Distance education by the CNED (National Center for Distance Education)

Parents or guardians of children residing in Australia wishing to register their children at the CNED have four options:

– Option 1: full class with regulated registration: equivalent to French schooling, on a French program, with transcript and delivery of a notice of passage at the end of the school year.

– Option 2: full class with free enrollment: strictly follows the same French teaching programs without issuing a notice to move to a higher class.
– Option 3: “à la carte” course: does not correspond to French schooling, modules to choose from in the program.

– Option 4: additional international schooling: does not correspond to French schooling, offers several fundamental subjects, which vary according to school level.

Complete class with regulated registration

Enrollment in a regulated CNED class corresponds to French schooling, with transcripts and notice of passage at the end of the year. Subsidized by the French Ministry of National Education, regulated registration authorizes in particular to submit a scholarship application file. Registration criteria must be met.

Registration conditions for the full CNED regulated class:

– Do not attend any other school, French or foreign
– Registration in elementary school and college: be at least 6 years old on December 31 of the current school year, and at most 16 years old on the day of registration
– Registration in high school: justify a notice of passage in 2nd general and technological class and not have had an interruption of schooling of more than 12 months in the French system.

A pupil enrolled in a regulated full class will have to submit all his evaluations to the CNED teachers, in writing as well as orally, so that his year is validated and that the passage to a higher level is proposed. He will receive transcripts and his results will be reported in his school record.
In the event of a break in schooling for more than 12 months in the French system, it is mandatory to attach a transcript from the last French program establishment attended or the skills booklet. For enrollment in primary school, if the child’s education has been interrupted or if he has never been educated in the French system, he will generally be enrolled in the level corresponding to his age group. For college enrollment, you must provide the CNED, in addition to “the opinion of the cultural advisor”, a level certificate also signed by the cultural advisor.

Certificate from the French Embassy (“Opinion of the Cultural Advisor”) to benefit from regulated registration:

To register your child in regulated, you must provide the CNED with a certificate from the French Embassy (“Opinion of the cultural advisor”) and the notice of passage in upper class issued by a French school (or by the CNED) or by a school with a French program. Note: for registration in CP, the calling card is not necessary.

Information and documents to provide to obtain the certificate from the French Embassy:

– A letter or e-mail explicitly requesting registration in a regulated class
– A copy of the child’s identity card
– The notice of passage in the upper class (except for a registration in CP)
– Your address of residence in Australia
– Party “Opinion of the cultural advisor” in the CNED registration form

These documents should be sent by email to the education section of the Cooperation and Cultural Action Service of the French Embassy in Australia: [email protected]

You can also write to this address for any further information.
NB: in the event of a break in schooling for more than 12 months in the French system, attach a transcript from the last French program establishment attended, or the skills booklet. For enrollment in primary, if the child’s education has been interrupted or if he has never been educated in the French system, he can generally be enrolled in the level corresponding to his age group.

Registration dates for full regulated class

Full class for free registration or à la carte lessons
Your child does not meet the criteria stated above. According to his wishes, his needs or the time at his disposal, you can choose to enroll him in “full class with free registration” (large section of kindergarten, CP, CE1, etc.), or “à la carte” if you only want it to have support in one or more areas.

Full classes with free registration and à la carte courses do not correspond to schooling. However, the training materials will be the same as for regulated registration training of the same level. The CNED cycle masters council will not be able to decide on a move to a higher level. You can request a certificate of training but no trace will appear in the child’s school record.

.The Embassy certificate is not necessary in the case of registration in “full class with free registration” and “à la carte” courses.

Registration dates for full free class

International complementary education
Since July 2014, the CNED has been offering additional international education available from the nursery school to the final year in three fundamental disciplines. Adapted to pupils already enrolled in a school in the country of residence (with the exception of approved French establishments), international complementary education allows a child to follow, in parallel with his schooling in the school system of the country of residence, a distance learning in French reduced to three fundamental disciplines. The interest of the approach lies in the desire to create a link with the French language and culture for young expatriates and thus facilitate a possible continuation of studies in the French education system. This streamlined system offers less restrictive education than double schooling with, in particular, less homework. This formula is ideal for facilitating expatriation: thus a family can settle more easily in a city where there is no French high school or places available to accommodate it.