Gobelins, l'ecole de l'image

Overview

Gobelins, l'ecole de l'image, is a French public school of visual communication operated by the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI Paris Ile-de-France). Founded in 1964, the school has been ranked the number one animation school in the world for six consecutive years (2021 to 2026) by Animation Career Review, out of nearly 200 institutions evaluated worldwide. Gobelins serves approximately 1,105 students plus 508 apprentices across three campuses.

The animation program is taught in English at both the Bachelor's and Master's levels, making it accessible to international students without French language proficiency. Gobelins reports a 100% employment rate within 6 months of graduating, with graduates recruited by studios including Pixar, Disney, DreamWorks, Illumination, Warner Bros., Universal, and Electronic Arts.

France ranks as the top animation producer in Europe and among the global top 5, which supports a robust domestic job market for graduates. The school has been training animators for more than 60 years.

History

Gobelins was founded in 1964 as a school of visual communication and photography. Over the decades, it expanded into animation, graphic design, motion design, interactive design, and video games. The school joined the Conference des Grandes Ecoles and became a non-profit EESC institution.

Key milestones include the launch of the animation program, the 2008 Academy Award nomination for student film Oktapodi, the 2019 and 2021 Annie Awards for Best Friend and La Bestia, and the 2025 Student Academy Award for The Shyness of Trees. Gobelins has held the number one position in Animation Career Review's global rankings for six consecutive years from 2021 to 2026.

Programs Offered

• Bachelor in Character Animation and Animated Filmmaking - 3-year, full-time program taught in English at the Paris Saint-Marcel campus. Covers 2D and 3D animation, character design, storyboarding, layout, and animation direction. Tuition: 10,500 EUR per year for EU citizens, 15,500 EUR for non-EU. Exam success rate: 99% (2025).
• Master in Character Animation and Animated Filmmaking - 2-year, full-time program taught in English. RNCP Level 7 certification.
• Bachelor in 3D Character Animation - 3-year program at the Annecy campus, in partnership with CITIA.
• 3D Character Animator (1 year) - Intensive one-year program.
• Master in Visual Storytelling - 2-year full-time program.
• Animation Preparatory Year (online) - 1-year online program taught in English. Tuition: 9,100 EUR per year.

The Bachelor in Character Animation and Animated Filmmaking ranks as the most competitive program, with 58 available seats and thousands of applicants worldwide.

Notable Alumni and What They've Made

Gobelins alumni work at major studios worldwide, including Pixar, Walt Disney Animation Studios, DreamWorks, Illumination, Cartoon Saloon, Warner Bros., Universal, and Electronic Arts:

• Pierre Coffin - Director of Despicable Me and the Minions franchise. Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Voices every Minion in the franchise. The Minions franchise has grossed over $5.5 billion worldwide across six films.
• Benjamin Renner - Director of Ernest and Celestine (nominated for the Oscar and Annie Award for Best Animated Feature, won the Cesar for Best Animated Feature) and The Big Bad Fox (won the Cesar).
• Pierre Perifel - Director of DreamWorks' The Bad Guys. Won an Annie Award for best character animation for Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Furious Five.
• Riad Satouf - Director of Les Beaux Gosses (nominated at Cannes, won the Cesar for best first film). Author of The Arab of the Future, which won best graphic novel at the Angouleme International Comics Festival.

Acceptance Rate

Admission to the animation programs is highly competitive, with acceptance rates in the single digits. The Bachelor in Character Animation and Animated Filmmaking offers 58 seats divided into two groups of mixed nationalities. The selection process includes:

1. Application: Online submission of portfolio and application materials (opens November 14, 2025)
2. Application deadline: March 5, 2026 (Bachelor), February 26, 2026 (Master)
3. Interviews: April 20 to 29, 2026 (Bachelor), April 13 to 17, 2026 (Master)
4. Course start: September 2026

Applicants must demonstrate strong drawing skills, storytelling ability, and creative vision. The average exam success rate across all Gobelins programs is 93%. The professional insertion rate is 79% at 7 months (2024), with 25% continuing to further studies.

Standout Faculty

Gobelins draws faculty from working animation professionals across European and American studios. The school's position as the top-ranked animation program globally attracts instructors with current industry experience at studios including Pixar, DreamWorks, Illumination, and Cartoon Saloon.

Faculty members include animation directors, character designers, storyboard artists, and technical directors who bring real production pipelines into the classroom. The school's partnership with CITIA (organizer of the Annecy International Animated Film Festival and MIFA market) connects students and faculty to the world's most important animation industry event.

Tuition / Aid Reality

As a public institution, Gobelins' tuition is subsidized and significantly lower than private alternatives in the US or UK.

Bachelor in Character Animation and Animated Filmmaking:

• EU citizens: 10,500 EUR per year (31,500 EUR total over 3 years)
• Non-EU citizens: 15,500 EUR per year (46,500 EUR total over 3 years, plus 300 EUR if paying in installments)

Animation Preparatory Year (online):

• 9,100 EUR per year (plus 300 EUR if paying in installments)

Scholarships are available through Gobelins, the Odon Vallet program, and CROUS (French government student aid). The school maintains an active scholarship policy supporting inclusion, which was cited as a factor in its number one ranking. Gobelins does not participate in US federal loan programs.

Paris is one of Europe's most expensive cities. Students should budget approximately 1,000 to 1,500 EUR per month for housing, food, transportation, and personal expenses. CROUS offers subsidized student housing for eligible students.

Facilities and Equipment

Gobelins operates across three campuses:

• Paris Saint-Marcel (13th arrondissement) - Animation and photography/video
• Paris Gambetta (20th arrondissement) - Graphic design, motion design, interactive design, and video games
• Annecy - 3D character animation

The animation campuses provide industry-standard workstations, 2D and 3D animation software, rendering infrastructure, and production pipelines matching professional studio environments. The school is a member of RECA (the French Animation School Network) and IPAX (the US network of schools recognized by Sony Pictures).

Student Film Examples

Gobelins student films have achieved international acclaim over several decades:

• *Oktapodi* (2008) - Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 2009. Won Best of Show at SIGGRAPH 2008 and the Canal+ Family Award at Annecy 2008.
• *Best Friend* (2019) - Won the Annie Award.
• *La Bestia* (2021) - Won the Annie Award.
• *The Soloists* (2023) - Won the Annie Award.
• *The Shyness of Trees* (2025) - Won the Student Academy Award.

Gobelins graduation films routinely screen at Annecy (the world's most important animation festival), Cannes, and accumulate millions of views online.

What Filmmakers Should Know

The Bachelor and Master in Character Animation and Animated Filmmaking are taught in English. French language proficiency is not required for these programs. Classes are mixed (anglophone and francophone students) and taught in English. However, daily life in Paris requires some French for practical matters.

Gobelins reports a 100% employment rate within 6 months of graduating. Graduates work at Pixar, Disney, DreamWorks, Illumination, Warner Bros., Universal, and Electronic Arts. The school's six-year reign as the number one ranked animation school globally gives its credential extraordinary weight in the industry.

The key trade-off: admission is extremely competitive with single-digit acceptance rates. The 58 available seats for the Bachelor program draw thousands of applicants worldwide. The cost advantage for EU students (10,500 EUR per year) is significant, but non-EU students pay 15,500 EUR per year. Paris living costs are high. Students should prepare a strong portfolio demonstrating drawing skills, storytelling ability, and creative vision.

Watch

See Also

For comparing film school ROI against self-taught paths, see Film School vs Self-Taught. To estimate total education costs including living expenses, use the Indie Film Budget Calculator. For industry placement rates at top film schools, see Best Industry Placement Rates.