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The international sections, which were created in 1981 in primary schools, lower secondary schools and general upper secondary schools cater for French and foreign pupils. The latter must account for 25% to 50% of pupil numbers.

The aim of the international sections is twofold:

to facilitate foreign pupils' insertion into the French school system and, where applicable, their return to their home systems;
to create, through the presence of foreign students, a situation in which French pupils can acquire a high degree of competence in a foreign language.

Pupils' aptitude for this kind of schooling - notably in linguistic terms - is checked by the host school.

Sections may be opened for the following languages: German, US English, UK English, Arabic, Danish, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish and Japanese.

The pedagogical teams are composed of French and foreign teachers. The latter - who are often made available by their countries of origin - teach special History & Geography and national literature classes in their native languages, in line with programmes designed in cooperation with the education authorities in the countries concerned.

In September 2006, 146 such sections were catering for 14,200 pupils in French schools, including 3,600 primary school pupils, 5,600 lower secondary school pupils and 5,000 upper secondary schools pupils.