Fashion Schools and Programs in France

Fashion Studies in France

Istituto Marangoni fashion school in Paris

Fashion in France is taught largely in specialised private schools, many of them in Paris. Three things matter when choosing a course: the kind of qualification awarded, the teaching language and the amount of company experience. All three schools listed on this page are in Paris and all are private.

Courses divide into two families: design (pattern-making, draping, making a collection) and business (fashion marketing, communication, brand management).

How fashion studies are organised in France

French higher education follows the European bachelor, master and doctorate structure. According to Campus France, a bachelor's level is reached after six semesters and 180 ECTS credits, and a master's after four more semesters and a further 120 ECTS credits. Fashion schools usually follow the same rhythm: a three-year programme called a "Bachelor", then a two-year programme often called an "MBA" or "MSc". These are the schools' own qualifications, not the national licence and master awarded by universities.

For that reason the registration of a programme in the RNCP, the French national directory of professional certifications, matters. Campus France explains that the value of a French qualification is guaranteed by the State when it is a national diploma, a diploma certified by the ministry ("diplôme visé") or a title registered in the RNCP. RNCP titles have a level: level 6 corresponds to a bachelor's and level 7 to a master's. A registration is granted for a limited period, so check the current status of the programme before enrolling.

The schools on this page show how this works in practice:

• International Fashion Academy (IFA Paris) describes itself as a private higher education institution established in Paris for over 40 years. Its Bachelor Fashion Design lasts three years, carries 180 ECTS credits and is taught fully in French or fully in English. The school states that its "Fashion Designer – Pattern Maker" certification is registered in the RNCP at level 6 by a decision of 31 January 2025, for five years.
• MOD'SPE Paris, a member of the IONIS group, offers programmes from the first year after secondary school to five years of higher education, in fashion design and in fashion business and communication. Its campus is at 28, rue des Francs-Bourgeois in the Marais district. The school awards its own Bachelor and MBA titles together with RNCP professional titles.
• Parsons Paris is the Paris campus of Parsons School of Design, part of The New School in New York.

Admission and language

Each institution sets its own admission criteria; Campus France notes that only the host institution can accept or refuse an applicant. At IFA Paris, first-year applicants need a secondary school diploma or its equivalent and an online interview. Candidates for the Bachelor Fashion Design also submit a "creative book" of mood boards and sketches, which the school says is not a professional portfolio.

The language requirement depends on the language of the programme. IFA Paris asks non-native speakers for an IELTS score of 5.5 or a TOEFL score of 65 for programmes in English, and a TCF result at level B2 for programmes in French.

Costs

Public fees do not apply to private fashion schools. For comparison, the 2026-27 fees at public institutions are €178 per year for a bachelor's programme for students from the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, and €2,902 per year for students from other countries. Campus France puts annual fees at private institutions at roughly €6,000 to €18,000 or more.

IFA Paris lists €11,840 per year for its bachelor's programmes taught in English in Paris and €10,740 for the first year taught in French, as an estimate for the 2027-28 academic year, plus a €500 registration fee. MOD'SPE lists €7,000 per year as a single payment, plus a €750 pre-registration fee, for the first two years (fee page checked in October 2026).

Work experience and visa

Internships are built into the programmes. At IFA Paris the second year of the Bachelor Fashion Design includes an internship of two to three months and the third year one of three to six months. At MOD'SPE, students can follow a work-study route (alternance) from the third year, with four days a week in a company and one day at school.

Students from outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland generally need a long-stay student visa (VLS-TS), which covers a stay of four months to one year and allows 964 hours of work per year. Residents of the 73 countries covered by the "Études en France" procedure apply through that platform. The official visa site is france-visas.gouv.fr (Campus France page updated on 5 August 2026).

Careers

Design programmes lead to roles such as stylist, pattern-maker, dressmaker and artistic director. Business programmes lead to roles such as fashion product manager, sourcing manager, sales adviser, social media manager and fashion journalist.

Frequently asked questions

Can I study fashion in France in English?

Yes. IFA Paris teaches its bachelor's programmes fully in English or fully in French, and asks non-native speakers for an IELTS score of 5.5 or a TOEFL score of 65 for the English route.

Is a fashion "Bachelor" from a private school a state degree?

Not by itself. It is the school's own qualification. State recognition comes from a ministry-certified diploma or from a title registered in the RNCP, so check the RNCP level and validity of the programme.

How much does a fashion school in Paris cost?

Campus France gives a range of about €6,000 to €18,000 or more per year for private institutions. IFA Paris lists €11,840 per year for its English-taught bachelor's programmes in Paris (estimate for 2027-28).