Starting with the 2026-2027 school year, France's Ministry of National Education is launching a concours général des collèges (general competition for middle schools). Created nearly two centuries ago, this honor had until now exclusively rewarded the best high school students in a given subject: it is opening for the first time to ninth-grade students (troisième).
A centuries-old prize now open to middle school
The concours général has existed for nearly two hundred years and aims to reward excellence among high school students in a specific academic field. For the 2027 session, the Ministry is extending this principle to middle school, with a stated goal: to showcase a variety of talents among ninth-grade students, beyond academic performance alone. This new development adds to changes already underway for the start of the school year, such as the detailed measures affecting students and families this year.
Who can take part, and in which subjects?
- Eligible students: ninth graders (troisième), at schools that choose to take part;
- Each middle school may enter a maximum of 10% of its ninth-grade students, with strict parity between girls and boys;
- A single exam to choose from among five subjects: French and general knowledge, math and science, history-geography, visual arts, or computer science;
- Registration is open from October 12 to November 19, 2026, with the exams set for Tuesday, February 2, 2027.
Separate from the brevet, in line with ongoing middle school reforms
This new competition takes place independently of the diplôme national du brevet (DNB), France's national middle school diploma: it does not replace any existing exam and does not change the requirements for earning the brevet. It is instead part of a series of changes affecting middle schoolers since the start of the school year, such as the financial education passport now mandatory for eighth-grade students, or, on the high school side, the rules on cellphone use and their exceptions. The Ministry presents this competition as a tool to boost students' ambition and give them a chance to reveal skills that don't always come through in a traditional classroom setting.
Frequently asked questions
Does the concours général des collèges replace the brevet?
No. It takes place independently of the diplôme national du brevet (DNB) and does not change anything about that exam's requirements. The two coexist, with one being optional and selective and the other mandatory for all ninth-grade students.
Do all middle schools offer this competition?
No. Participation is voluntary for schools. When a middle school takes part, it may enter no more than 10% of its ninth-grade students, while maintaining strict parity between girls and boys.
When is the first edition held?
Registration is open from October 12 to November 19, 2026. The exams for this first edition are set for Tuesday, February 2, 2027.
Sources
This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence. Editorial policy
