Study In France

Education is a priority in France, with 21 percent of the annual national budget earmarked for education. The country boasts a 99 percent literacy rate. France’s higher education history is lengthy. The University of Paris, one of the world’s oldest universities, was founded in 1215. Prior to 1789, education was controlled by the Catholic Church. After the French Revolution, a standardized and centralized education system was instituted.

The French academic school year runs from September until June. Examinations are typically offered in June, with a second set of retake examinations scheduled in September.

Elementary Education

In France, education is compulsory between the ages of 6 and 16. Elementary school (enseignement élémentaire) begins at age 6 and lasts for 5 years. It is divded into two cycles: the basic learning cycle (two years) and the consolidation cycle (three years). Elementary education focuses on French, mathematics, reading and writing, social sciences, science and the introduction of a first foreign language.

Secondary Education

Following elementary school, students enroll in secondary school. Secondary education is divided into two levels: lower secondary (enseignement secondaire du premier cycle) and upper secondary (enseignement secondaire du deuxième cycle).

Lower Secondary Education
Lower secondary education is taught at middle schools (collèges) and is open to all students who have completed elementary school. The program is four years in length and consists of four grades numbered in descending order. Studies begin in year six (sixième) and end in year three (troisième).

The curriculum focuses on French, foreign language, mathematics, history and geography, life and earth science, physics and chemistry, art, technology, music and physical education. At the end of lower secondary school, students take a national examination in one of three streams: academic, technological or vocational. Those who pass the examination earn the Diplôme National du Brevet (DNB). Those who fail the examination earn a school-leaving certificate called le Certificat de Formation Générale (CFG).

Upper Secondary Education
Upper secondary school is three years in length and is comprised of years 10, 11 and 12 (called seconde, première and terminale). Upper secondary education takes place at high schools (lycées). Access is granted to students who have the DNB and to a very limited number of students with the CFG. At the end of the first year (seconde), students choose a stream of study that will be followed for the final two years of upper secondary study leading to the baccalauréat examinations. The general academic stream culminates in the diplôme du baccalauréat général. The technology-based stream earns students the diplôme du baccalauréat technologique and the vocational stream leads to the baccalauréat professionnel. All three types of baccalauréat grant students access to university studies. Students who fail the baccalauréat examination are issued the certificat de fin d’études secondaires.

Students who are enrolled in vocational programs may also earn the Certificat d’Aptitude Professionnelle (CAP) and the Brevet d’Etudes Professionnelles (BEP), both of which are terminal degrees intended to give the students access to jobs in their chosen industry. The baccalauréat examinations are offered in June and September every year.

The Baccalauréat Program

The academic stream is offered in three concentrations: literary (L), economic and social sciences (ES), and scientific (S). Students follow a curriculum of math, science (life and earth sciences or engineering sciences), physics and chemistry, philosophy, languages, civics, social science and physical education during their final year of study. Students in the literary stream focus their coursework on languages, history and geography, the arts and literature. Students in the science stream focus their coursework on science and mathematics, while students in the economic and social science stream focus on economics and social sciences, history and geography, mathematics and languages.

The technology stream has concentrations available in industrial science and technology, laboratory sciences, health sciences, hotel and tourism, management, music and dance, and environmental science. The vocational stream has concentrations in many different specialties, including sales, accounting, automotive mechanics and graphic design. It prepares students to enter the job market, but also provides access to higher education.

Admission

Admission to higher education is based on the baccalauréat examination. Some selective higher education programs, offered at the grandes écoles, require students to take a competitive examination (concours) for entrance into the program. In order to take this examination, students generally complete two years of preparatory study (classes préparatoires) at specialized high schools (lycées).

Institutions and Degrees

Brevet de Technicien Supérieur (BTS) (Higher Technician’s Certificate)

The BTS is a two-year technical degree awarded by the Ministry of Education. Admission to the BTS is competitive. The BTS is earned after the completion of two years (120 ECTS credits) of preparatory study in a lycée and the passing of a national examination. Those who have earned a BTS can proceed into the workforce, or use it for access to further study in bachelor’s programs in engineering or business.

