In 2025, the AEFE brings together 600 schools, middle schools, and high schools established outside of France, educating 400,000 students in 139 different countries. These schools offer an education that aligns with the standards of the French Ministry of Education. These accredited institutions uphold humanist values (tolerance, gender equality, equal opportunities, intellectual curiosity, promotion of critical thinking, etc.) that form the foundation of the French educational system.
The management of this global network is carried out by the Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE), a public national administrative institution established in 1990 and placed under the supervision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development.
Discover the AEFE website at https://www.aefe.fr/
Les valeurs de l’AEFE en 3 mots
1. Excellence
The success of all students is a clear goal in all institutions within the network, which can boast an excellent success rate at the baccalaureate (96.7% on average, 100% in many institutions), higher than that of high schools in France. Most of the graduates from the network then go on to attend prestigious schools and the best international universities.
2. Sharing
As places for exchange and linguistic and cultural encounters, and as vehicles for a shared experience based on strong values, these institutions educate young people from all backgrounds. An ambitious language policy allows for the integration of local students, teaches the host country’s language to all students, and promotes multilingualism in a multicultural context.
3. Influence
By welcoming students from the host country and third-party foreign countries, the network contributes to the influence of the French language and culture. By fostering communication and intercultural understanding, it creates lasting bonds between these students and France.
The Missions of the AEFE
- To ensure public service missions related to education for French nationals residing abroad.
- To contribute to strengthening cooperative relations between the French and foreign education systems for the benefit of both French and foreign students.
- To contribute to the influence of the French language and culture by welcoming foreign students.
- To assist families of French or foreign students in managing the costs associated with education, while ensuring the stabilization of tuition fees.
- To grant scholarships to French nationals enrolled in French schools and institutions abroad.
The partnership with AEFE, the foundation of shared governance
The Lycée Français International Jean-Marie Gustave LE CLEZIO is an institution partnered with AEFE. This means that AEFE delegates, through an agreement, the financial and administrative management of the institution to the Parent Association of the school. The partner schools are managed by the parent association, which is a private entity. This agreement also covers the conditions of assignment and compensation for permanent staff from the National Education system, as well as the allocation of grants. These institutions maintain ongoing management dialogue with AEFE.
Accreditation by the Ministry of National Education, a guarantee of compliance and quality
Accreditation is a mandatory condition for being part of the French education network abroad. All accredited institutions are open to French children living outside of France and can also welcome students of other nationalities. They adhere to the curricula applied in French public educational institutions and prepare students for the same exams and diplomas as those institutions. Accreditation guarantees both compliance with the French educational model and the quality of the education provided.
A student from an accredited institution can continue their education without prior examination at another accredited institution (subject to available places) or at a public institution in France. Finally, the accreditation of these institutions allows French students enrolled there to be eligible (subject to income conditions) for school scholarships.
This accreditation is not permanent, and the institutions concerned must regularly undergo a verification process to ensure compliance with the mentioned criteria. The Agency is responsible for supporting the processing of accreditation files and for monitoring the accreditation status.
The Asia-Pacific Region
The AEFE network is divided into large geographical and support zones (a total of 16). In each zone, a Regional Training Institute (IRF), which operates based on governance principles involving all stakeholders, has the primary mission of carrying, structuring, and coordinating training programs for all staff, supporting the development dynamics of the network.
The Lycée Français International JMG Le Clézio belongs to the Asia-Pacific region, where more than 21,000 students are enrolled from Port-Vila to Rangoon and from Sydney to Ulaanbaatar, in 37 institutions located in Asia and the Pacific.