France is widely known as a country of art. This reputation stems from the fact that for many centuries, France was a haven for culture and the arts, attracting artists, scholars, and enthusiasts from all over Europe and the world to partake in its vibrant art scene. The country is a leading force in the development of Gothic and Romanesque art and became a significant contributor to the flourishing of the Baroque, Rococo, and Neoclassicist art movements.
Today, France remains a revered destination for artists and students alike and continues to be a center of development for modern art. The country is home to a strong scholarly movement that shapes the artists, designers, and creatives of the present day and the future, producing highly capable and globally competitive professionals who push the boundaries of art and design.
Here are some of the top art schools in France to consider.
Top Art Schools in France
1. Beaux-Arts de Paris
Of all the art schools in France, the Beaux-Arts de Paris, established in 1817, is one of the most popular and excellent schools to study art in France. This is due to its historical significance as a historic grande école (specialized institution of higher learning) which counts master artists Edgar Degas, Henri Matisse, Gustave Moreau, Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir among its glittering list of venerable alumni.
Translating directly into “beautiful arts”, Beaux-Arts provides top-notch education and training in the arts for its students. In its two locations at Saint-Germain-des-Prés and Saint-Ouen, students can pursue programs in painting, sculpture, installation, photography, video, and digital media, among others.
The student population of the university has a significant amount of foreign students, and the university remains a primary choice for the most discerning aspirants not only for its historic prestige but the diversity of its community as well.
2. Paris College of Art
- Study Program
- Degree/s Offered: Certificates, Bachelor’s, Master’s
The Paris College of Art is relatively new in comparison to the Beaux-Arts de Paris, established only in 1981, but has proven itself to be a competent and exemplary art school over the decades. Offering a variety of art and design degrees for undergraduate and postgraduate students in Fine Arts, Fashion Design, Interior Design, Film Art, Photography, and Transdisciplinary New Media among others, the PCA is decidedly forward-looking.
It offers a wonderful balance of modernity and tradition, encouraging students to push boundaries forward without losing sight of the past.
If you are aiming to enter PCA, prepare to shell out about €15,347 for tuition fees for undergraduate degrees, €30,694 for graduate degrees, plus an additional €1,000 for living expenses per semester. This amount can be reduced through various scholarships, financial aid programs, and grants the school offers for students needing help.
3. The New School Parsons Paris
Parsons Paris (The New School) brings the best of French and American art education together in a dynamic learning environment that exposes students to hands-on integrative education based on the best practices of the art and design industries. Located in the lively 1st Arrondissement of Paris, this school is an offshoot of the renowned Parsons School of Design in New York.
The school offers undergraduate and graduate programs for a wide range of artistic disciplines such as Art, Media, and Technology, Fashion Design, Fashion Studies, and Strategic Design and Management, but they are most known for its Fashion Design programs which include the likes of superstar fashion designers Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, and Alexander Wang, as well as contemporary artist and activist Ai Weiwei.
Tuition fees for undergraduate programs range from $19,000 – $28,989 per semester, while graduate programs cost $19,000 – $429,000 per semester.
4. École Camondo
Another great university to consider if you want to study art in France is École Camondo. It is a prestigious private school for product design and interior architecture established in 1944. The school offers a five-year program that leads to a degree in Master of Architecture – Object Design, as well as an immersive program on French craftsmanship.
The first cycle of the five-year program which spans the first to third years costs almost $10,000 in tuition fees annually, while the second cycle spanning the fourth to fifth years costs around $13,000 per year.
Famous alumni of the École Camondo include the iconic designers Philippe Starck and Pierre Paulin, as well as architects Patrick Bouchan and Jean-Michel Wilmotte.
5. Penninghen
Penninghen is one of the most prestigious art and design schools in France. Located in the heart of Paris, Pen was previously known as L’Académie Julian from 1868 to 1968, the only “official rival” of the Beaux-Arts de Paris. Which produced art luminaries such as Robert Rauschenberg, Maurice Denise, and Alphonse Mucha.
At present, Pen enjoys a top-notch reputation as an innovative art and design school with rigorous graduate programs leading to master’s degrees in Art Direction and Interior Architecture, which School Director Giles Poplin describes as an opportunity to re-evaluate their positions as designers, and to innovate and develop new solutions to the evolving challenges of a constantly changing world.
FAQs: Art Studies in France
Why Study Art in France?
Art is deeply rooted in French history and culture and holds an essential place in French society. As such, the country devoted a significant amount of its resources to maintaining and creating places dedicated to art and culture such as museums, galleries, monuments, and art schools.
As art occupies an important place in French consciousness, it only follows that their art schools are among the best in the world. In their many universities dedicated to artistic learning, one will encounter a considerable reverence for tradition, as well as an eagerness to move forward to the cutting edge of artistic thought.
Careers in the industries of art and design are some of the most lucrative in the market, and the first step in gaining entry into those coveted jobs is to find a reputable art school. It would serve international students well to choose among the five best art schools in France, as they provide not only education of the highest quality but the “star power” of their prestigious names to their alumni as well, which may help in securing more desirable employment as compared to lesser-known schools.
We hope this article on the best art schools in France was informative and has helped point you in the right direction for your art education! You can also find more information about France and scholarship opportunities on the Study in France and Available Programs pages!