Institut Universitaires de Technologie (IUT) (University Institutes of Technology)

The two-year programs are offered at IUT, which are independent institutions affiliated with universities. These programs culminate in the diplôme universitaire de technologie (DUT). Admission to IUT is competitive. This degree is designed to prepare students for employment in their field of study, but also gives access to university degree programs.

Universities

There are 83 public universities in France, and 80% of the tertiary student population attends these institutions, as they are very accessible, affordable and offer many programs of study. The L-M-D structure instituted under the Bologna Process reforms created a three-tiered system of education at the universities: the bachelor’s degree (licence), the master’s degree (master) and the doctorate (doctorat).

Admission to diplôme de licence programs is based on the baccalauréat, the national school leaving certificate. The licence degree is issued after three years of study and 180 ECTS credits. There is also a professional version of this degree called the diplôme de licence professionnel for students who hold the BTS or the DUT (see above). The program is one year in duration and requires the completion of 60 ECTS credits.

Following the licence, students may continue studies at the graduate level. After two years of study and completion of 120 ECTS credits, they earn the grade de master. The master allows students access to the third cycle of education. The third cycle of education leads to the doctorat. It requires a minimum of three years of study and the completion and defense of a thesis.

Studies in Medicine, Pharmacy and Dentistry

The professional programs in medicine, dentistry and pharmacy all begin with a common year of health-related study (première année commune aux etudes de santé). After the first year, students must sit for a competitive examination. This limits the number of students eligible for further medical, pharmaceutical and dental study.

General Medicine

Medical study is offered at universities and is grouped into three cycles. The first medical cycle (premier cycle en médicine) requires two years of study, one of which is the common year (see above).The second cycle (deuxième cycle en médecine) requires four years of study. The third cycle of medical study varies in length depending on the program chosen.

Students that follow the general program complete a three-year residency (résidanat) and defend a thesis to earn le Diplôme d’État de Docteur en Médecine (State Diploma of Doctor of Medicine). This allows the holder to practice general medicine.

Medical Specialists

For students following a specialist program, the third cycle requires a four or five year internship (internat). After completion of the program and defense of the thesis, students earn the Diplôme d’État de Docteur en Médecine and le Diplôme d’Etudes Spécialisées (Diploma of Specialized Studies) is awarded after completion of the internship. This allows the holder to practice as a medical specialist.

Pharmacy

Following the first year of general health study, students complete an additional five years of study to earn the Diplôme d’État de Docteur en Pharmacie (State Diploma of Doctor of Pharmacy). This allows the holder to practice as a pharmacist.

Dentistry

Following the first year of general health study, students complete a program of an additional five to seven years of study. This earns them the Diplôme d’État de Docteur en Chirurgie-Dentaire (State Diploma of Doctor of Dentistry). This allows the holder to practice as a dentist.

Les Grandes Écoles

In addition to universities, France is home to over 200 grandes écoles. These schools are specialized institutions, and about 30 of them are considered to be very prestigious. They offer programs in areas such as engineering, education, architecture and business administration. Admission to the grandes écoles requires the completion of two years of preparatory study and passing a competitive examination (concours). This is followed by a three-year program of study. Some schools admit students directly after the baccalaureate examination and offer a five-year program leading to a diploma in engineering.

Engineering

Engineering study can be completed at universities and engineering grandes écoles and culminates in the diplôme d’ingénieur (Diploma of Engineer). Entry into these programs is very competitive. Admission is usually achieved through completion of preparatory study, the DUT or the BTS and with a competitive entrance examination. The engineering program lasts three years.

Mastère Spécialisé and Mastère en Sciences

These are post-graduate diplomas offered at grandes écoles following a one-year program comprised of coursework, research and a thesis.

Public higher education institutions operate under the authority of the State and therefore all national and university-issued diplomas are recognized. Private institutions need to apply to receive academic recognition from the Ministry of Education. Institutions can receive two levels of official recognition.

