Important French University Abbreviations and Vocabulary You Need to Know

International student life is tough. Adjusting to a foreign culture and taking on rigorous coursework far away from your support system is quite the challenge! When you’re a newbie in French university, learning the extensive lingo can be overwhelming, and you don’t want to waste your time looking up every acronym you come across. As American master’s degree students in France, we’ve encountered more than a few eyebrow-raising abbreviations. To make your life as a foreign student easier, we’ve compiled a list of key French university abbreviations and vocabulary you need to know for your studies.

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Campus Vocabulary

Abbreviation	French Meaning	English Equivalent
BU	Bibliothèque universitaire	University library
BV	Bureau virtuel	Virtual office
La fac	La faculté	College
RU	Restaurant universitaire	Dining hall
UFR	Unités de formation et de recherche	University department

Educational Stages Vocabulary

Abbreviation	French Meaning	English Equivalent
Bac	Baccalauréat	High school diploma
Bac+3	La licence	Bachelor’s degree
Bac+5	Le master	Master’s degree
Bac+8	Le doctorat	Doctorate
LMD	Licence, Master, Doctorat	Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree, Doctorate
L1	Première année de licence	First year of college
L2	Deuxième année de licence	Second year of college
L3	Troisième année de licence	Third year of college
M1	Première année de master	First year of graduate school
M2	Deuxième année de master	Second year of graduate school

Coursework Vocabulary

Abbreviation	French Meaning	English Equivalent
CM	Cours magistraux	Lecture classes
TD	Travaux dirigés	Seminar classes
TP	Travaux pratiques	Practical work classes
MCF	Maître de conférences	Associate professor
Prof	Professeur	Professor

Assessment Vocabulary

Abbreviation	French Meaning	English Equivalent
CC	Contrôle continu	Continuous assessment
CF	Contrôle final	Final assessment
CT	Contrôle terminal	Final assessment
DO	Dossier	Final project
ET	Écrit terminal	Final written assessment
OT	Oral terminal	Final oral assessment
ST	Soutenance	Oral defense
Coef	Coefficient	Multiplying factor
QCM	Questionnaire à choix multiples	Multiple choice assessment

Degree Requirements Vocabulary

Abbreviation	French Meaning	English Equivalent
UE	Unités d’enseignement	Teaching units
EC	Éléments constitutifs	Courses
ECTS	Système européen de transfert et d’accumulation de crédits	European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System

Student Services Vocabulary

Abbreviation	French Meaning	English Equivalent
CAF	Caisse d’allocations familiales	Benefits office
CPAM	Caisse primaire d’assurance maladie	Public health insurance body
CROUS	Centre régional des oeuvres universitaires et scolaires	Regional student assistance office
CVEC	Contribution à la vie étudiante et de campus	Student and campus life contribution fee
La sécu	La sécurité sociale	Social security

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Did you learn something new? Got an abbreviation to add to the list? Let us know in a comment!

Check out our review of the first year of French graduate school!

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