What are the conditions for access to the public service?

Verified 20 October 2025 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

To be recruited into the public service, you must meet certain conditions of nationality, diploma, etc. They differ depending on whether you are considering becoming a public servant or hiring yourself as a contractor.

Public servant

To be a civil servant in one of the 3 public functions (State, territorial or hospital), you must be French or European or a national of the Principality of Andorra.

The so-called sovereignty jobs However, they are only accessible to the French.

However, some jobs are open to all applicants without nationality requirements by competitive examination. These include university professors, senior lecturers, and doctors in hospitals.

You must have obtained French nationality by the date of the 1re competition test.

If there is a preliminary examination of the diplomas, the date taken into account is that of the 1re meeting of the selection board or body responsible for the selection of candidates, unless otherwise specified in special status from body or employment framework which you are applying for.

Contests are most often submitted at a degree level.

This degree level is specified by the special status of each body or framework of jobs (patent, HEADING: titleContent, BEP: titleContent, Bachelor, Master,...).

If it is a competition or a specific recruitment for a regulated profession (social worker, doctor, childcare worker, veterinarian,...), you must have the corresponding diploma.

If you have a foreigners degree, you can apply for the recognition of your diploma.

If you are a sportsman, referee or high-level judge on the list drawn up by the Ministry responsible for sport, you can enter the public service competitions without fulfilling the required diploma conditions (except in the case of a regulated profession).

You can also enter public service competitions without fulfilling the required diploma requirements (except in the case of a regulated profession), if you are a mother or father raising or raising 3 children.

You must complete the 2 following conditions:

  • To enjoy your civil rights in France, i.e. to have the right to vote and to stand for election in France or in the country of which you are a national
  • Have not been the subject of any conviction entered in bulletin n°2 of the criminal record incompatible with the duties performed or have not been convicted in the country of your nationality in a manner incompatible with the duties performed.

The condition varies depending on whether you are French or foreigners:

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You are French

You must justify your participation in the Defense and Citizenship Day (JDC).

You are European

You must have done national or military service if it is compulsory in your country of origin.

You must be physically fit to perform your future duties.

Your state of health must be compatible with the job you are considering.

If your duties require special health conditions, you will undergo a medical examination by a doctor approved by the administration upon your entry into the public service.

This is the case for some, for example body of the national police or for fire brigade managers.

If you are disabled, you can only be excluded from a competition or employment if your disability is declared incompatible with the position to which you applied following a medical examination of aptitude.

Contractual

No nationality requirement is required to be recruited in the 3 public functions (State, territorial or hospital) as a contractor.

If you are a foreigner, you must have a valid residence permit.

The so-called sovereignty jobs However, they are only accessible to the French.

Competitions to become a civil servant are most often submitted at a degree level.

As a contract candidate, you may be required to hold the degree that would be required of a public servant to hold the same job.

If you are applying for a job under a regulated profession (social worker, doctor, childcare worker, veterinarian,...), you must have the corresponding diploma.

If you have a foreigners degree, you can apply for the recognition of your diploma.

The condition varies depending on whether you are French or foreigners:

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You are French

You must meet the following 2 conditions:

  • Enjoying your civil rights, i.e. having the right to vote and to stand for election in France
  • Have not been the subject of any conviction entered in bulletin n°2 of the criminal record incompatible with the functions performed and not have been the subject of any conviction incompatible with the functions performed, in a country other than France.

You are a foreigner

You must meet the following 2 conditions:

  • Enjoying your civil rights, i.e. having the right to vote and stand for election in the country of your nationality
  • Have not suffered, in France or in a country other than France, any conviction incompatible with the functions performed.

You can be investigated by the administration to verify that you meet these 2 conditions.

The condition varies depending on whether you are French or foreigners:

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You are French

You must justify your participation in the Defense and Citizenship Day (JDC).

You are a foreigner

You must have done national or military service if it is compulsory in the country of origin of which you are a national.

If you are stateless person, you are not subject to this condition.

You must be physically fit to perform your future duties.

Your state of health must be compatible with the job you are considering.

If your duties require special health conditions, you will undergo a medical examination by a doctor approved by the administration upon your entry into the public service. This is the case for some, for example body of the national police or for fire brigade managers.

If you are disabled, you can only be excluded from a job if your disability is declared incompatible with the position you applied for following a medical examination of aptitude.

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