CampusArt

How the French education system works

Degrees
Degrees awarded in France are generally recognized by the State. They are mainly national degrees which are awarded by public institutions (schools and universities). There is also a wide variety of university degrees specific to each institution. Together, these degrees are awarded for over 6, 000 different programs !

The organization of studies
There are two types of curricula in France :

- short programs, usually consisting of two or three years of study , covering the business, industry and service sectors;

- long programs offered by universities and grandes écoles and organized in various ways according to the type of institution.

At universities, the long curricula are split into three successive cycles called LMD:

- the first level is attained three years after the end of secondary education and when successfully completed results in a university degree (licence "L"/ Bachelor’s degree);

- the second level leads to a Master’s degree (M1) in one year, then at the end of the following year a DEA (research oriented post graduate degree M2 "research" ) or DESS (post-graduate degree M2 "professional"), equivalent to a Master’s degree;

- the third level is dedicated to research and, if successfully completed, leads to a Doctorate, which is obtained after submitting a doctoral dissertation. The Doctorate (D) is earned in 3 years following the DEA (M2).

Equivalence
In France there is no automatic equivalence between international and French academic qualifications. Each institution sets its own entry requirements, taking into consideration the student’s previous academic background as well as the program he/she wishes to embark upon. This enables homogeneous classes to be created and guarantees the level of teaching .

The academic year
Finally, it is worthwhile noting that in France, the school or academic year begins in September and ends in June. However, the academic year is split into two six-month academic periods; in some cases, this allows students to start a program in February at the beginning of the second term.

Our website www.campusfrance.org provides a great deal of practical information regarding studying and living in France