FRENCHHIGH SCHOOLSIN CANADA
A PASSPORT TO HIGHER EDUCATION
WHAT IS A BACCALAURÉAT?A Baccalauréat is a diploma awarded by the French Ministry of National Education. It marks the successful completion of secondary studies and opens the door to higher education. This comprehensive national exam covers all areas of study. Each exam contains a series of essays or problems on issues requiring a thorough analysis based on the knowledge acquired over the course of the final two years of Lycée education.Over 500,000 students take the Baccalauréat général every year, including 12.000 students from the French Lycées (high schools) abroad.French-curriculum Lycées based in Canada and the United States offer the three sections of the general baccalauréat: Literature (L), Economics and Social Science (ES), Science and Mathematics (S).
Average success rate for the Baccalauréat général (2011):
The “Option Internationale” Baccalauréat (OIB) is currently being introduced in Canada. This option includes two courses and exams in English: North American Literature and History/Geography.
What advantages does a French education give my child?
Challenging intellectual education and personalized support for studentsTeaching programs created by the French Ministry of National Education and a majority of teachers
Quality education in French that is recognized by the best North American universities
An international teaching environment
Institutions that are part of an unparalleled global network
French Lycées welcome students from Maternelle (3-year old) to Terminale. The last three years of secondary education are called Seconde, Première and Terminale, corresponding to grades 10, 11 and 12. All subjects are taught in French. In Terminale, students earn the French secondary studies diploma, the Baccalauréat.
Nancy NightingalePresident and Managing Director at InvesteamMother of three students at the Lycée Français de Toronto
The lycée system has changed my children s life in every way
88 % 7 % with Highest Honors15 % with Honors
In France: In Canada:
including
98,8 % 29 %23 %
’
A diploma earned through 5 French-curriculum institutions in Canada
CalgaryLycée Pasteur
OttawaLycée Claudel
Quebec city CollègeStanislas*
MontrealCollège Marie de France
Collège Stanislas
* These institutions offer a French program up to the grade 8 or 9 level.
VancouverEcole Française Internationale de
Vancouver*
TorontoLycée Français
de TorontoToronto French
School*
Marie-Claude LortieJournalist at La Presse
Alumni and mother of three students at the Collège International Marie de FranceMontreal
The French lycée curriculum helped me so much in my life that I want to of fer the same opportunity to my children
A very structured learning that al lows for flexibilityMarie-Jeanne LeLawerMother of two students at the Lycée Pasteur Calgary
A CHALLENGING AND COMPREHENSIVE CURRICULUMIn every basic subject at a French Lycée, each student receives a solid education that develops their intellectual curiosity and critical thinking. It is an outstanding preparation to post-secondary education.
BAC L : LITERATUREBAC L : LITERATUREBAC L : LITERATUREBAC L : LITERATURE
SUBJECTSNUMBER OF HOURS PER
YEARNUMBER OF HOURS PER
YEARWEIGHT FOR THE FINAL EXAMSUBJECTS
Première Terminale
WEIGHT FOR THE FINAL EXAM
French 136 - 5Philosophy - 272 7
French Literature 68 68 2English Literature 68 51
English 85 68 4Foreign Language 2 68 68 4History/Geography 153 153 4
Science 51 - 2Physical Education and Sport 68 68 2Specialization: choose one
Complementary foreign language 102 102 2Foreign Language 3 102 102 2Latin or Ancient Greek 102 102 2
Mathematics 102 136 2Maximum 2 options from the following:
Latin or Ancient Greek 102 102 3Art 102 102 2
Cinema 102 102 2Theatre 102 102 2
At the end of the Lycée program, regardless of the chosen specialization, all students have acquired a solid educational background by taking at least:
Three years of English courses, another foreign language and Civic Education
Two years of courses in Biology, Physics and Chemistry, French Literature, Mathematics , History and Geography
One year of courses in Economics and Sociology, as well as Philosophy
BAC ES : ECONOMICS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES BAC ES : ECONOMICS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES BAC ES : ECONOMICS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES BAC ES : ECONOMICS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
SUBJECTSNUMBER OF
HOURS PER YEARNUMBER OF
HOURS PER YEAR WEIGHT FOR THE FINAL EXAMSUBJECTS
Première Terminale
WEIGHT FOR THE FINAL EXAM
Economics and social sciences 170 170 7Mathematics 102 136 5
History/Geography 153 153 5French 136 - 4Science 51 - 2Philosophy - 136 4English 85 68 3
Foreign Language 2 68 68 3Physical Education and Sport 68 68 2Specialization: choose one
Mathematics - 51 2Social and Political Science - 51 2Advanced Economics - 51 2
Maximum 2 options from the following: Latin or Ancient Greek 102 102 3
Art 102 102 2Cinema 102 102 2Theatre 102 102 2
BAC S : SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS BAC S : SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS BAC S : SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS BAC S : SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS
SUBJECTSNUMBER OF
HOURS PER YEARNUMBER OF
HOURS PER YEAR WEIGHT FOR THE FINAL EXAMSUBJECTS
Première Terminale
WEIGHT FOR THE FINAL EXAM
Mathematics 136 204 7Physics / Chemistry 102 170 6Life and Earth Science 102 119 6
French 136 - 4Philosophy - 102 3English 85 102 3
Foreign Language 2 68 102 2History/Geography 153 - 3
Physical Education and Sport 68 68 2Specialization: choose one
Mathematics - 68 2Physics / Chemistry - 68 2Life and Earth Science - 68 2
Maximum 2 options from the following: Latin or Ancient Greek 102 102 3
Art 102 102 2Cinema 102 102 2Theatre 102 102 2
History/Geography - 68 2
Some Lycées also offer their students advanced placement tests (known as AP) that allow them to earn credits in North American universities. In Quebec, compléments CEGEP are offered to allow students to attend university under the best possible conditions.Extracurricular activities are offered, including soccer, volleyball, skiing, science and debate clubs, public speaking, music and choir singing, theatre, academic exchanges and trips.
A FRENCH BACCALAURÉAT LEADS TO WHAT KIND OF HIGHER EDUCATION?
Each year, graduates of the French Baccalauréat are admitted to the best institutions of higher learning in Canada, the United States and Europe. French Baccalauréat gives access to all French Universities. These are just some of the universities who have accepted students from French-curriculum Lycées in North America:
CANADA USA FRANCE & EUROPECarleton UniversityConcordia UniversityDalhousie UniversityGlendon College (York
University)HEC Montréal
McMaster UniversityMc Gill University
Polytechnique MontréalQueen’s UniversityRyerson UniversityUniversité d’OttawaUniversité de MontréalUniversité du Québec à
MontréalUniversité Laval
University of AlbertaUniversity of British Columbia
University of Calgary University of TorontoUniversity of WaterlooWestern University
American UniversityCalifornia State UniversityColumbia UniversityDuke University
Georgetown UniversityGeorgia Institute of Technology
Harvard UniversityMIT
New York UniversityPrinceton UniversityStanford University
University of California BerkeleyUniversity of MichiganYale University
Preparatory classes for the French Grandes Écoles:
Lycée Janson de SaillyLycée Sainte-Geneviève
Lycée du ParcLycée Montaigne Lycée Saint-LouisLycée Carnot
Lycée Louis-le-Grand
Sciences Po ParisÉcoles Nationales d’Architecture de Paris Val-de-Seine, de Clermont-Ferrand, de
Toulouse
Faculté de médecine de Paris, Toulouse, Nantes, Lille
Université Paris 1 ‒ SorbonneOxford University (GB)
At McGil l, one of the most s e l e c t i v e C a n a d i a n universities, we accept 50% of the applications from French lycées in Canada, which is remarkably higher than our average admission rate
Kim BartlettDirector, Admissions and RecruitmentMcGill University, Montreal
UNDERSTANDING THE FRENCH GRADING SYSTEM
Grades earned over the course of a Lycée education and the Baccalauréat exams are calculated out of 20. A general average of 10/20 (taking into account the weight for each subject) is necessary to earn the diploma.A grade of 20/20 is a perfect score and is rarely awarded. Depending on the subject, a grade of 16, 15 are considered very good results. In some subjects, a grade of 12 can even be considered a fairly good result.
As a result, grades earned by French Baccalauréat students are generally converted for entry into universities.The following is an example of the grade conversion formula used by the University of Ottawa for applicants with a French Baccalauréat from the Lycée Claudel in Ottawa:
French grade out of 20 X 4 + 30 = Canadian grade out of 100 Example:
17.5/20 X 4 + 30 = 100 % = A +15/20 X 4 + 30 = 90 % = A -10/20 X 4 + 30 = 70 % = C+
However, North American universities increasingly rely directly on the report cards from French Lycées for admission.
Correspondence between Baccalauréat grades and Canadian distinctions
16-20/20 : Mention très bien Highest honors14-15,9/20 : Mention bien High honors
12-13,9/20 : Mention assez bien Honors
10-11,9/20 Passing
08-9.9/20 : Students with this average will retake an oral exam Less than 08/20 : Failed exam
Isham RekouakUndergraduate student at the University of TorontoAlumni of the Lycée ClaudelOttawa
The French system makes the student work more and use more his mind
FRENCH SCHOOLS IN CANADA
BOSTON CHICAGO HOUSTON LOS ANGELES
LOS ANGELES MIAMI MIAMI NEW YORK
NEW YORK SAN FRANCISCO SAN FRANCISCO WASHINGTON DC
CALGARY MONTREAL MONTREAL OTTAWA
QUEBEC CITY TORONTO TORONTO VANCOUVER
International School of Bostonwww.isbos.org
Lycée Français de Chicagowww.lyceechicago.org
Awty International Schoolwww.awty.org
Le Lycée Français de Los Angeleswww.lyceela.org
Lycée International de Los Angeles(LILA)
www.lilaschool.com International Studies Charter High Schoolwww.ischs.net
ISB Charter Schoolwww.isbcharterschool.org
French American Schoolof New Yorkwww.fasny.org
Lycée Français de New Yorkwww.lfny.org
Lycée Français La Pérousewww.lelycee.org
French American International Schoolwww.frenchamericansf.org
Lycée Rochambeauwww.rochambeau.org
Lycée Louis Pasteurwww.lycee.ca
Collège InternationalMarie de Francewww.cimf.ca
Collège Stanislaswww.stanislas.qc.ca
Lycée Claudelwww.claudel.org
Collège Stanislaswww.stanislas-quebec.qc.ca
Lycée Français de Torontowww.lft.ca
Toronto French Schoolwww.tfs.ca
Ecole Française Internationalede Vancouverwww.efiv.org
FRENCH HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE USA