The French curriculum in Warsaw
Warsaw is effectively a one school market for the French national curriculum. The Lycee Francais Rene Goscinny de Varsovie, in Sluzewiec just south of the central business district, is the only fully French language AEFE network school in Poland. It runs the full curriculum from maternelle through to terminale, with around 950 pupils on roll across petite section to terminale. A small number of Polish public bilingual lycees, the so called sections francaises, offer a partial French language programme leading to the Bac with the option internationale, but these are not part of the AEFE network and follow the Polish national framework as their primary curriculum.
The Lycee Francais Rene Goscinny is full AEFE homologue. That matters because it gives pupils the right to transfer cleanly between French schools globally, sit the Baccalaureat under the same conditions as pupils in metropolitan France and access the bourses scolaires AEFE for French nationals on a means tested basis. The school serves the French diplomatic community attached to the embassy and the consular section, the wider French corporate posting community across Carrefour, Auchan, Dassault, Veolia, Saint Gobain and the senior services sector, and a smaller but stable Polish family contingent looking for a French language pathway.
Fees and AEFE bourses
The Lycee Francais Rene Goscinny charges PLN 18,000 to PLN 35,000 per year depending on grade level, with the senior cycle slightly above the early years and primaire. That makes the French curriculum materially cheaper than the British and American premium tier in Warsaw, which sits at PLN 65,000 to PLN 110,000, and broadly comparable to the mid tier IB providers. A one off enrolment fee of around PLN 2,500 applies to new families, refundable subject to notice on departure. The school does not levy a separate capital fee or building contribution, which is unusual at AEFE schools globally.
AEFE bourses scolaires are available for French nationals on a means tested basis through the consulate, with the application cycle running January to March each year. Bourse cover typically ranges from 20 to 100 per cent of fees and includes a transport contribution where the family lives more than a defined radius from the school. Transport costs PLN 7,000 to PLN 11,000 a year through the school’s contracted operator. For a fuller view of fees across the city see our Warsaw international school fees explainer or compare with the broader French curriculum overview.
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The school in focus
The Lycee Francais Rene Goscinny is the only school we cover in this hub, so the section below is descriptive rather than comparative.
Lycee Francais Rene Goscinny de Varsovie sits in Sluzewiec, on a purpose built campus opened in the early 2010s with science laboratories, a sports hall, a library and a covered playground appropriate to the Warsaw winter. Around 950 pupils on roll, with class sizes of 24 to 28 in maternelle and primaire and 28 to 32 in college and lycee. Teaching staff are mostly French national education accredited and rotate on the standard AEFE contract cycle, supported by Polish language and English teachers recruited locally.
Senior outcomes are strong. The school posts a Baccalaureat pass rate of 99 to 100 per cent across recent cohorts, with around 70 to 80 per cent of candidates achieving a mention. The Option Internationale du Baccalaureat (OIB British or American sections) is not currently offered, but the standard Bac with European sections is widely available. Leavers head to French grandes ecoles preparation classes, French and Belgian universities, the Dutch research universities, McGill and a smaller number of UK Russell Group destinations.
Where French families live
French families in Warsaw cluster in three areas shaped by the school’s Sluzewiec location and the city’s wider expatriate geography. Sluzewiec and lower Mokotow, the southern central business district, host the largest French family contingent. Modern apartment blocks with English and French speaking neighbourhood services, walking distance or a short tram ride to the lycee, and direct access to the metro M1 line. The Saint Stanislas Costka church, the Galeria Mokotow mall and the wider French speaking parent network are all centred in this area.
Wilanow, to the south of Sluzewiec, hosts a meaningful French family cluster, particularly senior corporate posting families looking for newer family housing stock with gardens. The school runs a structured bus service from Wilanow with a 25 to 35 minute morning run. Saska Kepa, on the right bank, hosts a smaller but established French family group, popular with diplomatic and consular postings looking for the Saska Kepa villa stock at a meaningful discount to Konstancin. The school bus serves Saska Kepa on a single morning run with a similar afternoon return.
Admissions calendar
The Lycee Francais Rene Goscinny opens applications in January for the following September start, with priority allocations confirmed in March and a rolling waitlist running through the spring. Priority is given to French nationals, AEFE network transfers and pupils with an established French language background. The school runs a short placement assessment for pupils joining college and lycee from non French schools, focused on French language proficiency and mathematics curriculum alignment.
Mid year entry is possible at most year groups except terminale, subject to space and a placement assessment, with the largest mid year movements occurring at the December and Easter break points. The most over subscribed entry points are petite section and CP, where waitlists at the most popular dates can reach the full academic year. For relocation context see our moving to Warsaw with children guide and the broader Warsaw international schools overview.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a French school in Warsaw?
Yes. The Lycee Francais Rene Goscinny de Varsovie is the AEFE accredited French school of Warsaw, running the full French national curriculum from maternelle through to the French Baccalaureat at terminale. The school is the only fully French language AEFE network school in Poland and serves around 950 pupils from across the diplomatic, corporate and resident French community.
Is the Lycee Francais Rene Goscinny accredited by the French Education Ministry?
Yes. The school is part of the AEFE network and is fully homologue by the French Ministry of National Education. This means pupils receive a French state recognised curriculum, sit the Baccalaureat under the same conditions as pupils in France and transfer cleanly between French schools globally without academic friction.
How much does the French school in Warsaw cost?
The Lycee Francais Rene Goscinny charges PLN 18,000 to PLN 35,000 per year depending on grade level, materially below the British and American premium tier in Warsaw. AEFE bourses scolaires are available for French nationals subject to income testing. A one off enrolment fee of around PLN 2,500 applies to new families.
Does the French Bac get accepted by universities outside France?
Yes. The French Baccalaureat with the Option Internationale or the European section is broadly recognised across the UK Russell Group, the Dutch research universities, the Belgian and Swiss French speaking universities and most of the European Union. Mentions bien and tres bien on the Bac translate directly into UCAS tariff points and competitive offers across the leading European universities.
When do French school applications open in Warsaw?
The Lycee Francais Rene Goscinny opens applications in January for the following September start, with priority allocations confirmed in March and a rolling waitlist running through the spring. Mid year entry is possible at most year groups except terminale, subject to space and a placement assessment.
