Guides · Updated
For French-speaking families living in the United States, the question comes up again and again: do we have to choose between the French and the American systems? The answer is no. A student can earn both the High School Diploma from their American school and the French Baccalauréat. Here is how it works in practice.
Two diplomas, two approaches
The High School Diploma is issued by the American high school (public or private) at the end of Grade 12. It is based on earning credits, subject by subject, over the four years of high school.
The French Baccalauréat is a national exam. In Grades 11 and 12 (Première and Terminale) it assesses core subjects (French, philosophy, history-geography, languages, science…) and two specialty subjects chosen by the student. The early French exam takes place at the end of Grade 11.
How can a student earn both at the same time?
The key is dual simultaneous schooling. The student stays enrolled in their American high school, which issues the High School Diploma, and in parallel follows the National Education Track at OFA Lycée, which prepares them for the Baccalauréat.
OFA Lycée does not make students redo what they already know: skills developed at American school (math, science, English…) are recognized. OFA Lycée fully teaches the subjects that the American system does not cover (French literature, philosophy, history-geography, economics and social sciences) and complements the rest only where needed.
What about the exams?
At the start of the school year, families of students in Grades 9, 11 and 12 receive all the information needed to register for the national exams (Brevet, Baccalauréat). Registration itself is the responsibility of the parents.
OFA Lycée prepares students intensively: two to three mock exams, methodology, written and oral practice. The result: a 100% pass rate at the Baccalauréat since the school was founded.
The OFA Lycée Track: the bilingual alternative
Not every family is aiming for the Baccalauréat. The OFA Lycée Track offers a more flexible path leading to the OFA Lycée Bilingual High School Diploma, issued by OFA Lycée (Cognia-accredited). It certifies a complete bilingual education: academic skills in French and English, a DELF or DALF certification depending on level, a humanities curriculum (literature, philosophy, history-geography, sciences) and international college counseling.
What is the value for college admissions?
- In France: the Baccalauréat lets students apply through Parcoursup to every program (universities, CPGE, engineering and business schools, Sciences Po…).
- In the US and Canada: the High School Diploma and the American transcript remain the core of a Common Application file; the French curriculum adds a rare bicultural profile.
- In the UK and Europe: the French Baccalauréat is widely recognized (UCAS and European universities).
- OFA Lycée alumni have been admitted to more than 90 universities and schools, including Sciences Po, CentraleSupélec, ESSEC, Northwestern University, Boston University and the University of Notre Dame.
What about the workload?
Every parent asks this question. Because OFA Lycée builds on what the student already learns at American school, the workload stays compatible with a full American school schedule. The number of hours is planned with the family based on the subjects chosen, in small groups of 4 to 8 students, with class times chosen from a wide range of time slots.