Upper secondary · French system
The baccalauréat général: breadth, with choices
Created in 1808, the baccalauréat is both the school-leaving diploma and the first French university degree. Since the 2019 reform it no longer has streams: a broad common core, completed by specialisms (spécialités) that the pupil chooses and narrows down over the years.
A structure that looks flexible, but where every choice of specialism, from the age of 15, already shapes the doors that will stay open — in France as in Switzerland.
Framework and philosophy
The baccalauréat général combines a common core of general education, philosophy included, with a chosen area of depth. It sits in the middle of the major end-of-secondary diplomas: broader than A-levels, more specialised than the Swiss Matura.
A national diploma
The same syllabuses and the same examinations throughout France and in accredited French schools abroad.
Common core
French, philosophy, history-geography, two languages, science education and PE for everyone.
Gradual choices
Three specialisms in première, two in terminale: the pupil specialises step by step.
Recent changes
The bac has been through a run of adjustments since the 2019 reform. Families need to check the rule that applies to the pupil's own year.
- 2019 – 2021Verified
The end of the L, ES and S streams. In their place, a common core, specialisms and a share of continuous assessment. The first reformed bac in 2021, with the creation of the Grand oral.
- 2022Verified
The baccalauréat français international (BFI) replaces the international option (OIB).
- 2024Verified
The specialism examinations, for a time brought forward to the spring, return to June.
- 2026Verified
The first early maths paper for all première pupils, in June, counting towards the 2027 bac. Results: a 91.4% pass rate across all bacs, 95.9% in the general track.
- Bac 2027Verified
The Grand oral coefficient lowered from 10 to 8 in the general track to offset the maths paper; the première maths paper becomes available in the resit.
Diploma pathways
Three tracks exist after seconde. This guide covers the general track, the one followed by almost all pupils in international schools and French schools abroad.
the track of this guide
Bac général
Common core + specialisms. Prepares for longer courses of study.
8 streams (STMG, STI2D, ST2S…)
Bac technologique
Teaching applied to a sector. Leads mostly to shorter courses.
over 3 years, with placements
Bac professionnel
Direct entry to work, or progression to a BTS.
The international versions of the bac général
The same diploma, enriched with a bilingual pathway. All are prepared in authorised schools and add teaching in a foreign language.
International pathway - BFI — baccalauréat français international, since 2022; cultural and linguistic depth, a non-language subject taught in the section language, a "Knowledge of the World" course; bilingual to quadrilingual pathways
Binational double diplomas - Abibac — bac + German Abitur - Bachibac — bac + Spanish bachillerato - Esabac — bac + Italian esame di Stato
For an international family, the BFI is often the most relevant version — and it remains little known.
Structure and academic organisation
The general lycée runs over three years: seconde is shared by everyone, première opens the specialisms, terminale narrows them down.
Seconde (a foundation year, ~26.5 h/week) has no specialisms yet: everyone takes the same common core — French, maths, two languages, history-geography, physics-chemistry, SVT (life and earth sciences), SES (economics and social science), PE, digital science (SNT), civic education — to discover each discipline before choosing. Added to this: careers guidance (~54 h/year) and up to two optional subjects.
Première (~28 h/week): a 16-hour common core (French, two languages, history-geography, science education, PE, civic education) and three specialisms of 4 hours each. Pupils without the maths specialism take a maths programme built into science education, assessed in the June early paper.
The key choice: the 3 specialisms of première
It is prepared throughout the seconde year: specialisms presented in December, provisional choices in February–March, the class council's opinion in March, final choices in May, the decision at the end of the year. The choice belongs to the family, informed by the teachers and the form tutor; it also depends on the specialisms and the places the school offers. It is also the moment to choose between the general and the technological track.
Terminale (~27.5 h/week, plus options): the common core drops to 15.5 hours — philosophy replaces French — and the pupil keeps 2 specialisms of 6 hours. The third is dropped at the end of première: its yearly average counts towards the bac as continuous assessment.
new in terminale · 3 h
Further maths option (maths complémentaires)
For pupils who took the maths specialism in première and dropped it. Keeps a level of maths useful in economics, in health and for Switzerland.
new in terminale · 3 h
Expert maths (maths expertes)
For pupils who keep the maths specialism. An extension valued in the sciences and engineering.
new in terminale · 3 h
Law and major issues
Open to all terminale pupils. An introduction to law and to questions of society. Latin and Greek can still be added.
