If you have landed here trying to work out what a "brevet" actually is, or how it differs from the Bac, you are in the right place. France runs two national school exams: the Brevet at the end of collège and the Baccalauréat at the end of lycée. This guide covers what each one is, who sits it and at what age, how the 2026 reforms changed the grading, when results come out, and how to prepare for both.
Quick answer: Brevet is the French word for a certificate, and the Brevet (DNB) is the national exam students sit at the end of collège, at 14 or 15. The Baccalauréat, or Bac, comes three years later at 18 and is what French universities admit on. Both are marked out of 20, and both need 10/20 to pass.
What Does "Brevet" Mean in French?
In everyday French, brevet simply means a certificate or a diploma. In a legal context it also means a patent, which is why the word turns up well outside education.
In schools, "the Brevet" is shorthand for the Diplôme National du Brevet (DNB), the first national exam French students sit. It comes at the end of collège, the four years of lower secondary school that run from 6ème to 3ème. You will also see it written as "brevet des collèges", which means the same thing.
If you are used to the English system, the Brevet sits roughly where GCSEs do: a national qualification taken at the end of lower secondary that marks the move up to the next stage. The comparison is not exact, though. The Brevet does not decide which subjects a student can take at lycée, and passing it is not required to move on. Our full explainer on the Brevet (DNB) goes deeper on how it is put together.
The Baccalauréat, or Bac, is the later and far more consequential exam. It is the school-leaving qualification taken at the end of lycée, and it is what French universities admit on. If that is the one you are here for, our guide to what the French Baccalauréat is covers it on its own terms.
The French Education System at a Glance
French education follows a clear progression:
- École primaire (primary school): 5 years, from CP (cours préparatoire) to CM2 (cours moyen 2), ages 6 to 11
- Collège (lower secondary): 4 years, from 6ème to 3ème, ages 11 to 15. Ends with the Brevet.
- Lycée (upper secondary): 3 years, Seconde, Première, and Terminale, ages 15 to 18. Ends with the Baccalauréat.
Education is compulsory from age 3 to 16, with a training obligation extending to age 18 (students must be in school, apprenticeship, or training).
Brevet vs Bac: The Difference in One Table
Families new to the French system often mix the two up. They sit at opposite ends of secondary school and do very different jobs.
| Brevet (DNB) | Baccalauréat (Bac) | |
|---|---|---|
| Taken at the end of | Collège (3ème) | Lycée (Terminale) |
| Typical age | 15 | 18 |
| Marked out of | 20 | 20 |
| Pass mark | 10/20 | 10/20 |
| Weighting | 60% final exams, 40% continuous assessment | Continuous assessment plus finals, weighted by subject coefficient |
| Needed to move on? | No. The class council decides who goes up to Seconde | Yes. It is the entry qualification for French universities |
| Second chance | Replacement session in September for missed papers | Rattrapage orals for anyone averaging 8 to just under 10 |
| 2026 written dates | 26, 29 and 30 June | 11 to 18 June |
The short version: the Brevet is a checkpoint, the Bac is a gateway. A weak Brevet is a signal to fix fundamentals early; a weak Bac closes doors. Our side-by-side comparison of the Bac and the Brevet walks through the grading of each in more detail.
The Brevet des Collèges (DNB)
The Diplôme National du Brevet is the first major national exam in a French student's career. It marks the transition from collège to lycée. Students who fail the Brevet can voluntarily enter a one-year remediation programme called prépa-seconde, designed to strengthen foundational skills before beginning lycée. While originally planned to become mandatory, this requirement was dropped by the government in January 2025, so students whose class council approves advancement may still proceed directly to Seconde.
What Age Do Students Take the Brevet?
Students sit the Brevet at the end of 3ème, the final year of collège. In practice that means most candidates are 15, with some still 14 depending on where their birthday falls in the school year. A student who repeated or skipped a year sits it whenever their class reaches 3ème, so 16 is not unusual either.
That makes the Brevet the first time a French student sits a national, externally marked exam, which is a large part of why it feels like such a step up. For comparison, the Bac arrives three years later at the end of Terminale, when most students are 18.
