Music Schools in France

Higher music education in France runs on two parallel tracks. The two national conservatoires (Paris and Lyon) and a network of regional higher-education centres (pôles supérieurs and écoles supérieures such as PSPBB, Pôle Sup'93, Le Pont Supérieur, isdaT, ESMD Lille, IESM, ESM Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, RésoNAnces and the HEAR in Strasbourg) are accredited by the Ministry of Culture and deliver Ministry diplomas. Universities teach musicology and, in many cases, run licence and master programmes jointly with a conservatoire. Entry to the conservatoire track is by a competitive entrance examination (concours) held once a year, in which practical tests weigh most.

Source: culture.gouv.fr/Sites-thematiques/Musique/Organismes/St

DNSPM and DE (first cycle)

The Ministry of Culture awards the Diplôme national supérieur professionnel de musicien (DNSPM) and the Diplôme d'État (DE) de professeur de musique at first-cycle level. Several institutions describe both as RNCP level 6 and, for recent intakes, as conferring the grade of licence. The DE opens the route to the territorial civil-service competitions for arts teachers. Source

Second-cycle diplomas and masters

Performance masters (diplôme de 2e cycle supérieur conferring the grade of master) are delivered by the Paris and Lyon national conservatoires. Other masters (musicology, teaching, creation) are awarded by universities, often in partnership with a pôle supérieur. The Certificat d'aptitude (CA) leads to the professeur territorial d'enseignement artistique framework. Source

Post-master and doctoral study

Beyond the master, the Paris conservatoire offers Artist Diploma programmes and the Lyon conservatoire a Doctorat Recherche et Pratique; the HEAR in Strasbourg runs a practice-based doctorate with the University of Strasbourg and the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg. These are distinct from degree levels and are labelled individually in the directory. Source

Ministère de la Culture

Accredits public higher-education institutions for the performing arts and awards the DNSPM, DE, CA and national conservatoire diplomas.

French higher education follows the LMD scheme (licence 180 ECTS, master 120 ECTS, doctorate). Institutions publish ECTS volumes per cursus; the Ministry diplomas and the university degrees are recorded separately in the directory and are not treated as equivalent.

No degree on this site guarantees admission, funding, employment, a visa or teacher registration, and nothing here is visa or credit-transfer advice.

Teaching languages. fr

Admissions and auditions. Conservatoire-track programmes are entered through a yearly concours with online pre-registration (often opening between autumn and January), a first recorded or written stage and live tests. Age limits (frequently 30 at the start of the academic year or 1 October), a baccalauréat or equivalent, prior diplomas such as DEM, DNOP or a CPES year, and a French-language level for non-francophones are common conditions. Always check the specific cursus page. Source

• Ministry of Culture - higher education in the performing arts
• Conservatoire de Paris - study cycles
• CNSMD Lyon - music programmes