An incomplete parallel admission (AST) file, or one submitted with a missing document, can be enough to rule out an application before the panel even reviews it, regardless of how strong the candidate's background is. Between business schools, engineering schools, and generic competitions, the labels vary but the logic stays the same: here is the complete list of documents to gather, in the order you should collect them.
Mandatory administrative documents
Before even thinking about the resume or cover letter, every AST file requires a base set of purely administrative documents, which should be gathered first since they sometimes take time to obtain.
A valid ID document (national ID card, passport), often requested as a clear, color scan - a blurry or cropped scan can delay processing of the file.
A recent ID photo, meeting the standards specified by the application platform (format, background, resolution) - these standards vary from one competition to another, more than you might expect.
Proof of address less than three months old, sometimes required for competitions that apply differentiated fees based on the candidate's geographic area.
A scholarship certificate for scholarship holders, essential to benefit from the fee waiver or reduction applied by nearly all AST competitions - ECRICOME, Passerelle, and GEI-UNIV all systematically include this kind of provision.
A current enrollment certificate, recently dated, proving actual enrollment in the program that allows you to apply (L3, M1, BUT, or BTS depending on the target competition).
Transcripts and diplomas
This is the second block of documents, and often the most time-consuming to gather since it covers several years of study.
The baccalaureate diploma or certificate of completion, regardless of how long ago it was obtained - an academic panel still reads baccalaureate honors carefully, unlike a corporate recruiter for whom they quickly lose relevance.
Transcripts for every year of higher education completed since the baccalaureate, including repeated years or unfinished programs if they were attended - a panel always prefers transparency over an omission that would be judged more harshly if discovered later.
Intermediate diplomas already obtained (DUT, BTS, validated second-year bachelor's) where applicable, with a certified translation if the diploma was obtained abroad.
Aptitude and language test results (TAGE MAGE, GMAT, TOEIC, TOEFL, IELTS depending on the competition), which generally must be less than two years old at the time of submission - most competitions reject an older score, even if the candidate's actual language level hasn't changed.
📊 To prepare for this specific test: our guide on TAGE MAGE: Understanding the Test and Nailing Your Preparation details the structure of the six sub-tests and the new scoring scale without negative points.
Resume and cover letter
These two documents are the ones candidates have the most control over, unlike purely administrative papers - they deserve proportionally more preparation time.
The academic resume, one page without exception, summarizing education, experience, and skills in a format readable by a panel processing hundreds of files in a few weeks. The education section usually takes the most visible spot, unlike a standard professional resume where experience comes first.
The cover letter or motivation essays, whose number and format vary considerably from one competition to another - some schools ask for a single essay, others for two short essays on set topics. Always check the exact wording requested rather than reusing a generic format across competitions.
💡 To build these two documents: our guide on the AST cover letter and interview at ESCP details a structuring method that transfers to most business school competitions, and our guide on the Arts et Métiers parallel admission resume does the same for engineering schools.
Letters of recommendation, when requested (common at business schools, rarer at engineering schools), should be requested several weeks in advance from a teacher or internship supervisor - too short a notice hurts the quality of the letter and puts unnecessary pressure on the writer.
Documents specific to each competition
Beyond the common base, some competitions add documents specific to their selection process, which need to be identified early to avoid being caught off guard.
For shared-bank competitions (ECRICOME, Passerelle): exact file and registration terms are centralized on their respective official websites, such as ECRICOME's 🔗 or the Passerelle competition's 🔗 - registration is done exclusively online and covers several schools at once with a single file.
For university-track admission to engineering schools (GEI-UNIV): the file is submitted through the SCEI platform, with application fees shared across all schools in the scheme, as specified on the official GEI-UNIV website 🔗.
For school-specific competitions (direct admission outside a shared bank): each institution sets its own required documents and calendar, sometimes very different from one school to the next - checking directly on the target school's website remains essential, since no third-party source can guarantee an up-to-date, exhaustive list.
⚠️ Warning: never rely on the document list from a previous application, including your own from a prior year - requirements change regularly, particularly around accepted file formats and test validity deadlines.
📅 To keep track of the calendar: our 2026 AST competitions calendar lists the major deadlines to plan for, alongside this document checklist.
Final checklist before submission
✅ ID document, ID photo, and administrative proofs gathered in the correct format ✅ All transcripts since the baccalaureate collected, including incomplete years ✅ Intermediate diplomas and their certified translation if obtained abroad ✅ Aptitude and language test results up to date (less than two years old depending on the competition) ✅ One-page academic resume, proofread and free of spelling errors ✅ Cover letter or essays written in the exact format requested by the competition ✅ Letters of recommendation requested far enough in advance, if required by the competition ✅ File format and size compliant with the submission platform's requirements ✅ File submitted before the deadline, never on the closing day itself
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