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An eight-year-old student is set to make history in France by becoming the youngest person ever to take the country’s high school graduation exam—the baccalaureate.
The child, whose identity remains confidential, is registered as an independent candidate for the general and technological baccalaureate session, which starts June 16.
At an age when most children are in Year 2 or Year 3, the student will take the same national exam as thousands of teenagers who are finishing high school.
The announcement came on Friday, June 6, as the Ministry of Education presented key details about the 2025 exam session. According to officials, the candidate’s age sets a new record.
The youngest participant last year was nine years old and came from the Strasbourg school district. That student did not pass the exam. In 2023, the youngest candidate was 12.
Caroline Pascal, Director General of School Education, said that these are exceptional cases. She added that each time, it’s one student out of an entire cohort, so it very much remains an exception.
The baccalaureate, which marks the end of secondary education in France, typically draws students aged 17 or 18.
It is a critical milestone for university admission and career paths. This year, 724,633 candidates have registered for the exam—a slight drop of 0.49% compared to 2024. Among them are candidates for general, technological, and vocational tracks.
Le plus jeune candidat au baccalauréat général et technologique 2025 a 8 ans, un nouveau record dans l’histoire de cet examen de fin de scolarité, a annoncé le ministère de l’Education nationale. pic.twitter.com/SavWHjGoVg
— Agence France-Presse (@afpfr) June 6, 2025
For students in Première (equivalent to Year 12), exams will run from June 13 to July 4. Terminale students (final year) will begin their exams on June 16, with the philosophy paper, and finish by July 2.
At the other end of the age spectrum, the oldest registered candidate is 78 years old. He will also take the general and technological baccalaureate. The oldest person sitting for the vocational track is 67.
French education officials have not revealed the gender or background of the eight-year-old, citing privacy rules. However, they confirmed the child is not enrolled in a school and is sitting the exam independently.
The baccalaureate has a long history in France. It was established by a decree in 1808 under Napoleon Bonaparte, and the first exams were held the following year. At the time, the tests were exclusively oral.
The exam system has evolved significantly since then; stories like this continue to capture national attention, highlighting both academic excellence and the extraordinary paths some students take to achieve it.