Institutional Recognition (Reconnaissance d’un établissement)

• The Ministry of Education can grant academic recognition by decree. Recognized private institutions receive state funding and students are able to apply for public grants.
• Diplomas issued by institutions with this status bear the title “établissement d’enseignement supérieur privé reconnu par l’état” (private higher education institution recognized by the State).

Degrees Validated by the State (Visé par l’État)

• Once an institution has been recognized for a minimum of five years, it may apply for its degrees to be validated by the State.
• In order for this to occur, the institution must submit to continuous reviews of its program, including the curriculum and graduation requirements, the quality of instruction, and the level of job integration after degree conferral.
• When the degree has been given the title visé par l’État, it signifies a standardized level of quality for the program. This status is awarded in a ministerial decree and lasts for a maximum of six years, at which point the program would have to be reevaluated to ensure quality.

Grading Scales

Baccalaureate Grading Scale

Bachelor’s Degree Grading Scale

Grandes Écoles/Graduate Grading Scale

Opportunities for working in France – either on a short-term basis or permanently – depend very much on two key factors; a) the state of the labour market, and b) the nationality of the job-seeker.

Employment
The French labour market is traditionally plagued by relatively high levels of unemployment (compared to comparable economies); so finding work in France, even for those who have the skills and documents required, is not always easy. France’s unemployment rate in 2019 is around 8.8%: it is marginally above the EU average, is falling very slowly, but is a higher unemployment rate than in Belgium, Germany or the UK, though lower than in Spain (Figures from Eurostat). Notwithstanding, there are sectors in which there are plenty of vacancies, notably hospitality catering and even IT.

Wages, salaries
Average annual wages in France are lower than in the USA, Germany, the Netherlands or Scandinavia, for example, about the same as the UK, but higher than in southern or eastern Europe. However income inequality in France is less than in the UK Germany or the US so the difference in wage or salary levels between France and the UK tends to be less at the lower end of the scale than it is for high-paid jobs.  The top end of the salary scale in many professions (including teachers, doctors, bankers) is quite a bit lower in France than in the UK or the US, though for jobs lower down the hierarchy there is less difference.
As a concrete example, a 2014 report from the OECD  indicated that the top annual salary for a University Vice-chancellor (President) in France was 101,000 €, compared to a top Vice-chancellor’s salary of 611,000 € in the UK (Oxford) and an average university Vice-chancellor’s salary of  382,000 € in the USA.

• European nationals (people with a passport issued by a European Union member state); in most cases, your rights to look for a job or start working in France are the same as those of French nationals, except for jobs in public administration, where French nationality may be required. For many jobs, a good mastery of the French language will be required.

• Non-EU nationals (including British, Americans, Australians, Chinese, etc.); the right to work will normally depend on obtaining a residence permit (carte de résidence), or a temporary resident’s card for students. This goes for non-EU nationals married to French nationals, if they have not sought and been granted French nationality, and for all other non-EU nationals. Once the necessary residence card has been obtained, the right to work is the same as that of a French citizen – though an ability to speak French may be demanded. For some temporary residence permits, territorial restrictions may apply.

• British nationals In spite of Brexit, the bush telegraph suggests that France is unlikely to close the door on British nationals if they want to set up a business in France or take on work in places or sectors where there is a skills shortage. However, in January 2021 the situation is completely unclear on account of the impact of the Covid crisis on the labour market in France, as in other countries. A true picture is unlikely to emerge before the end of 2021, once things get back to a sort of normal.

Seeking employment

The main ways to find employment are through local media (particularly free small ads papers) and through local job centres, known either as the ANPE (pronounced Are Enn Pay Euh), the old name, or the local “Pole Emploi”, the new name. Employers should require proof of identity and proof of your right to work; they should also provide a written contract, even for temporary employment. You may need to open a bank account in France, since most employers like to pay all salaries and wages by bank draft or by cheque. This is obligatory for any employee earning over 1500 € a month.

