Just how much do private schools in France cost?
Private school or state school, this is a question that many parents in France ask themselves. The answer could come down to costs.
There are more than 12,500 private schools, collèges (secondary schools), lycées (high schools) and universities in France, covering all levels of education.
Around 15 percent of French children go to a private school. While some are undoubtedly expensive and elite, others are surprisingly affordable and provide an extra option for parents when deciding on a school for their children.
As well as the standard of education, one of the key considerations for parents considering their children’s education is the cost.
READ ALSO How to enrol a non-French speaking child in school in France
First things first: not all schools charge the same fees.
And some private schools in France are very expensive. Sending your child to the Ecole des Roches Private Boarding School, for example, will set you back more than €12,000 a term. International schools, too, can be at the high end of the fee scale. The American School of Paris, for example, charges €38,560 a year for older pupils, who follow a US-style education, with additional charges for a range of activities.
Fees at the British School of Paris, meanwhile, start at €19,126 a year for nursery children, rising to €31,948 for A-level students.
READ ALSO What kind of school in France is best for my kids?
On average, however, fees for day pupils - who go home at the end of the school day, rather than one who boards at the school - at many less elite private schools are in the region of around €2,250 per year for older children, with fees often following a sliding scale based on what year the child is.
Meals are not included in these fees, and are generally charged at a higher daily rate than at French state schools.
For example one parent who sends his child to a private Catholic primary school in an inner Paris suburb said: "It costs us 264 per month for one child which includes meals and after school activities until 6pm. Although the school is closed on Wednesday so you have to find alternative childcare. Extra curricula activities, outside of school hours, on top of this require an extra fee of around €300 a year. The second child gets a 10 percent discount on school fees."
While boarding fees - usually at collèges, lycées and universities - may also be a consideration if the establishment is any distance from home. Again, the cost of boarding will vary from school to school.
Bear in mind, too, that you’ll also have to buy school supplies every year. You get a list. And you'll also likely have to stump out for after school clubs which are not included in the general fee. So whilst the initial cost of a private school in France might not seem too steep, once meals and after school clubs are taken into account the price can quickly add up.
Establishments at the lower end of the fee scale generally include France’s numerous Catholic schools, or regional language schools. You’ll generally find at least one in most decent-sized towns.
Most of these are what’s known as sous contrat schools. Although they are fee-paying schools, they are part-funded by the state - teachers are paid by the Department of Education, for example - and they operate under the national curriculum, similar to state schools and with the same rules on secular learning.
Financial aid, including scholarships, may be available for less well-off families.
Another branch of private school, known as hors contrat, which must still meet general education requirements and standards but can choose their teaching methods and have no state funding. These are, usually, the more expensive - and exclusive - schools. Private international schools, which can be found in most big cities, are hors contrat.
Most private schools in France offer a general education, from the age of three upwards, under the French model - but there are also specialist private and state schools.
Lycées agricoles
Lycées agricoles prepare students for a range of diplomas with a focus on the environment and nature. This opens the door to a wide range of professions in farming, horticulture, viticulture, veterinary medicine, mechanics, engineering, beekeeping, fishing, forestry. Expect to pay the same level of fees as a fee-paying school, such as a Catholic collège or lycée.
Montessori
The number of Montessori schools - following an educational method that involves children's natural interests and activities for pupils aged between three and 12 yearsold - has jumped in France in recent years.
About 400 schools are currently part of the Association Montessori de France, up from 10 in 1952. Fees are set by individual schools, and vary from establishment to establishment - but prices range from around €500 per month to €800 per month.
Professionnel
Combining practical work and theory, a lycée professionnel offers around 200 specialties for a certificat d'aptitude professionnelle, and around 100 specialties for a vocational baccalaureate across a range of trades and careers.
Some establishments also offer arts and / or cinema - based education for those with a particular interest. Think drama schools and arts school. Cours Florent, for example, charges €520 per month for the first year of its three-year post-bac cinema course, rising to €640 per month in the second year.
