International Schools

France has international schools following various curricula from well-known education systems...

Both international and French schools may offer schooling in English: International Schools:

  • Monolingual schools which follow the home country syllabus and where teaching is entirely in English.
  • Bilingual schools which follow an adapted international curriculum based on both the French and English education systems and where teaching is in both English and French.
French Schools:
  • French Schools with an International Section: A percentage of classes are given in English by a native English-language teacher, within the French Curriculum. The student is qualified to take the OIB exam, the English equivalent of the French Bac.
  • French Schools with a high level of English: In these schools a high percentage of teaching is given in English by native English-language teachers.
The Paris-based organisation ELSA (English Language Schools Association of France), provides up-to-date information for those seeking schooling in English, in France. There are American and British Schools in Paris, which follow the exact curricula of their home countries. The Council of International Schools, an international not-for-profit body, lists most international schools in France (and worldwide).

Baccalaureate

At high school level, students can opt for either:
  • the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma
  • the French Baccalauréat International Option (BOI) also known as the Option Internationale du Baccalauréat (OIB).
The IB Diploma follows the syllabus of the home country. Many, but not all, of French bilingual schools make this option available. The BOI is a baccalaureate qualification which forms an optional part of the French baccalaureate examination and as such allows the student to enter higher education in France. International schools (such as British or American schools) offer the curriculum and qualifications of the home country. For example, students at a British international school are prepared for the GCSE and GCE examinations while American schools provide testing for examinations including SAT I & II, and PSAT.

International Schools in France

There are many international and bilingual schools for expat families living in France. If you are looking for an international school in a specific region, see the links below: