{"id":53468,"date":"2024-02-27T06:55:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-27T05:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/?p=53468"},"modified":"2026-05-07T10:09:37","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T09:09:37","slug":"french-education-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/blog\/french-education-system\/","title":{"rendered":"An overview of the French education system"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Last updated: March 31, 2026.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re thinking about studying in France or just want to learn how the system works, this article gives you a clear introduction to the structure, stages, and main features of education in France.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On this page, you\u2019ll find:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>An <strong>overview of the education system<\/strong> in France<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A closer look at each stage, <strong>from primary through secondary and higher education<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Details about <strong>further education options<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How much <strong>education costs<\/strong> in France<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A list of <strong>French diplomas<\/strong> and how they are recognized internationally<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Note: This guide focuses on the main path from primary to secondary and higher education in France. It does not cover every possible route, such as art or vocational studies.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"798\" height=\"436\" src=\"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/GGF-blog-photo-watermarking-28.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-86424\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/GGF-blog-photo-watermarking-28.png 798w, https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/GGF-blog-photo-watermarking-28-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/GGF-blog-photo-watermarking-28-768x420.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 798px) 100vw, 798px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Overview of the French education system<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Primary and secondary education together last 12 years in France.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>Breakdown of the French education system<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Primary education in France<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Primary education in France takes place in primary schools and <strong>lasts for 5 years<\/strong>, usually for children aged 6 to 11. After finishing primary school, students move on to secondary education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">General breakdown:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>1st Grade: CP (Cours Pr\u00e9paratoire)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2nd Grade: CE1 (Cours \u00c9l\u00e9mentaire 1)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>3rd Grade: CE2 (Cours \u00c9l\u00e9mentaire 2)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>4th Grade: CM1 (Cours Moyen 1)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>5th Grade: CM2 (Cours Moyen 2)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Secondary education in France<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Secondary education in France <strong>takes place in coll\u00e8ges and lyc\u00e9es<\/strong>. It <strong>lasts 7 years in total<\/strong>: 4 years in coll\u00e8ge (middle school) and 3 years in lyc\u00e9e (high school).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Coll\u00e8ge<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All students in France must attend coll\u00e8ge, which usually covers ages 11 to 15 and lasts 4 years. At the end, students receive the <strong>Dipl\u00f4me national du brevet (DNB)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">General breakdown:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>6th Grade: 6\u00e8me (Sixi\u00e8me)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>7th Grade: 5\u00e8me (Cinqui\u00e8me)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>8th Grade: 4\u00e8me (Quatri\u00e8me)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>9th Grade: 3\u00e8me (Troisi\u00e8me)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Lyc\u00e9e<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The second part of secondary education takes place in lyc\u00e9es for students aged 15 to 18. This stage lasts 3 years. At the end, students receive the <strong>Dipl\u00f4me national du baccalaur\u00e9at (BAC)<\/strong>, which is needed to enter higher education in France.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">General breakdown:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>10th Grade: 2nde (Seconde)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>11th Grade: 1\u00e8re (Premi\u00e8re)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>12th Grade: Terminale<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"798\" height=\"436\" src=\"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/GGF-blog-photo-watermarking-1-4.png\" alt=\"education system france\" class=\"wp-image-86428\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/GGF-blog-photo-watermarking-1-4.png 798w, https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/GGF-blog-photo-watermarking-1-4-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/GGF-blog-photo-watermarking-1-4-768x420.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 798px) 100vw, 798px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Higher education in France<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After finishing high school, students in France have several options for higher education:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Universities<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">French universities use the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.campusfrance.org\/en\/French-degrees-LMD-equivalences\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">LMD structure<\/a><\/strong> (Licence\u2013Master\u2013Doctorat), which is a standard framework across Europe:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A <strong>Licence<\/strong> (bachelor\u2019s degree) <strong>takes 3 years<\/strong> to complete.