Admissions FAQ

Yes.

All American Section students have age-appropriate speaking, writing, and reading skills in English.

The American Section is part of the French public school system and the majority of the classes are taught in French.

Non-Francophones must qualify for an intensive one-year immersion program called Français Spécial.   This program is only available for students entering Second through Tenth grade. 

Younger students will generally enroll directly in a standard French class. 

Eleventh and Twelfth grade students must be fully bilingual (French/English).

For the French/US grade equivalencies click here.

Please note that in the French school system, children are placed in grade levels according to their year of birth, January 1-December 31. The cut off dates in North American tend to correspond to the school year (September 1-August 31). If you have a doubt about which grade level to choose, please contact the Admissions Office before applying.

We are not able to accept students midyear.  Applications open on December 1 of the previous year and close in January.

Campus assignments are based on a combination of space availability, student profile, and parental preference. Please note that there is an internal transfer policy from Lower to Middle School.

We will let you know if your child has received a favorable recommendation soon after he/she is tested. Final decisions, however, are made by the French Head of School (Proviseur) and are most often communicated to families in June.

Preschool and Lower School testing is done individually with one of our American Section teachers.

Middle and Upper School candidates will complete a written assessment. Some may be also required to do a separate interview later in the admissions process.

For grade-by-grade information, please click here and select the appropriate grade.

In-person interviews or testing will be required of all candidates living in the Paris area.  

Online interviews or testing will be scheduled for all candidates living outside of the Paris area.

Our graduates attend universities all over the world. Please click here to see a representative list.

The American Section depends on the active involvement of the parent community! Parents are involved in governance, volunteer in the library, organize class parties, and assist in the organization of fundraising and social events. They are also asked to contribute to our Annual Fund. Outside of the American Section there are many opportunities to volunteer on a Lycée-wide level, such as within the French Parents Association (APELI).

We follow the French school calendar. Classes begin in early September and finish in late June/early July depending on the grade level. There are two-week vacations in late October, during the Christmas holidays, in February, and in April. You may view the French school calendar here.

Lower School children attend classes on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from approximately 8:30 am–4:30 pm with a one- to two-hour lunch break. Many students do not have class on Wednesday; others attend school Wednesday morning only and are dismissed at lunchtime.

Middle School students attend school from approximately 8:30 am–5:00 pm, with a half day on Wednesdays.

Upper School students attend school from 8:00 am–5:00 pm five days a week. They often have one shorter day during the week.

Many students take advantage of the area's extensive public bus network. Parents often choose to drive younger students, and the French Parents Association (APELI) assists parents in establishing carpools.

The common language of all our students is French. Students are fluent in at least one other language (the language of their Section) and in Middle and Upper School usually learn two additional languages. Portuguese, Japanese, English, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Russian, and Chinese are just some of the languages you hear when you walk through the school's hallways.

A wide range of extracurricular activities are organized within the American Section and by the French part of the school.

There is an inter-section soccer tournament for all ages, and Wednesday afternoon sports for middle school students. There are theater groups for all ages. Lower School students also enjoy a Lego Robotics Club and community service opportunities. Secondary students may also participate in community service, Model United Nations, yearbook, a literary magazine, student government, Human Rights Team, Economics Club, jazz band, orchestra, and an a cappella ensemble to name a few.

No.

We are located in a lovely suburb of Paris, approximately 25km from the city center. Although there is a rapid transit system directly to the city, this would be more appropriate for parents than for students who already have a long school day. We recommend that you live within a 10 km radius of the Lycée International in order to keep your child’s commute to a minimum.