France to replace PASS/LAS health access system with new license in 2027

A new decree has officially confirmed that the current PASS (Parcours d'accès spécifique santé) and LAS (licence accès santé) systems will be replaced by a single access route known as the ‘licence portail santé’ (LPS) starting in the 2027 academic year.

Announced by Philippe Baptiste, Minister of Higher Education, and Stéphanie Rist, Minister of Health, the reform aims to make entry into medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, and midwifery studies more transparent, equitable, and less pressured. The new first-year curriculum will combine a health-focused teaching block (24 to 30 ECTS) with a second block in another university discipline, such as biology, physics, chemistry, mathematics, law, or psychology, alongside transversal skills.

Student federations, including Anemf, Anepf, Anesf, Fnek, and Fage, have welcomed the decree as the result of extensive consultation. However, these organizations have called for vigilance regarding the implementation and funding of the new system.