The baccalauréat (; ), often known in France colloquially as the bac, is a French national academic qualification that students can obtain at the completion of their secondary education (at the end of the lycée) by meeting certain requirements. Though it has only existed in its present form as a school-leaving examination since Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte's implementation on March 17, 1808, its origins date back to the first medieval French universities. According to French law, the baccalaureate is the first academic degree, though it grants the completion of secondary education. Historically, the baccalaureate is administratively supervised by full professors at universities.
Similar academic qualifications exist elsewhere in Europe, variously known as Abitur in Germany, maturità in Italy, bachillerato in Spain. There is also the European Baccalaureate, which students take at the end of the European School education.
In France, there are three main types of baccalauréat, which are very different and obtained in different places: the baccalauréat général (general baccalaureate), the baccalauréat technologique (technological baccalaureate), and the baccalauréat professionnel (professional baccalaureate).
Overview
Much like the European Matura or English A levels, the baccalauréat allows French and international students to obtain a standardised qualification, typically at the age of 18 (end of the lycée). It qualifies holders to work in certain areas, go on to tertiary education (universités), or acquire some other professional qualification or training. Even though it is not legally required, the vast majority of students in their final year of secondary school take a final exam.
The word bac is also used to refer to one of the end-of-year exams that students must pass to get their baccalauréat diploma: the bac de philo, for example, is the philosophy exam, which all students must take, regardless of their field of study.
Within France, there are three main types of baccalauréat obtained in different places, and which are completely different:
the baccalauréat général (general baccalaureate), specially made to enter university and continue studies; the baccalauréat technologique (technological baccalaureate), specially made to work or continue short technical studies; the baccalauréat professionnel (professional baccalaureate), specially made to enter professional life.
For entrance to regular universities within France, however, there are some restrictions as to the type of baccalauréat that can be presented. In some cases, it may be possible to enter a French university without the bac by taking a special exam, the "diploma for entrance to higher education".
Though most students take the bac at the end of secondary school, it is also possible to enter as a candidat libre (literally, "free candidate") without affiliation to a school. Students who did not take the bac upon completion of secondary school (or did not manage to pass it) and would like to attend university, or feel that the bac would help them accomplish professional aspirations, may exercise that option.
Baccalauréat général (Pre-2019 reform) The main purpose of the general baccalaureate is to access universities and grandes écoles to pursue higher academic education. It attests to an advanced level in general skills. It is obtained in a Lycée général.
Before 2021, students who would sit for the baccalauréat général chose one of three streams (termed séries) in their penultimate lycée year (S for Sciences; ES for Economics and Social sciences; and L for Literature). Each stream assigned different weights (coefficients) to each subject and resulted in a specialization.
The streams of the Baccalauréat général before 2021 were as follows:
Another terminology is sometimes used that pertains to the curriculum before 1994, which further divided two of the séries. Until then, it was possible to sit for a bac C or D (which comprise the current S), a bac B (currently ES), or a bac A1, A2 or A3 (which comprise the current L). People who passed the baccalauréat before the reform still use that terminology in referring their diploma.
The baccalauréat permits students to sit exams in over forty languages, including French regional languages such as Alsatian, Breton, Catalan or Norman.