Online Foundation: Pathway to Paris

Image by Johan Mazhindu, Pathway to Paris student based in South Africa.

Applications for Fall 2026 are open!

PCA’s Foundation Online: Pathway to Paris Program is built on the philosophy handed down from a century of artists, designers, and educators that there are common skills and approaches to all fields of art and design that are dynamic when taught together.

Taught completely online, you can do your Foundation year from wherever you call home and then join PCA in Paris as a sophomore in Fall 2026.

Our Pathway to Paris program offers the flexibility of an online Foundation Year, allowing you to begin your journey towards a career in art and design from anywhere in the world. After successfully completing Pathway to Paris, you will have the opportunity to transfer to our campus in the heart of Paris, where you will complete your BFA in Communication Design, Fashion Design, Fine Arts, Interior Design, or Photography!

You’ll find your style or you’ll find out where you’re meant to be in the whole art thing eventually. So it’s not like you have to decide on one thing that you’re going do for rest of your life. It’s something that’s always changing and you should just let go and let it happen.

– Caitlyn O’Leary, Former Pathway to Paris student currently a Junior in Fashion Design, BFA

• Flexible Online Learning: Begin your Foundation Year from the comfort of your home with a curriculum designed to provide a robust foundation in art and design.
• Seamless Transition to Paris: After completing the online Foundation Year, seamlessly transition to our campus in Paris to complete your BFA in Communication Design, Fashion Design, Fine Arts, Interior Design, or Photography.
• Holistic Education Philosophy: Learn the common skills and approaches that unite all fields of art and design, benefiting from a century-old tradition of interdisciplinary teaching.
• Creative Problem-Solving: Develop the ability to find innovative solutions to unexpected constraints, a vital skill for any artist or designer.
• Expert Faculty and Global Network: Study under the guidance of experienced faculty members and connect with a diverse, international student body.

Take the next step towards your creative career

→ Join an Admissions Information Session

By joining the Pathway to Paris program, you will gain a unique blend of online and on-campus education that prepares you for a successful and dynamic career in the arts. Embark on your creative journey with us and become part of a vibrant community of artists and designers in one of the world’s most inspiring cities.

The course has enabled me to see my work less as a hobby and more of a career.

– Johan Mazindu, Pathway to Paris student located in South Africa. Image at left by Johan Mazhindu

My three words to summarize this year are: imagination, playfulness….and fun!

– Tora Mree, Pathway to Paris student living in Bangladesh.