One of the Rarest International Credentials Offered at Any American Private School.
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In This Guide
Most schools that offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme award a single, standard IB Diploma. Lycée Français de San Francisco’s International Track leads to something considerably rarer: the IB Bilingual Diploma.
Quick Answer for Busy Parents
The IB Bilingual Diploma is an enhanced version of the standard IB Diploma, earned by completing coursework in two languages at a high level. LFSF’s International Track is built specifically to prepare students for this credential, one of the rarest international diplomas offered at any American private school, alongside a US High School Diploma.
What the IB Bilingual Diploma Is
The standard IB Diploma Programme already requires rigorous coursework across six subject groups. The Bilingual Diploma designation adds a further requirement: completing specific coursework, including at least two full Group 1 or Group 2 language courses, in two different languages, at a genuinely high level, not simply taking one class in a second language.
Why It’s So Rare
Relatively few American private schools have both the bilingual academic infrastructure and the IB authorization needed to prepare students for this specific credential. LFSF’s structure, a fully bilingual French-English day school that is also a fully authorized IB World School, puts it in a genuinely small group of American institutions positioned to offer it.
How Students Earn It at LFSF
Beyond coursework, students often deepen bilingual fluency through extracurricular activities conducted across both languages:
| Requirement | How LFSF Delivers It |
| High-level coursework in two languages | Daily bilingual French-English instruction across the International Track |
| IB Diploma Programme authorization | LFSF is a fully authorized IB World School (MYP + DP) |
| Standard IB Diploma requirements | Six subject groups, Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay, CAS |
Why This Matters for Families Evaluating LFSF
For families comparing LFSF against other bilingual or IB schools, the IB Bilingual Diploma is a concrete way to evaluate how far a school’s bilingual claims actually go, reflected in LFSF’s own results. Plenty of schools describe themselves as bilingual; relatively few can point to a specific, internationally recognized credential built directly around that bilingualism.
Ace the LFSF Admissions with Top Consultants in San Francisco
The IB Bilingual Diploma reflects what makes LFSF’s International Track genuinely distinctive: a credential that few American schools are positioned to offer at all. Cardinal Education’s private school admissions consulting helps families evaluate whether pursuing this rare diploma fits their child’s goals.
Curious If the IB Bilingual Diploma Fits Your Child?
Cardinal Education helps families evaluate whether this rare credential is the right goal for their child.
If you’re an Asian American family researching LFSF, our dedicated guide applies these same fundamentals to Asian American applicants in more detail.
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