:: Contact form in English:  Download

:: Contact form in French:  Download





:: Eligibility

Programs and courses at Spéos are open to participants of all levels and backgrounds. University students, professionals wishing to acquire or perfect photography skills for personal or career reasons, as well as interested amateurs will find a program or course adapted to his or her needs.



:: Credit Transfers

Foreign students may obtain credits for most courses taught at Spéos in the following ways:

1. Students enrolled in US Study Abroad Programs in Paris will obtain credits through their local program administration, if the director of their program accepts the courses at Spéos as part of their curriculum.

2. Students enrolled in universities outside of France may contact their dean or advisor and negotiate credit transfers for courses taken at Spéos. Once the credit transfer procedure has been agreed upon, the Spéos administration will assist them in the further steps together with their local administration.

3. Students enrolled for the European Master of Professional Photography need to be holders of a Bachelor’s degree (= 180 ECTS credits or US equivalent) or to have obtained significant work experience (5 years minimum, upon approval by Spéos). In addition to the 32-week Program, they must successfully attend 3 out of the 4 Expert Modules at Spéos, pass the obligatory language test (TEF or equivalent for English native speakers, TOEIC or equivalent for everybody else), as well as submit their master project – all of which contribute to accumulate the remaining 120 ECTS credits required for a European Master’s degree (300 ECTS credits). *

4. Our school is accredited by the French government at the highest level of the professional certification (Level I, decree ECED0819525A, August 7th, 2008).

* ECTS: European Credit Transfer System



:: Registration and Deadlines

Applications for our short programs can be submitted from the publication of the Spéos brochure until the respective program is full.

To apply for one of our short programs, please complete and return the contact form, at the latest one week before the beginning of the program. We recommend students who wish to attend more than one workshop to apply at least 3 weeks before the first day of class. The short programs are subject to a minimum of participants. In the event of insufficient numbers, Spéos retains the right to cancel a workshop or postpone it to a later date. In the latter case, registration becomes only firm upon the participants’ approval of the change in dates.

Applications for the full-time professional photography programs (24-week Program, 32-week Program and European Master of Professional Photography) will be reviewed on a first come first served basis (“rolling applications”), and – for successful candidates – become firm upon payment of the first installment.

The application documents for our professional photography programs include:
- the completed contact form
- a CV/resume and letter of motivation/statement of intent
- a portfolio of 10-15 photos on CD-ROM.





:: PRACTICAL INFORMATION FOR FULL-TIME STUDENTS


:: Financial Aid

Unfortunately, Spéos cannot provide any scholarships or offer financial aid.
Nevertheless, a number of students obtain financial aid through their home university or their government, and in some cases through private associations or loans.
Several French banks offer loan possibilities to students who are French nationals.



:: Housing

Spéos can assist students in their search for housing for the duration of their program by providing them with addresses and indications of housing possibilities in Paris.
Students should arrive in Paris at least one week before the beginning of the program to take care of practical matters.



:: Health Insurance

All full-time students must be covered by medical insurance. If you are not sufficiently covered on arrival, you will need to obtain the French national student health insurance, provided that you are under 28 years of age. If you are over 28, you cannot subscribe to the French “sécurité sociale” anymore but will be asked to provide a copy of your national health insurance policy clearly evidencing health coverage in France. Otherwise, the “Préfecture” might refuse your application for a French residence permit. Students from the EU are covered by the health insurance of their home country and need to provide Spéos with the European Health Insurance Card. For further information please contact the Spéos administration.



:: Visa

Non-EU students must obtain a student visa in order to remain in France for longer than three consecutive months.
For complete information on the procedure permitting to obtain a student visa, please contact officials at the nearest French consulate or embassy in your country.
For further information on how to obtain a student visa, please contact Campus France (www.campusfrance.org – “Obtain your student visa”) as well as officials at the nearest French consulate or embassy in your country.
Spéos will assist students in obtaining their residency card from the French authorities at the beginning of the term.



:: Banking

Spéos can assist foreign students in the opening of a bank account for the length of their stay.



:: Cancellation and Refund Policy

In the rare event that a course has to be cancelled by Spéos, participants receive full reimbursement of all fees paid. If students wish to cancel their registration, they must do so by registered mail. They will be reimbursed the total amount less 150€, which are charged as administrative fees.



:: Payment of Tuition Fees

Payments – by wire transfer, cashier’s checks, or credit cards (except for Amex) – have to be made in Euros. Please always clearly indicate your name and the program, and specify Spéos as the payee.



:: Enrolment Deposit

The enrolment deposit (or full payment depending on the program) reserves your place in the program. Failure to pay the balance due by the dates specified below may result in the cancellation of your reservation. The place will be given to the next candidate on the waiting list.





:: TUITION FEES / ENROLMENT DEPOSIT