Parcoursup: the terminale calendar
In France, applications to post-bac courses go through the national Parcoursup platform, alongside terminale: choices from mid-January to mid-March, confirmation in early April, replies from early June. The second-term class council reviews the choices; the fiche Avenir brings together the teachers' comments and the head's opinion. Première and terminale grades count twice: towards the bac and in the application. Outside France (Switzerland, the United Kingdom…), other procedures apply, to be checked with the schools and the official bodies concerned.
Subjects, specialisms and skills
The common core: French (première) then philosophy (terminale), history-geography, two modern languages, science education, PE and civic education.
The 3 → 2 principle: three specialisms of 4 hours in première, two kept at 6 hours in terminale. The dropped specialism is marked as continuous assessment on the première year alone.
The 13 possible specialisms: mathematics · physics-chemistry · SVT (life and earth sciences) · SES (economics and social science) · HGGSP (history, geography, geopolitics, political science) · LLCER (foreign languages) · HLP (humanities, literature, philosophy) · NSI (computer science) · engineering science · arts · LLCA (classical languages) · physical education and sports culture · biology-ecology (agricultural lycées). The pupil chooses 3. Not all are offered in every lycée, especially abroad: a school's map of specialisms is a selection criterion in its own right.
The most popular specialisms in terminale (2025 intake): 1. Mathematics · 2. SES · 3. Physics-chemistry · 4. SVT · 5. HGGSP · 6. LLCER.
Key specialisms by broad pathway
| Broad pathway | Key specialisms |
|---|---|
| Medicine, health | SVT + physics-chemistry, maths as an option valued |
| Engineering, sciences | Maths + physics-chemistry, expert maths valued |
| Computer science | Maths + NSI |
| Economics, management | Maths or further maths, often with SES |
| Law, political science, humanities | HGGSP, HLP, SES or LLCER; keeping maths remains an asset |
General trends; exact requirements vary from one course to another and should be checked at source.
Skills developed: written argument · essay and commentary · critical thinking (philosophy) · oral expression (the Grand oral) · broad general culture · consistency over three years.
Assessment and certification
An overall average out of 20: 40% continuous assessment, 60% examinations. The bac is awarded from 10 upwards.
Breakdown of coefficients, bac 2026 (out of 100)
The two terminale specialisms alone are worth a third of the bac. The common core (32) and the dropped specialism (8) make up continuous assessment, calculated on the yearly averages of première and terminale.
- June, première
French written and oral; early maths (from 2026).
- June, terminale
Philosophy, two specialisms, the Grand oral.
- Early July
Results, then the resit orals.
| Distinction | Average |
|---|---|
| Assez bien | ≥ 12 |
| Bien | ≥ 14 |
| Très bien | ≥ 16 |
| Félicitations du jury | ≥ 18 |
Between 8 and 10: an oral resit on two written papers. In 2026, more than two thirds of those who passed the general track earned a distinction, of whom 37.5% Bien or Très bien.
What is the Grand oral?
A 20-minute oral examination at the end of terminale. The pupil presents a question linked to their specialisms, prepared over the year, then discusses it with the panel and talks about their plans. It assesses delivery as much as substance.
International recognition
A diploma recognised worldwide, but the combination of specialisms counts more and more outside France.
Direct access
France
A national diploma, the first university degree. The post-bac admissions procedure is outside the scope of this guide.
Conditions apply
Switzerland
Recognised, but since the reform several cantonal universities require specific specialisms, notably mathematics, including for non-scientific courses.
Conditions apply
United Kingdom
Well recognised, often with a minimum average, grades in the specialisms related to the course and proof of English.
Variable
United States, rest of Europe
Well recognised; the BFI makes access easier still through bilateral agreements.
In Switzerland
A few accredited schools of the French network, and border lycées much attended by families in French-speaking Switzerland.
Language
Everything is in French, with high demands in writing: a key point for a non-French-speaking pupil.
Mobility
The worldwide network of French lycées makes it possible to carry on the same programme after a move.
