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Key Facts: BTS SP3S Exam

Level 5

National qualification level under France Compétences and EQF framework (BAC+2)

France Compétences RNCP35832

No fixed fee

Any candidate charge depends on academy and enrolment route

Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur / Cyclades

13 Weeks

Mandatory workplace training (stages) completed across two distinct sectors

Arrêté du 24 janvier 2022

10 / 20

Minimum overall weighted average across all 6 examination units to pass

Code de l'éducation (France)

4 Core Units

Professional vocational units: E3 (Gestion), E4 (Politiques), E5 (Accompagnement), E6 (Projet & Qualité)

Référentiel BTS SP3S

The BTS SP3S (Niveau 5 / BAC+2) certifies operational managers and case coordinators in French healthcare, social security, and medico-social structures. Assessment combines general culture and language with multi-hour professional written papers and a project oral based on workplace training. This 100-question bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation covering HR, budgeting, Sécurité sociale, ARS, user rights, MDPH benefits, and HAS quality evaluation.

Sample BTS SP3S Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the BTS SP3S exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1In French private non-profit health and social establishments (ESPIC and associative sector), what is the foundational difference between the CCN 51 (Convention collective nationale FEHAP) and the CCN 66 regarding base salary calculation?

A.CCN 51 calculates compensation strictly through regional civil service index grids, while CCN 66 allows free bilateral salary negotiation without minimum points

B.CCN 51 bases remuneration on a job coefficient multiplied by the FEHAP point value plus functional bonuses, whereas CCN 66 utilizes an evolution grid with career step indices multiplied by the UNIFED point value

C.CCN 51 applies only to medical doctors in public hospitals, while CCN 66 governs paramedical nursing personnel across public university hospitals (CHU)

D.CCN 51 establishes hourly piece-rate wages for home assistants, whereas CCN 66 requires annualized lump-sum honoraria without overtime tracking

Explanation: CCN 51 (FEHAP) calculates base salary by assigning a base coefficient linked to the job description multiplied by the point value, to which seniority steps (prime d'ancienneté) and functional allowances are added. In contrast, CCN 66 (convention collective nationale de 1966 for establishments supporting persons with disabilities) utilizes index progression grids tied to specific professional categories and seniority steps multiplied by the collective bargaining point value.

2In the budgetary management of a French residential care home for dependent elderly persons (EHPAD), what is the primary structural role of the EPRD (État des Prévisions de Recettes et de Dépenses)?

A.It serves as a retrospective accounting document summarizing past cash flow deficits from the preceding fiscal year for tax audits

B.It represents an informal staffing register submitted solely to the trade union delegates of the establishment

C.It is a forward-looking budgetary document that links multi-year strategic objectives (CPOM) with annual operational revenues and expenditures across dedicated tariff sections

D.It acts as a commercial invoice issued monthly to residents to claim housing assistance subsidies from the CAF

Explanation: Introduced by the 2015-2016 budgetary reforms, the EPRD is a multi-annual, forward-looking financial management instrument that replaced the rigid administrative budget in social and medico-social establishments. It articulates operational and investment expenditure forecasts with anticipated revenues according to the multi-year targets specified in the Contrat Pluriannuel d'Objectifs et de Moyens (CPOM).

3Under the French Code du travail and general hospital/medico-social regulations, what is the standard legal maximum daily working duration (durée quotidienne maximale de travail effectif) for an adult employee, in the absence of an authorized emergency derogation?

A.10 hours

B.8 hours

C.12 hours

D.14 hours

Explanation: Under Article L. 3121-18 of the French Code du travail, the maximum daily working time cannot exceed 10 hours of effective work. While collective agreements or emergency ministerial decrees can temporarily allow up to 12 hours under specific continuous care conditions, 10 hours is the baseline legal statutory ceiling.

4In the financial analysis of a non-profit association operating several medico-social foyers, what does a positive Working Capital Requirement (Besoin en Fonds de Roulement - BFR) indicate?

A.The association possesses immediate liquid cash surpluses in its checking accounts exceeding all long-term liabilities

B.The association has completely amortized its real estate assets and owes zero short-term supplier debt

C.The association has received its operating subsidies in advance and has no receivables due from social security bodies

D.Operating current assets (inventories, client/resident receivables, pending social welfare subsidies) exceed current operating liabilities, requiring short-term financing

Explanation: The BFR (Besoin en Fonds de Roulement) represents the financial resource required to cover the time lag between operational disbursements (paying staff, food supplies, pharmaceuticals) and operational receipts (receiving health insurance dotations, departmental APA allowances, resident contributions). When BFR is positive, operating receivables and inventory exceed trade payables and deferred revenues, which requires working capital (Fonds de Roulement) to cover the funding gap.

