France is a country where the word "private" means something different from what many foreign families expect. Most private schools are closely tied to the state, follow the national programme and cost far less than an independent school in England or Switzerland. A smaller group operates entirely outside the state contract, and a third group, the international schools, offers other curricula. The distinctions matter for fees, curriculum and qualifications.
The French school structure
Education is compulsory from age 3 to 16, according to Eurydice. Pre-primary attendance became compulsory in 2019. The stages are:
| Stage | French name | Ages |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-primary | École maternelle | 3 to 6 |
| Primary | École élémentaire | 6 to 11 |
| Lower secondary | Collège | 11 to 15 |
| Upper secondary | Lycée | 15 to 18 |
The lycée ends with the baccalauréat, which marks the end of secondary education and is required for higher studies.
Sous contrat: the main private sector
Eurydice reports that private schools educate about one pupil in six, and that most of them are Catholic (95%). Some 97.9% of private-sector pupils attend schools that have signed a contract with the state under the 1959 Debré law. These are the écoles sous contrat.
There are two kinds of contract. A simple contract applies to primary and specialist schools and leaves teachers as private-sector employees paid by the state. An association contract applies to primary and secondary schools. Teachers follow public programmes and are public-sector employees, recruited by the school head. The state pays all or part of operating costs.
Under contract, a school follows the national curriculum and its pupils sit the state exams. Fees are therefore generally far lower than in the independent sector of other countries, although schools may charge for matters the state does not cover. Ask each school what its contribution covers.
Public funding comes with oversight. Eurydice notes that contract schools face wider checks than non-contract ones, including curriculum and timetable compliance, teacher assessment and financial and administrative control.
Hors contrat: outside the contract
Non-contract schools (hors contrat) enrol only 0.3% of pupils, according to Eurydice. They have no specific legal ties to the state beyond general laws. They may use alternative methods or be faith-based, and they are not required to follow the national curriculum.
They are inspected, however. Eurydice says inspections cover staff qualifications, compliance with the schooling obligation, public order and sanitary and social prevention. Their administrative and financial matters are not controlled by the state.
This means more freedom and less public funding. If you are considering such a school, ask:
- Which diploma will the pupil sit, and in what capacity?
- How would a transfer to the state system work at 11 or 15?
- Who inspects the school, and when did the last inspection occur?
Who awards diplomas
A point that often surprises families is that private schools in France do not award diplomas. Eurydice explains that the state alone awards school and university diplomas, while private schools issue only certificates, though they prepare pupils for state exams. Because of this, ask any non-contract or international school exactly how its pupils reach a state diploma or an equivalent qualification. That is a major reason to ask about exam preparation if you are looking beyond the contract system.
International schools
France also has schools that teach foreign or international curricula, including British, American and IB Diploma programmes. The sources we consulted do not give a count or classify them. In practice they usually operate outside the state contract, which means that they set their own fees and are responsible for their own programme. Look at:
- The qualification pupils will take, and whether it is recognised by universities you may target.
- The route back into the French system, if there is one.
- The balance of languages used at school, since French is the language of daily life.
Creating a school is also regulated. Eurydice says French, EU and EEA citizens must declare a new private school to the authorities, and other foreign citizens need permission from the Conseil académique de l'éducation nationale.
What about cost and tax?
Eurydice does not give fee figures, and we do not quote them. The range between a school under contract and a fully independent school is wide. For tax, there is a modest relief for school attendance. Service-Public states that families can claim a reduction of €61 per child for collège, €153 for lycée and €183 for higher education for income year 2025, halved in shared-custody situations. The reduction applies to studies in a public or private establishment, in France or abroad, and requires a French tax domicile. It is a small flat sum rather than a share of fees. Our tax relief guide covers the wider European picture.
Choosing a school
- Decide whether the French system is the destination. If your child will stay in France through lycée, a school sous contrat gives the clearest path to the baccalauréat.
- If you are staying a short time, an international school may keep your child on the curriculum of your home country.
- Check the status in writing. Ask whether the school is sous contrat, under a simple or association contract, or hors contrat.
- Visit and ask about admissions. Applications often depend on previous school reports and an interview, and places in popular schools fill early.