Online French-American School – Frequently Asked Questions

OFA Lycée is intended for all French-speaking families who wish to give their children schooled in the American system a French education following the French National Education curriculum, from Kindergarten to Grade 12 (K-12).

To capitalize on the knowledge and skills acquired in the American system and to build on it further in order to meet the requirements of the French programs.

Develop an innovative bilingual educational concept integrating new modes of online learning. Give a greater number of French speakers access to the French school system, right up to the Baccalaureate.

OFA Lycée has been accredited by Cognia since 2022. Cognia is a global nonprofit organization that supports over 40,000 institutions across more than 100 countries. This accreditation certifies the quality of our teaching and our commitment to continuous improvement. OFA Lycée is also a member of ANEFE (National Association of French Schools Abroad), which supports and unites French schools internationally.

• Complementary model preparing for two diplomas: American High School Diploma and French Baccalaureate • Cognia accreditation — OFA Lycée is the only French-American online school to hold such accreditation • Continuation of free American school immersion • Individual weekly follow-up with teachers • Socio-emotional skills development program • Bilingualism and biculturalism guaranteed at the highest level • Wider post-Bac orientation with access to European universities • Three to seven times cheaper than French high schools in the US • Improved mastery of concepts in two languages • Development of critical thinking, adaptability, communication skills • Network of families throughout the United States

OFA Lycée was born out of a reality experienced by many international families: academic journeys are no longer always linear, nor limited to a single country or education system. From day one, our school has been built around two core principles: complementarity and transferability. We believe a student can benefit from multiple education systems over the course of their schooling. Our programs are designed to complement an existing curriculum, support transitions between countries, or help students maintain a strong link with another language, culture, or academic system. We also place particular emphasis on the transferability of learning. In a world where families are increasingly mobile, we help students develop skills, knowledge, and references that are recognized and valued across different educational contexts and countries. Concretely, this translates into: • French and American tracks that can be taken separately or alongside another schooling • Small class sizes that foster engagement and personalized follow-up • An international community of students living in many countries • A pedagogy that develops autonomy, adaptability, and intercultural skills • The possibility, depending on the track, of preparing both French and American diplomas More than an online school, OFA Lycée supports students who navigate between several languages, cultures, and sometimes several education systems. Our mission is to help them build a coherent, ambitious, and globally-minded journey — without having to choose between their different educational and cultural identities.

OFA Lycée provides a unique program that capitalizes on both education systems, bringing a bilingual, bicultural education with the opportunity for two diplomas. Unique benefits include: • Personalized educational path designed with families • Weekly monitoring in small groups (4 to 8 students depending on grade level) • Industry-leading online learning platform • Individual teacher support at every step

OFA Lycée offers two distinct tracks: • The National Education Track, which strictly follows the official French National Education programs and prepares students for national exams (Brevet, Baccalauréat). • The OFA Lycée Track, which offers a unique bilingual path leading to the OFA Bilingual High School Diploma, integrating language certifications (DELF/DALF) and a personalized approach to the French-American journey. Both tracks are designed to validate the knowledge acquired by cycle and grade.

All OFA Lycée teachers have experience in both the American and French systems. Certified in the French National Education system, they all have experience teaching at middle and high school level. As Baccalaureate examiners and markers, they possess a deep understanding of the skills required.

This program integrates cognitive and affective domains to acquire skills for managing emotions, setting positive goals, empathy, positive relationships and responsible decisions. Taught in French, it is included in tuition fees and offered at all grade levels.

Families are invited to make an appointment to get to know us. Registration can be started online at mytads.com/a/ofalycee. The registration fee is $175. French tests are required at all levels, and Math tests when that subject is requested.

No. We offer two distinct tracks that meet all the needs of French-speaking children.

Yes, as long as they speak French and have taken courses in French. The French assessment test determines the path the student will follow.

Our admissions team will work with each family to determine the best route.

Applications are open throughout the year, subject to availability in each class. Regular admissions close on August 31st.

It depends on the number of courses taken. In general, for a French course from elementary to middle school, expect around 3 hours per week (class time plus personal work).

The program consists of 32 weeks of courses from mid-September to mid-June.

Our experience shows that mastery of the French language is the condition for success. Students are able to transfer knowledge and skills acquired in all subjects from the American to the French system.

• Online courses as described by class • Socio-emotional skills program • Access to teachers for questions • Trimester report cards • Access to online learning portal (real-time tracking for parents) • Support for return to France • International college counseling included for high school students • Access to all sessions organized by OFA Lycée: round tables, presentations on orientation, cybersecurity, soft skills, and more.

Tuition fees are payable via our online TADS system by credit card or bank transfer. Payment can be made in 1, 2 or 10 installments.

Yes, we offer a financial assistance program. Contact us for more details.

Yes, we offer discounted tuition for the second child and any additional children enrolled.

Yes — with remarkable success: 100% pass rate at the Baccalauréat since OFA Lycée was founded. Students follow the same mandatory courses over two years as they would in a French high school. The program capitalizes on what students learn in the American system, complementing with just the additional material required. Subjects not taught in the American system are taught entirely by OFA Lycée: French literature, Philosophy, History-Geography, Economic and Social Sciences.

