High School Immersion Program in France
Discover the excellence of French education
Key Information
- •Age: 14 to 18.5 years old and enrolled in a middle school or high school in the student's country of origin
- •Duration: A few weeks (depending on availability), 1 semester (4 to 6 months) or one year (10 months)
- •Language: Beginner French
- •Condition: Have good physical and mental health, demonstrate maturity
Why study in France?
Liberty, Equality and Fraternity are the characteristics of French education. French education is internationally recognized for its high academic standards; it is heavily subsidized by the State and continues to offer extraordinary opportunities to international students.
Public High School Immersion Program
How does it work?
The French State has integrated the volunteer program into its education system and it is an excellent opportunity for the international student to become familiar with French culture in a family living environment while attending a local school. The international student also has the possibility to validate their school year completed in France in order to continue their studies in their country of origin without losing an academic year.
In this program, a volunteer host family welcomes the student into their home, community and school, thus offering an optimal environment for development both academically and in their social and cultural integration.
The student can participate in this program for a semester or a school year, according to their preference. During this period, they will attend the school that corresponds to them near their new home where they will have the opportunity to be schooled, create new friendships and experiences with local students and participate in the sports and cultural offerings of the high school.
The High School
High school in France is a three-year program (Seconde, Première, Terminale) for students aged 14 to 18 years 6 months and also for students who want to repeat the last year of the baccalauréat. However, to guarantee obtaining the BAC or diploma, an international student must study for 2 years in France.
The Host Family
The student does not choose in advance where they will study precisely because the objective of this program is that they can discover in depth the habits and daily life. The student can therefore be placed anywhere in France.
The host family that accepts to receive the student can live in the center of a large city, in a village, in a rural community or, most often, in a suburb not far from a city.
Student placement is carried out after a meticulous analysis and selection process. The speed of this placement depends on the quality of the application submitted by the student. From the moment the student submits their application, it may take a few weeks before receiving a placement but it is also possible that the student receives confirmation from the school and their family a few days before their departure for France.
What is included in the program
- ✓Accommodation with a host family
- ✓Enrollment in a public high school
- ✓Support from an Immersion member throughout the stay
- ✓Meals
- ✓Assistance in preparing the application file
- ✓Assistance in providing the necessary documents for the visa application
- ✓Health insurance
- ✓Assistance for validation of the study year in the country of origin
- ✓Welcome and orientation upon arrival in France
- ✓A 24/7 emergency number from the host organization
Private High School Immersion Program
How does it work?
In this program, the student chooses the school that offers the courses or sports and extracurricular activities they are looking for.
This is the right program for a student who wants to be in a single city or who is looking for specialized courses that are only offered in certain schools.
If you wish to participate in the private program, we have a system that allows us to address individualized proposals to the participant. Our team makes a preliminary assessment to know the student's profile, tastes and needs, then Immersion selects the three best school options that meet the requested requirements. At this point, the student and their family will be able to choose the high school where the student will do their stay.
The High School
In this private program, the high school can be either secular private or Catholic private. In both cases, the high school charges tuition fees. However, teachers are salaried by the French State, as in public schools, which makes these very affordable for the international student.
In this program, places in schools are sold and, depending on their popularity, the school can accommodate a defined number of foreigners.
This program represents an excellent opportunity to improve and perfect the student's French language, as many schools have a French as a Foreign Language (FLE) center and support the student in their specific needs, which facilitates validation of the year.
As in the public program, secondary education in the private program in France is three years (Seconde, Première, Terminale) for students aged 15 to 18.5 years. In some cases, we can accept students who want to repeat the last year of Baccalauréat. Under certain conditions, it is possible to obtain the French Baccalauréat diploma which allows continuing higher education at a French university.
Boarding Schools in France
Boarding schools are schools that also house the students who are enrolled there. Many of these boarding schools belong to Catholic dioceses and the administrators also depend on the diocese, while the high school teachers are salaried employees of the French State. This means that tuition fees are subsidized to some extent.
For the international student, this model allows a more controlled structure of the stay. Indeed, there is a set of well-defined rules, tasks and activities that make each boarding school unique. In general, boarding schools offer much more specialized education.
Balance between boarding school and host family
In France, families can place their child in a boarding school either to offer their child a better education, or due to their professional situation. Typically, the French student in boarding school spends 5 days in boarding school (during the week), then returns to their family on weekends (2 days). During these two days, the international student will therefore be hosted with a French host family, which creates a certain balance between family life and boarding school life.
Choosing the Boarding School
Our team will make a preliminary assessment to know the student's profile, tastes and needs. Subsequently, Immersion will preselect the 3 best boarding schools corresponding to the requested criteria. From then on, the student and their family will have the freedom to choose the future boarding school to participate in the program.
It should be noted that boarding school places are limited and preference is given to the French student. However, some boarding schools across France reserve part of their places for international students. In these boarding schools, the support service for foreign students is very effective and, in most cases, these boarding schools offer French as a Foreign Language (FLE) support courses so that the student can improve their French intensively while following their regular courses.
This is the best way to study and succeed in the year for a student with very little knowledge of the French language.
France Through the Lens
Explore the daily life of our students in France through this gallery of authentic photos. Discover the precious moments shared with host families, school life, and cultural activities that make this experience an unforgettable adventure.
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