Application for entry in September 2023
Based within three of our host schools in Saint-Germain-en-Laye (École Internationale, Collège International and the Lycée International), the Français Spécial (FS) classes start in Year 3 (CE1) and continue up to and include Year 11 (Seconde). Each class is made up of about 20 children, with an equal number of places offered to each national section. This means that the British Section has two places reserved in each FS class per year.
Because of the demanding nature of the programme, we are only able to consider candidates with a very strong academic background.
The deadline for applications for families based in the local area is Thursday 26 January 2023 and entrance assessment will take place in March 2023 (click on Entrance Assessment Dates below for details). Families based abroad who have missed this deadline, should contact our Admissions Officer.
Please note, for Seconde, the deadline for applications is Thursday 5 January 2023 and the entrance assessment will take place on Wednesday 18 January 2023.
Families based overseas who find out they are moving to France after our March test dates, should contact our Admissions Officer to see if there are places available.
For initial enquiries, please complete this online form. If you decide to proceed with an application for your child to the British Section, please see application procedure below. Click below for dates of entrance assessments.
CE1 (born 2016), CE2 (born 2015), CM1 (born 2014), CM2 (born 2013) - there are two places available in each Français Spécial class based at the École Internationale in Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
Sixième (born 2012), Cinquième (born 2011), Quatrième (born 2010) and Troisième (born 2009+) - there are two places available in each Français Spécial class based at the Collège International in Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
Seconde (Year 11 - born 2008) - there are two places available in this class based at the Lycée International in Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
As of 2 January 2023, to proceed with an application for your child to the British Section, please:
- Make the non-refundable application fee:
- 160 € for maternelle applications,
- 200 € for primary applications, and
- 250 € for collège and lycée-level applications.
All payments should be made on-line using the following link: https://www.helloasso.com/associations/association-des-parents-d-eleves-de-la-section-britannique-du-lycee-international/paiements/british-section-application-fees
- Within 48 hours receipt of payment, you will be sent by email our online questionnaire and the “dossier d’inscription” (application form) to complete for each child. When completing the questionnaire, you will be required to upload the following scans:
- the completed “dossier d’inscription” including an identity photo of the applicant on the top right-hand corner of the page,
- a photocopy of the child’s birth certificate or other official ID,
- a letter from the parents addressed to Mr James Cathcart, Director, British Section, with:
- details of your child’s previous schooling, and
- your motivation for applying to the British Section.
- School reports covering the last two school years (where possible),
- for children aged 6 or above, two recent examples of written expression (corrected schoolwork) in English.
- For collège- and lycée-level applications, if you do not live in the Paris area and wish your child to take our entrance test in his/her current school, please provide the name and email address of the teacher who will supervise the written exam.
We will then be in touch as soon as possible to inform you if we will be inviting your child to sit our entrance assessments. Click below for dates of entrance assessments.
Candidates based in the Ile de France will sit the entrance assessment at the Lycée International site in Saint-Germain-en-Laye if Covid-19 regulations allow. Failing this, entrance assessments will be arranged online. All Primary applicants living in Europe are expected to come to Saint-Germain-en-Laye on the date of our entrance tests. For collège- and lycée-level applications, if you do not live in the Paris area and wish your child to take our entrance test in his/her current school, please provide the name and email address of the teacher who will supervise the written exam.
CE1 (born 2016): candidates will be called for individual tests to be held on:
- Thursday 16 March.
CE2 (born 2015): candidates will be called for individual tests to be held on:
- Friday 17 March.
CM1 (born 2014): candidates will be called for a common entrance exam to be held on the morning of:
- Thursday 16 March.
CM2 (born 2013): candidates for Français Spécial will be called for individual tests to be held the morning of:
- Thursday 16 March.
Sixième (born 2012): candidates will be called for a written common entrance exam to be held the afternoon of:
- Wednesday 15 March.
Following the written exam, candidates may be invited for interview.
Cinquième (born 2011), Quatrième (born 2010), Troisième (born 2009) and Seconde (born 2008): only candidates for Français Spécial will be tested for these classes and the entrance assessment will take place the week beginning 13 March. Candidates based in the Ile de France will sit the entrance assessment at the Lycée International site in Saint-Germain-en-Laye the afternoon of Wednesday 15 March. Those applicants living outside the Ile de France, and unable to travel to Saint-Germain-en-Laye on the date of the assessment, will take their entrance assessments online and will receive the entrance assessment date directly from our Admissions Officer.
Please note that due Covid-19 restrictions, we are unable to receive prospective parents. Please contact our Admissions Officer for more information. We look forward to hearing from you.
Gillian Storey, Admissions Officer
Email: admissions@britishsection.fr
For more information about our Admissions policy and procedures, please click here.