Fashion Schools in France
France is a sanctuary for fashion enthusiasts and innovative designers. It is unsurprising that thousands of students enroll in French universities and institutions to pursuit of this authentic experience. Here, you will find information about the fashion schools in Paris and France.
At the present time, iconic brands like Chanel, Hermès, Dior, Celine, and big corporations such as LVMH, have their headquarters in France. Regardless of the goal, studying fashion in a country where these companies are located might increase your chances of having a job or creating your own brand.
You’ll need a lot of details and information to make your decision. As a result, we created a table of contents to allow you to review each section without being overwhelmed. You can look at the table below.
Table of Contents
How to go to France?
You have to keep in mind that in order to access the European country, you will be required to obtain a permit (also referred to as a “visa”). This needs to be addressed before taking any steps forward.
There are some requirements that you will need to fulfill to be eligible to receive a visa. Above all, these are the most important:
- Must be 18 years old or older
The French government consider Fashion courses as higher education. Consequently, you need to be above the legal age.
- Must have an Institution
If an institution has not first approved you, you cannot apply for a visa. It’s extremely important to know which fashion school fits your expectations and specifically try their selection process.
- Learn French
It seems obvious, but in a country where only 39% of the population can speak English, it is recommended to learn the basics of French. Some institutions, especially the public ones, require knowledge of French in their courses.
- Have English certificates
Basically, It’s vital to have English certificates to be able to study in France. The IELTS and TOEFL are equally required by the majority of the fashion schools in France.
If you are an European Citizen…
European citizens are considered to be people from 28 member states of the European Union. Although, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Monaco and Andorra are equally accepted as special members.
As a result, students do not require visas to visit the nation. In this scenario, the student can personally visit the institutions and select the one that best matches his or her interests.
Every citizen has the right, under EU rules, to stay in a country for six months before applying for a residence card. In other words, EU students have six months to decide which Fashion Schools in France will attend after visiting.
Which are the Fashion Schools in France?
Of course France is home to plenty of fashion courses and institutes. Here is a list with its respective city, language of instruction, websites (click on the name) and type of Institute. Feel free to search!
The Fashion Schools in Paris
Officially known as “Île-de-France“, this region contains the metropolitan area of Paris, Capital of France. The renowned city has long served as the country’s economic, cultural, and historical heart. In fact, the Fashion Schools in Paris are among the most desired in the Fashion Industry.
- Institut Français de la Mode (French and English. Private)
- École supérieure des arts et techniques de la mode (French and English. Private)
- École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (French and English. Public)
- École Duperré (French. Public)
- Mod’Art International (English. Private)
- Istituto Marangoni (English. Private)
- PSL-Ecole Nationale de Mode et Matière (English. Private)
- IFA Paris – International Fashion Academy (English. Private)
- Paris College of Art (French and English. Private)
- Atelier Chardon Savard (French. Private)
- L’Institut Supérieur des Arts Appliqués Paris (French and English. Private)
- L’École Nationale Supérieure de Création Industrielle (French and English. Public)
- l’École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Appliqués et des Métiers d’Art (French. Public)
In the rest of France
Undoubtedly, not all the courses are concentrated in Paris. At this point, there are also numerous options that are reasonable in terms of price and cost of living. Here is a list of fashion schools in the rest of France.
Nantes
- L’Institut Supérieur des Arts Appliqués (French and English. Private)
Bordeaux
- École supérieure des arts et techniques de la mode (French and English. Private)
- L’Institut Supérieur des Arts Appliqués (French and English. Private)
Lyon
- École supérieure des arts et techniques de la mode (French and English. Private)
Roubaix
- École supérieure des arts et techniques de la mode (French and English. Private)
Strasbourg
- L’Institut Supérieur des Arts Appliqués (French and English. Private)
Rennes
- École supérieure des arts et techniques de la mode (French and English. Private)
- L’Institut Supérieur des Arts Appliqués (French and English. Private)
Toulouse
- L’Institut Supérieur des Arts Appliqués (French and English. Private)
Montpellier
- L’Institut Supérieur des Arts Appliqués (French and English. Private)
The Best Fashion Schools in France
Certainly not all the schools offer the same opportunities. Because of this common reality, the French magazine L’Etudiant decided to analyze and publish a list of the best institutes. Here is a list of the institutes, along with the yearly tuition costs for each course. The prices are updated for 2024.