5Which human resources management document defines the mission, organizational hierarchy, specific duties, required qualifications, and working conditions of an administrative coordinator in a social center?

A.The collective bargaining agreement (Convention collective nationale)

B.The job description (Fiche de poste)

C.The single risk assessment document (DUERP)

D.The internal company regulations (Règlement intérieur)

Explanation: A fiche de poste (job description) is an operational HR management tool that specifies the title, hierarchic attachment, core missions, specific activities, required technical and relational competencies, and physical or environmental working conditions of a given position within a specific establishment.

6What is the primary function of a CPOM (Contrat Pluriannuel d'Objectifs et de Moyens) concluded between a medico-social organization and supervisory funding authorities (ARS and Conseil départemental)?

A.To formalize a multi-year strategic agreement (typically 5 years) defining operational objectives, quality benchmarks, resource allocations, and budgetary flexibility for an establishment or group of services

B.To serve as an annual employment contract signed individually by every nurse and social care worker joining the establishment

C.To replace the national penal code regarding professional liability in cases of medical malpractice within private clinics

D.To outline the weekly culinary menus and dietary schedules provided to day-care beneficiaries

Explanation: Under French social action law (Article L. 313-11 of the CASF), the CPOM is a multi-year contractual agreement (usually for 5 years) between the managing organization and the funding authorities (ARS, Conseil départemental). It establishes strategic quality and transformation targets, coordinates service offerings across a territory, and determines financial envelopes through the EPRD framework.

7In the logistics and stock management of medical supplies (such as sterile dressings, gloves, and enteral nutrition bags) in a health center, what is the primary benefit of the FIFO / PEPS (Premier Entré, Premier Sorti) stock rotation method?

A.It guarantees that the most recently delivered items are immediately opened and distributed first

B.It eliminates the legal requirement to perform an annual physical inventory of stored medical equipment

C.It reduces delivery freight charges by automatically grouping purchase orders into container freight loads

D.It prevents product obsolescence and expiration by ensuring that older inventory batches are utilized before newer arrivals

Explanation: The FIFO / PEPS (Premier Entré, Premier Sorti / First In, First Out) method mandates that inventory items with earlier receipt dates or approaching expiration dates (date limite d'utilisation) are issued to clinical care units first. This avoids financial waste, maintains traceability, and prevents administering expired medical consumables.

8In public and non-profit hospital accounting (M21 / M22 accounting instructions), how is a realized financial deficit reported in the ERRD (État Réalisé des Recettes et des Dépenses) officially treated?

A.It automatically results in the personal criminal indictment of the administrative assistant and immediate cancellation of the operating license

B.It is directly deducted from the personal salaries of clinical staff members over the subsequent three payroll cycles

C.It is integrated into the balance sheet (bilan) as a negative retained result and addressed in the multi-year financial trajectory (PGFP) through corrective management measures

D.It is immediately paid off in cash by the French National Assembly through an extraordinary parliamentary stipend

Explanation: In public and private non-profit establishments, an operating deficit in the ERRD is recorded in the balance sheet under accumulated results (report à nouveau déficitaire). It requires the establishment to formulate a Plan Global de Financement Pluriannuel (PGFP) or a recovery plan (plan de redressement) approved by supervisory authorities (ARS/Conseil départemental) to restore budgetary equilibrium over time.

9Under the European General Data Protection Regulation (RGPD) and the French Loi Informatique et Libertés, what is the role of the Data Protection Officer (Délégué à la Protection des Données - DPO) within a healthcare establishment?

A.To inform, advise the data controller, monitor internal regulatory compliance, and serve as the contact point for the supervisory authority (CNIL) and data subjects

B.To physically lock the server rooms and write commercial software code for medical imaging machines

C.To conduct medical consultations and determine whether patients need emergency hospital admission

D.To approve public procurement tenders and sign vendor contracts on behalf of the hospital board

Explanation: Articles 37 to 39 of the RGPD mandate that the DPO acts independently to inform and advise management and staff regarding privacy obligations, monitor internal adherence to data protection regulations, conduct privacy impact assessments (AIPD), and cooperate with the CNIL.

10What is the strategic objective of implementing GPEC (Gestion Prévisionnelle des Emplois et des Compétences) within a regional health and social service network?

A.To eliminate all permanent labor contracts (CDI) in favor of outsourced daily temporary labor

B.To bypass statutory occupational health and safety committees during organizational restructuring

C.To reduce nursing payroll by automatically replacing senior healthcare assistants with automated chatbots

D.To anticipate future demographic, technological, and regulatory changes by aligning workforce skills, recruitment, and training plans with evolving service needs

Explanation: GPEC (now often integrated into GEPP - Gestion des Emplois et des Parcours Professionnels) aims to forecast quantitative and qualitative workforce requirements over a 3-to-5-year horizon. It enables healthcare and medico-social structures to plan succession, upgrade competencies through continuous training, and adapt to demographic shifts among elderly or disabled populations.

About the BTS SP3S Exam

The BTS Services et Prestations des Secteurs Sanitaire et Social (BTS SP3S) is a premier French Niveau 5 (EQF Level 5 / BAC+2) national undergraduate diploma administered jointly by the Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche and the Ministère de l'Éducation nationale. Certified professionals serve as coordinators, administrative managers, project officers, and service supervisors across healthcare institutions (public and private hospitals, clinics), social security and mutual insurance funds (CPAM, CAF, CARSAT, MSA), local government social action departments (Conseils départementaux, CCAS, CIAS), medico-social establishments (EHPAD, MAS, IME, ESAT, SESSAD), home care networks (SAAD, SSIAD), and disability services (MDPH). They act as key liaisons between users, social professionals, and healthcare authorities, mastering complex social benefit instructions, regulatory compliance, quality audits, human resource planning, and multi-agency coordination.

Exam sponsor: Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche (MESR) / Ministère de l'Éducation nationale. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Under the Arrêté du 24 janvier 2022, the current units are E1 Culture générale et expression (4 h, coef 2), E2 Langue vivante étrangère 1 (oral 45 min, coef 2), E3 Gestion de la structure et du service (3 h 30, coef 4), E4 Politiques sanitaires et sociales (4 h, coef 5), E5 Accompagnement et coordination du parcours de la personne (practical/oral 1 h 15, coef 8), and E6 Projet et démarche qualité (oral 40 min, coef 5), with CCF forms for eligible candidates.

Time Limit

E1 4 h; E2 45 min; E3 3 h 30; E4 4 h; E5 1 h 15; E6 40 min

Passing Score

10.0 / 20 overall weighted average across all examination units

Exam / Certification Fees

No single national examination fee is published; candidate charges vary by enrolment route and academy

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Official sources

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

25%

Gestion de la structure et du service (U3 / E3)

Human resources management (GPEC, staff scheduling, job descriptions, CCN 51/66 collective agreements), financial management (EPRD, ERRD, dotation globale, CPOM, break-even analysis), logistics and procurement, and internal communication and documentation (RGPD, electronic health records DPI, archiving).

25%

Politiques sanitaires et sociales (U4 / E4)

Architecture of the French social protection system (Sécurité sociale, 5 branches including the 5th branch Autonomie, CPAM, CAF, CNAV, CARSAT, URSSAF), territorial health organization (ARS, Projet Régional de Santé), public health agencies (HAS, Santé publique France), and local authority social welfare (Conseils départementaux, CCAS/CIAS, PMI).

25%

Accompagnement et coordination des parcours de l'usager (U5 / E5)

User pathway coordination, assessment of social and healthcare needs, instruction of welfare and autonomy allowances (APA, PCH, MDPH, AAH, RSA, CSS, AME), legal framework of user rights under Loi n° 2002-2 (DIPC, contrat de séjour, CVS, livret d'accueil) and the Code de la santé publique, and professional secrecy / shared secrecy regulations (Article 226-13 CP and Article L. 1110-4 CSP).

25%

Démarche de projet et démarche qualité (U6 / E6)

Project management methodology (diagnostic partagé, SWOT, problem/objective tree, Gantt planning, process and outcome indicators, project budgeting), continuous quality improvement (PDCA cycle), HAS national evaluation framework for ESSMS (Arrêté du 10 mars 2022), hospital certification, and risk management with adverse event reporting (EIGS, REX, sanitaires vigilances).

