International Education Spotlight: France

France has roughly 69 million citizens. It’s known for the beautiful city of Paris and its love for extended meals featuring amazing cheeses, baguettes, and wine. But today, let’s look at France’s international education scene: Their education system, university system, and trends in international student mobility between France and the U.S.

Education System Overview

France mandates nine years of pre-high school. Five years in “école élementaire” and additional four years of “collège.” High school is three years, called “lycée.” The academic year is from September to July. The major exam period is from June to July. Subjects required are French literature, foreign languages, math, sciences, history & geography, philosophy, and physical education. The “Baccalaureat” is the national school leaving exam.

University System Overview

In France, there are more than 3,500 public and private institutes of higher education. Everyone with a high school diploma or equivalent can enroll in a university. Three years of study are required to earn a bachelor’s degree. The degrees offered are “license,” “master’s,” and “doctorate.” The language of instruction in universities is French. Tuition fees are relatively low in public Higher education institutions because the French government subsidizes higher education.

International Education Snapshot

In 2021, there were about 5,600 French students studying in the U.S. About 8,500 U.S. Study Abroad students were in France.

Students in the U.S. by Academic Level

• Undergraduate 39.0%
• Graduate 33.7%
• Non-degree 7.2%
• OPT 20.2%

Top Five Receiving States

France’s top five receiving states of international students are California, New York, Massachusetts, Florida, and Illinois.

Study Abroad

The first destination for French students to study abroad is Canada, followed by Belgium, the UK, Switzerland, Spain, and Germany. The United States is the number seven destination for studying abroad for French students.

The impact of COVID-19

The impact of COVID-19 on international education and exchanges from France has been huge. The change in students studying in the U.S. from 2020 to 2021 saw a decline of 33.4%. The change in U.S. Study Abroad students from 2019 to 2020 declined by 53.8%.

Recommendations

[Ministry of National Education] (https://www.education.gouv.fr/school-trust-100037)

[List of Academic Programs] (https://cataloguelm.campusfrance.org/licence/#/catalog)

[Fulbright Commission in Paris] (https://fulbright-france.org/fr/etudier-usa/centre-education-usa)

[Campus France]
(https://www.campusfrance.org/en/French-higher-education)

Sources

[United States Department of State (2021): Student Mobility Fact Sheets, 2021 France Student Mobility Facts and Figures] (https://app.box.com/s/h1gmisb30xth3lkh9l1ra4nhutjgpapp/file/915887397400)

[Campus France (2021)] (https://www.campusfrance.org/en/institutes-higher-education-France#:~:text=In%20France%2C%20there%20are%20more,want%20to%20study%20in%20France)