Social Security (French national health service) contributions

As an employee with a French work contract, you will find that your take-home pay is about 10% less than your gross pay. This is because social security contributions (covering your right to health care, retirement, unemployment benefit and other advantages) will have been deducted. Income tax will not have been deducted, as French income-tax is not deducted at source. As an employee, you should request a Social Security number, by contacting the local Social Security office (Caisse primaire d’assurance maladie); while your definitive number is being prepared (the administrative process takes a couple of months), you should be given a temporary number, allowing you to benefit fully from subsidised health care, sickness, injury and other social security rights.

Work contracts

There are two main types of employment contracts in France, temporary contracts (known as CDD – contrat à durée déterminée) and open-ended contracts (CDI – contrat à durée indéterminée). Most new jobs come in the form of CDD; at the end of a CDD, the employee’s contract is either terminated, or renewed.. A CDD can, in theory, only be renewed once, and the total duration of employment cannot exceed 18 months. Employers who want to keep employees for longer are obliged to sign a CDI. However, since employees on a CDI are hard and expensive to lay off, even in the event of economic downturn, most employers try to keep new employees on CDD for as long as possible, and many (including public service employers, i.e. the French state) flout the law in this matter.
The third type of  work contract is the “seasonal labour” contract, limited to sectors in which labour requirements depend entirely on seasonal factors. This type of contract is very common in the tourism and agricultural sectors.

Self Employment

Until 2009, setting up as self employed (entreprise individuelle) in France was an expensive, flagrantly unjust, and complex process, initially requiring flat-rate Social Security contributions based on the assumption that you would earn a decent living. For those struggling to make ends meet, life was hard, very hard. But since January 1st 2009, things have got much easier, fairer and cheaper. The new  “régime de l’autoentrepreneur” (or self-employed entrepreneur scheme) is a one-stop pay-as-you-earn self employment system, in which all tax and social security payments due are based on actual earnings.
This new scheme is recommended for anyone wanting to set up as self-employed, as long as annual income from this activity does not exceed €32,000 for service activities (translator, decorator, plumber, IT consultant, etc) or €80,000 from activities involving sale of goods. Deductions, covering healthcare payments, retirement, and income tax, are 13% of gross income for activities involving sale of goods, and 23% of gross income for service activities.  Apart from these very attractive tax liability rates, this new scheme is extremely attractive on account of its simplicity, compared to other systems for which the self-employed must register with at least three different administrations, including chambers of commerce or their professional equivalents, the “URSSAF”, and the “RSI” or an equivalent body.

However, anyone wanting to set up a business with income levels above the autoentrepreneur threshholds will need to register as a small firm, normally either as an EURL (Entreprise unipersonnelle à responsabilité limitée – single person limited liability company) or as a SARL (Société anonyme à responsibilité limitée – private limited company). To do so, it is necessary to go through the appropriate local CFE (Centre de Formalités des Entreprises) office; the CFE website allows prospective entrepreneurs find the appropriate CFE office, by selecting firstly the nature of their business activity, secondly the type of structure required, and finally the location.

Tax liability
A person is deemed to be fiscally resident in France, and thus liable to pay income tax in France, if he or she is physically present in France for 183 days or more in the year. That means half the year or more. Income tax is payable on all income, wherever it is earned. Dual taxation agreements between France and other nations, notably EU nations and developed economies, allow a tax credit on income tax that has already been paid in another country.

Short-stay visas are governed by European regulations. This non-renewable short-stay visa allows stays of up to 3 months in the 26-country Schengen zone. Holders of this visa do not require the French residence permit.

Short-term visa for students attending interviews or appearing for entrance tests:

This visa entitles the holder to enter France for the purpose of attending an interview or appearing for an entrance test at an institution of higher education. If successful, students in this category may apply for a 1-year renewable residence permit in France and will not be required to return to their home country to do so.

Students applying for a short-stay visa (less than 90 days) do not need to go through Campus France.