Key takeaways
France has one of the most centralized education systems in Europe. Understanding it matters – especially if your child is arriving mid-cycle, if you're comparing it to a British or American system, or if you're trying to figure out where Legacy Online School fits alongside it.
- Education in France is compulsory from ages 3 to 16 (école maternelle through collège)
- The French education system is divided into primary school (école primaire), lower secondary (collège), and upper secondary (lycée)
- The baccalauréat is the standard school-leaving diploma required for access to higher education in France
- International online schools like Legacy are a separate category from both French state schools and private schools under French law
Contents
We are a US-accredited international online school that coexists with local schooling. Families are responsible for ensuring compliance with any local education requirements applicable to their situation.
An Overview of the French Education System
The French education system is organized and funded primarily by the Ministry of National Education (Ministère de l’Éducation Nationale), with a separate Ministry of Higher Education and Research overseeing universities and grandes écoles. It is one of the most standardized systems in the world – the same curriculum, the same exams, the same school calendar across the country. That consistency is both a strength and a rigidity.
Education is compulsory in France from age 3. This places France among the earliest in Europe for compulsory primary education. The system runs in cycles:
École maternelle (nursery/preschool): ages 3–5. Three years. Compulsory since 2019.
École primaire (primary school): ages 6–10. Five years. Covers basic literacy, numeracy, French language, civic education, physical education, and introductory natural sciences.
Collège (lower secondary school): ages 11–14. Four years. Students end with the diplôme national du brevet – a first national diploma. Not strictly required for progression to lycée, but essentially universal.
Lycée (upper secondary education): ages 15–17. Three years. This is where the track splits significantly.
The school year runs from early September (la rentrée) through late June, with breaks at roughly two-month intervals.
Secondary School and the Baccalauréat
Secondary education in France – specifically the lycée years – determines a student’s university trajectory. The baccalauréat (known as the bac) is France’s national school-leaving diploma. Without it, access to French public universities is effectively closed.
There are three main tracks at lycée level:
Général (general): the academic track, focused on preparation for higher education. Students choose specialization subjects in their final two years.
Technologique (technological): a middle track between academic and vocational, leading to either higher education or professional qualification.
Professionnel (vocational): a three-year vocational program leading to a professional baccalaureate and direct employment or further vocational education.
The reform of the baccalauréat under the 2021 Parcoursup system shifted significant weight to continuous assessment (contrôle continu) in addition to the final national examinations. This means the lycée years are not just about final exams – the work done from Seconde (Year 10) onward is graded and contributes directly to the final baccalauréat score.
“Avec 743 900 candidats et 674 900 bacheliers, le taux de réussite au baccalauréat 2023 est de 90,7 %. Il est de 95,5 % dans la voie générale, 89,5 % dans la voie technologique et 82,6 % dans la voie professionnelle. (With 743,900 candidates and 674,900 graduates, the baccalauréat pass rate in 2023 was 90.7%. It was 95.5% in the general track, 89.5% in the technological track, and 82.6% in the vocational track).”
— Ministère de l’Éducation Nationale, Résultats définitifs session 2023
Higher Education in France
French higher education is divided into two very different tracks, and understanding both matters for expat families comparing French higher education institutions to US or UK options.
Public universities (universités): open to all baccalauréat holders, with low tuition. Competitive at entry only for certain programs (medicine, law, specific masters). French universities are generally strong in research but historically less selective at undergraduate level than grandes écoles.
Grandes écoles: the elite track. Sciences Po, HEC, École Polytechnique, CentraleSupélec. Entry requires two years of preparatory classes (classes préparatoires aux grandes écoles, or prépas) after the baccalauréat, followed by a competitive entrance examination. These are among the most competitive institutions in Europe – but almost entirely unknown outside France.
Public higher education in France is largely free for EU citizens. International students (non-EU) pay differentiated tuition since the 2019 Bienvenue en France reform, though scholarships partially offset this for many admitted learners.
France’s higher education institutions increasingly offer programs taught in English, particularly at master’s level and at grandes écoles with international partnerships.
Schools in France for Expat Families
Moving to France mid-school year – or planning ahead – raises immediate practical questions about enrollment. Here’s what the system offers:
State schools (écoles publiques): free, follow the French national curriculum, taught in French. Any child residing in France has the right to attend their local school. Enrollment is handled at the mairie.
Private schools (écoles privées): most are sous contrat (under contract with the state) – meaning they follow the French curriculum and receive state funding, with tuition fees that are modest. A smaller number are hors contrat (outside contract) – genuinely independent, setting their own curriculum, typically more expensive.
International schools: international schools in Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Nice, and other major cities offer programs in English, German, or other languages. Many follow the IB curriculum. Tuition can reach €15,000–€25,000 per year.
International online private schools: a growing category for internationally mobile families. These are schools operating outside the French national framework – accredited by their home country bodies (WASC – the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Cambridge, etc.) and teaching in English (or other languages). Legacy Online School belongs to this category.
A Family in Bordeaux
The Hoffmanns – a German-American family who relocated to Bordeaux in 2023 for a two-year assignment – faced a common dilemma. Their son, then in 8th grade, had been following a US curriculum. The local collège was welcoming, but the transition to French would have set him back by at least a year academically. The local international school quoted €18,000. They enrolled him at Legacy’s online middle school program instead. He completed 8th and 9th grade without academic disruption. First AP course – US History – enrolled for 10th grade. No year lost. His French stayed sharp through local tutoring and extracurriculars. No year lost.
Homeschooling in France
Since the 2022-2023 school year, homeschooling in France (instruction en famille) requires annual prior authorization from the DASEN – not a simple notification. This was introduced by Law 2021-1109 and represents a significant tightening of the earlier declaration-based system. Families must meet one of four approved grounds and submit an educational project for evaluation. This is distinct from using an international online private school, though the legal boundaries depend on each family’s specific circumstances.
Understanding the French Education System as an Expat: What Matters Most
If your child is arriving in France and you want to maintain a US curriculum track, the French state system is not designed for that. The French school system is thorough and rigorous – but it is French. A child transitioning from a US school to a French collège will face a language shift, a different grading system (20-point scale rather than letter grades), and a different academic culture.
The families who navigate this most smoothly tend to either commit fully to the French system early, accepting a transitional period, or maintain their international curriculum through a school like Legacy while using local resources – French tutoring, virtual clubs, extracurriculars – for language and social integration.
The Martins – a Brazilian-American family in Nice – committed fully to the French system when they arrived in 2022. Their daughter, then 10, adjusted well over two years. By collège she was fluent and on track for the baccalauréat général. Their son, three years younger, struggled longer with the language shift. They added Legacy’s online elementary school for English Language Arts and math while he settled in. Two years later he was back in the French system full-time. No permanent switch – just a bridge.
Both families made it work. The difference was knowing which tool to reach for.
For families in France who want their child to remain competitive for US, UK, or international university applications, the AP courses Legacy offers are directly relevant. AP scores are accepted by 500+ universities in 75+ countries. The French baccalauréat is not.
Both are valid paths. They are just different ones.
Book a free trial class to see what Legacy’s live online instruction looks like alongside – or instead of – a French school placement. Our admissions team is familiar with the range of situations expat families in France navigate.
Top Tips from Our Expert
Maya Robinson, College Prep Advisor at Legacy Online School
- Don’t assume your child can enter a French lycée at their current year-equivalent. French secondary school is structured differently from US grades, and placement depends on age, French language ability, and prior academic record.
- The baccalauréat général is a strong diploma – but it won’t automatically translate to competitive standing at US universities. AP scores and a US-accredited diploma are what American admissions offices are looking for.
- If your stay in France is under two years, maintaining your child’s international curriculum track is usually the more practical option. Full immersion in the French system makes more sense for families with longer commitments.
- Start the enrollment process in France early. Mairie enrollment for state schools happens in spring for the following September. International school waitlists fill months in advance.
- Private schools in France that are sous contrat follow the national curriculum. They are not international schools. Confirm the curriculum track before enrolling.
Disclaimer: This article provides general educational information about the French education system and is not a substitute for legal or professional advice. Education laws, enrollment procedures, and school availability in France may change. Expat families should verify current requirements with French education authorities and qualified professionals as appropriate to their situation. Legacy Online School does not provide legal or immigration advice.
