Overview
The baccalauréat professionnel (bac pro) is a French national vocational diploma, usually taken over three years after collège, that combines general education with training in a specific trade or professional field. It allows students to enter the workforce directly or continue into higher vocational education such as a BTS.
Who can apply
Bac pro programmes are open to students who have finished collège, studied either in a vocational lycée or through an apprenticeship contract. Adults can also prepare through continuing education.
Exam pattern
The bac pro includes seven mandatory exams covering general subjects (such as French, history-geography, mathematics or a foreign language) and vocational subjects specific to the speciality, plus up to two optional exams. Depending on the subject and training pathway, assessment is either through final exams at the end of training or through continuous assessment during training (contrôle en cours de formation, CCF), which evaluates the same skills and knowledge as the final exams. Candidates register either in "global" form, sitting all exams at the end, or "progressive" form, spreading exams over more than one year.
Marking and results
To pass, your overall average across the exam must be at least 10 out of 20. Candidates whose average on the common exams is between 8 and 9.9 out of 20, and who have at least 10 out of 20 across the professional units, can sit the oral resit tests (épreuve de contrôle). The supervised work-placement periods (PFMP) are compulsory to earn the diploma. Honours (mentions) are given for averages of 12 to 14, 14 to 16 and 16 to 18, as listed by Onisep. Taking the Pix digital skills certification is compulsory in the final year, but its result does not affect whether you pass.
Important dates
For the 2027 session, Onisep lists the final written exams as: living language A on 3 June 2027, living language B on 4 June, applied arts and artistic cultures on 7 June, French on 8 June, and history-geography with moral and civic education on 9 June. Prevention-health-environment and economics-law or economics-management are listed for June 2027 without a day. Practical and oral exams follow a speciality-specific calendar, and the oral project exam starts from 21 June 2027. The oral project lasts 5 minutes of presentation and 10 minutes of questions.
How to apply
Candidates in school or apprenticeship are registered by their establishment. Independent candidates register online through their académie's exam portal during the official registration window, and must specify at registration whether they are sitting in global or progressive form and which optional exam they are taking.
FAQs
How long does a bac pro take?
Normally three years of study after collège, whether in a vocational lycée or an apprenticeship.
What is CCF in the bac pro?
Contrôle en Cours de Formation: assessment carried out during training, at the training establishment or workplace, by trainers once a candidate has reached the required level, evaluating the same skills as a final exam.