“Today, despite obtaining my diploma, I have not received any offers of admission. Could you please help me integrate a master’s degree in international law? “. Here is a letter received by the National Education mediator and from Higher Education, Catherine Becchetti Bizot, from a bachelor’s degree student who did not obtain any registration for a master’s degree.
It is far from being the only one of its kind. In 2020, it received 287 on this topic, according to its annual report released on Tuesday. And for four years, the number of referrals to the mediator about the assignment in master has almost tripled (+ 287%). “They concern in particular sectors in tension, such as psychology and law, and are more numerous in Ile-de-France (30% of the 287 referrals)”, observes Catherine Becchetti Bizot. A finding that joins the many testimonials issued in recent weeks on Twitter under the hashtag #StudentsWithoutMaster.
During a recent press conference, the Minister of Higher Education, Frédérique Vidal also recognized the problem, declaring that in 2020, out of 170,000 master’s candidates, “between 2,000 and 3,000” appeals from students without solution had been registered in the various rectorates to claim their right to continue their studies. A document resulting from the monitoring committee “find my master”, steered by the Ministry of Higher Education and that 20 minutes was able to consult, evokes, him, 7,100 referrals from the rectorate in 2020.
“They feel rejected by the system”
This tense situation is explained first of all by the strong selectivity of the masters and by the limited number of places they offer. At the same time, the number of students who have obtained a license has increased over the past three years, driven by the growing student population. The success rate in the license was also higher in 2020, due to the benevolence of the teachers, who took into account the health situation. What generated “a bottleneck difficult to loosen”, comments the mediator.
As the universities are autonomous, each has its own master’s selection calendar, which also creates complications: “Students must wait until they have received several unfavorable responses to contact the rector of their academy via the Trouvemonmaster.gouv.fr to seek a solution. And very often, when they can complete the process, it is too late, because the universities have already filled in their registration lists, ”observes Catherine Becchetti Bizot. And some “having received proposals from the rector’s services following their appeal complain that they have no connection with their professional project,” notes the mediator.
Professional integration by default
Without a master’s degree, students find themselves with their beaks in the water. “They feel rejected by the system. Their professional integration is then done by default, ”notes the mediator. “They do not understand that the principle of the” right to continue studies “, enshrined in the Education Code, is limited to their reception capacities”, adds Danièlle Rabaté Moncond’huy, project manager with Catherine Becchetti Bizot.
Lack of registration also sometimes exposes them to “a risk of financial insecurity after losing their higher education scholarship”, indicates Catherine Becchetti Bizot. “Some do student jobs for a year to try their luck again the following year, with no guarantee of success. Or reorient themselves, ”notes Maryam Pougetoux, vice-president of UNEF. “Students want to secure their professional future with a master’s degree, especially in times of crisis. And those who stop for a license find it difficult to integrate, ”adds Yann Carcel, vice-president in charge of academic affairs at Fage.
“Decisions of non-admission must be motivated”
But the situation of “without masters” could improve a little. First, because Frédérique Vidal has announced the creation of 4,000 places for the next school year. Insufficient, according to Maryam Pougetoux: “It would take 20,000 places to fill all the past delays”. The Minister also announced the redesign of the site Findermonmaster.gouv.fr. Instead of being a simple information site, it will become an assignment platform, on the Parcoursup model, at the start of the 2022 school year. An evolution that is in line with the recommendations of the mediator in her annual report: “It It is necessary to think about the creation of a portal on the model of that of Parcoursup integrating the training offer, the wishes of the candidates and the admission results ”, she indicates.
It also suggests that the platform offer a regularly updated status report, to see the places still available. “We must harmonize the recruitment campaign calendar for all universities, so that recourse to the rector only occurs at the end of the recruitment process for young people without a solution,” also insists Danièlle Rabaté Moncond’huy. “Decisions of non-admission must be justified,” adds the mediator. Finally, she recommends adding a contact to the social services of universities to the platform, so that students who are not admitted to a master’s program can obtain financial aid in the event of difficulties.