Lycée Sainte Marie Public School

• Location: Chalet, France,
• Number of students: about 1200,
• Language of instruction: French,
• Type of studying: mixed.

Lycée Sainte Marie is the senior branch of a French—speaking school offering a program for grades 10-12. This is a prestigious, well-known educational institution with more than 100 years of successful work experience. Both local and international students study here, allowing to not only to make the learning process more intense and diverse, but also to foster mutual respect, tolerance  in students, the ability to work with people, who are representatives of different nationalities.

The total number of Sainte Marie students reaches 1,200. High school students study an extensive list of subjects, including core and elective disciplines, and in the last two years of study, each student chooses a subject specialization, focusing on effective preparation for admission to the chosen university.

The teachers of Sainte Marie strive to bring up in each student a full—fledged personality, an active citizen of the modern world, a member of the international community - for this purpose, a large number of common projects, works and research are provided, during which students from different countries work together. In addition to academic activities, there is a wide variety of extracurricular activities and sports sections, thanks to which students will be able to focus on their interests and hobbies.

Students at Lycée Sainte Marie who live in residence have a strict schedule that includes time for getting up and going to bed, attending classes and extracurricular activities, and free hours.

The school system in France includes three stages: primary, secondary and senior. Lycée Sainte Marie belongs to high school, that is, it organizes education in grades 10-12.

Lycée Sainte Marie is practicing a five-day workweek - from Monday to Friday, students attend academic studies and live in residences, and spend the weekend (as well as holidays and vacations) with the host family. Each family is carefully selected by the student on an individual basis, constantly checked and controlled by the school staff. In addition to a cozy room and delicious food, children receive support in their academic performance, solving household and administrative issues, and timely medical care in case of illness or injury.

The school residence, where students stay during five days, provides well-equipped double/triple rooms with access to shared bathrooms and recreation areas. When staying at the residence, students receive three meals a day: daily breakfasts, lunches, and dinners in the dining room.

Subject list: biology, chemistry, design, economics, French literature, geography, history, Information Technology, law, maths, photography, physical education, physics, Political science
Activity list: Athletics, badminton, basketball, football, handball, volleyball

The student Union organizes many campus events, publishes the school newspaper, and takes care of the younger pupils of Lycée Sainte Marie. The members of the Student Union can be contacted for help in finding a suitable club or section, in solving issues of adaptation to the new educational system.

The infrastructure allows students to focus on their talents in creativity, sports, and social activities: each pupil can join one of the many sports clubs, participate in exhibitions as an artist or writer, and join the guardianship communities for elementary school students.

• Personal school counselors for international students who provide assistance and care,
• Partnership with the Primary school department, thanks to which foreign students can help children learn foreign languages,
• An extensive range of extracurricular activities, including sports,
• Additional French language course for foreign students,
• A balanced schedule, including time for study and extracurricular activities, as well as free hours.

Lycée Sainte Marie studying area is located in the center of the French city of Cholet, the infrastructure includes:

• Lecture classrooms with interactive equipment,
• Subject laboratories,
• Animation center,
• Music studios,
• Improvisational theater,
• Computer classrooms with a PC, access to electronic resources,
• Cafeteria, dining room,
• Recreation areas with board games.

The academic year lasts from the end of August to the middle of June, consisting of trimesters or semesters. Foreign students have access to various study periods: during a trimester, semester, or full academic year. Classes are held on weekdays, rest is provided on holidays and weekends, during the vacations:

• Autumn — two weeks from the end of October to the beginning of November,
• Christmas, New Year — two weeks, including holidays,
• Winter — two weeks from mid-February to mid-March,
• Spring — two weeks from mid-April to mid-May,
• Summer — two months, starting around the beginning of July.

The cost of the program covers the administrative fee, accommodation in the residence and the host family, meals, round-the-clock staff support. Additionally, you will have to pay:

• Round-trip flights,
• E-learning language courses,
• Medical insurance,
• Some excursions, sports and creative activities,
• Individual language classes,
• Round trip transfer,
• Study guides, books, and materials,
• Pocket expenses.

The admission process consists of filling out a detailed application in French, providing the required documents and passing an interview, where the staff checks the level of proficiency in French and academic knowledge. According to the results of all entrance tests, candidates receive an official letter of admission, after which they can proceed with visa issues.

Each year, fewer than 12 international students are admitted to high school.

Studying in a French-speaking school will help students from other countries improve their level of French language proficiency, immerse themselves in the study of the culture and customs of the country in order to decide on their future academic path.

To study in France, foreign applicants must have a valid passport, medical insurance, visa or residence permit. To enter the school, they must provide academic certificates from their previous place of study and the results of a language test confirming their level of French proficiency at least A2.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision