Introduction

You have just arrived in France with your child — they are 3, 6, or 10 years old, speak little or no French, and the school year is approaching. The good news: France guarantees access to school for all children present on its territory, regardless of the parents' residency status. The law of July 26, 2019 (in effect since 2019, still in force in 2026) lowered the age of compulsory education to 3 years old. Whether you are a Chinese person living in Paris 13th, a Moroccan in Saint-Denis, a Vietnamese in Lyon, a Senegalese in Marseille, or a Brazilian in Bordeaux, your child has a place in public school.

But enrollment is not automatic: you must go through the town hall, understand the school map, request the cafeteria at the right rate, and — if your child is non-French-speaking — activate a crucial but little-known system: UPE2A. Here is the concrete guide, updated for 2026, so you don’t miss anything.

Step 1 — Enrollment at the Town Hall: It’s Them Who Decide, Not the School

Contrary to what many families think, it is not the school principal who enrolls your child in nursery or elementary school. It is the town hall of your municipality of residence. The school then validates the admission, but the town hall keeps the register and applies the school map (zoning).

Documents to bring to the town hall (2026 file):

1. Proof of residence less than 3 months old (rent receipt, EDF bill, accommodation certificate + ID of the host + their proof of residence)
2. Family record book OR birth certificate of the child (sworn translation if written in Chinese, Arabic, Vietnamese, Portuguese, etc. — about €35 to €60 per page with a certified translator near the court of appeal)
3. ID of the parent enrolling (passport, residency permit, national ID — it doesn’t matter, the residency permit is not required to enroll the child)
4. Health record or proof of mandatory vaccinations: DTP + whooping cough + Hib + hepatitis B + pneumococcus + meningococcus C + MMR (11 mandatory vaccinations since 2018)
5. Certificate of deregistration from the previous school if the child was already enrolled in France

In Paris, enrollment is done directly on paris.fr/services/inscriptions-scolaires (section "Early Childhood and Family"). In Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Lille, Nantes: municipal portal of the city. In rural areas or small towns: physical counter at the town hall, often open only in the morning.

Important case: if you are still in a hotel, emergency accommodation, or CADA, request a housing certificate from the manager of the place. All cities accept it — the case law is very clear (Council of State, several decisions 2017-2023). If a town hall refuses enrollment due to lack of proof, it is illegal: alert the Defender of Rights (defenseurdesdroits.fr) or an association like RESF (Réseau Éducation Sans Frontières).

Step 2 — The School Map: How to Know Your Child’s School

France divides its territory into sectors: each address corresponds to one nursery school and one public elementary school of attachment. The town hall gives you the name of the school at the time of enrollment.

How to check yourself before moving: on your city’s website, search for "school zoning" or "school map". Paris has a very precise tool (paris.fr → "Find a School"). In Lyon, it’s on lyon.fr under the education section. Wei, a Chinese mother in Belleville, chose her apartment only after verifying that the local elementary school had an active UPE2A — a detail that saved her daughter’s first year.

Exceptions: you can request a school outside your sector if:

• Your other child is already enrolled there (sibling grouping — almost always granted)
• The child has medical support/PAI in a specific school
• Care by the grandmother who lives in another sector (proof required)
• Specific extracurricular activity (sports, music, bilingual)

The exemption form can be downloaded from the town hall’s website. Response time: 4 to 8 weeks. Karim, a Moroccan father in Aubervilliers, obtained an exemption for his son to follow his sister to Jean-Jaurès school in Paris 19th — he had to prove that the grandmother was picking up both children.

Step 3 — UPE2A: The System That Changes Everything for a Non-French-Speaking Child

If your child arrives without speaking French, explicitly request placement in UPE2A (Pedagogical Unit for Incoming Non-French-Speaking Students). This is a free system from the National Education that offers 9 to 12 hours of French per week in small groups (6 to 15 students), while integrating the child into their regular class for the rest of the time. Duration: one school year, sometimes two for younger children.

How to activate UPE2A:

1. At the time of enrollment at the town hall, clearly state: "My child is a non-French-speaking newcomer, I request a CASNAV test."
2. The CASNAV (Academic Center for the Schooling of New Arrivals) in your academy evaluates the child: a test in their language (Chinese, Arabic, Portuguese, Vietnamese, English, Spanish, etc.) to assess the school level and adapt the orientation.
3. The child is then assigned to a school with UPE2A — not necessarily the local school, but a nearby one.

Not all schools have UPE2A. In Paris, about 60 elementary schools have it (concentrated in the 18th, 19th, 20th, and 13th). In Île-de-France, Saint-Denis, Aubervilliers, Sarcelles, Évry-Courcouronnes, and Créteil have strong coverage. In Marseille, it is very developed in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd arrondissements and at La Castellane. In Lyon, in the 8th and Duchère. Hoang, a Vietnamese father who arrived in Lyon with his 8-year-old daughter, saw her go from zero French to complete sentences in 6 months thanks to the UPE2A at Anatole-France school.

For middle school students (11+ years): the equivalent exists and is also called UPE2A, managed at the middle school level. The CASNAV test is even more crucial at this age as it prevents unnecessary repetition.