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A <strong>Master <\/strong>(master\u2019s degree) <strong>takes 2 more years<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A <strong>Doctorat<\/strong> (PhD) usually <strong>requires at least 3 years<\/strong> of research after the master\u2019s.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most universities in France are open access at the Licence level, except for some competitive programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Preparatory classes (CPGE)<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Classes pr\u00e9paratoires aux grandes \u00e9coles (CPGE) are very selective programs based on academic performance. They are known for their heavy workload and frequent exams, called colles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They <strong>last 2 or 3 years<\/strong> after completing high school, and <strong>prepare students for entrance exams<\/strong> to top schools called Grandes \u00c9coles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are different tracks, such as humanities (Hypokh\u00e2gne \/ Kh\u00e2gne), maths and physics (MPSI \/ MP), or physics and chemistry (PCSI \/ PC).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Grandes \u00c9coles<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cge.asso.fr\/membres\/ecoles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Grandes \u00c9coles<\/a> are elite French higher-education institutions<\/strong>. They are known for highly selective admissions, small class sizes, and strong connections to industry and government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Students usually enter Grandes \u00c9coles by passing competitive entrance exams, which they prepare for during 2 or 3 years in a CPGE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These schools focus on fields such as engineering, business, finance, and public administration. They offer intensive, career-focused training and have strong alumni networks. Graduates often move into important roles in business, finance, engineering, or the French administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Within the Grandes \u00c9coles are the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.onisep.fr\/formation\/les-principaux-domaines-de-formation\/les-ens-ecoles-normales-superieures\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u00c9coles normales sup\u00e9rieures (ENS)<\/a>,<\/strong> which are elite schools for training top researchers, professors, and public intellectuals. Each ENS specializes in fields like humanities, sciences, engineering, or social sciences, and admission usually requires passing very competitive exams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Specialized, private schools<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Admission to these <strong>specialized schools<\/strong> is based on a competitive exam or the applicant&#8217;s file. Programs usually last 3 to 5 years and lead to a professional certification in fields like audio-visual, communication, journalism, fashion and design, agronomy, or political science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These certifications are registered under the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.francecompetences.fr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">R\u00e9pertoire National des Certifications Professionnelles (RNCP)<\/a><\/strong>. It is the official national registry that lists all recognized professional qualifications and diplomas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If a program is \u201cRNCP-certified\u201d, it means the qualification is officially recognized by the French government and valued by employers. These qualifications are divided into <strong>8 levels:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Level 1-4: Equal to or below high school<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Level 5: Associate degree level<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Level 6: Bachelor\u2019s degree level<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Level 7: Master\u2019s degree level<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Level 8: PhD level<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Technical schools<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In France, some schools offer more practical, technical, and career-focused programs than universities or Grandes \u00c9coles. These programs often include internships or apprenticeships and help students enter the workforce sooner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Main options include <strong>BTS (Brevet de Technicien Sup\u00e9rieur)<\/strong> and <strong>BUT (Bachelor Universitaire de Technologie)<\/strong>, which usually take <strong>2 to 3 years<\/strong> to complete. These programs focus on areas like hospitality, IT, design, or engineering. Another choice is the <strong>Licence professionnelle<\/strong>, which is similar to Licence of the LMD structure followed by universities, but more professionally oriented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"798\" height=\"436\" src=\"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/GGF-blog-photo-watermarking-2-16.png\" alt=\"education system france\" class=\"wp-image-86436\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/GGF-blog-photo-watermarking-2-16.png 798w, https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/GGF-blog-photo-watermarking-2-16-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/GGF-blog-photo-watermarking-2-16-768x420.