The Brevet de Technicien Supérieur thus presents several significant advantages.
First of all, it is a so-called short higher education course, covering a wide range of fields of activity and which allows rapid integration into the professional world.
The BTS's educational approach, combining theory and practice, effectively prepares students for the realities of the job market,
making graduates particularly attractive to employers
.
Internships integrated into the course and work-study opportunities also offer valuable professional experience, allowing students to develop practical skills and build a professional network that is often decisive for their future career.
What is BTS?
The BTS, or Brevet de Technicien Supérieur, is
a Bac+2 level diploma
, recognized by the French State.
It offers professional qualification in various fields, preparing for employment or further studies.
Programs are designed to meet the specific needs of different sectors, ranging from business and IT to arts and industry.
The Brevet de Technicien Supérieur (BTS) is a training course often provided in a higher technician section of a high school.
Accessible to holders of a baccalaureate or an equivalent diploma, this program offers specialized courses and includes practical internships in companies.
Lasting two years, it leads to obtaining a professional diploma.
The course is structured around theoretical and technical lessons in areas such as management and commerce, industry, services or even agriculture, depending on the specialization chosen.
One of the major assets of the BTS is its practical approach: students must in fact complete long internships in companies, which represents a significant part of the training.
These internships allow you to acquire concrete experience in a professional environment in order to apply the theoretical knowledge acquired in class.
Where to follow these training courses?
BTS type training is mainly provided in:
Public and private high schools
: this is the most classic route.
Here, these establishments offer a structured study framework and access to comprehensive educational resources.
Apprentice Training Centers (CFA) or
dedicated academies
: these establishments allow you to combine theoretical training and practical learning in a company.
Continuing professional training centers
: they are often aimed at adults in reorientation or professional development.
Distance learning establishments
: certain specific organizations, such as the Cned (National Center for Distance Education), allow courses to be followed remotely.
This educational model is ideal for those who cannot follow face-to-face training.
How to access the BTS?
Admission to the Brevet de Technicien Supérieur (BTS) is reserved for learners who have obtained a baccalaureate or a diploma deemed equivalent.
The selection process to join this training is carried out mainly on the basis of
an in-depth evaluation of the candidate's academic record
and their cover letter.
In certain cases, this analysis can be supplemented by personal interviews or specific tests aimed at better assessing the applicant's skills and motivation.
Note that selection criteria can vary considerably from one establishment to another, and even from one specialization to another within the same establishment.
This difference is explained by the diversity of profiles sought and the specific skills necessary for each specialization of the BTS.
Furthermore, there are BTS particularly popular with students, because of their recognition on the job market or their potential for opening up promising careers.
For these highly demanded training courses,
the selection criteria tend to be more rigorous and competitive
.
This can result in higher academic requirements, increased attention paid to the quality of references or cover letters (a cover letter for a BTS International Commerce will in fact be very different from a cover letter for entering a class of BTS Aeronautics or BTS Public Works: the idea here is to personalize the request as much as possible).
Likewise, a more in-depth selection process including more in-depth interviews or additional tests may also be implemented.
BTS and registration: what modalities?
To enroll in a BTS, the first step is to
choose the specialization that matches your interests and professional goals
.
Once this specialization has been chosen, you must search for establishments that offer the BTS in question.
The majority of registrations are made via the national admission platform Parcoursup, which centralizes applications for post-baccalaureate training in France.
Read alsoRegistration in BTS
On Parcoursup, you will have to create a candidate file
, provide your personal information, and submit the required documents, such as your report cards, a cover letter, and sometimes letters of recommendation.
After selecting the BTS training courses of your choice, your file will be examined by the establishments concerned.
Depending on the BTS and the establishment, you may be called for an interview or an admission test.
Please note that professional baccalaureate graduates with “good” or “very good” grades are automatically admitted to the BTS class.
Once the specialty and the BTS training have been chosen, if you opt for work-study, you will need to find the company and the related work-study contract.
How to choose your BTS specialty?
Choosing the “right” BTS depends on several key factors, linked to
your personal interests, your career objectives, your academic background and your own skills
.
First, assess your interests: choosing a specialization that excites you is essential to maintaining motivation and engagement throughout the course.
Next, consider your long-term professional goals.
The BTS is a training course very oriented towards the world of work, it must therefore correspond to the requirements of the sector of activity in which you plan to evolve.
It is also important to take into account labor market demand.
Certain BTS specializations offer better employment and career prospects in promising sectors.
Find out about the professional integration rates for different specializations, if applicable.
The choice of BTS specialization must therefore be carefully thought out in advance, taking into account course content, career prospects and opportunities for further study.
BTS: how do the studies take place?
BTS studies are designed to combine theory and practice, thus preparing students to effectively enter the professional world.
The course, lasting two years, includes theoretical courses, practical work, as well as individual or group projects.
A distinctive characteristic of the BTS is the importance given to internships in companies.
These compulsory internships allow students to acquire concrete experience in their field of study and to put into practice the skills learned during courses.
In addition, the BTS offers the possibility of following work-study training.
In this context, students share their time between the educational establishment and a company.
This modality can take the form of two forms of contracts:
the apprenticeship contract and the professionalization contract
.
The apprenticeship contract is generally intended for those under 30 and combines theoretical training at school and practical experience in a company, with employee status.
The professionalization contract, for its part, aims to promote professional integration or reintegration through the acquisition of a qualification.
It is open to a wider audience, including both young people and adults looking for work or retraining.
These different work-study modalities make it possible not only to
acquire significant professional experience
, but also to directly apply theoretical knowledge in the workplace, thus presenting an increased competitive advantage on the job market.
Exams / how to obtain your BTS?
At the end of the program, students take an exam to obtain their diploma: national written exam with common tests and practical exams.
Registrations for the BTS tests and exams themselves are generally made from mid-October to mid-November for tests which take place in May-June.
They are carried out online on the website of the academy concerned.
Candidates receive confirmation of registration at their home.
The results of the BTS exam are then made available on various dedicated platforms.
What to do after a BTS?
Opportunities after a BTS
The BTS is recognized for its effectiveness in quickly integrating its graduates into the professional world thanks to
its programs specifically adapted to the needs of businesses
and its pragmatic approach in line with them.
The BTS prepares for various higher technician professions,
with management positions
depending on the course followed, ranging from agriculture to applied arts, including commerce or industry.
Opportunities vary depending on the specialty chosen.
Furthermore, although this training is intended for professional integration,
continuing studies is also possible after a BTS
.
Here are some examples of possible further studies:
scientific preparatory classes for the Grandes Ecoles (ATS);
Professional licenses in a compatible field;
engineering schools, after competition or examination of the file.
The BTS, at Bac+2 level, is in fact part of the organization of the LMD (License, Master, Doctorate) within the studies leading to the degree of License.
It offers
120 European credits
and preferentially promotes bridges with professional licenses.
In addition to promoting employability, the BTS is also
a springboard towards higher studies
for those who wish to continue their academic career.
Holders of a BTS can access professional licenses, or even join certain specialized schools or universities, often with dedicated gateways.