Preparing for the BTS SP3S Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 10.0 / 20 overall weighted average across all examination units
Assessment: Under the Arrêté du 24 janvier 2022, the current units are E1 Culture générale et expression (4 h, coef 2), E2 Langue vivante étrangère 1 (oral 45 min, coef 2), E3 Gestion de la structure et du service (3 h 30, coef 4), E4 Politiques sanitaires et sociales (4 h, coef 5), E5 Accompagnement et coordination du parcours de la personne (practical/oral 1 h 15, coef 8), and E6 Projet et démarche qualité (oral 40 min, coef 5), with CCF forms for eligible candidates.
Time limit: E1 4 h; E2 45 min; E3 3 h 30; E4 4 h; E5 1 h 15; E6 40 min
Exam / certification fees: No single national examination fee is published; candidate charges vary by enrolment route and academy Official sources

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BTS SP3S: Suggested Study Strategy

1Master the distinction between health governance (ARS, PRS, CPOM) and departmental social action (Conseil départemental, ASE, PMI, APA, MDPH).

2Memorize the legal eligibility criteria, funding bodies, and assessment scales for major welfare allowances: APA (GIR 1-4 via AGGIR grid), PCH (MDPH / CDAPH), AAH, RSA, and Complémentaire Santé Solidaire (CSS).

3Review the strict criminal provisions of professional secrecy (Article 226-13 of the French Penal Code), its statutory exceptions (Article 226-14 CP), and the precise criteria for shared information (secret partagé) under Article L. 1110-4 of the Code de la santé publique.

4Practice project management tools: creating diagnostic SWOT matrices, building problem trees and objective trees, scheduling with Gantt charts, and designing SMART evaluation indicators.

5Understand medico-social budgetary architecture, including the EPRD (État des Prévisions de Recettes et de Dépenses), ERRD, dotation globale, and CPOM multi-year contracts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the official structure and grading system of the BTS SP3S examination?

The current units total coefficient 26: E1 Culture générale et expression (2), E2 Langue vivante étrangère 1 (2), E3 Gestion de la structure et du service (4), E4 Politiques sanitaires et sociales (5), E5 Accompagnement et coordination du parcours de la personne (8), and E6 Projet et démarche qualité (5). Diploma and any control-test rules follow the general BTS regulations and the current session instructions.

What are the workplace internship (stage) requirements for the BTS SP3S?

Under the Arrêté du 24 janvier 2022, candidates must complete 13 weeks of mandatory workplace internships (stages en milieu professionnel) divided into two distinct periods across two different types of organizations (e.g., one in a healthcare or social security establishment, and one in a social or medico-social structure). These internships serve as the factual and empirical foundation for the E6 professional project defense.

How are social security branches organized and assessed in the U4 / E4 unit?

Candidates must understand the 5 branches of the French Régime Général de la Sécurité sociale: Maladie (CNAM/CPAM), Accidents du travail et maladies professionnelles (AT/MP), Vieillesse (CNAV/CARSAT), Famille (CNAF/CAF), and the 5th branch Autonomie (created by the Loi du 7 août 2020 and managed by the CNSA). Candidates are tested on their financing through social contributions and CSG (collected by URSSAF/Urssaf Caisse Nationale), governance, and territorial administration.

What mandatory user rights documents are governed by Loi n° 2002-2 in medico-social institutions?

The Loi n° 2002-2 du 2 janvier 2002 mandates seven specific legal tools to protect users in social and medico-social establishments (ESSMS): the Livret d'accueil (welcome booklet with the Charte des droits et libertés de la personne accueillie), the Contrat de séjour or Document individuel de prise en charge (DIPC), the Règlement de fonctionnement, the Projet d'établissement ou de service, the Conseil de la vie sociale (CVS) or other participatory body, and the appointment of a Personne qualifiée to assist users asserting their rights.

What is the HAS national evaluation framework for ESSMS assessed in U6 / E6?

Introduced by the Arrêté du 10 mars 2022 and managed by the Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS), the unified national evaluation framework assesses social and medico-social establishments across three chapters: Chapter 1 focuses on the person receiving care/support, Chapter 2 on professionals, and Chapter 3 on the establishment's governance. Independent evaluation bodies accredited by Cofrac evaluate establishments every 5 years against standard and imperative quality criteria.