Magic In The Many Worlds
There are those in the galaxy who have spent their lives learning the secrets of the arcane arts. Sorcerers and Thaumaturges have spent years honing proficiency with the cosmic forces that surround us all. Mastery of these forces requires great will, meticulous study, and usually an experienced teacher.
The average person is aware of magic much in the same way that the typical modern human is aware of advanced mathematics and engineering. Obviously it exists. It is responsible for mundane pieces of our everyday life as well as great marvels that few ever see. It is also the province of those willing to devote their lives to understanding and applying abstract and arcane rules and knowledge.
There are near endless schools of magic scattered throughout the galaxy, but the most famous is the Concordia Illuminata, located in on the world of Makinae in the Republic of Illara. Long has the Concordia been regarded as the greatest bastion of learning in all the known worlds. People travel from every nations to study with the masters who teach there.
Learning Magic
For those who actually pursue magic, things are a bit more complex. There are actually three different ways of approaching the study of magic: Thaumaturgy, Sorcery, and the craft of Blood Witches. Each requires fundamentally different paradigms on how to approach magic. This is not to say that a person cannot learn all three ways of thinking, but a Sorcerer who wishes to learn Thaumaturgy will find it just as difficult to start down that path as anyone else (for example).
Thaumaturges attend venerated universities to open their mind to the connectedness of all things. They see the thousand minds, souls, and bodies around them acting in constant conflict, cooperation, and synergy. In witnessing and understanding these interactions, they find connections to the powers of Divination, Evocation, and Necromancy.
Sorcerers are taught by military collegia to look within and find that their own mind, soul, and body is connected to the primal energies of the world. Magic is a deeply personal experience that is mastered by gaining mastery over the self through martial discipline. Through rigorous hands-on training they learn the schools of Elementalism, Numerology, and Illusion and learn to harness these magics in the heat of battle.
Blood Witches often learn from other witches; with lore handed down over generations in quiet corners. From these mentors, and some collegia, they learn the school of Sanguistry. They unlock the power coursing through the veins and arteries of all living beings through rituals and incantations that are often unpleasant and disquieting to others. The Blood Witches know, as others do not, the way that pain, sacrifice, and determination can be harnessed to save lives. Even as they are often shunned by their communities.
There are certainly schools that will teach Thaumaturges, Sorcerers, and Blood Witches, the Concordia being the prime example. However, many smaller schools will have only a few instructors and thus focus on one path. Therefore, they attract only students interested in that method of approaching the arcane arts.