Magical Academies?

[Chimera]

My Homebrew is a bit different.

Arcane Power is a blood-line thing, though it can occur outside known families. Not just any yob can become a Wizard (or Bard or Adept). Sorcerers are a separate blood-line thing.

Detect Magic basically adds +25 to your Caster level for the purpose of detecting magic. That is, the stronger the magic, the easier it is for Wizards to detect it without a spell. Zero level (untrained) can see Artifacts without assistance. High level Wizards can see more subtle magics without aid.

The highest level Wizard in the land is the most famous teacher/patron, responsible for having trained a pretty good number of Wizards. Well, not him personally, but his staff, most of whom sign on for terms as instructors in exchange for magic items (his is also the largest magic shop in the region) and/or spells.

He owns a single artifact, which is a completed unknown as to what it actually does. Not even he knows. It is a marble, which he calls 'The Marble of Testing'. Occasionally he travels around, playing with the marble in public places. Those rare untrained 'potentials' will *see* the magic, and thus be identified by him as new students.

There are other schools, which have their own entrance requirements and expenses. The Haven Academy of the Arts takes just about anyone. Another place also takes about anyone, but the fee depends entirely on your means. Yet another is very exclusive. A fourth demands payment in years of service.

But then, Bards, Clerics and other magical organizations also vary wildly as to who they will take and how much the charge (or demand).

 

[Evilhalfling]

My Hombrew had three (PCs wrecked one in a civil war)
all on the same country. Human wizards are nearly exlusive to a single nationality, and most are taught in the universities. The clout is tremendous, the rank of nobles is Mage (as knight); dean (4 per university) = Magnus (11, landholders), Chancellor (3), ArchMagnus (largest land holder); Archchancellor (king). Needless to say non-wizards need not apply.

Each University has the same four houses (mostly for undergrads lvl 0-3) which specialize in Crafting, Sport (adventuring), Goverment (only nobles admitted), and Research.

University of Doomseer - teaches necromancers and diviners
University of Farslayer - teaches conjurers and envokers
University of Sightblinder - teaches illusionsist and enchanters.​

they all teach generalists as well but thier spell lists are weighted to the schools focus.
the other two specialists do not have an official place in the system, but the spells are avalible generally.

The schools each have 1-3 secret socities which are run by the teachers, staff and nobility and generally only admitt mages over 5th level.
Fees: Entering university costs 500 per year for 3 years (then graduation) 1000 for the last 2 years (post graduate) must be at least 1st lvl wizard before admitted, teaching of cantrips is done in prep schools or by parents. (my group likes to start at 3rd lvl)

If away from this area there are ambassadors in many large cities, and the occasional rouge wizard (one taught by genies another called Gloriously Bright) The elves have teachers who take a few students at a time, and there was one dwarven wizard, who eventually got himself admitted to the human universities (before being slain by PCs), and Halflings prefer psionics.