Major 2026 Reforms
The Brevet has undergone significant changes for 2026:
- New scoring system: The old 800-point system is replaced by a 20-point average scale
- Rebalanced weighting: Final exams now count for 60% of the total, up from 50%, with continuous assessment making up the remaining 40%
- Higher bar: Students must achieve a minimum average of 10 out of 20 to pass
- New distinction level: "Très bien avec les félicitations du jury" (very good with jury congratulations) for scores of 18/20 or higher
- EMC independence: Moral and Civic Education (Enseignement Moral et Civique) becomes a separate, independently assessed section with its own coefficient
Brevet Exam Dates and Timetable
The written papers run over three days at the end of June. For the 2026 session:
| Date | Papers |
|---|---|
| Friday 26 June 2026 | French |
| Monday 29 June 2026 | History-geography with EMC, then sciences |
| Tuesday 30 June 2026 | Mathematics (plus a written modern-language paper, but only for candidats libres sitting outside a school) |
The oral is scheduled by each collège separately, usually in the weeks before the written papers rather than during them.
Students who miss a paper for a valid reason sit the replacement session on 10 and 11 September 2026.
The exact dates shift by a few days each year, but the shape is stable: French first, then humanities and sciences, then maths. Our guide to when the French Brevet and Bac exams take place tracks the current year's calendar for both.
Subjects and Format
| Subject | Duration | Coefficient | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| French | 3 hours | 2 | Comprehension, dictation/grammar, essay |
| Mathematics | 2 hours | 2 | Problem-solving with tables and diagrams |
| History-Geography + EMC | 2 hours | 1.5 + 0.5 | Document analysis, short essays |
| Sciences | 1 hour | 2 | Two disciplines among physics-chemistry, life sciences, or technology |
| Oral | 15 min | 2 | Project presentation and interview |
The French exam tests reading comprehension, grammatical analysis, dictation, and the ability to write a structured text (either a creative piece or an argumentative essay based on a given topic).
The Mathematics exam evaluates problem-solving ability, not just computation. Students must show their reasoning clearly. Expect questions that combine geometry, algebra, and data interpretation.
When Brevet Results Come Out
Results are published in early July, roughly a week to ten days after the last paper. Each académie publishes on its own schedule, so families in different regions get their results on different days. In 2026 they went out on 8, 9 and 10 July, depending on the académie.
The official places to check are your académie's website and the national results portal at resultats.examens-concours.gouv.fr. French news and education sites (L'Internaute, L'Etudiant, Le Figaro and others) republish the same lists, which is why they tend to dominate search results in results week. They are mirrors of the official data, not the source, and they can lag it by a few hours.
Results show the overall average out of 20, whether the student passed, and any mention:
- Assez bien: 12/20 or above
- Bien: 14/20 or above
- Très bien: 16/20 or above
- Très bien avec les félicitations du jury: 18/20 or above (new for 2026)
Preparation Tips for the Brevet
French:
- Practise dictation regularly. The grammar and spelling section rewards students with strong foundational skills.
- Read actively: after each text, summarise the main ideas and the author's techniques. This mirrors the comprehension section.
- Write timed essays. The ability to produce a structured, clear response within the time limit is a skill that develops with practice.
Mathematics:
- Work through past Brevet papers. The question formats are remarkably consistent from year to year.
- Show all working. Partial marks are awarded for correct reasoning even when the final answer is wrong.
- Practise problems that combine multiple topics, as the exam frequently does.
History-Geography:
- Build timelines for key periods. The exam rewards students who can place events in context.
- Practise document analysis: extracting information from maps, graphs, and primary sources.
Sciences:
- Since the exam draws from three possible disciplines, students should prepare all three but may want to focus on their two strongest areas.
The Baccalauréat
The Baccalauréat, or Bac, is France's most important academic milestone. It serves as both a school-leaving certificate and a qualification for university admission.
Three Pathways
Bac Général (General Baccalauréat): The most common pathway for students aiming at university. Students follow a common core of subjects and choose three speciality subjects (spécialités) in Première, dropping one to continue with two in Terminale.
