UGA international

French universities use the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). This is based on each student’s learning outcome and the associated workload. For example, an academic year corresponds to 60 ECTS credits, and a semester to 30 ECTS credits.

Under the ECTS, the “credits” acquired at one higher education institution can be counted towards a qualification awarded by another. This facilitates an easier transition for students who wish to move between countries, as their academic qualifications and study periods will still be recognized.

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Each Degree requires a validation of the credits earned over a given number of years. Academic years are organized into semesters. Each diploma requires a certain number of valid credits in order to be considered complete. Furthermore, these academic years are organized into semesters.
> View the list of diplomas, and the associated semesters and credits

Beginning in the month of September, the academic year is broken down into two semesters. Each semester has 13 weeks of course instruction, where public and university holidays are taken into consideration. This includes a two-week break for Christmas and the New Year.
In addition, classes are put on hold for a short period while exams take place.
The academic year end is marked by the completion of the May and June exam session (see the section on re-examinations).
> View the university calendar

Foreign students must present a document that certifies their level of French. Accepted certification documents include DELF, DALF, TCF or TEF, and students who have obtained the equivalent of a French “Baccalauréat” (the general certificate of secondary education in France) in an AEFE (Agence pour l’Enseignement du Français à l’Etranger) institution are exempted from this requirement.
Levels B1 or B2 are desirable for studies at the Bachelor’s (“licence”) or Master’s (“master”) degree level, especially in human and social sciences. Level B2 is required for first-year admission in consideration of the preliminary admission procedure (DAP - “demande d’admission préalable”).
Some specific courses may require a higher level, such as C1 or C2. If you wish to take a course delivered in English, a good command of French is not required, but you must provide proof of your English proficiency.
The standard language evaluation scale used is the Common European Framework of Reference for Language (CEFR)
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There are three types of class in the French higher education system:
- CM = Cours Magistraux: lectures
- TD = Travaux Dirigés: tutorials in small groups, where knowledge acquired during lectures is applied or new concepts are introduced.
- TP = Travaux Pratiques: practical or lab work performed in small groups. By conducting experiments, students apply and build focuses on applying and building the knowledge acquired during lectures, especially in a hands-on learning environment.

A course may be composed of lectures, tutorials and/or practical work, or be administered in a lecture-only format. You must attend all the classes in each course.

Students’ work may be assessed on a continuous basis, through final exams, or both.
Continuous assessment provides a means of validating skills acquired in each course on a regular basis throughout the year (essays, assignments, participation in class, laboratory work or other tasks assigned throughout the semester).
Final exams take place during two periods every year, at the end of each semester, and all courses are covered.
Students are required to provide their student card and photo ID whenever they attend an exam.

Important note:
The French grading system is quite strict so grades above 16 or 17 are rare. France also has a system of distinction or honors, called “mentions”:
< 12/20: “mention passable” (“Satisfactory”)
≥ 12/20 and < 14/20: “mention assez bien” (“Honors”)
≥ 14/20 and < 16/20: “mention bien” (“High Honors")
≥ 16/20: “mention très bien” (“Highest Honors”)

Absence from Continuous Assessments (“Evaluations Continues” - EC)	A student with an unexcused absence (“absence injustifiée” - ABI) is considered to have forfeited their mark (“être défaillant”) for the continuous assessment concerned. For degrees (licences): A student with a valid excuse for their absence (“absence justifiée” - ABJ) will be offered a new assignment to complete at a later date. If the examiners do not excuse the absence, the program heads will either assign the student a zero on that assessment or neutralize the absence of the grade. For bachelor's (licences) and master's degrees: Students with an excused absence (ABJ) will be given a zero for the continuous assessments (EC), unless a make-up test can be offered to them.
Absence from the initial session for Final Assessments (“Evaluations Terminales” - ET)	A student whose absence is unexcused is considered to have defaulted on the final assessment. If a student provides a valid excuse for their absence, under the approval of the examiner, the program heads will either assign a zero grade or declare the student to have defaulted on the assessment.
Absence from re-examination for Final Assessments (“Evaluations Terminales” - ET)	The rules for absence (as outlined below) apply when a student is entered for re-examination . In other cases, the grades from the initial session are carried over. A student whose absence is not justified is considered to have defaulted for the final assessment concerned or will receive a grade of zero. If a student provides a valid excuse for their absence, they may be offered a further assessment of an equivalent type and length, subject to approval from the Head of Year as well as to availability of this option. If further assessment is not possible, a zero grade is allocated for the Final Assessment. Otherwise, the grade from the initial session will be carried over instead. (This is the choice of the department/faculty/school).

Students who fail exams are entitled to re-examinations (“épreuves de rattrapage”, also referred to as “épreuves de deuxième session”) if they did not obtain an average of at least 10/20 on the original exam. In accordance with the university’s academic calendar, this examination session takes place in June.

In accordance with the regulations applicable to the course, a board of examiners discusses all the results obtained by students over the academic year and decides whether or not to validate the year or the degree. For some degrees, compensation rules may apply. Therefore, a student who does not validate all their courses with a minimum grade of 10/20 may still be able to validate their year by obtaining an overall average of 10/20.
However, a minimum grade may be achieved in select courses for some degrees, such as the Master’s degree. In such cases, any grades that are below these set minimum grades will prevent the student from validating the year, even when applying the compensation rules.

Students are provided with a grade transcript once results have been validated by the board of examiners.
Diplomas are available in the year following completion of the course. A pass certificate is provided no later than 3 weeks after the results are announced.
Students who receive a single copy of their final grade transcript are responsible for making copies of it, for reasons of employment or admission to another course.
> Obtain your diploma

Exchange students: Exchange students will not be issued with a diploma at the end of their study period. Instead, a grade transcript stating the number of ECTS credits obtained will be sent to their home university.