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Scent Design & Creation Program

Enter the World of Fragrance

Discover A Range of Exciting Careers

IFF partnered with ISIPCA in 2016 to launch a first-of-its-kind perfumery program focused on developing expert talent for the fragrance industry.

Combining IFF’s 135+ year creative legacy and pioneering spirit and ISIPCA’s undisputed academic excellence, we’ve created this distinctive curriculum to prepare the next generation for a diverse range of industry roles.

This Master’s-level program immerses students in both the foundations and the evolving frontiers of fragrance creation. Classes are held at ISIPCA’s state-of-the-art campus in Versailles, France, the historic heart of perfumery culture.

In 2026, the program boasts 100% recruitment rate in the six months which follow graduation.

  • ISIPCA
    the world’s premier fragrance school
  • IFF
    135+ years of fragrance creation and innovation
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Scent Design and Creation

Learn the fundamentals of fragrance development and the fragrance market, from fine fragrances to home and personal care, to prepare for a range of roles in the world of scent. Taught by a vibrant and passionate faculty of industry experts, courses include extensive study of raw materials, history of perfume and markets, consumer insights, creativity workshops, personal development and experiential visits and harvests.

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Empowering Career Preparation

Students are immersed in a rich and diverse ecosystem, exploring a wide range of specializations —from fine and consumer perfumery to technical and R&D pathways, as well as evaluation/scent design management, marketing, sales and consumer insights.

Through IFF Insight sessions, they engage with global experts who share their journeys, perspectives and creative visions — offering inspiration and a behind-the-scenes look into the world of fragrance creation and innovation.

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About ISIPCA

ISIPCA (Institut supérieur international du parfum, de la cosmétique et de l’aromatique alimentaire) was founded by Jean- Jacques Guerlain in 1970 and is located in Versailles, France, close to Paris. ISIPCA is the leading institution for careers in perfume, cosmetics and food flavors.

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A Unique Education

This program combines deep learning and real-world immersion, from raw materials and fragrance history to consumer insights and creative workshops. Students experience Grasse during key harvests and gain hands-on exposure to the ecosystem through marketing visits and field learning.

They also access the Atelier du Parfumeur and LMR Naturals, and complete a mentored internship at an IFF creative center to build practical skills and industry readiness.Each year, a cohort of 15–20 students joins a growing global community of over 180 trained professionals.

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Who Should Apply

This highly selective program is looking for curious, determined and creative minds who are passionate about the fragrance industry.

Application Requirements:

  • Preferred Bachelor or minimum two-to-three-year degree in science, chemistry, chemical engineering, engineering, biochemistry or mathematics
  • Degrees in the arts, humanities or related fields are also considered
  • Proficiency or fluency in English (curriculum taught in English)
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Application Process

  • Application available on ISIPCA site
  • Application Review Call – February – May
  • Olfactive Intelligence Test®, Creative Presentation, Jury Interview – March – June
  • Student Selection and Notification June – July

Tuition and Fees

  • Application Fee: €280, payable to ISIPCA online
  • Tuition: €12 900 per year

Admissions

The Scent Design and Creation student has the heart of an artist, is inherently curious, and is driven by a fire within to push boundaries. They are also grounded in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics, and proficient or fluent in English. They share the dream to make perfume and be part of this exciting industry.

The program is highly selective with a specific admission process.

Hear from Our Graduates

Sumukha Kashyap

“My experience in the Scent Design and Creation program was one of my most valuable experiences. I loved learning from my multicultural classmates, teachers and mentors at IFF. The program has helped me take important steps to achieve my goals.” – Sumukha Kashyap, Scent Design Manager, IFF Singapore

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“My favorite author, Colette, said ‘Perfume is a poem to be breathed in, I am breathing this every day in this program”
– Eléonore Oyane-Yang, Apprentice Perfumer IFF, France

Andrew Everett

”Attending ISIPCA meant dropping everything to move to France and committing three years to a subject I knew very little about. Yet somehow – at the same time – it was the most obvious choice. That’s how it was for me, and that’s how it was for my entire class, which felt more like a family than anything else.”
– Andrew Everett, Junior Perfumer, IFF New York

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“Never in a million years would I have dreamed of a better job. At ISIPCA I trained my nose to identify ingredients and their combinations, I was exposed to different cultures, I met some of my best friends in life and had the opportunity to work on something that I truly love. If you are curious, passionate about perfume, consumers, ingredients and want to dive into this magical world of fragrances, you should join the Scent Design & Creation Program – it’s a life changing experience”. – Andressa Santana West Barbosa, Scent Design Manager based in Holmdal, NJ.

Hyunmin Shin

”The world of perfumery has always been a haze of illusion for me. The ISIPCA Scent Design and Creation program opened the gate and lead me into that world, and the experience has been the light that illuminated my path to become a perfumer”
– Hyunmin Shin, Junior Perfumer, IFF France

Shinichiro Oba

“My two internship mentors from the Netherlands came to my graduation in France and they kindly shared their advice on the importance of believing in myself. I also learned from my experience at ISIPCA that understanding and accepting the differences in one of the keys to success in an international environment and this insight will help me to work all over the world in the future.” – Shinichiro Oba, Junior Perfumer, Dubai

“It really exposed us to all the categories…it gives us a real vision of how big the industry is.”

Roy Syamananda, Account Manager, Dubai

“[At ISIPCA] we were always asked to do something new, something innovative…”

Jaijing Zhang, Account Manager, Dubai

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Questions?

If you have questions about the program, please complete the form and we will reach out.

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¹ Completed or about to complete undergraduate, university degree (bachelor degree or equivalent)

² Completed or about to complete secondary school (high school, pre-university)

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