Bridges and transitions
Pupils enter the lycée after troisième and the brevet, or after an equivalent path; mid-cycle arrivals are on application.
Seconde
Ideal: a natural point of entry, before any choice of specialism.
Start of première
A good moment, possible if the school offers the specialisms wanted.
Terminale
Tricky: the première continuous assessment to reconstruct, specialisms imposed.
Changing system (to the Matura or the IB): admission is specific to each school, often with a repeated year.
Who it suits
A good fit
- Comfortable writing in French
- An all-rounder, with two favoured fields
- Consistent: continuous assessment rewards effort over three years
- Aiming for France or mobility within the French network
Worth watching
- A non-French-speaker, or weak in writing
- Aiming for Switzerland without keeping mathematics
- Undecided when choosing specialisms
- Ill at ease speaking: the Grand oral weighs heavily
A simple rule: the intended destination decides the combination of specialisms. Destination unknown → keep mathematics, at least as an option.
Decision timeline
The key decisions are made as early as seconde, well before the final examinations.
What really makes the difference
What families often discover too late.
The bac begins in première
40% of the grade comes from continuous assessment, and the première and terminale reports also serve the post-bac applications. There is no final-stage resit for a neglected première.
Without maths, Switzerland gets harder
Several Swiss universities require specific specialisms, mathematics in particular, even for humanities or political science.
The dropped specialism is not trivial
It counts towards the bac on the première year alone, and the combination kept in terminale opens or closes whole pathways.
The map of specialisms depends on the lycée
Abroad especially, not all specialisms are offered. A lycée without the intended combination forces a compromise as early as seconde.
The BFI, an asset often overlooked
For a bilingual pupil, it raises the profile of the section language and improves recognition of the diploma abroad, without changing the rest of the bac.
Summary and comparison
| French baccalauréat | A-levels | IB Diploma | Swiss Matura | High School Diploma | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duration | 3 years of lycée | 2 years | 2 years | 3 to 4 years | 4 years |
| Subjects | Common core + 2 specialisms | 3, chosen | 6 + TOK, EE, CAS | About ten + options | Credits, often + AP |
| Common core | Yes | None | Yes, broad | Yes, very broad | Yes, variable |
| Assessment | Continuous assessment + exams | Final examinations | Exams + internal assessment | Exams + annual grades | Continuous assessment |
| Grade | Out of 20, distinctions | A* to E per subject | Out of 45 | Out of 6 | GPA |
| Specialisation | 3 / 5 | 5 / 5 | 3 / 5 | 1 / 5 | 2 / 5 |
| Swiss access | Subject to specialisms | Conditions apply | Conditions apply | Direct | With AP |
A simplified overview; each programme has its own detailed guide.
MyStudentHub method and productivity
With continuous assessment, the bac is won over three years: consistency counts as much as the final revision.
A typical week of independent work
| Day | Independent work |
|---|---|
| Mon | Review of the day's lessons |
| Tue | Exercises, specialism 1 |
| Wed | Exercises, specialism 2 |
| Thu | Common core, languages |
| Fri | An essay or commentary |
| Sat | One timed paper |
| Sun | Review and plan for the week |
Three habits that pay off
Test yourself rather than re-read; space out revision of the same idea; practise speaking aloud for the Grand oral, in short, phone-free blocks of concentration. This is the approach MSH Focus supports day to day.
Disclaimer: these study tips are general pointers, grounded in recognised learning practices; they don't result from an individual assessment of the pupil. They should be adapted to each person's pace and to the school's instructions, and don't replace the advice of a teacher or a specialist in the case of a learning difficulty. MSH Focus is part of the MyStudentHub ecosystem, to which MSH Advisory also belongs.
Sources and updates
Version 2, guide updated in October 2026. Since the rules of the bac change almost every year, check those that apply to the pupil's own year.
- French Ministry of Education — the baccalauréat français international (BFI)
- French Ministry of Education — how your bac grade is calculated
- French Ministry of Education — the early maths paper in première
- DEPP — choice of specialisms and options, 2025 intake
- CIDJ — bac 2026 results
- French Ministry of Education — Parcoursup, the key steps
- Conditions for access to Swiss universities — swissuniversities and the universities' own sites, to be checked case by case
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