If you have searched for brevet exam, what is the brevet in france, or brevet age, you have found the right explainer. The brevet is the first big exam in the French school system, and it trips up a lot of English speakers because it is easy to confuse with the more famous baccalauréat. Here is exactly what it is, when it happens, and how it is scored. For study strategies, see our full French exam preparation guide.
Quick answer: The French brevet — officially the Diplôme national du brevet (DNB) — is the first national diploma, taken at the end of collège (lower secondary school) in the 3ème year, at around age 15. It examines French, maths, history-geography/civics and science, plus an oral, and is scored out of 800 points with 400 needed to pass. It is a milestone, not the university gateway; that role belongs to the bac.
What Is the French Brevet?
The brevet, in full the Diplôme national du brevet (DNB), is the first national diploma a French student earns. It is awarded at the end of collège — the four years of lower secondary school (6ème, 5ème, 4ème and 3ème) — and certifies the knowledge and skills built up across that stage.
For most students, it is the first formal, national-level exam they sit, which is why French families treat it as a rite of passage even though, in practice, it does not gate entry to the next stage of schooling.
At What Age Do You Take the Brevet?
Students take the brevet at around 15 years old, in 3ème, the final year of collège. That places it three years before the baccalauréat, which comes at the end of lycée at around age 18.
So the sequence in the French system is straightforward: collège → brevet (≈15) → lycée → baccalauréat (≈18). The brevet is the marker between lower and upper secondary school.
What Subjects Are in the Brevet?
The brevet blends final written exams with continuous assessment from the 3ème year. The written and oral exams cover:
- French (français)
- Mathematics (mathématiques)
- History-geography and civic education (histoire-géographie / EMC)
- Science — a selection from physics-chemistry, life and earth sciences (SVT), and technology
- An oral exam (the soutenance), where the student presents a project or personal pathway
Crucially, roughly half of the total comes from the contrôle continu — the marks accumulated during 3ème — so the diploma rewards a full year of consistent work, not just exam-day performance. A student who has fallen behind can still recover with focused help; our tutors regularly support collège students in maths and French in the run-up to the exams.
When Is the Brevet Exam?
The written papers are held at the very end of the school year, in late June. In 2026, the brevet falls in late June and early July, shortly after the baccalauréat's main written exams. Results are published in July, before students move up to lycée in September.
How Is the Brevet Graded and What Is the Pass Mark?
The brevet is scored out of 800 points, combining continuous assessment with the final exams.
| Total (out of 800) | Result |
|---|---|
| 400+ | Pass (diploma awarded) |
| 480+ | Mention assez bien |
| 560+ | Mention bien |
| 640+ | Mention très bien |
You need 400 points to pass. Higher totals earn a mention (distinction), which is a point of pride but does not change what you are allowed to do next.
Is the Brevet the Same as the Bac?
No — and this is the single most common mix-up. The brevet is taken at around 15 at the end of collège; the baccalauréat is taken at around 18 at the end of lycée. The brevet is a milestone that closes out lower secondary school, while the bac is the gateway to university and higher education through Parcoursup. We break the two down side by side in our bac vs brevet comparison.
Note too that passing the brevet is not required to move on to lycée — that decision is made by the conseil de classe based on the year's work. The brevet certifies the collège years; it does not act as a filter.
Key Takeaways
- The brevet (DNB) is France's first national diploma, taken at the end of collège in 3ème, at around age 15.
- It examines French, maths, history-geography/civics and science, plus an oral, and includes continuous assessment from 3ème.
- Exams are held in late June; in 2026 they fall in late June and early July.
- It is scored out of 800 points, with 400 to pass and distinctions from 480, 560 and 640.
- It is not the bac: the brevet is a milestone at 15, while the baccalauréat at 18 is the university gateway.
Preparing for the brevet? Find a tutor on iTutorOnline for maths, French or science support, and see the full French exam guide for revision strategies.