He received a master's of art in folklore from Indiana University in 1977, and a doctorate in Études Créoles (anthropology and linguistics) from the Université de Provence (Aix-Marseille I) in 1984.
He received a master's of art in folklore from Indiana University in 1977, when he began teaching French at the University of Southwestern Louisiana. Ancelet obtained a doctorate in "Études Créoles" (anthropology and linguistics) from the Université de Provence (Aix-Marseille I) in 1984.