Education in France
France runs a highly centralized education system: the national Ministry of Education sets the curriculum, and the country is organized into regional académies that administer it. Instruction is in French, the system is strongly shaped by the principle of laïcité (secularism), and it is defined by two landmark features — the Baccalauréat exam that ends secondary school, and a distinctive higher-education split between open-access universities and the highly selective grandes écoles. Unusually, schooling is compulsory from age 3.
Structure & stages
The system is organized as:
- École maternelleNursery school, compulsory from age 3 (since 2019)
- École élémentaire (5 years)Primary — CP, CE1, CE2, CM1, CM2, ages ~6–11
- Collège (4 years)Lower secondary — 6e to 3e, ending with the brevet
- Lycée (3 years)Upper secondary — seconde, première, terminale, ending with the Baccalauréat (general, technological, or professional)
Compulsory education & enrolment
Education is compulsory from age 3 to 16 (instruction from age 3 since 2019), with a training/education obligation continuing to age 18. Public education is free and secular. The school year runs roughly September to early July.
Public schools
Most French students attend free public schools, which follow the national curriculum and uphold laïcité (for example, restrictions on conspicuous religious symbols in public schools). The centralized system aims for consistency nationwide, administered through the académies.
Private & international schools
France has a substantial private-school sector, most of it under contract with the state (sous contrat) — largely Catholic schools that follow the national curriculum and are largely state-funded, charging modest fees — alongside a smaller number of fully independent and international schools.
Curriculum & language of instruction
The national curriculum covers French, mathematics, sciences, history-geography and civic education, foreign languages, the arts, and physical education, organized into learning cycles. A 2019 reform reshaped the general Baccalauréat around a common core plus student-chosen specialty subjects (spécialités), replacing the former fixed science/economics/literature streams.
Exams & qualifications
Two national qualifications anchor the path:
- Diplôme national du brevetTaken at the end of collège (3e)
- Baccalauréat (the "bac")The upper-secondary diploma and traditional passport to university. The 2021 reform combined continuous assessment with final exams in the chosen specialties, plus a "grand oral." It comes in three forms — général, technologique, and professionnel
Higher education
French higher education has a distinctive dual structure:
- UniversitiesPublic, low-cost, and open-access to holders of the bac — including the Sorbonne and dozens of others — covering the full range of disciplines
- Grandes écolesElite, highly selective institutions (such as the École Polytechnique, the Écoles Normales Supérieures, HEC, and Sciences Po) entered after two years of intensive classes préparatoires ("prépa") and competitive concours examinations — the traditional route to France's professional and intellectual elite
Admission to higher education is coordinated through the national Parcoursup platform. Degrees follow the Bologna Licence–Master–Doctorat structure.
Studying in France from abroad
France is one of the world's leading study destinations, valued for quality, prestige, and (still) relative affordability:
- TuitionPublic-university fees are low; note that differentiated (higher) fees for non-EU/EEA students were introduced (with many exemptions and scholarships) — often still modest by global standards
- LanguageMost programs are in French (proficiency via DELF/DALF or TCF), but a growing number of English-taught programs exists, especially at master's level and in the grandes écoles/business schools
- Application & visaInternational students typically apply through Campus France and obtain a student visa (VLS-TS)
- ScholarshipsThe Eiffel Excellence Scholarship and many institutional and government awards are available
Special education & support
France provides for inclusive education, integrating students with disabilities into mainstream schools with individualized support and dedicated aides, alongside specialized settings, backed by national law.
Homeschooling
Home education is permitted but has been tightened: since 2022, it generally requires prior authorization from the authorities on specific grounds (such as health, disability, or the child's situation), rather than being available simply by declaration. Families should verify current rules.
Costs & funding
Public schooling is free, and state-contracted private schools charge modest fees. Public-university tuition is low (with higher, but often waived or reduced, fees for non-EU students). The currency is the Euro (EUR).
Key facts for families
- LanguageFrench
- StructureMaternelle + élémentaire (5) + collège (4) + lycée (3)
- CompulsoryAges 3–16 (education/training obligation to 18)
- ExamsBrevet (end of collège) and the Baccalauréat (end of lycée)
- Higher edOpen-access universities + selective grandes écoles (via prépa/concours); admission via Parcoursup
- International studentsApply via Campus France; French (DELF/DALF) or English-taught programs; low tuition
Accreditation & quality assurance in France
In France, higher education and its quality are overseen by Hcéres (the High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education). To confirm that a specific school or university is recognized — and to understand how a qualification from France is recognized in the U.S. and worldwide — start with the resources below.
Where to verify the details
This guide is a starting point, not the final authority. For current, official details: