BA Animation & Video Game

Undergraduate Program

Imagine worlds. Bring characters to life. Create experiences to watch, play and share.

Taught entirely in English, the 3iS BA Animation & Video Game is a three-year program for French and international students who want to build strong foundations in animation, game art, game design and game programming.

Based at 3iS Paris West, the program combines artistic, narrative and technical training with hands-on projects from the first year. You will explore drawing, character and environment design, 2D and 3D animation, modeling, game design, programming, prototyping and real-time production.

At 3iS, you learn by creating. From the outset, practical projects help you develop your artistic and technical skills while building a portfolio of animated work, visual concepts and interactive experiences.

Studying animation and video games in France also means joining a country internationally recognized for the quality of its studios, creative talent and productions. By studying in English within a multicultural cohort, you benefit from this creative ecosystem while preparing to work in international teams and production environments.

The program is built on strong shared foundations before moving towards progressive specialization. You will explore the connections between animation and video games, develop your creative and technical skills, master key digital tools and learn how professional studios organize their production pipelines.

Campus

Paris West

Entry requirements

French Baccalauréat or equivalent international secondary school qualification

Qualification

3iS School Certificate awarded on successful completion of the Bachelor

At a glance

Duration

3 years - 180 ECTS credits

Languages

English

Next intake

October 2027

Spring intake

February 2027

Pace

Full Time

Study format

On-Campus

Format

On-Campus

Tuition fees - Non-French tax residents

€11,500

This program is for you if

You enjoy drawing, imagining characters, creating worlds or telling stories.
You are interested in animation, video games, 3D and digital creation.
You enjoy programming, solving problems and turning ideas into playable experiences.
You want to develop both creative and technical skills.
You want to explore the different stages involved in creating an animated film or video game before choosing your specialization.
You want to study in France while developing a profile suited to an international creative industry.
You are looking for a program taught entirely in English within a multicultural environment.

No advanced software skills are required on entry. The program is designed to progressively build the artistic and/or technical foundations you need.

Program objectives

By the end of the Bachelor, you will be able to:

create characters, environments and coherent visual worlds;
apply the fundamentals of drawing, composition, color and visual storytelling;
produce 2D and 3D animation;
model, texture, light and integrate 3D assets;
design gameplay mechanics and interactive experiences;
program gameplay systems and interactive features;
work with key 2D, 3D and real-time production tools;
work effectively within a professional production pipeline;
collaborate within artistic and technical teams;
present your creative choices and respond to feedback;
build a portfolio that reflects your skills and chosen direction;
prepare for advanced specialization and future opportunities in France and internationally.

Program highlights

Build strong foundations before choosing your path
Animation and video games share a common culture of image, storytelling, movement and world-building. The Bachelor allows you to build these fundamentals before progressively choosing your area of specialization.

The first year offers two distinct pathways: an artistic pathway covering 2D Animation, 3D Animation and Game Art, and a video game pathway covering Game Design and Game Programming. Your specialization is chosen at the end of the first year.

Create from your first year
Characters, environments, animated sequences, 3D assets, prototypes and interactive experiences: you learn through practice and progressively build a portfolio of creative work.
Continue towards a Master’s degree at 3iS
In animation and video game careers, five years of study are generally recommended to reach the level of creative and technical expertise expected by studios. After the Bachelor, you can continue for two additional years at 3iS in Animation or Video Games, specializing in Game Art, Game Design or Game Programming.

This five-year pathway leads to a nationally recognized Master’s degree and allows you to deepen your expertise, work on more ambitious productions and strengthen your professional portfolio.

A school recognized by the industry
3iS student work regularly receives recognition in leading international competitions. In 2026, 3iS ranked 4th worldwide in the Production Excellence – Console Games category at The Rookies.

3iS Paris West has also joined RECA, the French network of animation film schools, which brings together recognized institutions in the sector. The school is beginning a probationary year, the first stage of the accreditation process and a step towards deeper integration into this professional network.

Study animation and video games in France
France has a strong international reputation in animation and video games. Studying at 3iS gives you direct exposure to this creative ecosystem, its production culture and its professional standards.
Study in English within an international environment
A fully English-taught program and a multicultural cohort prepare you to collaborate across disciplines and work within international production teams.
Develop a complete approach to creative production
Learn how storytelling, artistic direction and technology work together to create coherent characters, worlds and interactive experiences.
Master industry-standard production tools
Train with the main software packages and engines used in animation, video games and digital creation, learning how to use them in support of a creative vision.
Learn how studios work
Collaborative projects introduce you to production roles, teamwork, creative and technical constraints, and the different stages of a professional pipeline.

Program

Year 1 – Build the Foundations – 60 ECTS

The first year develops your creative eye, visual culture and the core skills of your future profession. It is divided into two distinct pathways depending on your interests and career plans. Your specialization is chosen at the end of the first year.

Artistic Pathway: 2D Animation, 3D Animation, Game Art

You will study areas including:

artistic fundamentals: observational drawing, perspective, color, painting and illustration, anatomy drawing, life drawing and production art;
concept development and writing: film analysis and screenwriting for the Animation pathway, game design for the Game Art pathway;
cultural studies: history of animation, history of video games and art history;
languages: English and French as a Foreign Language (FLE) for international students;
professional environment: eco-production, artificial intelligence and professional development, including CVs, cover letters and portfolio preparation;
four workshops: digital concept art, 3D modeling, 2D animation and 3D character sculpting.