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There are more than 12,500 private schools, collèges (secondary schools), lycées (high schools) and universities in France, covering all levels of education.
Around 15 percent of French children go to a private school. While some are undoubtedly expensive and elite, others are surprisingly affordable and provide an extra option for parents when deciding on a school for their children.
As well as the standard of education, one of the key considerations for parents considering their children’s education is the cost.
READ ALSO How to enrol a non-French speaking child in school in France
First things first: not all schools charge the same fees.
And some private schools in France are very expensive. Sending your child to the Ecole des Roches Private Boarding School, for example, will set you back more than €12,000 a term. International schools, too, can be at the high end of the fee scale. The American School of Paris, for example, charges €38,560 a year for older pupils, who follow a US-style education, with additional charges for a range of activities.
Fees at the British School of Paris, meanwhile, start at €19,126 a year for nursery children, rising to €31,948 for A-level students.
READ ALSO What kind of school in France is best for my kids?
On average, however, fees for day pupils - who go home at the end of the school day, rather than one who boards at the school - at many less elite private schools are in the region of around €2,250 per year for older children, with fees often following a sliding scale based on what year the child is.
Meals are not included in these fees, and are generally charged at a higher daily rate than at French state schools.
For example one parent who sends his child to a private Catholic primary school in an inner Paris suburb said: "It costs us 264 per month for one child which includes meals and after school activities until 6pm. Although the school is closed on Wednesday so you have to find alternative childcare. Extra curricula activities, outside of school hours, on top of this require an extra fee of around €300 a year. The second child gets a 10 percent discount on school fees."
While boarding fees - usually at collèges, lycées and universities - may also be a consideration if the establishment is any distance from home. Again, the cost of boarding will vary from school to school.
Bear in mind, too, that you’ll also have to buy school supplies every year. You get a list. And you'll also likely have to stump out for after school clubs which are not included in the general fee. So whilst the initial cost of a private school in France might not seem too steep, once meals and after school clubs are taken into account the price can quickly add up.
Establishments at the lower end of the fee scale generally include France’s numerous Catholic schools, or regional language schools. You’ll generally find at least one in most decent-sized towns.
Most of these are what’s known as sous contrat schools. Although they are fee-paying schools, they are part-funded by the state - teachers are paid by the Department of Education, for example - and they operate under the national curriculum, similar to state schools and with the same rules on secular learning.
Financial aid, including scholarships, may be available for less well-off families.
Another branch of private school, known as hors contrat, which must still meet general education requirements and standards but can choose their teaching methods and have no state funding. These are, usually, the more expensive - and exclusive - schools. Private international schools, which can be found in most big cities, are hors contrat.
Most private schools in France offer a general education, from the age of three upwards, under the French model - but there are also specialist private and state schools.
Lycées agricoles
Lycées agricoles prepare students for a range of diplomas with a focus on the environment and nature. This opens the door to a wide range of professions in farming, horticulture, viticulture, veterinary medicine, mechanics, engineering, beekeeping, fishing, forestry. Expect to pay the same level of fees as a fee-paying school, such as a Catholic collège or lycée.
Montessori
The number of Montessori schools - following an educational method that involves children's natural interests and activities for pupils aged between three and 12 yearsold - has jumped in France in recent years.
About 400 schools are currently part of the Association Montessori de France, up from 10 in 1952. Fees are set by individual schools, and vary from establishment to establishment - but prices range from around €500 per month to €800 per month.
Professionnel
Combining practical work and theory, a lycée professionnel offers around 200 specialties for a certificat d'aptitude professionnelle, and around 100 specialties for a vocational baccalaureate across a range of trades and careers.
Some establishments also offer arts and / or cinema - based education for those with a particular interest. Think drama schools and arts school. Cours Florent, for example, charges €520 per month for the first year of its three-year post-bac cinema course, rising to €640 per month in the second year.
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