ensa Nantes

What ensa Nantes does

ensa Nantes (formally the École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Nantes) is a French public national higher education and research institution specializing in architecture, operating under the dual supervision of the French Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Higher Education and Research. It is one of 20 national ENSA architecture schools and holds statutory authority to confer the Diplôme d'État d'architecte, the state-recognized professional qualification for architects in France. The school's main campus is located at 6 quai François Mitterrand in Nantes in a building designed by Pritzker Prize winners Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal, with an additional international satellite campus in Mauritius offering Bachelor and Master of Architecture and Urbanism programs.

The institution delivers a comprehensive portfolio structured around the three-year Diplôme d'études en architecture (Licence, 180 ECTS) and two-year Diplôme d'État d'architecte (Master, 300 ECTS total), supplemented by the HMONP professional habilitation for independent practice, two specialized DPEA diplomas (Architecture navale and Scénographe — the latter being the only French program covering all scenography professions), dual-degree programs with engineering and urban planning, two joint master's programs (with Université de Nantes and École Centrale Nantes), and a doctoral program conducted through the AAU-CRENAU research laboratory. Continuing education (Formation Professionnelle Continue) targets working professionals on a biennial cohort basis. Research output includes the Coraulis VR platform for comparative urban space design, computer vision research on pedestrian perception of urban environments, and doctoral work on AI-assisted scientific mediation.

ensa Nantes operates as a non-commercial public establishment with revenue derived primarily from state budget allocations, supplemented by modest student tuition (€543/year for first-year students, €23/year for scholarship holders), specialized program fees (€2,020–€3,450/year for DPEA programs), continuing education fees (€945/year, CPF-eligible), and professional services through the Espace Pro division (space and equipment rentals, apprenticeship tax). The institution distributes its services through direct institutional enrollment via the national Parcoursup platform, Campus France for international students from 73 countries, direct competitive examinations for continuing education, and partnerships with Brazilian, Argentine, Guinean, and South African institutions for international workshops and exchanges.

Name

ensa Nantes

Legal name

École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Nantes

Website

https://nantes.archi.fr

Company type

Public

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

ensa Nantes is a French public national architecture school offering undergraduate through doctoral programs in architecture, urban planning, naval architecture, and scenography, serving students, working professionals, and international learners across its Nantes and Mauritius campuses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architecture Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Architectural Services (54131), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Architecture Schools (within Arts & Design institutions) (EDAHAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Architecture, Planning & Surveying (AIA, Planning, Land Surveyor CE) (EDAAALAG)

Keywords

• Architecture education
• Urban planning programs
• Professional architecture degrees
• Naval architecture training
• Scenography programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Nantes

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Higher Education Funding: As a French public national higher education and research institution, ensa Nantes receives government funding through the Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Higher Education and Research. Revenue comes from state budget allocations for public educational services.
2. Professional Continuing Education Fees: Professionals pay annual fees for continuing education programs: 945€ per year for first three years and 688€ for the fourth year (2025 rates). CPF (professional training account) is mobilizable for these programs.
3. Specialized Program Tuition: DPEA Architecture navale costs 3450€ per year plus approximately 1000€ in indirect costs for travel and equipment. DPEA Scénographe costs 2020€ per year (2025-26 and 2026-27 rates). These programs are outside RNCP and not eligible for CROUS scholarships.
4. Initial Education Fees: First-year license students pay 543€ in tuition fees (2025-2026), with reduced fees of 23€ for scholarship holders. Students in the formation initiale path pay these standard French higher education fees.
5. Professional Services and Space Rental: The school offers venue and equipment rental services to professionals and organizations through its 'Espace Pro' division, generating additional revenue from the professional community.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ensa Nantes is a French national public architecture school offering state-recognized architecture education, including the three-year Licence, two-year Diplôme d'État d'architecte (master's level), the HMONP professional habilitation for independent practice, specialized DPEA diplomas in naval architecture and scenography, dual-degree programs, joint research master's in urban planning, and doctoral research through the AAU-CRENAU laboratory. Programs are delivered on campuses in Nantes and Mauritius, with continuing education for working professionals.

Product overview

ENSA Nantes is a French national architectural school offering a comprehensive educational portfolio structured around core architecture degrees and specialized programs. The institution delivers a three-year Licence (Diplôme d'études en architecture) and two-year Master (Diplôme d'État d'architecte) forming the primary architecture qualification pathway, supplemented by the professional HMONP habilitation for independent practice. Specialized programs include the unique DPEA Scénographe (only French program covering all scenography disciplines) and internationally-recognized DPEA Architecture navale. The school offers dual-degree options with engineering and urban planning, two joint research master's programs (Villes et Territoires with University of Nantes; Villes et Environnements Urbains with École Centrale Nantes), and a doctoral research program through the AAU-CRENAU laboratory. International operations include a Mauritius campus and global partnership network. Digital services include the online student handbook (Livret de l'étudiant) and research tools such as the Coraulis VR platform for architectural visualization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Diplôme d'études en architecture (Licence)
• Diplôme d'État d'architecte (Master)
• HMONP (Habilitation à la maîtrise d'œuvre en son nom propre)
• Master Villes et Territoires
• Master Villes et Environnements Urbains
• DPEA Architecture navale
• DPEA Scénographe
• Formation professionnelle continue (Continuing Education)
• Double Cursus Architecte Ingénieur
• Double Cursus Architecte Urbaniste
• Doctorat en architecture
• ENSA Nantes-Mauritius Campus
• Livret de l'étudiant (Student Handbook)
• Coraulis VR Platform
• Espace Pro - Venue and Equipment Rental

