FRENCHHIGH SCHOOLSIN CANADA

A PASSPORT TO HIGHER EDUCATION

WHAT IS A BACCALAURÉAT?A Baccalauréat is a diploma awarded by the French Ministry of National Education. It marks the successful completion of secondary studies and opens the door to higher education. This comprehensive national exam covers all areas of study. Each exam contains a series of essays or problems on issues requiring a thorough analysis based on the knowledge acquired over the course of the final two years of Lycée education.Over 500,000 students take the Baccalauréat général every year, including 12.000 students from the French Lycées (high schools) abroad.French-curriculum Lycées based in Canada and the United States offer the three sections of the general baccalauréat: Literature (L), Economics and Social Science (ES), Science and Mathematics (S).

Average success rate for the Baccalauréat général (2011):

The “Option Internationale” Baccalauréat (OIB) is currently being introduced in Canada. This option includes two courses and exams in English: North American Literature and History/Geography.

What advantages does a French education give my child?

Challenging intellectual education and personalized support for studentsTeaching programs created by the French Ministry of National Education and a majority of teachers

Quality education in French that is recognized by the best North American universities

An international teaching environment

Institutions that are part of an unparalleled global network

French Lycées welcome students from Maternelle (3-year old) to Terminale. The last three years of secondary education are called Seconde, Première and Terminale, corresponding to grades 10, 11 and 12. All subjects are taught in French. In Terminale, students earn the French secondary studies diploma, the Baccalauréat.

Nancy NightingalePresident and Managing Director at InvesteamMother of three students at the Lycée Français de Toronto

The lycée system has changed my children s life in every way

88 % 7 % with Highest Honors15 % with Honors

In France: In Canada:

including

98,8 % 29 %23 %

’

A diploma earned through 5 French-curriculum institutions in Canada

CalgaryLycée Pasteur

OttawaLycée Claudel

Quebec city CollègeStanislas*

MontrealCollège Marie de France

Collège Stanislas

* These institutions offer a French program up to the grade 8 or 9 level.

VancouverEcole Française Internationale de

Vancouver*

TorontoLycée Français

de TorontoToronto French

School*

Marie-Claude LortieJournalist at La Presse

Alumni and mother of three students at the Collège International Marie de FranceMontreal

The French lycée curriculum helped me so much in my life that I want to of fer the same opportunity to my children

A very structured learning that al lows for flexibilityMarie-Jeanne LeLawerMother of two students at the Lycée Pasteur Calgary

A CHALLENGING AND COMPREHENSIVE CURRICULUMIn every basic subject at a French Lycée, each student receives a solid education that develops their intellectual curiosity and critical thinking. It is an outstanding preparation to post-secondary education.

BAC L : LITERATUREBAC L : LITERATUREBAC L : LITERATUREBAC L : LITERATURE

SUBJECTSNUMBER OF HOURS PER

YEARNUMBER OF HOURS PER

YEARWEIGHT FOR THE FINAL EXAMSUBJECTS

Première Terminale

WEIGHT FOR THE FINAL EXAM

French 136 - 5Philosophy - 272 7

French Literature 68 68 2English Literature 68 51

English 85 68 4Foreign Language 2 68 68 4History/Geography 153 153 4

Science 51 - 2Physical Education and Sport 68 68 2Specialization: choose one

Complementary foreign language 102 102 2Foreign Language 3 102 102 2Latin or Ancient Greek 102 102 2

Mathematics 102 136 2Maximum 2 options from the following:

Latin or Ancient Greek 102 102 3Art 102 102 2

Cinema 102 102 2Theatre 102 102 2

At the end of the Lycée program, regardless of the chosen specialization, all students have acquired a solid educational background by taking at least:

Three years of English courses, another foreign language and Civic Education

Two years of courses in Biology, Physics and Chemistry, French Literature, Mathematics , History and Geography

One year of courses in Economics and Sociology, as well as Philosophy

BAC ES : ECONOMICS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES BAC ES : ECONOMICS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES BAC ES : ECONOMICS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES BAC ES : ECONOMICS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

SUBJECTSNUMBER OF

HOURS PER YEARNUMBER OF

HOURS PER YEAR WEIGHT FOR THE FINAL EXAMSUBJECTS

Première Terminale

WEIGHT FOR THE FINAL EXAM

Economics and social sciences 170 170 7Mathematics 102 136 5

History/Geography 153 153 5French 136 - 4Science 51 - 2Philosophy - 136 4English 85 68 3

Foreign Language 2 68 68 3Physical Education and Sport 68 68 2Specialization: choose one

Mathematics - 51 2Social and Political Science - 51 2Advanced Economics - 51 2

Maximum 2 options from the following: Latin or Ancient Greek 102 102 3

Art 102 102 2Cinema 102 102 2Theatre 102 102 2

BAC S : SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS BAC S : SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS BAC S : SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS BAC S : SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS

SUBJECTSNUMBER OF

HOURS PER YEARNUMBER OF

HOURS PER YEAR WEIGHT FOR THE FINAL EXAMSUBJECTS

Première Terminale

WEIGHT FOR THE FINAL EXAM

Mathematics 136 204 7Physics / Chemistry 102 170 6Life and Earth Science 102 119 6

French 136 - 4Philosophy - 102 3English 85 102 3

Foreign Language 2 68 102 2History/Geography 153 - 3

Physical Education and Sport 68 68 2Specialization: choose one

Mathematics - 68 2Physics / Chemistry - 68 2Life and Earth Science - 68 2

Maximum 2 options from the following: Latin or Ancient Greek 102 102 3

Art 102 102 2Cinema 102 102 2Theatre 102 102 2

History/Geography - 68 2

Some Lycées also offer their students advanced placement tests (known as AP) that allow them to earn credits in North American universities. In Quebec, compléments CEGEP are offered to allow students to attend university under the best possible conditions.Extracurricular activities are offered, including soccer, volleyball, skiing, science and debate clubs, public speaking, music and choir singing, theatre, academic exchanges and trips.

