How higher education in France works
In France, there are a large number of higher educational programmes available, and accessible to international students whether they speak French or not. Find out which lycées, universities and Grandes Ecoles have their doors open. French higher education involves 2.5 million students. 12% of them are from abroad. All of them benefit from highly diversified training, and are enrolled in every field, at every level.
Higher Education in France: some statistics and terms
Statistics about French higher education
In Hong Kong there are some 8 public universities and other higher education institutions. Meanwhile, the French higher education is renowned for its flexible structure, offering diverse paths to allow students to prusue higher education. France has more than 3,500 public and private institutes of higher education in France. It includes 72 public universities, 220 schools of business and management, 227 engineering schools, 45 post-secondary public schools of art, 22 schools of architecture, as well as other 3000 other specialised institutions that offer tertiary training in specific fields such as the allied health professions, social sciences, tourism, fashion, design, art and sports.
1700+ classes are provided in English; find out more in the catalogue Programmes taught in English.
Short-term programmes that consist of learning French thanks to cultural visits are also offered to international students. They are detailed in the catalogue of short programmes and in our Immersion France application.
There are more and more MOOCs offered. The acronym FUN, for France Université Numérique (Digital University France), refers to the first French online course platform. It provides nearly 300 courses from over 80 institutes, with enrollment near the one million mark.
Some terms and vocabulary
In France, the academic year begins in September or October, depending on the institution and programme. At the end of the first and second semesters, students finish with assessments or examinations. The summer holidays begin in May or June at the end of the second semester assessments. In general, these holidays last at least two months.
In French universities, instructors and researchers give students two types of classes:
- cours magistraux (lectures): a professor presents a subject to students in an amphitheatre for 100 to over 1,000 people. These non-mandatory classes are often written up and handed out by the instructors to students in the form of pamphlets, which can prove very handy when it comes time to revise for exams at the end of the semester;
- travaux dirigés (TD - tutorials) and travaux pratiques (TP- practical or lab work): these mandatory classes are for smaller groups and are a complement to the lectures, with the intention of applying and deepening theoretical understanding. Company internships may also be required in addition to the tutorials and practical work.
There are two ways that knowledge is tested in the French higher education system. Ongoing assessment evaluates what has been learned throughout the year, with regular testing in each subject matter. There are exams given twice per year, at the end of each semester, for all subjects.
Types of French higher education - Simply explained
The French higher education is renowned for its flexible structure, offering diverse paths for students to pursue higher education. For the sake of simplification, it can be divided into the following types:
Universities
France has over 70 public universities, offering a wide range of programmes in all fields of study. These universities provide bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees and are known for their low tuition fees, as well as outstanding research and academic excellence. You can choose from the sciences (mathematics, physics, biology, etc.), technical fields (engineering, electronics...), literature, languages, the arts, humanities, law, economics, management, health and sports.
Grandes Écoles
As a particular type of French higher education institutions, Les Grandes Écoles are often smaller and more specialised than public universities. These prestigious institutions focus on specific fields such as engineering, art, architecture, business, political science and public administration. It is noted that admission to these schools is highly competitive, usually through rigourous entrance examinations through the following two ways:
- a) doing a traditional, two-year classe prépatoire, leaving 3 years to complete the degree. Some of France's 3,000 high-schools provide preparatory courses for entry to the Grandes Ecoles, the classes préparatoires (CPGE), others have two-year technical programmes, called sections de techniciens supérieurs (STS), or classes in preparation for the national Brevet de technicien supérieur (BTS).
- or
- b) direct entry after obtaining excellent results in the baccalauréat (equivalent to the HKDSE). French students who are admitted by this method will need to spend five years in the Grande École.
Over the years, France has strived to open its higher education system to non-French speaking talents. Nowadays, it is common to have many Grandes Écoles offering admission to international students based on the merits and strengths of the applicant's academic record and its prior training. In this case, international students or students from Hong Kong and Macau will spend 2-5 years at the Grande École.
Engineering schools
There are more than 200 public and private schools of engineering. These schools confer the Titre d'ingénieur, a venerable French degree that is equivalent to the European master.
Business and Management
France is home to several top-ranked business schools, such as HEC Paris, Emlyon Business School, INSEAD, and ESSEC. French business schools have strong ties with companies, facilitating internships and job placements. Most of these schools are private - tuition fees range from 5000 EUR to 15 000 EUR per year.
Political science & Public administration
The very famous Sciences Po Paris and INSP (formally known as the ENA) lie within the category of Grande École as well, offering courses in economics, law and political science
Specialised schools
More than 3,000 specialised schools and institutes, public or private are also in the French higher education in specific actors, among them are paramedical studies, social work, tourism, culinary arts, and hotel management. These institutions reward state diplomas and occupational titles appearing in the National Registry of Occupational certifications (RNCP). These programmes require 2-5 years of study. Visit www.francecompetences.fr for more information.