Quantifiable outcome

• Co-habilitated Master program accredited by APERAU
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UNICAP (Universidade Católica de Pernambuco)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 April 2022ensa Nantes signed a cooperation agreement with UNICAP (Universidade Católica de Pernambuco) in Brazil on April 19, 2022, during a delegation visit from Recife. The partnership was established in the context of the FICOL program carried by Nantes Métropole and Samoa. It includes joint workshops and academic exchange activities.
• City of RecifeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 April 2022Partnership with the city of Recife in Brazil under the FICOL program. The delegation participated in collective workshops using VR Coraulis tool and comparative public space design exercises between Nantes and Recife.
• Nantes UniversitécoreStrategic or Co-development Partnerensa Nantes is a founding member of Nantes Université, the University of Nantes's restructuring initiative effective January 1, 2022. This positions the architecture school within a larger university alliance for interdisciplinary collaboration.
• École Centrale NantescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-tutorship of Master 2 Villes et Environnements Urbains with École Centrale Nantes. This partnership combines engineering and architectural approaches to urban environments and sustainability.
• Université de Nantes (Faculté de droit et IGARUN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaster Villes et Territoires is co-habilitated with Université de Nantes (Faculté de droit et sciences politiques et IGARUN), providing interdisciplinary urban planning education.
• APERAU (Association pour la Promotion de l'Enseignement et de la Recherche en Aménagement et Urbanisme)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaster Villes et Territoires is accredited by APERAU, recognizing quality standards in urban planning and territorial development education across French-speaking institutions.
• Conférence des Grandes Écoles (CGE)minorStrategic or Co-development Partnerensa Nantes is a member of the Conférence des Grandes Écoles, the association of elite French graduate schools, providing networking and recognition benefits.
• Nantes MétropoleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration through the FICOL program with Nantes Métropole for international city partnerships, including the Recife cooperation initiative.
• Université Nelson Mandela (Port Elizabeth, South Africa)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational workshop partner from 2016-2017 under the 'Apprendre de(puis) l'ailleurs' international atelier, creating cross-cultural learning experiences with architecture students from South Africa.
• ISAU (Institut Supérieur d'Architecture de Conakry, Guinea)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkshop partner for the Conakry-Samaya project in Guinea, involving joint student fieldwork and urban studies in West Africa.
• Argentine Universities PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDPEA Scénographe partnership with two Argentine universities for international workshops and scenography education exchange.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ENSA Paris-La Villette: Another of the 20 French ENSAs, located in Paris. Operates under identical regulatory and funding framework as ensa Nantes, with overlapping curriculum (licence, master, HMONP) and shared research laboratory affiliations.
• ENSA Lyon: French national architecture school under the same Ministry of Culture oversight. Comparable in scale, program breadth, and research activity through its affiliated laboratory.
• ENSA Paris-Belleville: One of the 20 French national architecture schools (ENSA), offering the same state-recognized Diplôme d'État d'architecte pathway. Most direct comparable in terms of program structure, regulatory framework, and student admission process via Parcoursup.
• ENSA Bordeaux: French national architecture school in Bordeaux. Direct peer in state-recognized degree delivery, research activity, and continuing education programs under the ENSA network.
• ENSA Marseille: French national architecture school in Marseille offering the standard ENSA program portfolio. Direct peer in terms of state-recognized architecture education, government funding, and HMONP habilitation delivery.
• ENSA Versailles: French national architecture school near Paris. Comparable in offering the Diplôme d'État d'architecte pathway and post-professional HMONP habilitation under the same regulatory framework.
• ENSA Strasbourg: French ENSA offering the standard architecture diploma pathway with research specialization. Directly comparable on regulatory framework, tuition structure, and continuing education programs.
• ENSA Toulouse: French ENSA offering architecture degrees with research specializations. Direct peer in terms of state-funded higher education model and standard program portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) - School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering: Swiss federal institution offering architecture programs at undergraduate and graduate levels. Comparable as a peer architecture school with strong research focus, but operates within a larger multidisciplinary university with significantly greater international prestige and resources.
• Architectural Association School of Architecture: Internationally renowned private architecture school in London offering comparable architecture degrees at undergraduate and graduate levels. Comparable as a peer in architecture education but operates as a private institution with significantly higher tuition and global brand recognition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ensanantes
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjJ3inF0gVN1J1dGlFDZ9_g
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ensanantes
• Instagraminstagram.com/ensa_nantes
• Facebookfacebook.com/ensanantes1

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ensa Nantes