On June 13, 2025, first-year students across France are taking the highly anticipated French exam as part of the Bac 2025.

The written French exam, which lasts for four hours and has a coefficient of 5, will be followed by an oral exam on the same texts from June 23 to July 4, 2025.

Despite discussions about reintroducing standardized tests, the Ministry of National Education has confirmed that there are no plans to alter the baccalaureate structure, aiming to maintain a stable calendar.

The French exam constitutes 60% of the final baccalaureate grade, with the remaining 40% based on continuous assessment over the two years leading up to the exam.

Experts recommend that students thoroughly study all program works and previous exam topics, alongside robust analytical practice to prepare for any combination of subjects on the exam.

The exam covers literature from four major genres: novel, poetry, theater, and literature of ideas, based on a list of 12 works updated annually since the 2019 reform.

Students must write either a dissertation or a text commentary, with technological pathway students having the option of a text summary combined with an essay.

Technological pathway students have focused on 'poetry from the 19th to the 21st century' and 'literary ideas from the 16th to the 18th century,' with options including commentary on works by Richard Rognet or essays on texts by Rabelais, La Bruyère, or Olympe de Gouges.

At the Lycée Montaigne in Paris, around 370 students began arriving as early as 7:15 AM to take the exam, part of a nationwide total exceeding 530,000.

While algorithms are part of the admissions process, a significant portion relies on human evaluation of candidates' overall academic histories and recommendations.

Catherine Mary emphasizes the need for transparency regarding how French exam scores impact admissions, advocating for clearer communication to students.

Live coverage of the exam will include subject analysis and corrections, providing additional support for students during this critical period.