Définition
An education or training is said to be non-formal if one of the following conditions is not met:
- has a hierarchy level-grade structure;
- is subject to admission requirements;
- lasts at least one semester (minimum of 30 European Credits Transfer Scale);
- has a programme recognised by the relevant national education authority (or equivalent authority).
These are the " Classification of learning activities " (CLA) 2016 criteria allowing to determine whether an education or training activity is formal or non formal.
Generally, in France, the education or training activities are considered as non formal if they don't lead to a recognised diploma or title, or can't be classified at any education level. Are considered as non formal education or training activities, the education or training activities lasting less than one semester, leading for example to " certificats de qualification professionnelle " (CQP), to the driving licence, to the " Brevet d’aptitude aux fonctions d’animateur " (Bafa), to the " Certificat d’aptitude à la conduite en sécurité " (Caces), to the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) and such language tests.
The non formal education or training activities can have a professional or personal purpose (like organised and supervised leisure activity lessons for example).