Studying Art and Design at ENSBA Lyon: Courses, Admission and Published Costs

ENSBA Lyon offers an art option and three design mentions: spatial, graphic and textile design. Its course lasts three or five years, with a common first year. The first cycle ends with the DNA after three years; students wishing to continue must pass a separate second-cycle admission process, then complete two years toward the DNSEP at Master grade. That distinction matters: entry to the school does not automatically guarantee progression through both cycles.

What the course structure means

The school describes an academic year of 34 weeks from October to June, structured by semesters and ECTS. It organises teaching by option and phase. Before applying, read the current course page and decide whether your interests fit art, design space, graphic design or textile design. The qualification title depends on the option and cycle.

First-year admission

ENSBA’s first-year route is a competitive entrance examination. Its entry page lists eligibility for people who hold or are preparing a French baccalaureate or an accepted equivalent, and it points applicants to the school’s current Parcoursup and Taïga process. The school publishes a €50 competition fee on that notice; check the current cycle before paying, because dates and operational steps can change.

The school’s examination page describes a portfolio and written motivation material followed by a remote interview. The published portfolio instructions limit the file to 15 pages and 50 MB and ask candidates to show three visual references. Follow the live instructions exactly, and use the interview to explain how your work developed rather than treating a polished final image as the only evidence of practice. Applicants seeking equivalence or entry into a later year should use the separate commission route described by the school.

Language and international applications

ENSBA’s FAQ says non-French-speaking foreign applicants for the relevant course/equivalence route should have TCF level 4 or B2; it also identifies a separate CampusArt route for some fourth-year international applications. Do not generalise this statement to every applicant or every admission route. Ask admissions which proof applies to your intended year and whether instruction, critiques and administrative communication require French.

Tuition and budget

ENSBA publishes its own tuition schedule rather than using the general university fee table. The current school fee page lists €775 for first- and second-cycle students who are not exempt as scholarship recipients, with other categories listed separately. The same page still cites a €105 CVEC amount for 2025–26, so do not treat that specific contribution figure as the current 2026–27 amount. Confirm the tuition and CVEC for your entry year directly, then budget for materials, housing, transport and other personal costs. The published amount is tuition, not a full cost-of-attendance estimate.

The published information explain the course and application, not graduate employment outcomes. If career preparation is central to your decision, ask ENSBA for current information about exhibitions, internships, equipment access and graduate destinations, then verify any regulated profession or overseas recognition with the relevant authority.

Does the DNA guarantee entry to the DNSEP? No. The school says second-cycle entry requires a separate admission commission.

Can I use a general French university tuition figure? No. ENSBA publishes a school-specific schedule; confirm the amount and mandatory contributions for your year.

How to prepare a convincing ENSBA application

The school’s admission material makes the portfolio and motivation central to first-year competition. Build a selection that shows experimentation, not only finished images: include process, iterations, context and what you learned from a decision that did not work. The stated portfolio limit is operational, so follow the current file size, page count and submission format instead of sending an expansive archive. Choose visual references that genuinely inform your work and be ready to explain them in the interview. Do not fabricate a narrative about materials or projects; the committee is assessing the applicant’s own practice.

Applicants who already have relevant post-secondary study should check the separate equivalence or later-year route. The school describes commissions for those applicants, and criteria may differ from first-year competition. Ask which transcripts, course descriptions, language evidence and portfolio material are needed, and whether the committee assesses the prior programme’s level or specific studio experience. Clarify if an application should be submitted through Parcoursup, Taïga or another school-designated process; using the wrong channel can mean the work is not reviewed.

Plan a studio budget, not only tuition

Studio study may require materials, printing, fabrication, software, storage or travel for projects. The ENSBA tuition schedule does not represent every cost of participation. Ask the school what equipment is provided, which materials students supply, whether workshop charges apply and whether students can access facilities outside scheduled classes. Add housing in Lyon, transport and the current CVEC where applicable. Keep the school’s own fee policy separate from Campus France’s national public-university examples because specialist institutions can have different arrangements.

The programme is also a multi-stage commitment. Completing the DNA does not automatically secure a DNSEP place: entry to the second cycle is separately selected. Before applying, ask about progression criteria and the timeline for the second-cycle commission. If you prefer a three-year qualification or need a guaranteed five-year route, that distinction materially affects your plan and funding. Review the current curriculum and assessment rules for your intake rather than projecting a later cycle from the first-year offer.

Understand the year-by-year decision points

The common first year introduces students to the school’s areas before they specialise in art, spatial design, graphic design or textile design. Use that year to ask how options are allocated, how much choice students have and what criteria apply to later studio work. The first cycle lasts three years and results in the DNA. Continuing toward DNSEP involves another admission decision and a further two years. Applicants should therefore budget and plan for the first cycle independently, then treat later progression as a possible path rather than guaranteed continuation.

Before enrolment, request the current academic calendar, course descriptions and rules on attendance, assessment and retakes. Ask whether studios and workshops have scheduled access hours, whether tools or materials require additional fees, and how individual projects are assessed. If you have prior artistic study, clarify whether it can be recognised through the school’s equivalence route and how the commission evaluates a portfolio from another educational system.

Make the application and budget manageable

The published application fee and portfolio limits are tied to the current school notice. Start the portfolio early enough to select a coherent body of work, compress files to the stated limit and check that the final upload is readable. Keep a backup copy and proof of submission. For the interview, prepare to discuss specific decisions and references in your own work. Applicants using a CampusArt or later-year route should follow that route’s separate checklist rather than copying first-year steps.

The school-specific tuition page should be read alongside housing, CVEC and material costs. Ask whether a scholarship changes the tuition amount, whether there are payment deadlines, and what charges apply to international applicants. Request clarification on French requirements for critique and administration, since language needs may extend beyond admission. These operational details help you decide whether ENSBA’s studio model is both academically and financially workable.