them an insight into programming.
SIA (French Society of Automotive Engineers) Trophy)
-
3 students won the top prize in 2021. The challenge set? To design an innovative hybrid propulsion system for an ultralight 400kg vehicle.
-
2 students came second in 2020. They worked on the following challenge: what architecture and hybridization strategy for a 44-ton long-haul truck?
Promotion of professional ethics (ROTARY/CGE/UNESCO)
To enter this contest, candidates have to write a paper on the theme of ethics in the workplace. Two ENSTA Bretagne students have been prize-winners, one in 2019 (Noémie Fritsch) and the other in 2018 (Angélique Rissoan).
Shell Eco Marathon
Shell Eco-marathon is an international student automotive engineering competition where contenders must try to travel the furthest on one liter of fuel. In 2018, the team finished 18th out of 36 with their electric prototype (after several years of excellent results with internal combustion engines).
EDHEC Sailing Cup
Top spot in the 100% student sailing competition in a J/80 sportsboat and runner-up in the Sea Trophy, First 31.7 Category, in 2019.
"ERL EMERGENCY" International Robotics Competition
ERL Emergency is one of the autonomous robot competitions inspired by the Fukushima accident. The aim is to send autonomous robots into a mixed terrain area, inaccessible to man, where they collaborate to explore the zone, detect any problems (leaks, fires…), find people in distress and bring them first aid.




The sports association
The Sports Association offers an extremely wide range of sporting activities, including (this is not a complete list):
- Individual sports: athletics, boxing, badminton, orienteering, horse-riding, fencing, golf, judo, windsurfing, tennis, table tennis, archery etc
- Team sports: basketball, football handball, rugby, Ultimate Frisbee, volleyball, sailing etc
- Water sports: surfing, catamaran, J80, live-aboard sailboats
You can join the association at the beginning of the school year. There are training sessions each week, on campus or in the city of Brest (according to the activity selected).



Student clubs and societies
1,001 extracurricular opportunities!
The list of clubs is extensive and diverse, and new groups are created every year. The following is a partial listing: if you don’t see your favorite activity mentioned, remember that you can create your own club or society at any time!

BDE
The Student Union is the hub of student life on campus and organizes key events such as student integration, gala dinners, campaigns, etc.

ENSTAéro Bretagne
Passionate about aeronautics, the members of this club take part in different activities : the organization of visits and meetings with professionals in the sector, participation in the NAE challenge

Robotics Club
The robotics club is above all a place to meet. A lot of equipment is available enabling students to develop new robots or enhance others. Together with the school’s doctoral students and researchers, the students take part in European and international competitions.

ENACTUS ENSTA Bretagne
ENACTUS est une association destinée à promouvoir l'entreprenariat social en France comme à l'étranger.

ENSTA Bretagne Sailing Team
This is one of the largest university sailing associations in France. Every year, ENSTA Bretagne Sailing Team take part in about twenty competitions. Training takes place weekly on Thursday

ENSTA'Drama
Philistine or seasoned artist, ENSTA Drama is a united bunch who get together to do improvisation, theatrical activities and rehearsals.

Eco Marathon shell
The club runs two concurrent projects. Every year, the first group optimizes the vehicle which takes part in the “prototype” category so that it cover the longest distance with a very small quantity of energy. The second group designs an “urban concept”: a vehicle which is economical on energy but as close as possible to an urban vehicle on the market.

Spacieta
The members of Spacieta have stars in their eyes. Their aim: design a mini rocket or experimental rocket which respects the specifications laid down by the CNES and Planète Sciences as part of the C’Space Challenge.

4L Trophy
Every year, several students take part in this adventure. Two to a 4L (Renault 4), they go head to head in an orienteering rally which takes them across Spain to arrive at the edge of the Moroccan desert. There, they leave the school supplies which they took with them. It is an incredible humanitarian adventure which stays with all those who take part.

Cheerleaders
United and motivated, the Pom-Poms and the Pim-Pims are always there to support and encourage the school’s teams.
The cheerleaders also regularly take part in events organized by Brest Cityhall, such as evenings in bars or even take part in the spotrs tournaments such as the Ovalies.