French education in Delhi at a glance
French curriculum provision in New Delhi is genuinely concentrated. Only one school in the National Capital Region delivers the full French national programme through to the French Baccalaureate: Lycee Francais International de Delhi, known locally as LFID. The school is part of the AEFE network, which means the curriculum, teacher credentials and inspection regime are validated by the French Ministere de l'Education Nationale. Around 350 students attend across maternelle, primaire, college and lycee, the bulk of them children of French diplomatic, business and cultural mission families.
Beyond LFID, two further routes serve French-speaking families. Alliance Francaise Delhi runs an active cultural centre with Saturday classes for children whose main school is English-medium. A parent-led FLAM association supports French as a heritage language for younger children whose families want to maintain French alongside an IB or Cambridge pathway. Several IB and Cambridge schools, including The British School New Delhi and AES, offer French as a modern foreign language from primary onwards, but this is language teaching, not the French national programme.
Lycee Francais and the AEFE network
LFID's AEFE membership matters because it gives families curriculum portability. A child enrolled in CM2 in Delhi can transfer into the equivalent class at any other AEFE school worldwide, of which there are around 580 in 139 countries, with no academic gap. That portability is the single biggest reason French diplomatic and corporate families choose LFID over the larger and better-resourced IB and Cambridge schools in the NCR. AEFE schools also follow a September to June academic year, which fits the European calendar but is unusual in India, where the dominant schedule runs April to March.
Inspection happens through AEFE's central body and the Embassy of France. Outcomes at LFID track the French national average for Baccalaureate pass rates and have outperformed it in recent cohorts, with strong placement into French universities, French and Belgian engineering schools and the classes preparatoires for grandes ecoles entry. About 12 percent of recent graduates target UK or Canadian universities, typically through the dual diploma and OIB streams.
Not sure which Delhi school is the right fit?
Take our 5 minute school finder quiz. We shortlist three schools based on your child's age, language background, your budget and your timeline.
Fees, AEFE scholarships and the cost picture
LFID tuition runs from about EUR 4,800 a year in maternelle to EUR 9,200 a year in lycee. Converted at current rates, that is roughly INR 4.4 lakh to INR 8.4 lakh annually. By NCR standards this is mid-tier, well below the American Embassy School high school and below most premium IB Diploma campuses, but well above local CBSE schools. Add the usual NCR loading for transport, books, an inscription fee and assessment charges of EUR 250 to 500 a year. The New Delhi fees guide includes a separate AEFE pricing table.
AEFE operates a means-tested scholarship programme, the bourse scolaire, for French national families. Applications run through the French consular service in Delhi twice a year. Bourses can cover up to 100 percent of fees for families below specified income thresholds; partial support is more common. Non-French nationals do not qualify for the bourse scolaire but may apply for LFID's internal sibling discounts and the occasional financial assistance scheme run through the parents' association.
Where French families live
French families in Delhi cluster around two areas. Chanakyapuri and the Diplomatic Enclave for embassy, consular and French Institute families; LFID's main campus sits within easy reach. Vasant Vihar and Vasant Kunj for corporate French families working at Sanofi, TotalEnergies, Schneider Electric, BNP Paribas and the wider Franco-Indian business community. A smaller cluster lives in Defence Colony and Greater Kailash for shorter commutes to LFID and access to Khan Market amenities. For wider relocation context, see the New Delhi city hub and the cost calculator.
Admissions and the alternatives
LFID opens admissions for the September academic year between November and February. The September start is the major intake; mid-year placement is possible for diplomatic and corporate relocations but depends on cohort space. AEFE priority is granted in this order: French nationals at AEFE schools transferring in, French nationals coming from outside the network, dual-national families, EU nationals, then other applicants. Non-French applicants face a French language assessment, with a lower bar at maternelle and a higher one at lycee.
For families where LFID does not fit, the alternative is usually an IB Diploma school with strong French language teaching, such as Pathways Aravali or the IB stream at AES, paired with weekend Alliance Francaise classes and a FLAM association membership. The New Delhi IB hub sets out that landscape in full.
Frequently asked questions
How many French curriculum schools are in New Delhi?
New Delhi has one full French curriculum school accredited to deliver the French national programme: Lycee Francais International de Delhi (LFID), an AEFE network school. Several other international schools in the NCR teach French as a foreign language, but only LFID follows the Ministere de l'Education Nationale programme through to the French Baccalaureate.
How much does the Lycee Francais in Delhi cost?
Tuition at Lycee Francais International de Delhi runs from about EUR 4,800 a year in primary to EUR 9,200 a year in lycee, equivalent to roughly INR 4.4 to 8.4 lakh. AEFE scholarships are available for French national families subject to a means test through the local consular service.
Is the French Baccalaureate recognised by Indian universities?
Yes. The Association of Indian Universities recognises the French Baccalaureate as equivalent to the Indian Senior Secondary Certificate. Most LFID graduates head to French universities, the Parisian grandes ecoles preparatory route or partner programmes in the UK and Canada.
Can non-French families enrol at LFID?
Yes. LFID accepts non-French families subject to a French language assessment, with the bar being lower for entry in maternelle than at lycee. The school runs a dedicated FLE programme for new French learners through primary. AEFE places French national applicants first in the priority queue.
When does LFID open admissions?
LFID opens admissions for the new academic year between November and February. The school year runs September to June, in line with French national calendars, which is unusual in India where most schools run April to March. Apply 6 to 9 months ahead of a desired start.