A FRENCH BACCALAURÉAT LEADS TO WHAT KIND OF HIGHER EDUCATION?

Each year, graduates of the French Baccalauréat are admitted to the best institutions of higher learning in Canada, the United States and Europe. French Baccalauréat gives access to all French Universities. These are just some of the universities who have accepted students from French-curriculum Lycées in North America:

CANADA USA FRANCE & EUROPECarleton UniversityConcordia UniversityDalhousie UniversityGlendon College (York

University)HEC Montréal

McMaster UniversityMc Gill University

Polytechnique MontréalQueen’s UniversityRyerson UniversityUniversité d’OttawaUniversité de MontréalUniversité du Québec à

MontréalUniversité Laval

University of AlbertaUniversity of British Columbia

University of Calgary University of TorontoUniversity of WaterlooWestern University

American UniversityCalifornia State UniversityColumbia UniversityDuke University

Georgetown UniversityGeorgia Institute of Technology

Harvard UniversityMIT

New York UniversityPrinceton UniversityStanford University

University of California BerkeleyUniversity of MichiganYale University

Preparatory classes for the French Grandes Écoles:

Lycée Janson de SaillyLycée Sainte-Geneviève

Lycée du ParcLycée Montaigne Lycée Saint-LouisLycée Carnot

Lycée Louis-le-Grand

Sciences Po ParisÉcoles Nationales d’Architecture de Paris Val-de-Seine, de Clermont-Ferrand, de

Toulouse

Faculté de médecine de Paris, Toulouse, Nantes, Lille

Université Paris 1 ‒ SorbonneOxford University (GB)

At McGil l, one of the most s e l e c t i v e C a n a d i a n universities, we accept 50% of the applications from French lycées in Canada, which is remarkably higher than our average admission rate

Kim BartlettDirector, Admissions and RecruitmentMcGill University, Montreal

UNDERSTANDING THE FRENCH GRADING SYSTEM

Grades earned over the course of a Lycée education and the Baccalauréat exams are calculated out of 20. A general average of 10/20 (taking into account the weight for each subject) is necessary to earn the diploma.A grade of 20/20 is a perfect score and is rarely awarded. Depending on the subject, a grade of 16, 15 are considered very good results. In some subjects, a grade of 12 can even be considered a fairly good result.

As a result, grades earned by French Baccalauréat students are generally converted for entry into universities.The following is an example of the grade conversion formula used by the University of Ottawa for applicants with a French Baccalauréat from the Lycée Claudel in Ottawa:

French grade out of 20 X 4 + 30 = Canadian grade out of 100 Example:

17.5/20 X 4 + 30 = 100 % = A +15/20 X 4 + 30 = 90 % = A -10/20 X 4 + 30 = 70 % = C+

However, North American universities increasingly rely directly on the report cards from French Lycées for admission.

Correspondence between Baccalauréat grades and Canadian distinctions

16-20/20 : Mention très bien Highest honors14-15,9/20 : Mention bien High honors

12-13,9/20 : Mention assez bien Honors

10-11,9/20 Passing

08-9.9/20 : Students with this average will retake an oral exam Less than 08/20 : Failed exam

Isham RekouakUndergraduate student at the University of TorontoAlumni of the Lycée ClaudelOttawa

The French system makes the student work more and use more his mind

FRENCH SCHOOLS IN CANADA

BOSTON CHICAGO HOUSTON LOS ANGELES

LOS ANGELES MIAMI MIAMI NEW YORK

NEW YORK SAN FRANCISCO SAN FRANCISCO WASHINGTON DC

CALGARY MONTREAL MONTREAL OTTAWA

QUEBEC CITY TORONTO TORONTO VANCOUVER

International School of Bostonwww.isbos.org

Lycée Français de Chicagowww.lyceechicago.org

Awty International Schoolwww.awty.org

Le Lycée Français de Los Angeleswww.lyceela.org

Lycée International de Los Angeles(LILA)

www.lilaschool.com International Studies Charter High Schoolwww.ischs.net

ISB Charter Schoolwww.isbcharterschool.org

French American Schoolof New Yorkwww.fasny.org

Lycée Français de New Yorkwww.lfny.org

Lycée Français La Pérousewww.lelycee.org

French American International Schoolwww.frenchamericansf.org

Lycée Rochambeauwww.rochambeau.org

Lycée Louis Pasteurwww.lycee.ca

Collège InternationalMarie de Francewww.cimf.ca

Collège Stanislaswww.stanislas.qc.ca

Lycée Claudelwww.claudel.org

Collège Stanislaswww.stanislas-quebec.qc.ca

Lycée Français de Torontowww.lft.ca

Toronto French Schoolwww.tfs.ca

Ecole Française Internationalede Vancouverwww.efiv.org

FRENCH HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE USA