After the lycée, students choose to pursue either a vocational diploma or an academic diploma.
Vocational diplomas:
2 year technology degrees are the DUT (diplôme universitaire de technologie) and BTS (brevet de technicien supérieur). High schools deliver BTS courses, while universities grant DUT degrees. A DUT or BTS may be followed by one more year of qualifying study to earn a licensed career.
Academic diplomas:
There are three types of higher education institutions in France: specialized schools, universities, and Grandes écoles.
Universities are public institutions that award academic, technological, and professional degrees to students who have completed a baccalauréat or its equivalent in a foreign language. A university education contributes to degrees in a variety of fields. Degrees are granted at three different stages of achievement, referred to as cycles, within a system known as license, master, and doctorate (LMD), which is outlined in the following sections.
The Grandes écoles are a group of elite public and private schools. They’re close to colleges, but they usually deliver a more specialized three-year program in subjects like accounting, public administration, or engineering. The Grandes écoles accept students based on their performance on a competitive test. Students must have completed a baccalauréat and, in certain cases, a 2-year preparatory course (course préparatoires or prépas) before taking this test. A master’s degree is awarded to students who graduate from a Grande école (master).
Specialized schools are public or private educational institutions that prepare students for careers in fields such as art, architecture, social work, or tourism. They have master’s and license degrees.
EQUIVALENCES OF DIPLOMA AND DEGREE
There is no standard or official equivalency between French and American degrees. The following information is provided as a guideline:
An American high school diploma sometimes qualifies the student to enter an institution of higher education in France. The institution will rate its equivalency on a case-by-case basis.
An associate degree from the United States also allows a student to enroll in a French institution within their first or second year. On a case-by-case basis, the institution will assess its equivalency.
A bachelor’s degree from the United States can be considered equivalent to a license. It is equivalent to two or three years of study for a DUT, BTS, or license at some universities. As a result, the st may be eligible. This may, in turn, qualify the student for application to a master’s degree program in a French institution. The institution will rate its equivalency on a case-by-case basis.
An American master’s degree qualifies the student to begin a second master’s degree program in Europe or a doctoral degree program. The institution will rate its equivalency on a case-by-case basis.
A doctoral degree in the United States (Ph.D.) is considered equal to a doctorate in France. The degree qualifies the researcher to start a postdoctoral program or teach in a French higher education institution.