The American Section is one of the national sections inside the Lycee international de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, the state school west of Paris founded in 1952. The school teaches the French national curriculum, and the American Section adds English language and literature and United States history taught by its own staff, leading to the international option of the French baccalaureate. For American and English speaking families it offers a route that keeps a strong English and American education inside the French system, a distinctive option in the wider Paris international schools landscape.
This profile focuses on the American Section specifically. For how all the sections fit together, see our overview of the Lycee international de Saint-Germain-en-Laye. GlobalSchoolGuide is independent and no school pays to be listed, so what follows is an editorial reference rather than a prospectus, and it sits alongside our guide to the best American schools in Paris.
American Section at a glance
| Curriculum and exam boards | French national curriculum plus American section teaching, leading to the international option of the French baccalaureate |
|---|---|
| Stage range | Primary to secondary (ages roughly 6 to 18) |
| Founded | 1952 (host lycee) |
| Accreditation | French state school; American Section run by its section association |
| Fee band | State school: core programme publicly funded; American Section charges a separate annual fee |
| Campus area | Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Yvelines, west of Paris |
Curriculum and academics
Students in the American Section follow the full French national curriculum and, in addition, study English language and literature and United States history with section teachers across the week. The combined route leads to the international option of the French baccalaureate, in which the English and American component is examined alongside the French diploma. The aim is genuine fluency and academic depth in English rather than English as a foreign language subject. Families comparing this with a full American programme can read our guide to American curriculum schools.
This is a French state programme with an American and English strand, not the IB Diploma and not a standalone American international school running the US system end to end. It suits families who want their children fluent and literate in both French and English, and who can meet the English language level the section expects.
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American Section fees
The host lycee is a French state school, so the core French programme is publicly funded rather than priced at the levels in our Paris school fees guide. The American Section is run by its own association and charges an annual section fee to fund the additional English and American teaching. That fee sits well below the tuition at full American international schools but is a genuine cost, and it is specific to the section rather than the school as a whole.
Plan for the American Section fee plus the usual incidental costs of French state schooling, such as materials, meals and transport to Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Confirm the current section fee directly with the American Section, as each section sets its own rate.
Admissions and intake
Entry to the American Section combines French state school placement with an English language assessment, because students must be able to follow section teaching in English. That makes admission more involved than a standard state placement, and the level expected rises in the higher year groups. Families should approach the school and the American Section early to confirm eligibility.
Applicants are typically assessed on prior school records and an English language evaluation. The school year follows the French calendar from September, with intake concentrated at the start of each phase. Confirm the current process and language requirements directly with the section.
Location and who goes there
The school is in Saint-Germain-en-Laye in the Yvelines, on the western edge of the Paris region and served by the RER into the centre. The American Section draws on American and English speaking and mixed families across the western suburbs, including households linked to international employers in the region. The location suits families happy to base themselves in the western part of the area.
For the wider picture of how American, French, IB, British and German schools sit across the city and its suburbs, including fee tiers and neighbourhoods, see the Paris schools hub.
American Section reviews
No verified parent reviews of the American Section at the Lycee international de Saint-Germain-en-Laye have been submitted to GlobalSchoolGuide yet. We hold back from publishing a star rating until we have enough verified first hand accounts to represent the section fairly, and we never fabricate ratings. If your family is part of the American Section, please consider sharing your experience through our school reviews page to help other relocating families.
Frequently asked questions
How much are American Section fees at the Lycee international?
The core French programme is publicly funded as a state school. The American Section charges a separate annual fee through its association to fund the extra English and American teaching, well below the tuition at full American international schools. Confirm the current section fee with the American Section.
Is the American Section a good route?
The American Section sits within an established state school founded in 1952 and leads to the international option of the baccalaureate. Suitability depends on whether a bilingual French and English route fits your family and whether your child meets the English level expected. Confirm details with the section.
What curriculum does the American Section follow?
Students follow the French national curriculum plus English language and literature and US history with section teachers, leading to the international option of the French baccalaureate, rather than the IB Diploma or a full American school programme.
When do American Section applications open?
The host lycee follows the French calendar from September. Entry combines state placement with an English language assessment, so contact the school and the American Section early to confirm eligibility and deadlines.
Where is the American Section located?
It is part of the Lycee international de Saint-Germain-en-Laye in the Yvelines, west of Paris, served by the RER into the centre.