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 798px) 100vw, 798px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Cost of education in France<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">France is known for offering low tuition fees because the French government subsidizes a large part of higher education. This is true for programs offered by most French universities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td>For European students, the average tuition fees are:<\/td><td>Non-EU students typically pay higher tuition fees, which are on average:<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>&#8211; \u20ac178 per year for a Bachelor<br>&#8211; \u20ac254 per year for a Master<br>&#8211; \u20ac397 per year for a PhD<\/td><td>&#8211; \u20ac2,895 per year for a Bachelor<br>&#8211; \u20ac3,941 per year for a Master<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.campusfrance.org\/en\/tuition-fees-France\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>Source: Campus France &#8211; Tuition Fees in France<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, for programs offered by Grandes \u00c9coles and private specialized, private schools, tuition fees typically range from \u20ac6,000 to \u20ac18,000 per year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>French diplomas and international recognition<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <strong>LMD structure (Licence\u2013Master\u2013Doctorat) is used throughout Europe<\/strong>. This makes it easier to study or transfer between countries. With this system, a Licence, Master, or Doctorat from France matches the bachelor\u2019s, master\u2019s, and PhD levels in other European countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A key part of this system is the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/education.ec.europa.eu\/education-levels\/higher-education\/inclusive-and-connected-higher-education\/european-credit-transfer-and-accumulation-system\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System)<\/a><\/strong>, which assigns credits to courses. Students usually earn 60 ECTS per academic year, totaling 180 credits for a Licence and 300 for a Master. These credits can be transferred between universities and countries, making it easier for students to study abroad and have their courses recognized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Outside Europe, French qualifications are also widely recognized. French bachelor\u2019s and master\u2019s degrees are highly valued abroad. For example, in the United States and Canada, French bachelor&#8217;s and master&#8217;s degrees are generally considered equivalent to local undergraduate and graduate degrees, which allows graduates to continue their studies or seek employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Diploma<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Equivalent<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Duration<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Recognition<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Dipl\u00f4me National du Brevet (DNB)<\/strong><\/td><td>Middle school diploma<\/td><td>End of middle school<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 Little value\ud83c\udf0d Little value<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Dipl\u00f4me National du Baccalaur\u00e9at (BAC)<\/strong><\/td><td>High school diploma<\/td><td>End of high school<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 Required for higher education<br>\ud83c\udf0d Recognized as high school diploma<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Brevet de Technicien Sup\u00e9rieur (BTS)<\/strong><\/td><td>Associate degree<\/td><td>2 years<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 Strong<br>\ud83c\udf0d May not be recognized in some countries<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Bachelor Universitaire de Technologie (BUT)<\/strong><\/td><td>Bachelor\u2019s degree<\/td><td>3 years<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 Strong<br>\ud83c\udf0d Strong<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Licence<\/strong><\/td><td>Bachelor\u2019s degree<\/td><td>3 years<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 Strong\ud83c\udf0d Strong<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Licence Professionnelle<\/strong><\/td><td>Bachelor\u2019s degree<\/td><td>3 years<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 Strong\ud83c\udf0d Strong<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Master<\/strong><\/td><td>Master\u2019s degree<\/td><td>2+ years after Licence<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 Strong\ud83c\udf0d Strong<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Doctorat<\/strong><\/td><td>PhD \/ Doctorate<\/td><td>3+ years after Master<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 Strong\ud83c\udf0d Strong<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Live and study in France with Go! Go! France<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Go! Go! France is a study abroad service helping international students move to France for school and daily life support. We help you choose the best school, find the right accommodation, manage visa requirements, and take care of all the small, but important, steps to ensure a smooth transition to life in France.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/contact\/\"><strong>Contact us<\/strong><\/a> with any questions or concerns you have. We\u2019re here to answer your questions and guide you through the process of studying in France.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Last updated: March 31, 2026. If you\u2019re thinking about studying in France or just want to learn how the system works, this article gives you a clear introduction to the structure, stages, and main features of education in France. On this page, you\u2019ll find: Note: This guide focuses on the main path from primary to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":119,"featured_media":53477,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1637],"tags":[1487],"class_list":["post-53468","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-helpful-guides","tag-education-system"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53468","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/119"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53468"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53468\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":87663,"href":"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53468\/revisions\/87663"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/53477"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53468"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53468"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53468"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}