Video Game Pathway: Game Design, Game Programming

You will study areas including:

software development: algorithms and architecture, C# with Unity, Python, and web development using HTML, CSS and JavaScript;
design and writing: game design, narrative design for the Game Design pathway, and applied mathematics for video games for the Game Programming pathway;
cultural studies: history of video games and art history;
languages: English and French as a Foreign Language (FLE) for international students;
professional environment: eco-production, artificial intelligence and professional development, including CVs, cover letters and portfolio preparation;
four workshops: Photoshop, 3D modeling, HTML5 game development and mobile game development with Unity.

Your first projects teach you how to turn an idea into a structured visual or interactive concept, experiment with different forms of creation and begin shaping your future direction.

Year 2 – Create, Animate and Make Interactive – 60 ECTS

In Year 2, you deepen your technical skills and take on increasingly ambitious collaborative productions. Teaching is organized according to the specialization chosen at the end of the first year: 2D Animation, 3D Animation, Game Art, Game Design or Game Programming.

You will develop skills in areas including:

2D and 3D animation;
character and environment art;
3D modeling;
rigging and character animation;
texturing, lighting and rendering;
visual effects;
game design;
level design;
prototyping;
real-time creation;
algorithms and object-oriented programming;
gameplay programming using C# in Unity and visual scripting in Unreal Engine;
integration into a game engine.

As projects become more complex, you will learn how to contribute to a shared artistic direction, work within technical constraints and collaborate with different creative and technical profiles as part of a production pipeline.

Year 3 – Specialize and Produce – 60 ECTS

In Year 3, you further define your profile in Animation or Video Games – Game Art, Game Design or Game Programming – while maintaining a shared understanding of digital creation and production.

Depending on your chosen direction and the projects available, you will deepen your skills in areas including:

Animation

2D and 3D animation;
character animation;
storyboarding and staging;
concept art;
lighting, rendering and compositing;
visual effects;
production of animated sequences or films.

Video Games – Game Art and Game Design

game art;
character and environment art;
game design;
level design;
animation for games;
real-time integration;
design and development of playable prototypes.

Video Games – Game Programming

gameplay programming using C# with Unity and visual scripting in Unreal Engine;
object-oriented programming;
engine and GPU programming;
gameplay AI programming;
physics and gameplay;
network game architecture;
level building and real-time techniques;
QA testing.

A major third-year project brings together the skills developed throughout the program, gives you experience of collaborative production and strengthens your portfolio.

Professional experience

The Bachelor progressively introduces you to studio practice through collaborative productions, industry encounters and experience in professional environments.

You will learn how to work within a production pipeline, meet deadlines, present your work, respond to feedback and adapt your creative and technical decisions to the requirements of a production.

The program’s international dimension also helps prepare you for employment. By working in English within a multicultural environment, you develop communication and collaboration skills that can be applied directly within international teams.

Professional development support helps you structure your portfolio, refine your career plans and prepare applications to animation and video game studios in France and abroad.

After the Bachelor

After successfully completing the three-year Bachelor, you will receive a 3iS School Certificate recognising the artistic and technical skills developed during the program. You will also have built a substantial portfolio and defined your area of specialization more clearly.

In animation and video game careers, five years of study are recommended in order to reach the level of expertise expected by leading studios. The 3iS pathway is therefore designed as a five-year progression, with the Bachelor followed by two years of advanced specialization.

You can continue with:

Master Animation – taught in French or English;
Master Video Game – Game Art, Game Design or Game Programming, taught in French or English.

These two additional years allow you to deepen your expertise, take on more ambitious productions and strengthen your professional portfolio. On successful completion of Year 5, students obtain a nationally recognized Master’s degree, subject to the applicable academic and certification requirements.

Admissions

The Bachelor is open to applicants who hold a French Baccalauréat or an equivalent international secondary school qualification. Applicants must have sufficient English to follow a program taught entirely in English.

Creativity, visual curiosity, motivation and an interest in animation, video games, game design, programming and digital creation are important elements of the admissions process.

For the Year 1 Artistic Pathway – 2D Animation, 3D Animation and Game Art – applicants are required to submit a portfolio with examples of artistic work such as drawing, illustration, color work or three-dimensional work.

For the Year 1 Game Design and Game Programming Pathway, applicants are expected to provide examples of game prototypes or game concepts.

International applicants may be required to follow Campus France procedures depending on their situation. Our Admissions team will help you identify the application process that applies to your nationality, country of residence and academic background.

The main intake takes place each year in September or October.

A limited number of students may also join the BA Animation & Video Game in the second semester through the Spring Intake, subject to academic approval. This intake is intended primarily for applicants who already have some experience in drawing, animation, video games, visual arts, 3D or digital creation.

Admission is based on a review of the applicant’s academic background, portfolio or previous creative work, together with an interview. An intensive catch-up program covering the essential skills taught during the first semester may also be required.

Projects

Projects at the heart of the program

Throughout the Bachelor, projects become progressively more ambitious.

You may be asked to:

create characters and the worlds around them;
design 2D and 3D environments;
produce animated sequences;
model and integrate assets;
develop visual effects;
design gameplay mechanics;
create playable prototypes;
program game systems, AI behaviors or network features;
contribute to collaborative productions combining visual design, animation, interactivity and sound.

These projects teach you not only how to create, but also how to work effectively with others: presenting ideas, responding to feedback, working within constraints, meeting deadlines and contributing to a shared artistic vision.

Together, they build a portfolio that demonstrates your creative identity, technical skills and ability to work within a production team.

Professional experience