Education System in France

The French educational system is highly centralized; organized and ramified .It is divided into 3 different stages:

• Primary education
• Secondary education
• Higher education
  

Primary Education:
In France, kids start school very early, school starts 3 (for almost 100%) and children spend 3 years in kindergarten, schooling is compulsory until age 16.

Secondary Education:
For secondary education age is from 11 to 15 which is know as BEPC which is equivalent to 10 th in India, then the students who completes secondary school in France receive a diploma known as the Baccalaureate which is equivalent to 12th in India.

Higher education:
Higher education is offered in different institution. There are two different types of education institutes that International Students usually you can choose from Universities and Grande Ecoles. Admission and promotion is through a system of merit-based examinations. Thus, intellectually qualified students are ensured a fair chance of pursuing their educational goals, regardless of their financial or social status.

STRUCTURE OF FRENCH EDUCATION SYSTEM

• Pre-higher education:
  Age of entry:6
  Age of exit:16
  
  
• Structure of school system:
  
  
  
  1. Primary
     Type of school providing this education: Ecole Primaire
     Length of program in years:5
     Age level from: 6 to 11
     
     
  2. Lower Secondary
     Type of school providing this education: Collège
     Length of program in years:4
     Age level from: 11 to 15
     Certificate/diploma awarded: Brevet des Collèges
     
     
  3. Upper Secondary
     Type of school providing this education: Lycée d'Enseignement général, technologique et professionnel
     Length of program in years:3
     Age level from: 15 to 18
     Certificate/diploma awarded: Baccalauréat général, Baccalauréat technologique, or Baccalauréat professionnel.
     
     
  4. Vocational
     Type of school providing this education: Lycée professionnel
     Length of program in years:2
     Age level from: 15 to 17
     Certificate/diploma awarded: Certificat d'Aptitude professionnelle (CAP) or Brevet d'Etudes professionnelles (BEP)
     
     
  5. Professional
     Type of school providing this education: Lycée professionnel
     Length of program in years:2
     Age level from: 17 to 19
     Certificate/diploma awarded: Baccalauréat professionnel
     

Universities

There are about 88 public Universities spread throughout the country. They cover the entire range of academic disciplines from the sciences, including Mathematics, chemistry, physics and biology to technology, covering computer science, engineering, material science and electrical engineering through to literature, language, the arts, the social science, law economics management health sports and more. The university covers all disciplines and trains student for research. Students are usually in larger classes with fewer support systems. The fee structure is sometimes lower than the other countries.

University studies are divided into three stages, called the Premier Cycle, Deuxième Cycle, and Troisième Cycles. Each university is divided into departments or UFR (Unités de formation et de recherche) which cover all disciplines, from science to the humanities. Course units in each discipline, which must be passed in order to graduate, are called UV (Unités de valeur). University diplomas are nationally standardised and transferable between institutions.

Grande Ecoles

The Grande ecoles are uniquely French institutions, created in the early 19th century in parallel to the university system; they are extremely selective and offer education of a very high standard. There are over 300 Grande Ecoles in France covering different subject areas. The fee structure can sometimes be higher but students benefit from smaller class sizes, better support systems and excellent networks (alumini companies and international partners). These can be either Public or Private Institutions or part of both.