Academic Year And Language of Instruction in France

The academic calendar is systematically framed to ensure that students are able to blend studies with rest periods. France prides itself on its culture and language. Most educational institutions in France use French as a medium of instruction.

The Language of Instruction In France

The Role of Legislation

French legislation restricts the use of other languages in state run schools. Public schools in France use French as the medium of instruction. The official language in this nation is French. Other languages spoken in this nation include Corsican, Provencal, Breton, Dutch, German and Basque. Legislators have restricted school education to French medium currently though some private schools do offer English medium education.

Languages Other Than French Used As Medium Of Instruction

In several non-state run schools, other languages such as Breton are also used. Some schools in the southern region also use Occitan as a language of instruction. Most French universities also provide English medium courses to ensure that international students are able to learn their courses with ease.  Though legislation requires lectures to be given in French, a 1994 modification in the laws permits non French students and teachers to hold a few classes in English during the academic year.

Many Grandes Ecoles and leading business and technical schools have taken advantage of such rules to impart education in English. New legislations are now being proposed to increase the use of English as a medium of education. Such legislations aim to attract more foreign students to France and enhance the employability of French students in the global job market.

Academic Calendar and Annual Timeline of Academic Year

School Calendar

Holiday	Zone A	Zone B	Zone C
	Academies: Caen, Clermont-Ferrand, Grenoble, Lyon, Montpellier, Nancy-Metz, Nantes, Rennes, Toulouse	Academies: Aix-Marseille, Amiens, Besancon, Dijon, Lille, Limoges, Nice, Orleans-Tours, Poitiers, Reims, Rouen, Strasbourg	Academies: Bordeaux, Creteil, Paris, Versailles
Back to School	Back to School: Monday, September	Back to School: September	Back to School: September
Teachers
School year students	Back to School: September	Back to School: September	Back to School: September
Thanksgiving holiday	End of classes: October Back to School: November	End of classes: October Back to School: November	End of classes: October Back to School: November
Christmas holidays	End of classes: December Back to School: January	End of classes: December Back to School: January	End of classes: December Back to School: January
Winter Holidays	End of the course: March Back to School: March	End of the course: March Back to School: March	End of the course: February Back to School: March
Spring Break	End of the course: April Back to School: May	End of the course: April Back to School: May	End of the course: April Back to School: April
Summer vacation	End of classes: July	End of classes: July	End of classes:July

 
Annual Timeline And Academic Calendar For Universities and Higher Educational Institutions.

The French university calendar consists of two semesters :

first semester	It generally commences in September-October and ends in December-January.
second semester	It generally begins in January-February and ends in April-May

The university calendar depends on the following factors:

• the institution itself
• the education status
• the Academie to which the institution belongs (regional educational unit),
• the curriculum
  
  

Given below is a typical annual timeline of a French university.

September 1	Orientation programme
September 14	Fall courses commence
October 25 to November 1	Winter Break
December 12	End of lectures
December 23	End of examination
January 7 to15	Orientation programme
January 18	Spring courses commence
February 14 to February 21	February Break
April 19 to April 25	Spring Break
May 10	End of exam period

List of Vacations Across All Educational Institutions in France

Given below is the list of holidays in the academic calendar for most educational institutions in this country:

vacances de la Toussaint	They last from one to two weeks, in the period between October to November
vacances de Noel	End of the year holidays for Christmas and New Year.
vacances d'hiver:	a 2 week holiday from February to March
vacances de Paques	a two-week holiday, generally given in April
grandes vacances or vacances d'ete	Primary and secondary schools: break for two months in July and August; Universities students: 3 to 4 months of holidays during the same period.

French is the chief medium of instruction in most educational institutions and organizations in this nation. Gradually, English medium courses are becoming popular as well. The French academic calendar is very well organized by the authorities.

Note: Academic calendar given here is tentative in nature. For exact dates check with your school.