The French school market in Prague
The French school market in Prague is small but structured around one institutional anchor. Lycee Francais de Prague, founded in 1995 and homologated by the AEFE network of French schools abroad, runs the full French curriculum from maternelle petite section to terminale at a single campus in Drtinova street, Smichov. Around 750 pupils sit on roll across the through school, with a terminale cohort of around 40 a year. The lycee sits inside a renovated building near the Andel transport interchange and is the only school in the Czech Republic delivering the French baccalaureat.
Beyond the lycee the French speaking provision in Prague thins quickly. Petite Ecole de Prague in Vinohrady runs a small French speaking maternelle and primary, popular with families wanting a softer entry into school life or a smaller setting before joining the lycee at CP or CE1. A handful of independent French speaking creches, including some attached to the embassy or to French Institut activities, operate at the youngest ages. Families wanting a French immersion experience without the AEFE curriculum sometimes also use the bilingual Czech French sections at certain Czech state schools, though these run a hybrid curriculum and are not AEFE homologated.
Illustrative example schools
Two illustrative French schools in Prague, each playing a distinct role in the system.
Lycee Francais de Prague is the institutional centre of the French education community. AEFE homologation means the curriculum, the assessment, the teacher qualifications and the bac diploma all line up with metropolitan France, and pupils transferring in mid stream from another AEFE school anywhere in the world keep their year group and their programme. The school runs a bilingual French English section from CE1 upwards, gives a small selection of Czech language sessions for cultural integration, and prepares pupils for the brevet at the end of college and the bac generalformat at terminale. Around half the cohort holds French citizenship; the rest are dual nationals, Czech families with French language ambition, and international families on French speaking corporate postings.
Petite Ecole de Prague at Mánesova street in Vinohrady is the natural feeder into the lycee at the youngest ages. The school runs a French speaking maternelle and a small primary with a warm, community feel and a class size limit of around 16. Many families use the Petite Ecole through the early years and then transfer to the lycee at CP or CE1 once their child is established in school life. Tuition is materially below the lycee, around EUR 4,500 to EUR 5,500 a year, making the early years route cheaper than a direct lycee enrolment.
Weighing Prague schools for a French family?
Our five minute school finder quiz shortlists three Prague schools against your child's age, your residential corridor and your language plan, including bilingual and international alternatives to the lycee.
Fees, bursaries and the all in cost
Lycee Francais de Prague tuition runs from around EUR 6,000 in maternelle to EUR 9,500 in the terminale years. By comparison with peer AEFE schools the lycee is substantially cheaper than the Lycee Francais de Vienne, around 30 per cent below, and roughly half the published tuition at the Lycee Francais Charles de Gaulle in London. French passport holding families on a means tested basis can apply for an AEFE bursary, processed through the French consulate in Prague, which can cover up to 100 per cent of tuition for the lowest income brackets.
Above tuition expect a registration fee of around EUR 400, a one off enrolment contribution to the AEFE association of around EUR 250, lunch in the school canteen of CZK 35,000 to CZK 50,000 a year, after school care of EUR 800 to EUR 1,500 a year, and uniform free. Bus is not centrally provided so families either drive, walk or use Prague's tram network, which has a stop close to the school. Compare Prague pricing with peer AEFE cities in the fees tool, and see the citywide picture in our Prague school fees guide.
Admissions calendar and language requirements
The lycee runs on the Czech school year from early September to late June, with breaks aligned with the French academic calendar where they differ. Applications for the following September open in November, with priority offers in late January and a published waitlist for the most over subscribed year groups. Maternelle and CP entry are open to non French speakers and the school runs an immersion model with strong support for newly arrived French language learners. From CE2 upwards an entry test in French and mathematics determines whether a child can join the standard track or needs a transitional year. The Lycee accepts mid year transfers from other AEFE schools without testing.
Where French families live
The French expatriate community in Prague is concentrated around three corridors. The first is Smichov and Andel itself, within ten minutes walking distance of the lycee. The second is Mala Strana, where the French embassy sits in the Buquoy Palace at Velkoprerovske namesti, and which carries a long historical French presence anchored in the diplomatic community. The third is Vinohrady, where many younger French families and dual national couples settle, drawn by the cafes, parks and the easier residential mix. Prague 5 west, particularly around Motol and Plzenska, attracts French families on longer postings who prefer house living to apartment life. For the wider residential picture see our best areas to live in Prague for expat families guide and the moving to Prague with children checklist. The French curriculum hub and the Prague city guide cover sibling options.
Frequently asked questions
How many French schools are there in Prague?
There is one full French curriculum school in Prague: Lycee Francais de Prague at Drtinova in Smichov, an AEFE network school running from maternelle petite section to terminale. A handful of smaller French speaking maternelles and primary settings, including Petite Ecole de Prague, complement the lycee at the early years end. The lycee remains the only French school in Prague delivering the bac.
Is the Lycee Francais de Prague part of the AEFE network?
Yes. Lycee Francais de Prague is a fully homologated AEFE school, meaning curriculum, teacher qualifications and bac certification all flow through the French Ministry of Education. Children moving between AEFE schools worldwide receive continuity of programme and grade level. The school's diploma is the standard French baccalaureat and the brevet at the end of college.
How much does the Lycee Francais de Prague cost?
Tuition at Lycee Francais de Prague runs from around EUR 6,000 in maternelle to EUR 9,500 in the terminale years. AEFE bursary support is available for French passport holders means tested through the consulate. Capital, registration, lunch, after school care and bus add roughly fifteen to twenty per cent on top of the published tuition.
Can non French speaking children attend the Lycee Francais de Prague?
Yes, but admission depends on level. Maternelle and CP entry is fully open to non French speakers and the school runs an immersion model in the early years. From CE2 upwards an entry test in French and mathematics is required, and from college most non French speakers will need a year of intensive French preparation. The school has a small FLE French as a foreign language stream in college.
Where do French families live in Prague?
French families cluster in Smichov and Andel close to the lycee, in Mala Strana and Vinohrady within easy tram reach, and in Prague 5 west around the Motol and Plzenska corridors. The French embassy sits in Velkoprerovske namesti in Mala Strana, which anchors the central French expatriate community.
