A Guide to The Best Art Schools in Paris

From its Gothic buildings to the beautiful Louvre and even down to the restaurants selling you the most delicious French cuisine and coffee, Paris is art, and therefore, it only makes sense that you study at the best art schools in Paris. Paris is a haven for art lovers and artists alike, and museums such as The Louvre stand testament to that. One can find bright-eyed aspiring artists sitting on the sides of French roads sketching the beautiful architecture and scenery, and so on; that can also be you! So, let us help you in your quest to achieve artistic greatness by introducing you to the five best art schools in Paris.

1. Paris College of Art

Location: 15 Rue Fénelon, 75010 Paris, France
Fees: € 27,200/ Year
QS World Ranking: 101-150
Top Courses: Drawing, Photography, Fashion Design, Transdisciplinary New Media, Interior Design
Degrees Offered: MA and M.FA
Established in 1981 as “École Parsons à Paris”, the university has grown in stature as one of the best art schools in Paris. Paris College of Art teaches over 300 students the nuances of art with the help of over 100 faculty members. Some notable alumni of Parsons Paris are Sebastian T. Thorsted and Archie Chekatouski.

2. Parsons Paris

Location: 45 Rue Saint-Roch, 75001 Paris, France
Fees: €18,344/ Year
QS World Ranking: 4
Top Courses: Fashion Design, Art, Media, and Technology, Design and Technology, History of Design and Curatorial Studies, Strategic Design and Management
Degrees Offered: BFA, MFA, AAS, BBA, MA, MS
Parsons Paris, based in Paris, is among the top art schools in Paris, alongside being one of the most renowned art universities in France. Parsons European is the branch of the Parsons School of Design, New York, USA. Parsons Paris now facilitates over 350 students on campus, offering varied and diverse courses on everything art. The famous alumni from one of the best art schools in Paris are Tom Ford and Julia Roitfield, among other notable alumni graduating from the prestigious and the best art schools in France.

3. Académie de la Grande Chaumière

Location:  14 Rue de la Grande Chaumière, 75006 Paris, France
Fees: €20,000/ Year
QS World Ranking: 4
Top Courses: Multiple pose portraits, Unique pose portraits, Modelling workshops, Quick poses and movements workshops
Degrees Offered: Interior Architecture and Design
Founded in 1904, Académie de la Grande Chaumière is the leading school of Applied Arts, alongside being one of the oldest and best art schools in Paris. If you are looking for art universities in Paris, this is your place. The network of more than 12,000 notable alumni includes names like Boris Anrep, Alexander Calder and Tamara de Lempicka. 

4. Beaux-Arts de Paris

Location: 14 Rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris, France
Fees: €28,000/ Year
QS World Ranking: 105-150
Top Courses: Painting, Sculpture, Fresco painting, Modelling, Casting
Degrees Offered:  UF degree (1st cycle), Diplôme national supérieur d’arts plastiques (Dsnap - masters equivalent), Post diploma
As one of the best art schools in France and the best art university in France, Les Beaux Arts de Paris offers multiple undergrad, postgrad and part-time courses for art enthusiasts. Founded in the 17th century by Louis XIV, with centuries of deep-engraved history and amazing and renowned recognition of art, Beaux-Arts de Paris Institute has commanded the position of being one of the best art schools in Paris. Notable alumni from one of the best art universities in France are Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, Jacques-Louis David & Charles Garnier.

5. The American University of Paris

Location: 5 Bd de la Tour-Maubourg, 75007 Paris, France
Fees: €16,000/ Year
QS World Ranking: 253
Top Courses: Design with Graphic design, Interior design, Fashion design, Product design, Illustration, Comics, Animated film, Photography & Cultural Heritage Restoration
Degrees Offered: B.An in Fine Arts
Established in 1962, the American University of Paris offers a Fine Arts degree with a host of courses to choose from. The university hosts over 1,100 students on campus every year, belonging to 100+ nationalities, making it one of the best art schools in Paris for international students. Eva Green, Tarak Ben Ammar and Tara Jarmon are some of the notable alumni from one of the best art universities in France.

