2026-09-28 12:00:00

How Shanghai French School Prepares International Students to Go Global!

Shanghai French School’s French Baccalauréat opens doors worldwide, with graduates heading to Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, UCL, McGill and HKUST.

For many families in Shanghai, IB, A-Levels and AP are the most familiar international academic pathways. The French Baccalauréat, by comparison, remains less widely understood. The clearest measure of its reach: where students go next.

Over the last ten years (2016–2026), we have followed over 830 graduates. One graduate in six studies at a top-50 ranked university. Our graduates study at institutions ranked in the global top 10—Imperial (2nd), Oxford (4th), Cambridge (6th), UCL (8th). They attend top-50 universities including McGill (30th), EPFL (22nd), King's College London (37th), Toronto (32nd), and HKUST (33rd). Others pursue studies at respected institutions beyond the rankings: Sciences Po, Bocconi, IE University, Sorbonne, École Polytechnique. This consistency—McGill and UCL appearing in our data every single year for a decade—that's not luck. That's system. Shanghai French School prepares graduates to belong everywhere they choose to go.

Doors Open Everywhere—Geographically

Geographically, after graduation 54 of students studied in France and 46% studied only outside it. The most frequent international choices, in descending order, were the United Kingdom, Canada, China, Spain, Switzerland and the USA—across 20 countries in total, 5 continents.

No Single Path Dominates—Academically

Academically, there is no monoculture. Of the 831 graduates, 25% pursued business and management, 14% entered the selective preparatory classes for the Grandes Écoles in France, 13.5% studied engineering and science, 13% chose arts and design, and 12% went into law and political science. The remainder spread across general university programmes and health. No single discipline dominates and no pathway is predetermined. At Shanghai French School, no pathway is predetermined—because every door is already open.

Recognition at The Highest Level

In 2026, Shanghai French School earned for the 1st time recognition in the HSBC × Forbes China International Schools Selection—a landmark ranking that assesses international schools across academic achievement, teaching quality, campus environment, and innovation. Among foreign passport schools in China, LFS enters the TOP 10 of international schools in Shanghai. More significantly: LFS is the only school in the ranking offering an alternative to IB, A-Levels, or AP.

But the real measure of excellence is in the outcomes. All 66 students in the 2026 cohort successfully earned the French Baccalauréat—a 100% pass rate. Of those, 97% graduated with honours, and 50% achieved the highest distinction. This performance places Shanghai French School in the top 3 international French schools across Asia.

Built for Diversity. Designed for Everyone

LFS operates within a French-English-Chinese trilingual learning environment that extends beyond language lessons. Students learn and communicate across different linguistic and cultural settings throughout their school experience.

Over the past 30 years, LFS has grown to welcome more than 1,160 families in 2026—its largest community to date—representing 60 nationalities.

More than two-thirds of families have European roots, representing 23 European countries including France, while more than one-third are Franco-Chinese binational families.

The school offers General, European, International American and International Chinese pathways.

Integrating Students From All Backgrounds

The Shanghai French School FLSco programme for non-French speakers supports students who arrive with little or no French, helping them progressively integrate into the French curriculum.

Non-French-speaking students can join LFS at any level from K3 through Grade 7. Currently, around 18% of the school community receives French-language support, ranging from intensive classes to a few hours of French per week, depending on each student's needs.

This accessibility extends to tuition. Shanghai French School is a non-profit institution governed by its Parents' Association. For 2026–2027, annual tuition ranges from RMB 125,000 to RMB 208,080 per student, depending on grade level and language stream. Revenue is reinvested entirely in teaching, staff, and academic programmes—a structure designed to prioritize education over profit.