- Institut Français de la Mode (EU students: €14,170, Non-EU students: €20,270)
- École supérieure des arts et techniques de la mode (EU students: €13,820, Non-EU students: €15,320)
- École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (All students: €530)
- École Duperré (All students: €127)
- Atelier Chardon Savard (EU students: €12,500, Non-EU students: €13,500)
- L’Institut Supérieur des Arts Appliqués Paris (In French: €9800, In English: €10,400)
- École de la chambre syndicale de la couture parisienne (EU students: €14,500, Non-EU students: €22,200)
- L’École Nationale Supérieure de Création Industrielle (All students: €512)
- l’École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Appliqués et des Métiers d’Art (All students: €1600)
How much will cost?
Studying in France will be a challenge, not only because of the language but also because of the cost, especially in Paris. According to the World Economic Forum, Paris is among the top 10 most expensive cities in the world. Due to the circumstances, here is the minimum cost that you may face by going into the fashion schools in France.
Tuition fees
- For European citizens: Basically, the tuition fees start at 50 euros per year at public universities
- For non-European citizens: Certainly, 100 euros as a starting point per year at public universities.
- The private schools charge differently, but are drastically more expensive than the public universities. Comparatively, prices can range from 10.000 to 30.000 euros per year. Even if it is expensive by world standards, it is still affordable by comparison with its British and American counterparts.
- Because the city of lights is a traditional fashion hub, Fashion Schools in Paris are far more expensive than those in other cities.
Visa and Bureaucracy Costs
- For European citizens: There’s no need for Visa.
- For non-European citizens: 50 Euros for online process (“Etudes en France“, mentioned above) and 99 Euros for the normal process.
- Also, non-Europeans citizens are required by law to purchase French social security insurance. Each educational institution can provide a way to buy it, but the cost depends on each school.
- Nevertheless, there’s a need to validate the visa after 3 months of being in France. This will cost 60 Euros.
Travel costs
- Because France is a popular tourist destination for people from all over the world, the best time to visit is from late November to March (with the exception of Christmas and New Year’s).
- Generally, the average cost of a plane ticket is 700 euros (for one trip). However, the price of the ticket is directly affected by how far you are from France.
- It’s always a good idea to have some cash on hand in case of an emergency. You are permitted to bring as much as 10,000 Euros on a trip.
First days costs
- During the first days, maybe you will need to stay in a hotel until you find a long term place (rent, housing, or Airbnb). In this case, depending on the season, city, neighborhood, and services, you can find a 3-star hotel for 100 euros per night.
- Transport is a must, especially in a big city like Paris. You can buy a monthly “pass” for all the city’s transport for 72.90 euros by month. Also, you can choose other offers.
- Certainly, the cost of food depends on your diet and willingness to eat. Generally, a meal in a restaurant could cost you 20-50 euros, and groceries could cost you 30 euros per week. By the way, a baguette costs 1 euro, so not everything is lost.
- And, of course, the clothing is not cheap, but you can find a plenty of “Friperies” (second-hand stores) throughout the city.
Housing and Rent
- Living in France is a common dream among young people around the world, and as a result, it became a nightmare when it comes to renting a room. Due to the high demand, the prices for a small room in Paris can range between 700 and 2000 euros.
- Scams are everywhere, so be careful with “very cheap” rent.
- Eventually, it’s normal to send a lot of messages to the landlords and not receive an answer. Additionally, it’s recommended to write the messages in French.
- Some fashion institutes in France have their own housing or a partnership, so pay attention to the facilities that each institution can provide for the course.
- Fashion schools in Paris often advise students to be aware of the high cost of living, and some institutions provide guides to assist students.
- Moreover, International students are entitled to housing benefits. This aid is granted by the family allowance fund (Caisse d’allocations familiales – CAF). Evidently, there are some requirements that have to be fulfilled to apply.
Official websites and contact
At this point, it’s extremely important to know all the details about studying in France, and the French government has official channels for explaining each procedure. These are the channels:
Here you will be able to see the exact information for the visas
Information about studying in France
Specialized information about universities in France