The Imperial Decree of 17 March 1808, which determined the organisation of the university, established in Paris a boarding normal school (now the École Normale Supérieure in rue d'Ulm) for training up to 300 young people in the art of teaching the humanities and sciences. The number of students was set at 100 for the first year: they were to be under 17 years of age and allowed by their father or guardian to follow the career of the University. They pledged to stay at least ten years in the teaching profession. They were chosen according to tests by the inspectors general of the University. A first cohort of 54 students was selected from the departments, was made by Mgr. the Grand Master of the Imperial University.