Here are some famous specialised schools:
- The Écoles Normales Supérieures (ENS): In France, there are 4 Écoles Normales Supérieures (in Paris, Lyon, Rennes and Paris-Saclay). Their mission is to prepare highly-competent teachers, scholars and researchers in the field of sciences and humanities. As a sidenote, successive generations of many modern intellectuals were schooled at the École Normale Supérieure de Paris!
- The École Nationale Vétérinaire (ENV): France has 4 national schools of veterinary medicine, located in Paris (Maison-Alfort), Lyon, Nantes, and Toulouse. Indeed, France was the first country where the teaching of veterinary medicine has become institutionalised, through the establishment of the first veterinary schools in the eighteenth century.
School of Art and Applied Arts
In France, there are two main types of public school of art:
- Écoles supérieures d'art et de design (ESAD): 45 public post-secondary schools of art and design fall under the joint oversight of the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Education. List of public post-secondary schools of art and design: https://andea.fr/
- Four highly-reputable public schools of art are directly overseen by the Ministry of Higher Education: Boulle, Olivier de Serres, Duperré and Estienne. They confer national degrees in graphic design, spatial design, fashion and arts and crafts.
- Écoles supérieures d'arts appliqués publiques: This type of school prepares graduates for careers in practical, design-related fields: graphics, interior architecture, fashion, textiles, product design and crafts (textiles, jewelry, glass, ceramics, etc.). For the list of schools that fall under this category, refer to https://designetmetiersdart.fr/
Some private schools or schools that depend on Chambers of Commerce and Industry award their own degrees. Some are registered under the Répertoire National des Certifications Professionnelles (RNCP - National Repertoire of Professional Certifications). These institutes of higher education in art and applied arts are very selective, and enrollment is through analysis of the applicant's file, by competitive entry exam and / or interview. Applications may be filed online on the site Campus Art.
Vocational Education
There are three main types of vocational education in France, namely:
- Instituts Universitaires de Technologie (IUTs): IUTs offer three-year programmes that focus on practical skills. They belong to part of the university system.
- Brevet de Technicien Supérieur (BTS): The BTS is a 2-year French national post-secondary diploma in 88 specialty fields (plastic arts, industry, manufacturing, and services) that has been harmonised with the European LMD (Licence, Master, Doctorat) degree ladder. At the end of a BTS, students will be offered 120 ECTs. Most BTS programmes are offered in the post-secondary technical section of the French lycées, public or private. Upon graduation, students will assume specialised technical functions. For a list of BTS specialisations, click here (this page is in French).
- 16 additional specialisations in agriculture and food science lead to the award of a BTSA, a post-secondary technical certificate in agriculture.
- Licence professionnelle: Right after completing a BTS, students can consider enter directly into the job market or may elect to spend an additional year to obtain a licence professionnelle, which is a national diploma. The programme is offered in universities and their affiliated IUTs (Institut universitaire de technologie) that offer the BUT track in 24 specialisations. Practical internships, guests from the professional world and a well-equipped field knowledge make licence professionnelle programmes one of the best options for students opting for a vocational education.
- 173 different programmes are offered in a wide range of sectors: agriculture, business, manufacturing, management, services, etc.
- France's 108 IUTs : https://www.iut.fr/
The national schools of architecture (ENSA)
The Ecoles Nationales Supérieures d’Architecture (ENSA - the national schools of architecture) form a network of 20 public schools overseen by both the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation. Two other institutes, the École Spéciale d’Architecture (Special School of Architecture) and the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (National Institute of Applied Science) in Strasbourg, are part of the same network and confer equivalent degrees.
Language Requirements?
If you are taking a course provided in English, French is not required. Nonetheless, your institution may require a language certification for your English proficiency (e.g. IELTS, TOEFL). Students are invited to consult in their institutions of choice to determine the programme's language requirements.
On the other hand, if you are taking courses in French, remember that international students must present a document attesting to their level of French. You can obtain one by sitting an official French exam or test, such as the DELF, the DALF, the TCF or the TEF. The common reference is that of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Foreign students who have received a French high school diploma in an AEFE (Agence pour l’Enseignement du Français à l’Etranger - the Agency for French Education Abroad) institution are exempt.
Level B1 or B2 is typically required for studying at the undergraduate and Master's level in French, especially in the humanities and social sciences. Level B2 is required for admission to 1st year in the framework of the DAP (demande d’admission préalable - preliminary request for admission). Some French institutes of higher education may require a higher level, C1 or C2, for specific programmes.