In this guide
The French international school market in 2026
France concentrates its international schooling in and around Paris to a degree that surprises families arriving from more decentralised markets. The capital holds roughly 65 international schools, the deepest single cluster in the country by a wide margin. The established names sit in the western suburbs rather than central Paris, in Saint-Cloud, Croissy-sur-Seine, Neuilly-sur-Seine and Saint-Germain-en-Laye, where housing is built around the school catchments. For the full housing and neighbourhood picture, start with our Paris city guide, which covers where international families actually settle and how the commute shapes the school decision.
Outside Paris the market thins quickly. Lyon, Nice, Toulouse and Bordeaux each support a handful of international or bilingual schools serving their regional expat and corporate communities, but none approaches the depth or the brand spread of the Paris market. Families relocating to a French regional city should expect a shorter shortlist and, in some year groups, a single realistic option. Because the great majority of relocating families land in or near Paris, this guide weights the capital accordingly while flagging the regional picture where it matters.
The defining feature of the French system is the layering of routes. A parent in Paris is not simply choosing between schools; they are choosing between three distinct educational tracks that happen to coexist in the same city. The fully international English medium school, the bilingual private school and the section internationale inside the French state system serve different family timelines and budgets, and the right answer depends heavily on how long the family expects to stay and whether the children will continue in France or move on. For the curriculum decision underpinning all of this, read our French curriculum guide and IB curriculum guide.
Curricula offered
France offers four main curricula to international families. The French Baccalaureate is the national qualification and is available to international children chiefly through sections internationales, bilingual streams inside French state schools that reinforce a second language and add a literature and history component in that language. The Lycee International de Saint-Germain-en-Laye is the best known example, running British, American and many other national sections within the French public framework at a fraction of private fees.
The British curriculum, delivered through IGCSE and A Levels, is anchored by the British School of Paris in Croissy-sur-Seine, which follows the English National Curriculum through to A Level and feeds strongly into UK universities. The American curriculum, built on the US high school diploma and Advanced Placement, is anchored by the American School of Paris in Saint-Cloud, one of the oldest international schools in Europe, which also offers the IB Diploma at senior level. The International Baccalaureate has the broadest footprint among the fully international schools: the International School of Paris runs the full IB Continuum across PYP, MYP and Diploma, and several bilingual schools offer the Diploma as a sixth form route. Ecole Jeannine Manuel, the bilingual school that consistently ranks among the strongest in France for IB results, sits between the systems with a French and English bilingual model leading to either the French Baccalaureate or the IB Diploma. For a direct sixth form comparison see our curriculum comparison hub.
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Fees overview
French international school fees span a wide band depending on which of the three tracks a family chooses. Sections internationales inside the state system are the value route, with the international stream itself either free or carrying modest charges and total annual costs running far below the private market. Bilingual private schools occupy the middle. Fully international English medium schools sit at the top, and the most established Paris names reach the upper end of the European fee table. Use the fees database for like for like comparison and the cost calculator for the multi year all in projection including housing. For Paris specifically, our Paris international school fees guide breaks the numbers down by school and stage.
| Track | Example schools | 2026 annual tuition (EUR) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sections internationales (state) | Lycee International de Saint-Germain-en-Laye and similar | 8,000 to 12,000 | Often lower; international stream charges only |
| Bilingual private | Ecole Jeannine Manuel, EIB network | 14,000 to 22,000 | French and English split teaching |
| Fully international (English medium) | International School of Paris, British School of Paris | 25,000 to 38,000 | Plus capital and enrolment fees |
| Established flagship (senior years) | American School of Paris | up to 41,000 | One-off capital assessment applies |
Across all tracks, add roughly 8 to 15 per cent on top of headline tuition for one-off enrolment and capital fees, school bus and lunches. Fees rise materially by stage, with senior years at the fully international schools costing well above the early years.
Top cities
Paris is the centre of gravity for international schooling in France and the city most relocating families will be choosing within. Our Paris city guide covers the western suburb clusters, the housing patterns and the commute realities that drive school choice, and it links through to the school level detail. For families weighing specific shortlists, our editorial coverage of the best international schools in Paris and the best IB schools in Paris goes deeper on the individual schools.
Beyond the capital, Lyon serves a sizeable corporate and pharmaceutical expat community and has a small set of international and bilingual schools. Nice and the Cote d'Azur draw a mixed expat and second home population with a handful of international options. Toulouse, anchored by the aerospace sector, and Bordeaux each support international or bilingual provision on a smaller scale. As GlobalSchoolGuide adds dedicated city hubs for these regional markets, they will link from this page; for now the Paris hub is the live city level resource for France.
Admissions calendar
The French academic year runs from early September to early July, and the international schools align with it. Applications for September entry typically open the previous autumn, and the strongest Paris schools maintain waitlists at the popular year groups, particularly in the early primary years and at Year 7 or its equivalent. Families targeting a Tier 1 Paris school for September should aim to apply by the winter before, with assessments and interviews running through the spring.
The application process follows the standard international school template: school reports for the previous two years, references from the current school, an age appropriate academic assessment, an English or French language assessment depending on the medium of instruction, and a family interview. Sections internationales inside the state system add an entrance examination in the target language, which is competitive at the established sites. Mid year entry is possible at many schools where capacity exists, and the fully international schools are generally used to families relocating outside the September peak. For the wider planning framework across markets, see our piece on admissions timing by city.
Choosing a school
The first decision in France is the track, not the school. Families on a short posting who want their children to continue seamlessly in the same system elsewhere usually favour the fully international IB or British and American schools, which travel cleanly between expat hubs. Families anticipating a longer stay, or wanting genuine French fluency and integration, often choose a bilingual school or a section internationale, accepting a more localised education in exchange for lower cost and deeper language acquisition. Children who attend a French or bilingual school typically leave with strong French, which is one of the more durable benefits of a French posting.
Geography is the second decision. Because the established schools cluster in the western suburbs, housing and school choice are tightly linked, and the commute should be a primary input rather than an afterthought. The third is the sixth form qualification: the choice between the French Baccalaureate, A Levels, Advanced Placement and the IB Diploma shapes university options and should be made with the child's likely destination country in mind. Read parent experiences on our school reviews hub and compare the qualifications across our comparison guides before committing. When you are ready to narrow the field, the school finder will return a matched shortlist.
FAQ
How much do international schools cost in France? Sections internationales inside the state system run around 8,000 to 12,000 euros per year. Bilingual private schools sit at roughly 14,000 to 22,000 euros. Fully international English medium schools in Paris range from about 25,000 to 38,000 euros, with the most established names higher again. Add 8 to 15 per cent for enrolment, capital fees, bus and lunch.
Which curricula are offered at international schools in France? The four main routes are the French Baccalaureate through sections internationales, the British curriculum with IGCSE and A Levels, the American curriculum with Advanced Placement, and the International Baccalaureate. Many Paris schools are bilingual; fully international schools teach mainly in English with structured French as a second language.
Where are most international schools in France located? Paris and its western suburbs hold the deepest concentration by a wide margin, clustered in Saint-Cloud, Croissy-sur-Seine, Neuilly and Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Lyon, Nice, Toulouse and Bordeaux each have a smaller set serving their regional expat communities.
When does the French school year start? The academic year runs from early September to early July. Applications for September entry usually open the previous autumn, and the most sought after Paris schools maintain waitlists, so families relocating mid year should apply as early as a confirmed move date allows.