OIB - the Option Internationale du Baccalauréat (until 2023)

The OIB is a two-year programme taught in première and terminale.  The structure of the new baccalauréat means that students cannot switch between OIB and non-OIB once they have begun the course in première. 

The OIB is the Option Internationale du Baccalauréat -  - A French Baccalauréat with International Option (not the IB or International Baccalauréat).  for students in premiere and lower years, please see the page about BFI (Bac Français International) 

The Curriculum

• The Language and Literature component of the OIB “replaces” the Langue Vivante A and is taught in 4 hours each week. (Students cannot take English Literature and Civilisation as an option)
• History-Geography is taught 2 hours weekly in French, 2 hours in English (3 hours in English in Terminale).
• We continue to offer English Maths – iGCSE in seconde, AS Maths (for those with grade 7 and above in iGCSE) in premiere, but these subjects do not form any official part of the bac or its marks.

Assessment and Coefficient

• Both Language and Literature and History-Geography are examined in an “évaluation spécifique” in the summer term of terminale, and not through the three “contrôle continu” tests sat by non-OIB students. In both cases, this is a written paper and an oral.

• Each has a coefficient of 15, from a total for OIB of 120, so the “International” component counts for 25% of the final bac mark.

• In each “bulletin” students are given a mark of 20 for their LVA to reflect the linguistic level they are working at, as well as their regular mark for language and literature. This contributes to the overall coefficient 10 for bulletins in premiere and terminale.

 Both History-geography and Language and Literature are assessed at the end of terminale, and the OIB maintains its A level equivalent status for these subjects.  

These links  education.gouv.fr  and Bulletin Officiel. explain in more detail in French. 

OIB and University entrance

For details on the OIB and UK University entrance, see this link to UCAS QIP (Qualification Information Profile).

The OIB is now distinguished from the standard Baccalauréat Général in two important ways: first, it is established as the equivalent of four A Levels (as opposed to three A Levels for the standard Baccalauréat Général); and second, it makes clear that linguistic performance is assessed following expectations of first language usage of academic English, with an expected level of C1 and above. This will be a helpful point of reference to support university applications this year.

The diagram below shows the structure and assessment of the OIB. 

OIB in the new Bac