Outside a French primary school at the morning bell, parents say goodbye at the gate and the day starts on time. Schools in France look rigid from outside and, in many ways, it is: the curriculum is national, the calendar is national and the school you attend is decided by your address. For families moving from abroad, the good news is that it is free, and that newcomers have their own support system.
How do schools in France work for foreign families?
Instruction is compulsory from 3 to 16 years old, and state school is free for every child, French or not. Primary school covers nursery (maternelle) and elementary (élémentaire), then comes collège (11 to 15) and lycée (15 to 18). Costs that remain for parents are supplies, outings and, if you choose it, the canteen.
The school you attend depends on where you live: this is the carte scolaire. You can ask for an exception, but it is not guaranteed. This is one more reason to find a home before you register (see renting in France).
How do you enrol a child in nursery or primary school in France?
Go to the mairie of your home. It gives you a certificat d'inscription that names the school. Then you present the certificate and the vaccination record to the head teacher to complete admission. For September, registration is usually done by June and often opens as early as March in large cities. If you arrive in the middle of the year, do it right after settling.
The documents are the child's and parent's ID (or a sworn statement), a recent proof of address, the vaccination proof or a medical contraindication. Bring the vaccination booklet: the compulsory vaccines in France may differ from those of your country.
How do you enrol a teenager who arrives from abroad?
For collège and lycée, the process starts with the CASNAV, the academic centre for the schooling of newly arrived non-French-speaking pupils, for the académie of your main residence. A school psychologist studies your child's schooling and organises an assessment. The académie then assigns a school according to the pupil's level and the places near your home. Your child must be in France at the time of enrolment, and the documents required vary by rectorate, so ask the assigned school.
If your child was already in school abroad, they join a regular class at their level, normally with an age gap of two years at most, and may follow intensive French in a UPE2A, a unit for newly arrived non-French-speaking pupils. If they had little or no schooling, they attend the UPE2A full time and usually move into regular classes within about a year. Children from 12 to 17 whose mother tongue is not French can sit the DELF scolaire. Service-Public verified this on 5 August 2026.
What about childcare for children under three?
Before school age, options are a municipal or private crèche or a registered childminder (assistante maternelle). Ask the town hall and the family allowance office (CAF). The complément de libre choix du mode de garde (CMG) helps pay for a childminder, a home carer or a micro-crèche for a child under six if you or your partner work. It can cover up to 85% of costs, within a monthly ceiling that depends on your family and your income. A municipal crèche sets its own rates, so ask the town hall. Start early, since demand is high in cities.
Are there international and private schools in France?
Yes. There are private schools under contract with the State (moderate fees), private international schools (high fees), international sections in some public schools and approved European schools. Each school sets its own fees and conditions, so ask for the tariff before registering. International sections admit pupils on application, with a written and an oral test: a foreign pupil must show a sufficient level in the language of the section and in French. The list of schools is available from the rectorate of your académie.
What does the canteen cost, and when are the holidays?
The canteen is not compulsory for the municipality. When it exists, the price is set by the town hall, often according to the family quotient. Some towns offer support. For 2026-2027 in mainland France, the school year starts on 1 or 3 September 2026, with All Saints holidays from 17 October to 2 November 2026, Christmas from 19 December 2026 to 4 January 2027, and summer holidays starting 3 July 2027. Winter and spring holidays depend on the zone (A, B or C).
Can you school your child at home in France?
Home schooling needs a prior authorisation from the academic director, granted for limited reasons. Do not assume it works as in some other countries.
What about diplomas and the overseas departments?
To have a foreign diploma assessed, the ENIC-NARIC France centre issues comparability statements for a fee of €20, then €100 if the file is admissible, according to Service-Public. In Réunion, school starts on 18 August 2026, Mayotte on 24 August and Guadeloupe, Martinique and French Guiana on 1 September (see living in the French overseas departments). For a bigger picture, begin with the moving to France checklist.
Which documents will French schools ask for?
Expect to bring: the identity papers of the child and of the parent (the family record book, a passport, an ID card or a birth certificate, or a sworn statement), a recent proof of address, and proof of the compulsory vaccinations, or a medical certificate saying why they are not done. For collège and lycée, add the child's recent school reports from abroad, translated if possible, and keep in mind that the exact list varies by rectorate. Ask the school or the CASNAV before you enrol.
The vaccination point deserves attention. The compulsory vaccines in France may differ from those of your country, so compare the calendars before the school year and ask your doctor, so the admission does not stall on a missing page of the booklet.
Why does the school map (carte scolaire) matter when you choose a home?
State schools in France depend on your address. The primary school is assigned by the town hall according to your street, and the collège and lycée by the académie. A request for a school outside your area, a dérogation, is possible but not guaranteed. That is why families often choose their home after checking the school, and why it is wise to ask the town hall for the school of your sector before you sign a lease (see renting in France).
Private schools under contract with the State and international schools do not follow the map in the same way, but they have their own entry conditions and fees.
What if your child is older and arrives mid-year?
The CASNAV process works throughout the year. After the assessment, the académie proposes a school based on the child's level and the places available near your home, and the child normally joins a class at their level. Teenagers over 16, who are no longer subject to compulsory schooling, can still enter a general, technological or vocational lycée. If you arrive in the middle of a term, contact the CASNAV on arrival: a delay in the file is the main reason for a delay in school. For children who have been at home or in a non-French system, a French school may ask for an exam on the main subjects.
Where can you find more help with schools in France?
The town hall for nursery and primary school, the rectorate of your académie for lists of establishments and international sections, and the CAF for childcare support. For the family budget, see the cost of living in France, and for the rest of the arrival, the moving to France checklist.