France High School Study Abroad

Please note that you will submit a general application for scholarships. AFS will determine the country of destination for each scholarship winner.

This program is designed for students who wish to experience life as a French teenager for a full academic year by living with a local host family and fully immersing themselves in French culture.
Students will share in the daily life of their host family, attend a local high school, and have numerous opportunities to explore their host community’s lifestyle.
The program begins with a national arrival orientation in France and concludes with a final national orientation in Paris. Throughout their stay, students are invited to local orientations and informal social events organized by volunteers. Additionally, they will have opportunities to connect with other AFS exchange students in the same local chapter.

Things to know about France

French people are generally hospitable, and most will be interested in learning about you and your culture. Food is at the heart of French culture, and you really will see locals strolling down the street with a baguette under their arms. You’re unlikely to find many berets, though.

France is a historically Catholic country. So, you’ll discover some of the most astounding churches in the world, even in the smallest, most remote villages. However, in modern culture, laïcité (secularism) is highly valued, and the government bans French students from wearing overtly religious symbols to school.

Your high school in France

Students often attend a public lycée (10th-12th grade) or collège (9th grade) depending on your age, but you could also be enrolled in a private school. France has 3 different specializations at most lycée for the equivalent of 11th and 12th grades. They are Arts & Literature (L), Natural Sciences & Math (S), or Social Sciences & Economics (ES).

These specializations would only be your focus, not the entirety of your class schedule. You’ll still take a broad range of classes. While specific classes and specializations cannot be guaranteed, we do everything we can to let students concentrate on the most interesting subjects.

The average day’s schedule is likely longer than what you’re used to (beginning around 8:15 am and ending around 5 or 6 pm), but students get a lot of breaks between classes. Wednesdays are usually half days with classes getting out around noon. Some lycées might also have class on Saturday mornings. But don’t worry – quality of life and leisure time are high priorities in France. You’ll usually get two weeks of vacation for every six weeks you spend in school.

Accommodation in France

While AFSers have lived in communities all throughout France when studying abroad in high school, you’ll most likely find yourself in a rural area. There, you’ll get a true feel for the French countryside, where people tend to be friendlier and more relaxed than in the city.

Throughout your journey, you will stay with a carefully selected volunteer host family. Spanning from the peaceful, picturesque countryside near the Alps to the sun-drenched Mediterranean coast, your host family will be your home base—a place to share daily meals, chat every evening, and fully participate in everyday life together.

Program duration

September 2027 – July 2028

Apply Now!