International students of the AEFE network: a pool of excellence

A pool of excellence trained the French way

In 2016, 15,249 students in French “lycées” worldwide passed their baccalauréat as a completion of their studies in institutions included in the AEFE network, including 9,457 foreign students. The academic level of AEFE baccalauréat graduates is very high: success rate for baccalauréat is 97%, including 75% with merit. This is the type of pool of excellence that French higher education institution specifically like and want to attract.

A mobile population, and France celebrated

In 2016/17, 55% of foreign baccalauréat holders decided to continue their studies in international mobility. France is by far the most popular destination: 67% of foreign baccalauréat holders in international mobility chose France this year.

Preparing your baccalauréat in an AEFE institution is a great booster for post-baccalauréat studies mobility in France. In concrete terms, the AEFE baccalauréat multiplies by 13 the probability of international students choosing France as a study destination.

An orientation marked towards selective courses

For their first year of studies, international baccalauréat holders from the AEFE network mainly choose selective courses. Besides the 57% choosing universities, 14% are registered in “classes préparatoires” to enter “grandes écoles” (CPGE in French), 7,5% in engineer courses, 6% in business schools, 3% in political studies institutes (IEP), and 2% in schools of architecture, which are rates much higher than those among the whole of international students in France.

Such observations are even more remarkable in that they take only into account the sole mobility after one year of studies (“bac +1”) in French, since deferred mobility towards France (at Master’s and Doctorate level) is not yet included.

Strong regional gaps

However, there’s a shade to this positive analysis of incoming student mobility and French higher education attractiveness: analysis of studies destinations chosen by baccalauréat holders reveal strong gaps depending on the region of origin.

• The African continent is the main pool for foreign AEFE students in mobility towards France. The mobility rate is particularly high, as is the share of students choosing France (75%).

• On the contrary, North America, the Middle East, and Europe are still regions where mobility and choice in favour of France for mobile students are the weakest.

All details about the student mobility of baccalauréat holders from the AEFE network are available in the Campus France keynote: “Foreign students from the AEFE network: a pool of excellence for French higher education” (keynote #55 - June 2018)