The excellence of the education system is a source of pride for the French people. The French government spends about 20% of its total budget on education, which means subsidised fees and outstanding facilities for both French and international students. The central government manages the quality of teaching as well as the curricular content of the higher-level programs of the country. The graduate system is comparatively complex with abundance of levels and types of programs obtainable.
The French tendency on the way to complexity and eccentricity expands to their impressive third level education system. Institutions range from big, old and famous universities like the Sorbonne in Paris, to modern schools of business and engineering in regional cities that admitl no more than a few hundred students in close communities of learning.
France is an extremely popular alternative for international graduate study. In the spirit of equal opportunity and organization, there are no differences made between international and French students in the third level system. There are about 190,000 international students, from all corners of the world, at this time enrolled in French higher education.
The French system of third level education can be described as either extraordinarily varied, or extraordinarily compound – or a bit of both. There are three major types of institutions: Universities, Grand Ècoles and Specialised Schools. An important part of higher research is completed at specific research centres, which are not united with any university.
The Universities are multi-discipline, wide ranging institutions presenting academic, technical, and professional degree programs in nearly every discipline possible. The Grand Ècoles are highly specialised institutes established to provide levels of excellence in their individual disciplines. These are very prestigious and selective in admissions. Programs are designed to provide high-level managers and engineers to French industry and business.
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