STUDY ABROAD || FRANCE

INTRODUCTION

France has one of the most developed public education systems in Europe and boasts over 3,500 higher learning institutions. Many people believe that if you want to study in France, you must speak French. Whilst this is still broadly true for undergraduate courses, there are now a number of universities in France where English is the primary language used for lectures and seminars. Home to some of the most iconic and beautiful cities in Europe, France is also the country of origin of many of the world’s greatest thinkers - Descartes, Sartre, Proust, and Camus to name but a few - and some of its top academic institutions. For overseas students with French language abilities or those willing to learn, France can be an excellent option. Now that English is being used in selected establishments more students are discovering France as study destination.

France Education System

The French educational system is highly centralized and organized, with many subdivisions. After nursery school or kindergarten (école maternelle), which is optional, the French compulsory education system is divided into three stages or cycles which are Primary Education, Secondary Education, and Higher education.

Primary Education (enseignement primaire)

Children in France attend primary school from Age of 6 to 11 years. There are 5 levels of Primary Education.
 Cours préparatoire (CP) or 11ème : Age 6 to 7 years
 Cours élémentaire (CE1) or 10ème : Age 7 to 8 years
 Cours élémentaire (CE2) or 9ème : Age 8 to 9 years
 Cours moyen 1 (CM1) or 8ème : 9 to 10 years
 Cours moyen 2 (CM2) or 7ème : 10 to 11 years

Secondary Education (enseignement secondaire)

Between the ages of 11 and 15, students in France attend a middle school or collège.
There are 4 levels of Secondary Education.
 6ème : 11 to 12 years
 5ème : 12 to 13 years
 4ème : 13 to 14 years
 3ème : 14 to 15 years

HIGHER EDUCATION

Students generally prepare themselves for Higher Education at the Age of 15 to 18 years. Last 3 years of secondary education are spent as a lycée general, a lycée technique or a lycée professionnel. Students take the same core curriculum of some 8 or 9 subjects but are offered three electives and an artistic workshop. At the end of this year, the key decision is made as to which baccalaureat the student will pursue. The levels are:
 Seconde (CAP, BEP) : 15 to 16 years
 Première (CAP, BEP) : 16 to 17 years
 Terminale (BAC) : 17 to 18 years

Lycée General and Lycée Technique

Students start to specialize with the aim of sitting the Baccalauréat (le bac), which is the qualification to enter university at 18 years old. Students choose different ‘series’. The general bac consists of the L series (literary studies), ES series (economic and social studies) or S series (sciences).

Lycée Professionnel

The professional baccalaureate requires three years of study and certifies the student to work in a qualified professional industry.