A New Chapter for Our School: From LFKL to FSKL
French School Kuala Lumpur (FSKL) is the same school you may have been researching as Lycée Français de Kuala Lumpur (LFKL). Same campus. Same curriculum. Same commitment to bilingualism and international education. The name change matters because the old name was getting in the way of what we actually are.
For families discovering us for the first time, our story begins with our commitment to academic excellence, bilingual education, and an international outlook. Learn more about our Mission, Vision & Educational Philosophy.
Why Now?
When we looked at who actually sends their kids to FSKL, the picture didn’t match our name. Yes, French expatriate families are here, they’ve always been. But so are Malaysian business families who wanted an alternative to IB. Diplomats’ kids. Engineers. Entrepreneurs. Bankers. Digital nomads from everywhere. Families from all over Europe, not just France.
A lot of these parents chose us because they wanted their kids to grow up truly bilingual. Not because they spoke French at home.
The name “Lycée Français” made perfect sense if you already knew what a lycée was. For a parent in KL scrolling through international school options, it read like a door marked “French expats only” even though we never meant to close it that way.
At some point, clarity matters more than history.
Parents exploring international education today often compare several systems before making a decision. Our approach to bilingual learning and international pathways can be explored further on our Admissions page.
What’s in a Name?
A lycée is the final three years of French secondary school, leading to the Baccalauréat. It’s a French word describing a French educational institution. That’s real. We’re proud of it. But the name was also keeping us from saying what we actually do: we run a bilingual school where French and English have equal weight, where you can follow the French curriculum.
“French School Kuala Lumpur” says the same thing more clearly. French isn’t optional or peripheral here, it’s the beating heart of primary school and a serious foundation through Year 9. But we’re not a French school with a side of English. We’re an international school where French happens to be deeply embedded.
To better understand how our bilingual model works from Early Years through Secondary School, visit our Academic Programmes section.
The new name also reflects the Eurocampus itself. We share buildings, staff, facilities, and events with Deutsche Schule Kuala Lumpur. Both schools exist because families in Malaysia want their kids to grow up genuinely bilingual and confident in European education. A name that doesn’t hide the French part, but doesn’t wall it off either, felt honest.
Learn more about the unique Eurocampusin South East Asia and how students benefit from this multicultural environment.
Who Are We Now?
FSKL has about 700 students from age 2 through 18. Some follow the French Baccalauréat from Year 9. Others follow Cambridge and Oxford through the British International Section. Many do both, taking exams in two systems, or mixing subjects across them. A handful shadow French but sit external exams elsewhere. We’re comfortable with this flexibility because we’re not trying to funnel every kid into one system.
Our families are diverse. Malaysian business families who value bilingual education. Expats from all over Europe. MM2H retirees. Digital nomads. Long-term KL residents who want their kids to have pathways to France, Germany, Canada, or anywhere. We’ve been teaching these families for years. The name change just makes that visible.
Want to know what daily life looks like for our students? Explore Student Life, Activities & Community.
The Practical Side
The website gets a new look. Your kid’s report card still says the same things, in the same languages, with the same rigor. The curriculum doesn’t change. The fact that Year 7 students eat lunch with Year 12s at the canteen, or that the whole school goes to the Kermess, or that we’re genuinely bilingual in our announcements and communications: none of that changes.
We’re also still accredited by both AEFE (the French Ministry of Education network). That hasn’t changed either. We’re still on the Eurocampus. We still teach the French Baccalauréat and the Cambridge examinations. We still have a single building, one administration, and a student body that moves fluidly between French-taught and English-taught classrooms.
What We Learned Along the Way
This name change came from paying attention. We listened to families who were interested in us but felt like they didn’t belong. We talked to staff about why we weren’t growing in the local Malaysian market. We recognized that “Lycée” is a French word, and we’re a school in Malaysia, with kids whose first language might be Malay, English, or something else entirely.
We kept “Lycée” for a long time because it was honest. We’re part of the French education system, and we’re proud of it. But honest isn’t the same as clear. And when a family is choosing where to spend 13 years of their child’s life, clarity matters.
What Stays the Same
If you’re already here or considering us, the specifics matter:
The French curriculum, taught in French, is still the foundation through Year 9.
The British International Section with Cambridge and Oxford is still there.
The Eurocampus community, staff, buildings, and approach remain unchanged.
Bilingual education remains a genuine commitment, not a feature.
Direct pathways to French universities remain available.
A single space where German, French, Malaysian, and more than 45 nationalities learn together.
The school also remains a non-profit institution governed by parents. You can discover more about our Governance Model and the role families play in shaping our future.
A Conversation, Not a Campaign
We’re calling this a name change, we’re not becoming something different. We’re just telling our actual story more clearly.
If you’ve been curious about us but dismissed us as “that French school,” this might be a good time to look again. If you’re already here, the only difference is you can say the name in English without sounding like you’re announcing a luxury brand ;)
FSKL prepares students for a genuinely globalized world. Speaking French and English, understanding both European and Asian contexts, being comfortable with complexity, these aren’t luxuries here. They’re everyday.
We just wanted a name that said that clearly.
Looking Forward
Education is constantly evolving, and so are the expectations of families. As Kuala Lumpur continues to grow as an international city, we believe our school must continue to evolve while remaining true to its purpose.
FSKL represents a clearer, more accessible, and more inclusive expression of that purpose. It is a name that reflects our ambition. A name that reflects our community. And a name that will carry our school confidently into the future.
Whether you are discovering us for the first time or have been part of our community for years, we invite you to explore our Admissions Process, Campus, and Academic Programmes.
The next chapter begins now.
Welcome to FSKL!
Practical FAQ
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The new name goes live with our website redesign at the end of June 2026. We'll be in touch with email and administrative details closer to that date.
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No. French students continue the French curriculum exactly as before. British International students continue their Cambridge/Oxford pathway exactly as before. Mixed-path students continue their mixed path. Nothing changes except the name.
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Because the point is clarity for families looking at schools in Malaysia. "French School Kuala Lumpur" works in both languages, it's clear in English and clear in French (École Française de Kuala Lumpur).
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No. The opposite. This change is because French education is strong enough, and central enough to our identity, that we don't need the word "Lycée" to prove it. The change says: we're secure in who we are, and we want to communicate that security clearly.
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Yes. Our accreditation from the French Ministry of Education (AEFE) remains unchanged.
