The international section leads to two qualifications: the international option of the brevet at secondary school, then the Baccalauréat Français International at sixth form.
The brevet, international option (DNBI)
Pupils in the troisième international section may sit the diplôme national du brevet “option internationale”. On top of the ordinary brevet papers come two additional oral examinations, held in English: one in language and literature, the other in history and geography. Passing both validates the option.
The Baccalauréat Français International (BFI)
The BFI has replaced the international option of the baccalauréat (OIB). The change took effect from the start of the 2022 school year, with a first examination session in 2024: the OIB no longer exists.
International sections run from primary school through to seconde; the BFI is then prepared over the two years of première and terminale. Pupils follow the general baccalauréat programme — core subjects and specialisms — with three additional subjects on top:
- cultural and linguistic deepening (approfondissement culturel et linguistique);
- a non-linguistic subject taught in English — either history and geography, or science;
- connaissance du monde (“knowledge of the world”), which rewards the pupil’s involvement in a project run with an international partner.
The BFI comes in bilingual, trilingual and quadrilingual pathways, and carries more weight in the final marks than the old OIB did. One further change: it is no longer restricted to pupils in international sections — others may join by passing a language-level test.
In the Académie de Reims, the British section is run by Lycée Marc Chagall: a seconde internationale year, then the première and terminale BFI classes.
Find out more
- The Baccalauréat Français International — Ministry of Education
- The international option of the brevet — éduscol
- The BFI in the Académie de Reims — schools and admission requirements