High School in France

French high schools are rigorous, and you will have many different options to choose from. There are special programs for students who want to study sciences, language and literature, or economics and social sciences.

A close group of students

At French high schools you will study all your subjects with the same group of students, unlike many other countries where you attend different classes with different students. This is a great way to make friends, because you will become close with others in your group and get to know your class mates very well. 

Homework and teachers

In addition to spending much of the day in classes, you will be given homework, which includes reading, research projects, essays and other assignments. The relationship between pupils and teachers is formal, and it is important to listen to your teacher during lectures. 

Long days, long lunches!

Classes usually begin at about 8:00 AM in the morning and finish at 5:00 or 6:00 PM in the afternoon. Students also have one hour break in general.

School finishes around 5:30 or 6:00 PM 

The French school system - Lycée

In France, students between the ages of 15 and 18 attend a lycée. There are different lycées for general studies, technological studies and vocational studies.

Lycée général

Most students who want to attend university go to a lycée général, where they can study literature and humanities, science, or economics and social studies.

Seconde, Premiere, Terminale

The first year of lycée, when students are about 15 to 16 years old, is called the Seconde. The middle year is called the premiere and the last year, when students are about 17 to 18 years old, is called the Terminale. 

The “bac”

After completing the Seconde, French students choose to pursue a specific “baccalaureate.” Common baccalaureates to follow are science, literature and humanities, economics and social sciences. Those are the most common areas of study, but there are plenty of others, such as management sciences and technologies. At the end of the Terminale, students take important baccalaureate exams, which they call “the bac for Baccalaureate.”

Academic courses

The academic subjects you study during your student exchange will depend on what baccalaureate you pursue. Some of the common subjects include: 

• French language and literature
• Philosophy
• Mathematics
• Economics
• History
• Physics
• Social studies

After the bac 

After taking the bac, most students continue their studies. Some choose to pursue university educations; others go on to study business, engineering or something else.