6. Ecole De Conde

Location: 23 Rue Camille Roy, 69007 Lyon, France
Fees: €24,900/ Year
QS World Ranking: 192
Top Courses: Luxury design and Scenography, Fashion Design, Interior Design, Creative Coding.
Degrees Offered:  B.A, one year Bachelor's, M.A
The best art university in the world has 16+ campuses across the globe. The astounding campuses of one of the best art schools in Paris are Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Nice, Nancy, Marseille et Toulouse, Turin, Bologne in Italy and Barcelona, Madrid in Spain, Rome and Berlin, among others. With the best libraries in France and a 5400m2 Paris campus space near the UNESCO headquarters, we are looking at the best art schools in Paris. Camille de Cussac is one of the most famous graduates of the school of Art. Her book, Ko A Cuba, is one of her world-renowned works.

7. Pierre Marie Curie University

Location: 4 Place Jussieu, 75005 Paris, France, Paris
Fees:  € 18,344/ Year
QS World Ranking: 83rd
Top Courses: Art, design, Media, Universe, Architecture
Degrees Offered:  B.A, MA, MSc & PhD
Also known as Paris VI, the top art university in Paris boasts an enchanting list of 18+ campuses across four regions in France. Pierre Marie Curie University is one of the most renowned art schools in Paris and is among the best art universities in France. The campus was built in the 1950s and is home to students around the world who want to change the world through their art. Pierre, Marie Curie, Françoise Barré-Sinoussi, Jean-Baptiste Perrin, and Claude Cohen-Tannoudji are some of the legends and world-changing figures who graduated from the university.

8. Paris Diderot University

Location: 5 Rue Thomas Mann, 75013 Paris, France
Fees:  € 18,344/ Year
QS World Ranking: 236
Top Courses: Art, Performing Arts, Design
Degrees Offered:  B.A, BSc, MA, MS
Also known as Paris 7, the institution is among the most sought-after art schools in Paris. The University has its ties with the pages of the University of Paris’s history dating back to the 18th century. The university started functioning independently in 1994 and was renamed after Denis Diderot, the famous French Philosopher, art critic and writer. Albert Dupontel, Laurent Gbagbo, and Alexis Corbeire are some of the notable alumni of one of the best art schools in Paris France.

9. Paris Dauphine University

Location: Pl. du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, 75016 Paris, France
Fees:  € 40,000/ Year
QS World Ranking: 355
Top Courses: Art, Design and Various Research Programs
Degrees Offered:  B.A, BSc, MA, MS
Apart from being one of the best art schools in Paris, the PSL has the status of Grande Ecole. It is one of the best art universities in France. 13,000+ students enrolled, the courses in arts and design are a student’s dream. In 2004, the institute gained the status of a grand establishment. Emanuel Roman, Jean Tirole, Arnaud Vaissié and Nassim Taleb are some of the famous alumni of the institution.

10. ATELIER DE SÈVRES

Location: 47 Rue de Sèvres, 75006 Paris, France
Fees:  €14,900/ Year
QS World Ranking: 40
Top Courses: Animation, Arts, Design
Degrees Offered:  B.A, BSc, MA, MS
The institute is one of the best art schools in Paris and is more than 40 years old. The university has gained its reputation as one of the best art universities in France. The open-mindedness of the institution, blended with high-impact learning and a conducive atmosphere, makes it one of the best art schools in Paris, with the highest admission rates.

Entrance Exams & Scores Criteria: Art Schools in France

The best art schools in Paris have their doors open for the ones looking forward to immersing themselves in learning the vitalities of art and the probable impact of the eccentricity art can have on the world. However, to enter the best art universities in France, you need to sit for the world’s most competitive exams. Here is a list of exams you should prepare for:

1. TOEFL: 83
2. IELTS: 6
3. PTE: 62
4. GRE: 301
5. GMAT: 540

That concludes our list of the best art schools in Paris. We hope this was helpful in providing some clarity on the subject and contributed to pursuing your dreams in the lovely nation of France. The best part is France allows students to work 20 hours/Week. Check out the top 10 part-time jobs for students. Looking for more information on other student and university-related topics? Have a look at amber! As one of the best countries to study abroad, Paris must be at the top of your list. Also, you would need to go through the guide to France student visa in order to prepare yourself for each step while you aspire for the best art schools in Paris. With this, we sign off.