High School Exchange in a French Boarding school
As an exchange student in a boarding school in France, you experience the everyday life of a French high school student. You attend a French public or private boarding school, live at the school dorm on weekdays, and stay with a welcoming French host family on weekends. You are fully immersed in the life of a French teen, build strong friendships with your classmates, experience boarding life in France, and adopt the French "art de vivre". You benefit from the support of the school staff for your studies during the week and enjoy a family life during the weekends. A great balance for your school year in France!
Live an Immersive experience at a French Boarding School: Exclusive for English and Spanish Native Speakers!
High School Exchange in a French Boarding school : Description
Next possible start dates: August 2025. Apply now!
Study at a public or private boarding school in France
Your Exchange Program at a French boarding school starts here with Nacel.
You are enrolled in one of the public or private French high schools offering a Boarding House. These French high schools welcome a majority of day schoolers and some boarders. Boarders represent a small portion of the student population. These schools usually welcome between 30 and 150 French boarders and a few international boarders. Join them now!
We place our exchange students all over France. Many of the French boarding schools are located in middle-sized cities or the countryside:
- Nantes (3 schools)
- South West (7 schools)
- Aveyron (2 schools)
- La Seyne sur Mer
- Cholet.
These boarding schools in France have several decades of experience in education and offer a general academic French High School curriculum. Exchange students usually attend a 10th or an 11th grade and, in some rare cases a 9th grade at middle school (Collège). Exchange students live at the boarding house of the school from Monday to Friday and with a nice French host family during weekends and school holidays.
State-supported private schools are significantly subsidized, making them much more affordable than fully independent international private schools in France. These schools adhere to the national curriculum, and while many have a religious foundation (often Catholic), students are not required to participate in religious services.
Only students with native English and Spanish mother tongues are eligible for this program. If you speak a different language, please contact us to learn about alternative exchange programs in France.
What about the French school system?
French secondary education is divided into two schools:
- the “collège” for the first four years directly following primary school (Grades 6-9)
- the “lycée” for the next three years.
Completion of secondary studies leads to the “baccalauréat”. The school’s director makes the decision regarding grade and placement level for international students, taking into account the school’s organization, the student’s transcripts, and their French level. All students attend general classes such as French, History, Foreign Language (usually English, then German or Spanish), Sports, Sciences, etc. Require our dedicated handbook about the French school system!
Graduation from a French boarding school is only possible after at least two years of study (Grade 11 and 12).
Learn more about the French High School System on the Blog:
- About the French grade report you may earn
- How will my grades look like if I'm an exchange student in France?
Study abroad in a French boarding school
Most private boarding schools in France only offer a 5-day boarding option. Exchange students are therefore welcomed by French host families during the weekends and the school breaks. The family also takes care of the laundry of the student. They also keep in touch with your school to monitor your academic progress.
A typical day at school will follow this schedule:
- 7 am wake up
- 7.10 am to 7.45 am breakfast
- 8 am the boarding school quarters are closed
- 8:30 to 12 pm morning schedule
- 12pm to 1pm lunch
- 1pm to 4pm afternoon schedule
- 5 pm or 6 pm compulsory study time
- 7 pm to 7.30 pm dinner
- 8 pm to 9 pm compulsory study time
- 9 pm to 10 pm Free time to relax
- 10.15 pm Curfew
You leave your school after your last class on Friday and join your host family to spend the weekend with them. They accompany you back to the dorm on Sunday evening or Monday morning. You also spend the school breaks with your host family: the French school calendar is generous, and you have a 2-week school break every 6 weeks!
Rather looking for an exchange program in France living full time with a host famiy? Or a program in a different location? Look at our page dedicated to student exchange in France.
High School Exchange in a French Boarding school : Extra activities
French boarding schools may offer some extracurricular activities such as leisure sports and clubs during lunchtime, as well as some competitive sports on Wednesday afternoons. The staff at your Boarding house also arrange common activities for boarders, such as board games, outings, and sometimes parties! You may also do some extracurricular activities on weekends with your host family or independently.
High School Exchange in a French Boarding school : Accommodation
During your exchange program in a boarding school in France, you live at the boarding house with your school friends during the week (Monday to Friday), and receive full board. You move to your French host family on weekends and during the school holidays.
High School Exchange in a French Boarding school : Procedures
Please request more information through the contact form.
Please note: consult us first if you have any special diet or a medical issue (existing condition, chronic or mental health issues). Thank you!
High School Exchange in a French Boarding school : Fees
Exchange programs at French boarding schools
*Price in EUR per participant.
Not included: Application fees (65 euros)
On offer:
- Term Abroad France
- Semester Abroad France
- School Year Abroad France
- Mini High School Experience France
School Year Abroad in France 2025/2026
School trimestre :
- late August 2025 to December 2025 (with orientation/ soft landing camp)
- early February 2026 to May 2026 (no orientation)
School semester :
- late August 2025 to mid January 2026 (with orientation/ soft landing camp)
- mid January 2026 to mid June 2025 (no orientation)
School academic year:
- late August 2025 to mid June 2026 (with orientation/ soft landing camp)
- mid January 2025 to late December 2026 (no orientation and no accommodation during the summer break)
Price includes
- Administration fees
- School registration and fees (including school lunches)
- Boarding school on weekdays and host family accommodation with full board on weekends, bank holidays and half term holidays
- Support, assistance and 24/7 Hotline during the whole program
Price does not include
- Round-trip international airfare
- Travel insurance (luggage loss, flight delay etc.)
- Visa, passport and medical exam fees
- Extra activities such as sports, excursions, etc. organized by the school or others, extra language courses
- Domestic transfer on departure day
- Personal expenses and spending money
High School Exchange in a French Boarding school : Testimonials
The raclette and tartiflette, it is a delight, I love it. Beyond that, I think people are nice in France. They say hello to you, talk to you, even if they don't know you. It's surprising, but pleasant. And then I made friends in high school, real friends. We built something. It will be very difficult the day of departure. Now it's going very well. I love it.
Studying abroad is amazing! And now imagine in France! Here are Alejandra and Martin, two Latin American students who studied at a boarding school in France. Find out about day-to-day life as an exchange student in France with Nacel.
I love cooking, I would like to be a chef someday. So living here in France, the country of gastronomy, is great!
For me, the first few moments were difficult because I couldn't speak French very well . But I never regretted coming to France. I love my host family very much. I like living in Cholet.
High School Exchange in a French Boarding school : Deadline
High School Exchange in a French Boarding school : Eligibility
Exchange students must be interviewed in their home country before being accepted into this French boarding school program.
A minimum of two years of French study and good academic results are required to study in France.
If you speak no or very little French, we advise you to consider a French international school in the Paris area: Notre-Dame International High School. Inquire now!