Admissions

1. By fulfilling the entry requirements and taking the competitive entrance exam (« concours »), common to all applicants regardless of nationality

o The prerequisites for taking the exam are available on the school’s website: https://www.ens-louis-lumiere.fr/index.php/concours-presentation
Admission
o The applicant must choose between three fields of study: Cinema, Photography, or Sound.
o Applicants first have to register to take the exam. Each application is then reviewed by a commission. Eligible applicants are notified at the beginning of March.
o The first round is composed of written tests (end of March). Those selected for the second round are invited to interview at the school (end of May/beginning of June).
o The list of finalists is published in June.
o The cost of tuition is approximately 300€ per year to which compulsory insurance needs to be added (approximately 200€ per year).
o All three courses are run at Masters level and last three years.

2. By applying for a semester as an exchange or ‘international mobility’ student. A bilateral agreement must be set up between a student’s home institution and ENS Louis-Lumière.

In 2024, due to the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the school will be relocating and will not be able to accommodate incoming mobility for logistical reasons. The school will return to its premises in January 2025. The next application period will be between January 31st and March 31st, 2025, for an exchange starting in September 2025.

There are two possibilities within this framework:
a. The request emanates directly from the international student (there is no pre-existing exchange), the application must nevertheless be supported by their school or university:
o All exchanges last 1 semester; incoming students join ENS Louis-Lumière’s 2nd year students (Semester 3: September-January) and follow the same classes.
o All classes are mandatory.
o Courses are taught in French.
b. The student is on an exchange with a Louis-Lumière student, whereby both parties are entitled to study for the same period abroad.
At the end of their period of study, exchange and international mobility students will receive a transcript of courses followed. They will not, however, be eligible for the ENS Louis-Lumière Masters degree.
Please note that only 2 places are available per Masters (Cinema, Photography, Sound) per year of study.

Application Procedure

ALL candidates must apply via the same procedure outlined below.
Applications must comprise:
o a cover letter and a CV;
o school/university transcripts containing course title, list of classes, number of hours, grades, ECTS…
o a copy of the most recent diploma/degree;
o a list outlining student work provided on CD/DVD or via Dropbox*;
o any other information in support of the application e.g. a letter of recommendation.
o evidence of the applicant’s level in French.
* N.B The selection committee can only examine a maximum of 20 photographs or three series. For Cinema and Sound applicants, the ‘ portfolio’ should not exceed 30 minutes of viewing/ listening time.
Applications are examined by a selection committee.