Baccalaureate 2026: Pass Rate After Resits at 91.4 Percent

Paris – 11 July 2026: The pass rate for the French Baccalaureate stands at 91.4 percent after the completion of resits. The Ministry of Education announced the final rate for the 2026 examination session. This represents a decline of 0.4 percentage points compared with the previous year. The figure covers the three tracks of the French school-leaving qualification: general, technological and vocational Baccalaureate.

The resits were aimed at candidates who had achieved an average mark of between 8 and under 10 out of 20 after the first round of examinations. They were able to take additional oral examinations in order to obtain the qualification after all. The results of this second examination phase are included in the overall rate now published.

Following the first round of examinations, the results had already varied significantly depending on the educational track. The pass rate was 90.6 percent in the general Baccalaureate, 78.8 percent in the technological track and 80.5 percent in the vocational track. These provisional figures referred to candidates who obtained their qualification without a resit.

At the same time, the ministry published the results of the Diplome national du brevet, the qualification awarded at the end of lower secondary education. There, 81.6 percent of candidates were admitted. The examination is an important milestone at the end of the third year, but it does not alone determine the subsequent educational path at a lycee or in vocational training.

The 2026 examination session was marked by revised requirements. In the brevet, final examinations were given greater weighting. In the general Baccalaureate, an early mathematics examination was added; at the same time, requirements for proficiency in the French language were strengthened. The pass rates now available therefore reflect, for the first time, a session conducted under these changed conditions.

Despite the slight decline, the overall Baccalaureate rate remains at a high level. For the graduates concerned, the certificate is a prerequisite for numerous degree programmes and training pathways. Following the results, many are now entering the phase of university enrolment, finding accommodation or starting vocational training.

In connection with the published figures, the Ministry of Education points to the differences between the individual qualification tracks and examination formats. A more detailed statistical analysis by subject area, academy and social characteristics is usually only presented later. For the time being, the current rates reflect the national situation after the end of the examinations and resits.