At the beginning of the school year, parents of 9th, 11th, and 12th graders receive all information necessary for national exam registration. Registration is the responsibility of the parents.

OFA Lycée offers preparatory courses for the Brevet examination which includes French (100 pts), Mathematics (100 pts), English (100 pts), History-Geo / Civic Education (50 pts), and Science / Technology (50 pts), for a total of 400 points.

The OFA Lycée Bilingual High School Diploma is our own diploma, issued by OFA Lycée (Cognia-accredited since 2022). It is awarded at the end of 12th grade to students enrolled in the OFA Lycée Track and certifies a complete bilingual education, including: • Mastery of academic skills in both French and English • A French language certification (DELF or DALF, according to level) • A humanist curriculum: literature, philosophy, history-geography, sciences • An international college counseling component This diploma recognizes the richness of our students' French-American journey and showcases their dual culture for admission to American, Canadian, and European universities.

The key criteria are: alignment with the French National Education curriculum, a recognized accreditation, live classes with certified teachers, small groups and schedules that fit your time zone. OFA Lycée meets all of them: a 100% online French school, Cognia-accredited since 2022, aligned with the French National Education curriculum, a member of ANEFE, with live classes in groups of 4 to 8 students and a 100% pass rate at the Baccalauréat and the Brevet.

Yes, that is the principle of dual simultaneous schooling. Your child stays enrolled in their American school, which covers their English-language education, and follows the OFA Lycée French curriculum in parallel. Skills learned at American school are used to meet the requirements of the French curriculum. For example, 75% of the French middle school math curriculum is covered in American middle school, and 60% of the French Grade 11 (Première) physics-chemistry curriculum is covered in the American curriculum.

Yes. OFA Lycée has a triple institutional affiliation: Cognia accreditation (an international organization that accredits more than 40,000 schools in more than 100 countries), alignment with the French National Education curriculum for the National Education Track, and membership in ANEFE (the National Association of French Schools Abroad).

Classes are live, with a teacher, in small groups. OFA Lycée is not a library of recorded lessons but a full online school, with class life, assessments, report cards and parent-teacher meetings.

From 4 to 8 students per class depending on grade level, so that every student gets personal attention and takes an active part.

Parents choose class times from a wide range of time slots, and OFA Lycée can adjust schedules when needed. This flexibility allows us to welcome families living across several time zones, in the US and in other countries.

OFA Lycée welcomes students from Kindergarten (Grande Section) to Grade 12 (Terminale), i.e. K-12, with a continuous, evolving path.

More than 400 students attend OFA Lycée, across 34 US states and 8 countries. Together they form a real international community of French-speaking families.

Yes. Through dual simultaneous schooling, the student earns the High School Diploma from their American high school and prepares the French Baccalauréat with the OFA Lycée National Education Track. OFA Lycée fully teaches the subjects missing from the American system (French literature, philosophy, history-geography, economics and social sciences).

The National Education Track fully follows the official French curriculum and prepares for the Brevet and the Baccalauréat, with full equivalence if the family returns to France. The OFA Lycée Track is more flexible and personalized: students progress at their own pace and can earn the OFA Lycée Bilingual High School Diploma, with optional DELF/DALF certifications. It suits international plans and non-traditional schedules (high-level sports, arts).

Yes. The National Education Track guarantees full equivalence with the French school system, and support for returning to France is included in tuition. Families report that their children joined high schools in France without difficulty after several years abroad.

Students who are preparing for or already hold the French Baccalauréat can apply through Parcoursup, including if they live abroad and take the Bac as independent candidates (candidats libres). Holders of a foreign diploma, such as the American High School Diploma, may also be eligible: the procedure depends on their nationality, their country of residence and the program they want. OFA Lycée supports each high school student from Grade 10: specialty choices, the Parcoursup file, and also the Common Application (US, Canada) and UCAS (UK).

Between 2022 and 2026, OFA Lycée alumni joined more than 90 universities and schools, including Sciences Po, CentraleSupélec, ESSEC, EDHEC, ESCP, INSA Lyon, Sorbonne Université and leading CPGE in France, as well as Northwestern University, Boston University and the University of Notre Dame in the US.

Yes. College guidance includes preparation for standardized tests (SAT, TOEFL) and French language certifications (DELF/DALF), as well as personal statement writing and interview preparation.

In elementary and middle school (K-8), expect 1.5 to 3 hours of live classes per week. In high school (Grades 9-12), the volume depends on the path built with the family, the courses chosen and the student's situation.

Three periods: Early Admissions from February 15 to April 30 (recommended), Regular Admissions from May 1 to August 31, and Late Admissions from September 1. The registration fee is $175.

Yes, OFA Lycée accepts students during the school year, subject to academic fit and available places.

Parents have access to the online learning portal for real-time tracking. Students receive regular assessments, report cards, parent-teacher meetings and individual follow-up by the teacher, an academic advisor and the academic director.

You can book a free, no-commitment video call with Gwen Dubois, Director of Admissions. OFA Lycée also hosts virtual open houses and webinars (see the Events page).