Preparatory class for the conservator entrance exams

The preparatory class for the conservator entrance exams at the Ecole du Louvre is open to candidates wishing to prepare for the state, City of Paris and territorial heritage conservator exams – for both external and internal students. Only candidates of French nationality and European nationals can take these exams.

Around 20 hours of weekly lessons
(from September to June)

Courses taken by all students:

• Dissertation preparation lectures
• Lectures on commentary on works
• Methodology course
• Courses on heritage professions
• Course on the history of ideas and current research
• Homework (practice for the exams)

Courses taken by groups of students:

• Language classes: German, English, Italian, Spanish, Latin and Greek (courses accessible by the Ecole nationale des chartes and the EPHE)
• Training sessions and dissertation correcting sessions, commentary on works, notes of a cultural nature
• Practice sessions for students eligible for the oral conservator exams

The teaching aims to perfect the students' know-how in the different types of exams (essays, written and oral analysis of works, conversation with the jury, languages).

Teaching is entrusted to a team of professional speakers chosen for their quality and specialty (conservators, researchers, academics, associate professors and scientific staff from museums and heritage).

Conditions of admission

Strong knowledge of history, art history and ethnology are required.

The candidate must meet one of the following criteria:

• Has obtained a museology diploma (Master 1) or a second cycle diploma (Master 2) from the Ecole du Louvre
• Has obtained a Master 1 or Master 2 in art history and archaeology
• Has obtained a Master 1 or 2 in another human sciences subject
• Is a student of the Ecole Normale Superieure
• Is a student at the Ecole des Chartes

Application procedure and selection criteria:

The selection of students is done in two stages:

• Examination of education history
  - Academic level
  - Adequacy of the chosen course with the candidate's prior training and professional project.
• Interview
  Candidates selected after examination of their education history are invited for a probationary interview between mid-June and early July.

Registration form:

• Complete the online application form
  (available from mid-April)

The schooling committee is sovereign and allows itself the possibility of admitting students who do not meet the conditions above.

Selection of applications:
Candidates selected on file are invited for a probationary interview between mid-June and early July.

• Registration fee for conservator preparatory class (2023-2024): 589 euros.

Special rate for further education interns.

More about the exams:

• Institut national du patrimoine
• Centre national de la Fonction publique territoriale

Preparatory class students can, in exceptional cases, request financial assistance:
« allocation pour la diversité dans la fonction publique » (Préfecture de la région d’Île-de-France).

Learn more