Secondary Education in France

Secondary education in France follows five years of primary school and is divided into two main stages:

• Collège — lower secondary school for pupils aged 11–15. This stage is compulsory.
• Lycée — upper secondary school for ages 15–18. It's no longer compulsory by law, but almost everyone attends.

Education in France is compulsory from age 3 to 16. However, since the 2020 academic year, those aged 16–18 are required to pursue training, an internship, or a vocational preparation programme. So formally until 16, but in practice almost until 18.

Upon completing collège, students take the Diplôme National du Brevet — the national lower secondary qualification. Then comes the choice. At upper secondary level, students choose one of three pathways in the lycée:

• General lycée — the academic path, leading to university.
• Technological lycée — combining academic and applied learning.
• Vocational lycée (Lycée Professionnel) — focused on practical career preparation.

At the end of upper secondary education, students take the national examination — the Baccalauréat (Le Bac) — which is required for higher education admission.

Key Facts and Figures

• In the 2025/2026 academic year, there are 6,980 collèges and 3,700 lycées in France.
• Public and private secondary schools enrol 5.621 million pupils — 14,700 fewer than the previous year (a 0.3% decline). The main reason is demographic decline in collèges, while lycées are seeing growth, particularly in vocational programmes.
• In 2025, 744,000 candidates registered for the Baccalauréat — 8,700 fewer than in 2024 — but the overall pass rate rose to 91.6%. This improvement was visible across all three streams: 96.2% in general, 90.9% in technological, and 83.9% in vocational.
• The proportion of the age cohort obtaining the Baccalauréat reached 80.1%.

The French education system is centralised at the national level and is characterised by academic rigour, with a strong emphasis on humanities, philosophy, mathematics, and analytical thinking. Here, they value not just knowledge, but the ability to think critically.

Higher Education in France

France has one of the largest and most prestigious higher education systems in Europe. The country has several types of institutions:

• Public universities — the backbone of the system.
• Grandes Écoles — elite, highly selective institutions that are harder to enter than universities.
• Specialised schools — in business, engineering, art, and political science.

Leading institutions include Sorbonne University, PSL University, École Polytechnique, HEC Paris, and Sciences Po — names that are recognised worldwide.

Key Features

• Bachelor's programmes (Licence) typically last 3 years, master's (Master) 2 years, and doctoral programmes 3 years.
• Tuition at public universities is affordable compared to many Western countries. However, since 2019, differentiated fees have applied for non‑EU students — they are higher, but still cheaper than in the US or the UK.
• The number of English‑taught programmes is growing, particularly at master's level.

Enrolment Figures

In the 2025–2026 academic year, 3.05 million students are enrolled in French higher education — a 1.1% increase. In universities, growth is even more pronounced: 1,672,900 students (+2.6%).

The number of international students in France reached 443,500 in the 2024–2025 academic year — a 3% increase year‑on‑year and 17% over five years. International students account for approximately 15% of all students in French higher education. The main source countries are Morocco, Algeria, China, Italy, and Senegal. There has been significant growth from sub‑Saharan Africa (+7%), Europe (+5%), and India (+17%).

France consistently ranks among the world leaders in research, business education, and engineering. French universities are particularly strong in business, fashion, hospitality management, political science, engineering, culinary arts, and luxury brand management.

Summer Programmes and Language Courses

France is one of the world's leading destinations for learning French — a major global language spoken on five continents. The country offers a wide range of summer programmes for schoolchildren and university students.

Programme Format

• French language classes — 15–25 hours per week.
• Cultural workshops — cooking, art, film, fashion, history.
• Pre‑university and business summer schools.
• Excursions to Paris, Lyon, Nice, Bordeaux, and the French Riviera.
• Accommodation in host families, boarding schools, or university residences.

Facts and Context

• Hundreds of accredited French language schools operate across the country.
• France is a major study destination within the European Union.

Summer programmes in France combine academic excellence with a rich cultural heritage, offering students full immersion in the language, art, and the European way of life.

If you're considering France for your child — we'll help you navigate every stage, from choosing a school and programme type to document preparation and visa application. Get in touch — we'll tell you where to start.