licence
/li.sɑ̃s/feminine
The English phrase 'bachelor's degree' is translated into French as licence.
licence is the standard term used within the French higher education system to refer to a bachelor's degree, which is the first or lowest academic degree. To specify a particular field of study, you can use the structure licence en followed by the subject, such as licence en droit for a bachelor's degree in law.
Meaning: first or lowest academic degree (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
licence is a feminine noun. Because of this, it is preceded by feminine articles such as une or la.
How do you pronounce it?
/li.sɑ̃s/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers should be careful not to confuse the French academic term licence with the English word 'license' meaning a permit or authorization, even though they are cognates.
Did you know?
- In many French-speaking regions, the word baccalauréat refers to the high school exit exam rather than a university degree, which can lead to significant confusion for English speakers.
- While licence means a degree, the word licencié historically referred to someone who had the 'license' to teach, long before it became a common term for being fired from a job.
- While licence is the official term in France, students in Quebec and other French-speaking regions often use the term baccalauréat to refer to a bachelor's degree.
Examples in context
- Elle prépare sa licence d'histoire.She is preparing for her bachelor's degree in history.
- Il a obtenu sa licence l'année dernière.He obtained his bachelor's degree last year.
- Je commence ma licence de droit en septembre.I am starting my bachelor's degree in law in September.
Example conversation
Two students are talking in a university cafeteria.
- LucasTu as déjà terminé ta licence ?Have you already finished your bachelor's degree?
- ChloéNon, je suis encore en deuxième année de licence.No, I am still in my second year of my bachelor's degree.
- LucasD'accord, et quelle est ta spécialité ?Okay, and what is your major?
- ChloéMa licence est en économie.My bachelor's degree is in economics.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bachelor's degree” translations and entries licence, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