Step 4 — Cafeteria and Extracurricular Activities: Social Rates to Request

The cafeteria is not mandatory but is essential for daily life. The rate depends on your CAF family quotient (QF): the same city charges between €1 and €7 for the same meal depending on your income.

Paris (2026 rates): 10 brackets, from €0.13/meal (QF < €234) to €7/meal (QF > €5,000). Median bracket (QF €800-1,200): about €3 per meal. Request to be made on paris.fr → Facil'Familles with your CAF beneficiary number.

Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, Lille: similar grids, free or nearly free (from €0 to €0.50) for QFs below €730/month per share. If you are newly arrived without CAF rights yet, provide your last tax notice from your home country (sometimes translated) or a sworn statement — the town hall can apply a provisional rate.

Extracurricular activities (morning/evening care, Wednesday, vacations): pricing also based on QF. A key market for working parents. Maria, a Portuguese mother in Champigny, pays €8/month for morning + evening care thanks to a low QF — without this social pricing, she would have had to leave her job as a cleaner.

Step 5 — Supplement with Community Schools (Saturday)

To not lose their native language, many families enroll their children in a weekend school:

• Chinese schools: in Paris, the Franco-Chinese School of the 13th, AFFC (Belleville), Chine Plurielle. In Lyon: ACFC. In Marseille: Franco-Chinese Association Phocée. Rate: €350 to €600 per term.
• Arabic/Quranic schools: mosques and associations throughout France. Courses in literary and religious Arabic. Rate: €80 to €250/term, sometimes free.
• Portuguese courses: EPE (Ensino Português no Estrangeiro) program subsidized by the Portuguese government, present in 80 French cities. Often free upon registration.
• Vietnamese courses: associations like AGEVP in Paris, Maison du Vietnam Lyon. €200 to €400/year.
• Wolof/African languages: Senegalese and Malian associations, Paris (Château-Rouge, Montreuil), Île-de-France. Often pay-what-you-can.
• Brazilian schools: "Saudade" in Paris and Lyon, Saturday mornings, Brazilian Portuguese. €30 to €50/month.

Fatou, a Senegalese mother in Bagnolet, does a double week: French school during the week, Wolof + French support classes on Saturday. Her 9-year-old daughter is trilingual — Wolof, French, English — without any particular effort.

In Summary

• Compulsory education at 3 years for all children in France, without residency status conditions for parents
• Enrollment at the town hall, not at the school — documents: proof of residence + birth certificate + parent ID + health record
• School map: school assigned according to address, exemption possible (siblings, medical, care)
• UPE2A: 9-12 hours of French per week, request the CASNAV test at enrollment
• Cafeteria at QF: €0.13 to €7 per meal depending on income, CAF proofs
• Community schools on Saturday to preserve the native language

On Pionra

On Pionra, parents share their experiences regarding schools, active UPE2A programs, CASNAV, and community schools. Ask your questions in the communities /fr/communautes/cn, /fr/communautes/ma, /fr/communautes/vn, /fr/communautes/sn or /fr/communautes/br — and find a certified translator or tutoring support in /fr/annuaire.

FAQ

My child is 3 years old and we just arrived in France in November. Does he have to wait until the start of the school year in September 2026?

No. Enrollment is possible year-round. Go to the town hall, the child can join the school within two to four weeks after enrollment, as soon as a spot opens up. The September start is the common rhythm, not an obligation.

I don’t have a residency permit yet, my application is in progress. Can I enroll my child?

Yes, without any restrictions. The right to education is independent of the parents' administrative status. Present your passport or your receipt for the residency permit application. No town hall can refuse due to lack of a permit — it is even an offense (article L131-1 of the education code).

My 9-year-old son does not speak French. Will he have to repeat a year?

Not necessarily. The CASNAV evaluates his school level in his native language. If he has a normal CM1 level in Chinese, Arabic, Vietnamese, etc., he will be placed in CM1 French with UPE2A for French. Repeating a year is only a last resort option, and increasingly rare in 2026 (national policy "One child, one trajectory").

Which school is best for a Chinese / Moroccan / Vietnamese child?

No universal answer, but some leads: in Paris, the 13th arrondissement concentrates Asian families and schools with active UPE2A (Tolbiac school, Olivier-de-Serres school). The 18th and 19th have a strong Maghreb and African community, with schools very well equipped with reception systems. Belleville (20th) is multicultural par excellence. Outside Paris: Saint-Denis, Aubervilliers, La Courneuve, Sarcelles, Choisy-le-Roi for Île-de-France. Lyon 8th, Marseille 13th-14th, Roubaix.

Does the cafeteria serve pork / halal / vegetarian options?

The EGalim law (2018) has required since 2021 one vegetarian menu per week in all public school cafeterias. Many municipalities also offer a pork-free menu (systematic alternative). Certified halal is rare in public cafeterias (secularism), but beef/chicken is often available in a pork-free menu. Inquire at the town hall: Marseille, Roubaix, Saint-Denis have more inclusive menus than Versailles or Neuilly.