Succeeding at the Grand Oral
The Grand Oral remains one of the most dreaded exams of the baccalaureate, often because its format and expectations are not well understood. Duration, panel, marking: these unknowns sometimes weigh more heavily than stage fright itself. This article details the exam as it will run from the 2027 session onwards, and explains how to prepare for it.
In brief
The Grand Oral lasts 40 minutes in total: 20 minutes of preparation, then 20 minutes in front of the panel, split into a 10-minute presentation and a 10-minute discussion.
From the 2027 session onwards, the exam carries a coefficient of 8 in the general pathway and a coefficient of 12 in the technological pathway.
How does the Grand Oral of the baccalaureate work?
The Grand Oral takes place in three stages, over 40 minutes in total. You first have 20 minutes of preparation, alone with your rough notes, to build your presentation from one of the two questions worked on during the year. This is followed by 20 minutes in front of the panel, split into two equal parts: a 10-minute presentation, where you develop your answer, then a 10-minute discussion, where the panel questions you on what you have just presented.
This three-part structure sets the Grand Oral apart from the other baccalaureate exams, almost all of which are based on written work. Here, it is your ability to build a clear, well-argued oral presentation that is assessed, not just your knowledge.
How are the two Grand Oral questions chosen?
You do not discover your questions on the day of the exam: they are drawn up in collaboration with your specialist teachers, throughout the school year, based on the two specialist subjects you have studied. This work therefore begins well before revision, through lessons and discussions with your teachers.
On the day of the exam, you draw one of your two questions at random from those you have prepared, and your presentation then focuses solely on that one. This is why it is worth preparing both questions with the same rigour, rather than banking on the one you consider easier.
Who sits on the panel, and what do they assess?
The Grand Oral panel brings together two teachers: one a specialist in one of your two specialist subjects, the other a specialist in the second subject or a representative of a core curriculum subject. This dual expertise allows them to assess both the substance of your presentation and how you construct it orally.
Their marking is based on five qualitative criteria, with no individual weighting made public:
- The oral quality of expression: your diction, pace and ease of delivery
- The quality of continuous speech: your ability to deliver a structured presentation without reading from your notes
- The quality of knowledge: your command of the subject you are presenting
- The quality of interaction: your ability to respond to the panel's follow-up questions
- The quality of argumentation: the coherence of your reasoning
These five criteria carry equal weight: a presentation that is flawless in form but hollow in substance is not enough, and nor is an answer that is correct but poorly presented.
What is the coefficient of the Grand Oral, and when does the exam take place?
From the 2027 session onwards, the Grand Oral will carry a coefficient of 8 in the general pathway and a coefficient of 12 in the technological pathway. These figures replace the coefficients of 10 and 14 that applied up to the 2026 session: if you still come across these older figures online, be aware that they no longer apply to candidates in upcoming sessions.
The exam will take place between 21 June and 2 July for candidates in mainland France, once the written specialist exams have been sat, right at the end of the school year.
How can you prepare well for your Grand Oral?
Preparation is built up over the year, not the night before the exam: regular work alongside your specialist teachers helps relevant questions emerge, ones you will genuinely master on the day. This consistency counts for more than any last-minute method.
During your presentation, you are free to choose to remain standing or seated, whichever makes you feel most comfortable, and the use of notes remains permitted, allowing you to rely on supporting documents without reading them word for word. For the discussion phase, anticipating the questions the panel might ask based on your presentation often changes the outcome of the exam, since the more you have explored the limits of your subject beforehand, the more natural the follow-up questions will feel.
Once the Grand Oral is behind you, it is time to head towards higher education. If you are still wondering what the routes are for joining a business school, be aware that the oral exam remains central there too: at Excelia Business School, the motivational interview is part of the admissions process. The Grand Oral is therefore not an end in itself, but a first rehearsal for an exercise you will encounter again later.
Passing business school entrance exams draws on skills very similar to those developed for the Grand Oral. The Bachelor in Business, the BBA International and the Master in Management (Programme Grande École) also assess your ease with public speaking as part of their admissions procedures.
Once you have your baccalaureate, applications to our post-baccalaureate programmes are made directly on the official Parcoursup website, and your Parcoursup space dedicated to Excelia Business School helps you prepare it.
Frequently asked questions
- How long does the Grand Oral last?
The Grand Oral lasts 40 minutes in total: 20 minutes of preparation, then 20 minutes in front of the panel, split into a 10-minute presentation and a 10-minute discussion.
- What are the marking criteria for the Grand Oral?
The panel assesses five qualitative criteria: the oral quality of expression, the quality of continuous speech, the quality of knowledge, the quality of interaction and the quality of argumentation. Their precise weighting in points is not made public.
- What is the coefficient of the Grand Oral?
From the 2027 session onwards, the Grand Oral carries a coefficient of 8 in the general pathway and 12 in the technological pathway, compared with 10 and 14 up to the 2026 session.
- Who sits on the Grand Oral panel?
The panel brings together two teachers: one a specialist in one of your two specialist subjects, the other a specialist in the second subject or a representative of a core curriculum subject.
- Can you use notes during the Grand Oral?
Yes, the use of notes is permitted during the ten-minute presentation, to support you with reference documents. You are also free to choose whether to stand or sit.
