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Study abroad in
France
A life-changing experience allowing you to step into the shoes of a French high school student, living with a local family and attending a Frech high school.
Going with WEP is best
Since 1988, a wide choice of destinations and comprehensive assistance before, during and after your overseas programme. WEP is the ideal partner for your big overseas adventure.
Like you, we also get to choose who we travel with: our schools, host families and overseas partner organisations are carefully selected.
We offer a custom-made insurance policy, specifically designed for our participants, and we have a solid network behind us.
Emergency assistance, overseas and in the UK, is available 7 days out of 7, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Allowing all our participants to live their desired overseas experience is a mission, a challenge we're thrilled to accept.
Why study in France?
Studying in France means exploring a country known far and wide for its history, art and savoir-faire, while delving into its language and culture. Get ready for a unique adventure, made of fascinating discoveries and encounters that will leave a mark.
French society is dynamic and multicultural, from cosmopolitan big cities to picturesque small villages. You'll learn to enjoy the small daily pleasures that life in France has to offer - from grabbing coffee at your local bistrot to walking amongst buildings and landmarks that are rich in history, you'll experience a balanced and detail-oriented approach to life.
You'll be blown away by the lights in Paris, soak in the breath-taking scenery of Provence, and marvel at the majesty of the French Alps. Each region offers a surprising number of archituctural gems and a peculiar cultural heritage that will have you fall in love with the place in no time.
Studying in France is an extraordinary opportunity to combine personal growth with cultural development and high-level academic advancement, resulting in an inspriring, transformative experience.
Study in France with WEP
Whichever programme you choose, a study abroad experience in France will see you return to the UK with a much higher level of French.
You will live like a local and experience the authentic French lifestyle firsthand: on a high school exchange programme to France you will attend a local secondary school and share your day-to-day with a French host family, who will take you in as one of their own. You will form new friendships and collect a wide range of life experiences - it is through daily interactions with your host family, schoolmates and teachers that your French will benefit greatly.
The French education system
In France, the school system is extremely centralised and follows a well-defined course for each and every student. Education starts with École Maternelle (kindergarten) at 3 years old, followed by École Élémentaire (primary school) at 6 years of age for five years. After primary school, students enter lower secondary school (Collège), which lasts for four years and ends with students obtaining the Diplôme National du Brevet.
Upper secondary school (Lycée) lasts for three years. Here, students prepare for the Baccalauréat, the final national exam that marks the end of secondary education and grants access to higher education.
Higher education in France includes university, divided into licence (bachelor), master and doctorate degree, and grandes écoles, highly selective schools of excellence. There are also professional and technical institutes offering specific educational programmes to facilitate entry in the workforce.
FAQ
To participante in a high school exchange programme to France, you need to be between 14 and 18 years old on departure, have a C grade average, be a non-smoker, and have positive personal traits - such as being motivated, curious, tolerant, open and adaptable. You also need to have an intermediate level of French, and be physically and emotionally healthy - please discuss any specific conditions or requirements with WEP in advance.
Our high school exchange programmes in France can be 2, 3, 5 or 10-month long. The exact duration depends on the departure period - please contact WEP for more information.
To decide which duration is best for you, you should reflect on what you would like to achieve through the programme, and discuss your preferences both with your family (they need to be on board!) and with your school. In particular, make sure you discuss with a school representative what their policies are, regarding coming back from an exchange programme and re-integrating into school in the UK.
It's always best to check our website and/or obtain an online quote to see updated programme prices.
We know a high school exchange programme overseas is a significant financial investment. We do our best to offer competitive prices, which vary depending on the destination and chosen programme, and provide discounts and special promotions to help towards the cost.
You will live with a French host family, who may be located anywhere in the country (on a Classic programme) or in your chosen area of France (FLEX programme).