Common speciality combinations include:
- Mathematics + Physics-Chemistry (sciences track)
- History-Geography + SES (humanities/social sciences track)
- Mathematics + SES (economics track)
- Languages + Literature (literature track)
Bac Technologique (Technological Baccalauréat): Eight specialities including laboratory sciences (STL), management (STMG), health and social affairs (ST2S), and others. Combines general education with technology-oriented content.
Bac Professionnel (Professional Baccalauréat): Nearly 100 specialities covering trades and professions, from hospitality to electronics. From 2027, professional Bac exams will align more closely with the general and technological calendar.
2026 Bac Exam Dates
Written exams for the Bac Général and Technologique run from 11 to 18 June 2026, but the full session stretches into July once the orals are counted:
| Date | Exam | Who sits it |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 11 June 2026 | Anticipated French (written) | Première |
| Friday 12 June 2026 | Anticipated mathematics | Première |
| Monday 15 June 2026 | Philosophy | Terminale |
| 16 to 18 June 2026 | Speciality subjects | Terminale |
| From Monday 22 June 2026 | Anticipated French oral | Première |
| 22 June to 1 July 2026 | Grand Oral | Terminale |
| From Tuesday 7 July 2026 | Results published | All |
The Grand Oral and the French oral are scheduled by each académie inside those windows, so two students in different regions can sit them a week apart.
Results day is also when the rattrapage starts. Anyone averaging at least 8 but under 10 is entitled to two catch-up orals within days, which our guide to the bac rattrapage covers in full.
New for 2026: Anticipated Mathematics Exam
Starting this year, all first-year general and technological students (Première) will sit an anticipated mathematics exam (épreuve anticipée de mathématiques), similar to the anticipated French exam that Première students already take. This is a significant addition that means students face a major national exam a full year before Terminale.
How Bac Grading Works
The Bac combines continuous assessment and final exams. Key components include:
- Common core subjects: French, Philosophy, History-Geography, Modern Languages, Physical Education
- Speciality subjects: Two subjects chosen by the student
- Grand oral: A 20-minute oral presentation on a topic connected to one or both speciality subjects
Each component carries specific coefficients that determine its weight in the final score. The total is calculated out of 20, with 10/20 required to pass.
Mentions (honours):
- Assez bien: 12/20 or above
- Bien: 14/20 or above
- Très bien: 16/20 or above
Preparation Strategies for the Bac
Philosophy (Terminale): This subject intimidates many students, but the format is predictable. The exam offers three choices: two essay questions (dissertations) and one text commentary (explication de texte). Practise writing structured philosophical arguments. Learn to reference key thinkers and build logical reasoning chains. Even students who do not consider themselves "philosophical" can perform well with consistent practice.
Speciality subjects: These carry the highest coefficients and deserve the most preparation time. Past papers are essential. Pay close attention to how mark schemes allocate points, as this reveals what examiners truly value.
The Grand Oral: This exam tests your ability to connect your speciality subjects to a broader question. You receive 20 minutes of preparation time, then present your question and structured answer for 10 minutes (you may refer to brief notes prepared during the preparation time), followed by 10 minutes of exchange with the jury, who will ask questions to deepen and probe your understanding. The exam itself lasts 20 minutes in total.
Preparation involves:
- Choosing a compelling question that genuinely interests you
- Practising your 10-minute presentation until it flows naturally (you may use brief notes but should not read from them)
- Preparing for follow-up questions that probe your understanding
- Rehearsing with a tutor, teacher, or family member who can give honest feedback (our guide on preparing for an oral exam covers the full rehearsal method)
Anticipated French (Première): This exam counts toward your final Bac grade and covers both written analysis and an oral examination on a set list of literary texts studied during the year. Start building your reading list and analytical skills early in the year.
Classes Préparatoires and Grandes Écoles
For the most ambitious students, the Bac is just the beginning. Classes Préparatoires aux Grandes Écoles (CPGE), commonly known as "Prépa," are highly selective two-year programmes that prepare students for the competitive entrance exams (concours) to France's elite institutions. If the concours themselves are what you are researching, our guide to the Grandes Écoles entrance exams covers each track's format and timetable.
The Three Prépa Tracks
- Scientific (MPSI/PCSI/PTSI, then MP/PC/PSI/PT): Leads to engineering schools (Polytechnique, CentraleSupélec, Mines, etc.)
