Americans can apply to France’s public art schools, the écoles supérieures d’art, which award a national degree at bachelor’s level after three years and at master’s level after five. Admission is by portfolio and entrance exam, and most programs are taught in French, with schools asking for B1 to B2.
For tuition, the student visa and work rights, the Diplonaut France guide puts the official rules on one page.
What French public art schools are
The French Ministry of Culture oversees a network of 44 public higher art schools with more than 11,000 students. They teach art, design and communication, meaning graphic and visual communication.
They award two national diplomas. The ministry says these carry the rank (grade) of licence and master, the French bachelor’s and master’s levels.
| DNA | DNSEP | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Diplôme national d’art (national art diploma) | Diplôme national supérieur d’expression plastique (national higher diploma in visual arts) |
| Length | 3 years, 180 ECTS | 2 more years, 120 ECTS |
| Level in France | grade de licence (bachelor’s level) | grade de master (master’s level) |
| Options | art, design, communication | art, design, communication |
ECTS is the European credit system used across French higher education. For how a three-year licence compares with a four-year US degree, see our bachelor’s and licence article.
How art school admission in France works for Americans
Campus France says admission to public art schools is selective, based on an entrance exam (concours) and an artistic portfolio (dossier artistique). First-year entry comes after a high school diploma or equivalent. Three schools show how it worked for fall 2026:
- Beaux-Arts de Paris: 70 first-year places for 2026/27, through Parcoursup, France’s national undergraduate application platform. A letter of intent, portfolio and CV decide eligibility. Then one test day: a one-hour written theory test, a one-hour drawing test and a 15-minute portfolio interview. Fee: €56.
- HEAR (Haute école des arts du Rhin, Strasbourg and Mulhouse): also through Parcoursup. Applicants send a portfolio of up to 15 pages, a two-minute video portrait in French and a motivation letter. Shortlisted candidates have a 20-minute video interview with three teachers. Fee: €60. The school states there is no age limit.
- Beaux-Arts de Nantes Saint-Nazaire: a portfolio pre-selection, then a written general knowledge test, an art test and a 20-minute interview. Candidates apply through Parcoursup or the school’s own route.
At the Beaux-Arts de Paris and HEAR, Parcoursup registration for 2026 ran from January 19 to March 12, 2026, with results from June 2, 2026. The Beaux-Arts de Paris lets candidates living abroad ask, with supporting documents, to take the tests entirely online.
Beaux-Arts Paris for international students
Courses at the Beaux-Arts de Paris are taught in French, and the school says a good knowledge of French is required to apply. For first-year foreign candidates, it strongly recommends level B2.
Students who already have two years of college can apply to enter during the program. For 2026/27 there were 25 places, open to applicants with 120 ECTS or the equivalent.
Credits from outside Europe are checked for comparability with French credits, and documents not in French need a certified French translation. Our transcript translation article explains what that means. Foreign candidates at this stage must have B2 French, and the jury decides the year of entry from the portfolio.
French level and entering in a later year
Campus France says that, outside international preparatory classes, B2 or C1 French is essential for art studies in France. The levels are proven with the TCF (Test de connaissance du français) or the DELF (Diplôme d’études en langue française).
- HEAR asks non-French-speaking first-year students for a TCF or DELF at B1, at registration. For entry into years 2 to 4, it asks for B2.
- HEAR’s entry by equivalence (entrée en équivalence) is open to students from a visual arts or applied arts program, French or foreign. The jury can place a candidate one year lower. Fee: €61.
- Nantes Saint-Nazaire allows equivalence entry into the second and fourth years only.
Nantes Saint-Nazaire also runs two international programs with 240 hours of French as a foreign language. One prepares high school graduates for first-year entry. The other prepares students with two years of college for entry in a later year. Both recommend A2 French at least.
What art school in France costs
Fees are set school by school, so check each one. HEAR lists €850 for 2026-2027 for students without a needs-based scholarship (boursiers pay €0), plus the CVEC (Contribution de vie étudiante et de campus, a student life fee), €105 in 2025. Its page gives no separate rate for non-EU students.
The Nantes Saint-Nazaire international programs cost €7,800 for 2026-27, or €6,100 for students excused from French classes, plus a €150 pre-registration fee. Living costs and the visa are covered in the France guide. To weigh France against other countries, use the Diplonaut comparator, or read a degree abroad versus a US college. Rule changes are tracked on our latest changes page.
Frequently asked questions
Can Americans apply to the Beaux-Arts de Paris?
Yes. The school accepts a French or foreign high school diploma or equivalent. First-year applications go through Parcoursup, and the school strongly recommends B2 French for foreign candidates. Candidates living abroad can ask to take the tests online.
Is a DNA a bachelor’s degree?
In France, the DNA carries the rank of licence, the French bachelor’s level, after three years and 180 ECTS credits. A US school or employer decides for itself how to read it.
Do I need to speak French for art school in France?
At most public art schools, yes. The schools above ask for B1 to B2. Campus France says B2 or C1 is essential, except in international preparatory classes.
When do I apply for fall 2027?
The 2027 calendars are not published yet. For 2026 entry, Parcoursup registration at the Beaux-Arts de Paris and HEAR ran from January 19 to March 12, 2026.
Official sources
- Ministry of Culture: higher education, art schools
- CampusArt (Campus France): art studies and degrees
- Campus France: Les diplômes d’art et de culture (PDF)
- Beaux-Arts de Paris: first-year entry 2026/27
- Beaux-Arts de Paris: entry during the program 2026/27
- Beaux-Arts de Paris: incoming students
- HEAR: visual arts admissions 2026-2027
- HEAR: first-year entry
- HEAR: entry by equivalence
- Beaux-Arts de Nantes Saint-Nazaire: first-year entrance exam
- Beaux-Arts de Nantes Saint-Nazaire: 2026 International Booklet (PDF)
Checked November 12, 2026. Diplonaut is not affiliated with any school or evaluation body.