EDUCATION SYSTEM IN FRANCE
Thứ Hai - 15/12/2025
The French education system is divided into three levels:
- Primary Education (l’enseignement primaire) – 9 years, of which 8 years are compulsory
- Secondary Education (l’enseignement secondaire) – 7 years
- Higher Education (l’enseignement supérieur) – 2 to 8 years
In 1882, Jules Ferry, then Minister of Education, implemented a law requiring all children aged 6 to 12 to attend school regardless of gender, race, religion, or ethnicity, and education at this level was made completely free. Since 1959, schooling has been compulsory for all children aged 6 to 16, and from September 2019, compulsory education begins at age 3.
All academic programs in France are supervised by the Ministry of National Education. At the primary and secondary levels, the same curriculum applies nationwide across public, semi-public, and private schools.
I. Primary Education (l’enseignement primaire) – Ages 3 to 11
1. Preschool (L’école maternelle)
All children aged 3 and above must attend preschool. If space permits, children as young as 2 may also be admitted. Preschool consists of three levels: La petite section, La moyenne section, La grande section.
2. Elementary School (L’école élémentaire)
Elementary school admits students aged 6 to 10, with the following class levels:
- CP (cours préparatoire)
- CE1 (cours élémentaire 1ère année)
- CE2 (cours élémentaire 2ème année)
- CM1 (cours moyen 1ère année)
- CM2 (cours moyen 2ème année)
France is the European country where children have the fewest school days per year, yet the longest school hours per day, with 36 weeks of schooling annually.
II. Secondary Education (l’enseignement secondaire)
Secondary education is divided into two stages: Lower Secondary School (le collège) and Upper Secondary School (le lycée). A 20-point grading scale is used throughout this level.
1. Lower Secondary School (le collège)
Lower secondary schools admit all students after CM2, typically at age 11, unless a child has repeated a grade. There are four class levels: 6e, 5e, 4e, 3e (equivalent to Grades 6, 7, 8, and 9 in Vietnam)
2. Upper Secondary School (le lycée)
After completing collège, students may continue at: general high school (lycée général), technical high school (lycée technique), vocational high school (lycée professionnel).
- Vocational High School – 2 years: Students earn either the CAP (certificat d’aptitude professionnelle) or the BEP (brevet d’études professionnelles). After obtaining a BEP and completing an additional 2 years of study, students can receive the vocational baccalauréat (bac professionnel). There are around 50 types of bac professionnel, each aligned with a specific career field.
- Technical High School – 2 years: This pathway prepares students for higher education. Students may choose from eight types of technical baccalaureate programs, such as: Industrial Science and Technology (le bac sciences et technologies industrielles), Social and Health Sciences (le bac sciences médico-sociales), Music and Dance Technology (le bac techniques de la musique et de la danse).
- General High School – 3 years: General high school consists of three class levels: La seconde (10th grade), La première (11th grade), La terminale (12th grade).
Students typically study 30 – 40 hours per week depending on their subject choices. Orientation begins in seconde, where students choose between the general track or the technological track.
At the end of première, students take the French exam; in terminale, they sit for exams in all remaining subjects to obtain the baccalauréat (le bac) – the essential qualification granting access to higher education.
General high schools offer three main types of baccalauréat:
- Scientific Baccalaureate (le bac S – scientifique)
- Literary Baccalaureate (le bac L – littérature)
- Economic and Social Baccalaureate (le bac ES – économique et social)
III. Higher Education (l’enseignement supérieur)
French higher education is structured around the LMD system (Licence – Master – Doctorat). Most French degrees allow students to earn ECTS credits recognized across the European Union and in many countries worldwide.
The academic year is divided into two semesters: Semester 1: September to January, Semester 2: February to May. Each semester equals 30 ECTS credits.
Degree Structure (LMD System)
Degrees are awarded based on the number of completed semesters and accumulated ECTS* credits:
- Bachelor’s Degree (Licence): Completion of 6 semesters = 180 ECTS (3 years);
- Master’s Degree: 4 additional semesters after the Licence = 120 ECTS, totaling 300 ECTS for both Bachelor’s and Master’s levels;
- Doctorate (Doctorat): Typically 6 semesters = 180 ECTS (3 years), totaling 480 ECTS across all three levels.
* ECTS (European Credits Transfer System): A standardized system allowing accumulation and transfer of credits across European institutions. ECTS enables mobility and recognition of studies completed in different European countries.
For tailored guidance and full assistance throughout your study-abroad journey, please contact us HERE:
Duc Anh EduConnect
Hotline: 09887 09698, 09630 49860
Email: duhoc@ducanh.edu.vn
Website: ducanhduhoc.vn/
Bài viết liên quan
Triển lãm: Du học, làm việc, định cư tại Úc, New Zealand, Canada
Học ngành nào dễ định cư? Học trường nào, khu vực nào được cộng điểm định cư? Các yêu cầu khác bên cạnh bằng cấp, trình độ tiếng Anh khi xin định cư tại Úc, New Zealand, Canada? Những thắc mắc này sẽ được giải đáp cặn kẽ tại TRIỂN LÃM DU HỌC QUỐC TẾ 2016
Chuỗi hội thảo: Thi tiếng Anh và hồ sơ xin học bổng Anh, Úc, Mỹ, New Zealand, Canada
Đức Anh EduConnect thân mời các phụ huynh và học sinh tham dự chuỗi hội thảo về chuẩn bị tiếng Anh, chuẩn bị hồ sơ du học, xin học bổng, visa du học các nước Anh, Úc, Mỹ, New Zealand, Canada.
30 trường đại học, cao đẳng, phổ thông Úc triển lãm du học
Hơn 30 trường Úc tham dự triển lãm du học tại Hà Nội và Hồ Chí Minh, giới thiệu các chương trình phổ thông, cao đẳng, đại học của hơn 500 ngành học. Cơ hội học bổng cho học sinh- sinh viên xuất sắc & nhiều hỗ trợ từ công ty Đức Anh/ nhà trường.
Cơ hội tìm học bổng 10-100% tại Triển lãm du học 2016
Triển lãm du học quốc tế 2016 sẽ diễn ra với nhiều hoạt động tư vấn, tuyển sinh, tư vấn học bổng 10-100%, chia sẻ kinh nghiệm du học bổ ích với các cựu du học sinh và đại diện hơn 800 trường quốc tế đến từ Anh, Úc, Mỹ, Tây Ban Nha…
Học viện CNTT AIT: Biến đam mê thành nghề nghiệp- Học bổng 11.000 AUD
Bạn yêu thích game, đam mê công nghệ hay đơn giản chỉ là yêu thích việc thiết kế? Bạn đã từng nghĩ làm thế nào để biến những đam mê…
Du học với chi phí tiết kiệm và hiệu quả nhất
Nếu bạn quan tâm đến tiết kiệm khi du học, bạn có thể tham khảo những phương án dưới đây để tiết kiệm chi phí hết mức có thể mà…