A Complete Guide About Art schools in Paris in 2025
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To study any form of art in Paris, the city is there to inspire you! With the notion of developing Romanticism into art, Paris attracted a pool of artistic talents like Pablo Picasso, etc. Today, it calls for modern-day artists and aspiring students who wanted to study in the best art schools in Paris.
The Art Schools in Paris draw students from far and wide to study in some of the best art schools in Paris. Studying art in Paris offers affordable, yet exceptional courses and awards national diplomas recognised by the French government and transferable credits under the European Transfer Credit System. The prestigious art school in Paris is Les Beaux-Arts de Paris – Université PSL.
Paris is one of the top art centres of the world – a haven for communities of artists from across the world who want to take inspiration from paintings, novels, poems, and films, its architecture, museums, and monuments. The Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay stand as a testament to that!
Is art school free in France?
Many public institutions offer affordable study fees; you can seek financial aid too that may cover half of the cost of fully funding the tuition fees.
What are the top Art school in Paris
Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts (Paris College of Art)
QS World University Rankings: #236
Location: 6th arrondissement of Paris
Top courses: fine arts, sculpture, painting and printmaking
Fees: EUR 27,000 onwards/year
This is one of the top art schools in paris france established in 1648 offering over 4 UG programs and 174 PG programs. It is managed by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication for students who seek high-level artistic creation and education in Paris. There are over 300 students with 100 faculty members who are experts and mentors in teaching art in Paris.
Ecole Nationale Superieure des Arts Decoratifs (ENSAD)
QS WUR Ranking By Subject: #41
Location: Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL)
Top courses: Industrial design, graphic design, fashion design, and animation.
Fees: EUR 15,000 onward /year
It is one of the best art schools in Paris that started its roots in 1766 and by 1767, it was confirmed by the letters patent from Loui XV. In 1877, it was known as the National School of Decorative Arts. Today, it is under the Ministry of Culture. The school of art played a major role in the Art Deco design movement in the 1920s. Thereby they follow the technique and culture, intelligence and sensitivity to the courses. As a student, one can enrol in Before School, The Reversal, Preparatory course, Post-masters, PhD and Research: EnsadLab.
Parsons Paris
QS WUR Ranking By Subject: #4
Location: 45 Rue Saint-Roch, 75001 Paris, France
Top courses: Fashion Design, Fashion Studies, Strategic Design and Management, Art, Media and Technology
Fees: EUR 18,000 onward/year
A famous art school in Paris whose presence dates to 1921 and it is a branch of the Parsons School of Design, New York, USA. Parsons Paris now facilitates over 350 students on campus, offering a wide range of courses on arts and design for bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Studying in this institution gives students the opportunities to be able to connect with local artists and attend events like Paris Fashion Week, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, and the Maison et Objet design trade show. The school has the best faculty and visiting professors from across the world.
Academie de la grande chaumiere (Grande Chaumiere Academy)
QS World Ranking: #4
Location :14 Rue de la Grande Chaumière, 75006 Paris, France
Top Courses: Multiple pose portraits, Unique pose portraits, Modelling workshops, Quick poses and movements workshops
Fees: EUR 20,000 onward/year
This is one of the oldest and best art schools in Paris founded in 1904 that attracts students from across the globe. The best feature of this school is the low fee which is lower than Académie Julian. It is the only institution at the beginning of the 20th century to be opened to independent art. You will be surprised to know the number of great artists such as Chagall, Giacometti, Foujita, Lempicka, Fernand Léger, Louise Bourgeois, Joan Miró, Zao Wou-Ki, Chaïm Soutine, etc who practice their timeless art at this school’s workshop. There are over 12,000 notable alumni who started their creative courses from here.
The American University of Paris
QS World Ranking: #253
Location: 5 Bd de la Tour-Maubourg, 75007 Paris, France
Top Courses: Design with Graphic design, Fashion design, Interior design, Product design, Illustration, Comics, Animated film, Photography & Cultural Heritage Restoration
Fees: EUR 17,792 onward/semester
As one of the top art schools in paris france, it attracts more than 1,100 students from various countries. It started as chartered as a liberal art in 1962, but today, it is known as an international university located at the centre of Paris offering many affordable student accommodation in Paris. It is one of the many institutions in Paris that offers transformative learning experiences to aspiring artists. They interdisciplinary teachings for global explorers to take their place as actors in the world to shape the community, and society and inspire the upcoming generation.
Admission requirements for getting into art universities in Paris
- Pre-registration or prior admission or certificate provided by the university
- Campus France authorization
- Passport or ID card (valid)
- ID/passport-type photos
- Copies of educational documents
- Registration fee
- Social security registration (free)
- A civil liability certificate
- European health insurance card (for EU students only)
- Cover letter
- French/English Language score certificate
- Transcript of records
- Proof of funds (with a minimum of 800 EUR per month)
How to apply to the art colleges in paris?
- For most universities, you can apply on websites
- Check for the entry requirement
- Non-EU/EEA will need to pass the preliminary application
- Apply for DAP at the Culture and Cooperation Service of the French embassy in your home country.
- European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) students can apply directly to the university, under the same conditions as French students
- Apply for the ‘Studying in France procedure – allows to apply visa online or track the application
Dealines for application into the arts school in Paris
- For the fall admission: January 17th or April 1st
- For the spring admission: September 15th
- Applications for Post-Bac (Parcoursup): from January 22nd to March 13th
- Applications for TCF during DAP process: November – January 22nd
The reasons why students study in Paris are the low tuition fee, easy application combined with best student living experiences in Paris. In 2022, there were 370,000 students (about half the population of Vermont) that enrolled in the universities of Paris.
