International schools in France 2026: fees & curricula

International schools in France

The largest concentration of international schools is around Paris — including established Anglophone schools in the western suburbs (Saint-Cloud, Croissy-sur-Seine) — with further options in Lyon, Nice, Bordeaux and Toulouse. Curricula include British (IGCSE/A-Level), American (AP), the International Baccalaureate and French bilingual programmes. Annual fees commonly range from roughly €10,000 at bilingual French-international schools to €40,000+ for IB Diploma or A-Level years at the most established schools. Budget an extra 8–15% on top of headline tuition for registration, capital or security fees, bus and lunches, and apply early because popular schools have waiting lists.

Public schools, bilingual sections and homeschooling

Instruction is compulsory for every child living in France from age 3 to 16, and public schools are free and secular for all resident children regardless of nationality or the parents' immigration status — you enrol younger children at your local mairie. Teaching is in French, so younger children usually adapt quickly. France also runs free public sections internationales and bilingual streams that mix the French curriculum with another language, a strong middle path between fully international and standard public school. Homeschooling (instruction en famille) remains legal but, since the 2021 law in force from 2022, requires prior authorisation from the departmental education authority each year and is granted only on restricted grounds.

At a glance

Where it fits in a borderless plan

Schooling is often the deciding factor in a family move to France, and the free public and bilingual options make it more affordable than headline international fees suggest. Weigh schools with healthcare, banking and where you are tax-resident. Compare options in our international-schools guide and see retiring in France.