- Economic and Commercial (ECG/ECT): Leads to business schools (HEC, ESSEC, ESCP, etc.)
- Literary (Khâgne/Hypokhâgne): Leads to the École Normale Supérieure and other humanities institutions
Admission
Entry to Prépa is based on academic records and is processed through Parcoursup, France's centralised higher education application platform. There is no entrance exam for Prépa itself; selection is based on school grades, teacher evaluations, and motivation.
2026 Key Dates
- BCE exam registrations: 8 December 2025 to 12 January 2026
- Scientific track written exams (X-ENS): 13 to 17 April 2026 (other concours run through May)
- SIGEM admission results: 17 July 2026
What Makes Prépa Challenging
Prépa is known for its intensity. Students attend lectures, complete problem sets (devoirs surveillés), and sit weekly oral exams (colles/khôlles). The workload is substantial, and the competitive atmosphere is unlike anything in lycée. Students who arrive with strong fundamentals and effective study habits adapt much more easily than those who relied on natural talent alone during their school years.
How Online Tutoring Helps French Students
France's examination system is structured, rigorous, and rewards deep preparation. At every stage, from the Brevet to the Bac to Prépa concours, personalised support can make a meaningful difference:
- Brevet preparation: Building foundational skills in French, maths, and sciences before the transition to lycée
- Bac speciality subjects: Deep practice with past papers and detailed feedback on written work
- Grand Oral coaching: Structured rehearsal with constructive feedback
- Prépa support: Weekly problem-solving practice and targeted help with the most demanding material
At iTutorOnline, our French exam tutors include experienced educators who understand the French system from the inside. They adapt to your specific programme, school, and goals.
Key Takeaways
- "Brevet" is French for a certificate; the Brevet (DNB) is the national exam at the end of collège, sat at 14 or 15, while the Bac comes at 18
- The Brevet is a checkpoint and the Bac is a gateway: only the Bac is required to move on to French universities
- The 2026 Brevet reform raises the bar: 60% exam weighting, 10/20 minimum to pass, and an optional prépa-seconde year for students who need it
- Brevet results are published in early July, on different days by académie; Bac results start on 7 July 2026
- The Bac combines continuous assessment, written exams (11 to 18 June 2026), speciality subjects, and the Grand Oral
- A new anticipated mathematics exam for Première students begins in 2026
- Prépa selection is based on school records via Parcoursup; concours exams follow in the second year
- Consistent preparation with feedback is far more effective than last-minute revision
FAQ
What does brevet mean in French? In everyday French, brevet means a certificate or diploma (in a legal context it also means a patent). In schools it is shorthand for the Diplôme National du Brevet (DNB), the first national exam French students sit, at the end of collège. It sits roughly where GCSEs do in England, though it does not decide which subjects a student can take at lycée.
What age do you take the Brevet in France? Students sit it at the end of 3ème, the last year of collège. Most candidates are 15, and some are still 14 depending on when their birthday falls. The Baccalauréat comes three years later at the end of Terminale, when most students are 18.
When do Brevet results come out? In early July, about a week to ten days after the last paper. Each académie publishes on its own schedule, so results appear on different days by region: in 2026 they went out on 8, 9 and 10 July. The official sources are your académie's website and the national results portal; news sites republish the same lists.
What are the main exams in the French school system? The Brevet des collèges (DNB) around age 15 and the Baccalauréat around age 18, with Classes Préparatoires concours afterwards for students aiming at the Grandes Écoles.
When are the 2026 Baccalauréat written exams? From 11 to 18 June 2026, combined with continuous assessment, speciality papers and the Grand Oral. A new anticipated maths exam for Première students begins in 2026.
What changes with the 2026 Brevet reform? Exams now count for 60% of the result, a minimum of 10/20 is required to pass, and an optional prépa-seconde year is introduced.
How should students prepare for the Bac or Brevet? Consistent, feedback-driven preparation: past papers for speciality subjects, rehearsal for the Grand Oral, and targeted help on weak fundamentals. That is far more effective than last-minute revision.
Preparing for French exams? Find a tutor on iTutorOnline who understands the system and can help you achieve your academic goals. You can also generate practice exam questions to revise between lessons.