France is no longer just a tourist destination as it offers a wonderful multicultural study experience, bringing together cultures from all around the world. Students appreciate its beautiful and developed cities due to which there is an increase in the number of international students coming to France for higher education. In this post, we will give you a brief overview of MBA in France.
Study in France
Did you know that the country is home to over 3800 private and public institutions of higher education? Among these universities, there are 41 French schools that feature in the top in Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2021.
Since the establishment of La Sorbonne, the first French University, which occurred more than 800 years ago, students from all across the globe have come to France to study various courses, especially in the areas of theology, medicine, and law. At present, France is among the Best MBA Abroad Destinations for Indian Students.
There is also a steady increase in the number of Indian students studying at various French universities such that the country’s government has planned to welcome almost 20,000 Indian students by 2025.
But What makes France a popular MBA option?
France has one of the most robust and largest economies in the world with Paris as a major business hub for all sorts of industries. As of 2014, it was the third-largest economy in Europe which means a promising selection of exciting companies to do internships and even launch your career after graduation.
The country is home to some of the most renowned business schools in the world. Right from INSEAD which was the first European institution to bring the MBA in Europe, along with HEC Paris, ESSEC Business school, Paris School of Business, etc. There are other French business schools as well which claim strong global reputations and longstanding international links.
Last but not least, the ROI after pursuing MBA in France is also pretty healthy. Compared to American B-schools, the tuition fees in France are lower. However, the post-MBA salaries are pretty similar.
Top Colleges for MBA in France
INSEAD Business School
INSEAD dubs itself ‘the Business School for the World’. It enjoys a reputation as a feeder school for some of the best and biggest consulting firms, both in France and elsewhere. It has a campus in Fontainebleau, France with additional campuses in Abu Dhabi and Singapore. This business school also offers exchange programs with other top business schools around the world such as Wharton (U.S.), Kellogg (U.S.), and CEIBS (China).
HEC Paris
Hautes Études Commerciales de Paris – more commonly known as HEC Paris is an internationally renowned business school, with its full-time MBA ranked highly by the Financial Times. Conveniently located just outside of France’s capital, HEC Paris prides itself on its high-profile alumni network. It offers double-degree opportunities and has tie-ups with more than 40 universities around the world.
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ESSEC Business School
This business school is quite popular for its luxury brand management and hospitality management fields. It has its main campus in Cergy, France, and also has had a presence in Singapore since 2005. Though the school’s MBA program is quite young yet it has attracted a talented pool of students from all over the world.
EDHEC Business School
Located in a picturesque coastal town on the French Riviera, it would be hard to say no to studying an MBA at EDHEC. You will be glad to know that it was one of the first schools worldwide to be awarded triple accreditation. The biggest advantage of studying at EDHEC is the duration of its MBA program i.e 10 months.
Grenoble Ecole de Management (GEM)
This business school is known for its focus on innovation and technology. It is based in the southeastern French city of Grenoble, offering the most affordable MBA for top French programs. It also works with partner institutions to host a full-time MBA program in Berlin, and part-time ones in Tbilisi and Moscow.
Other Top B-Schools for MBA in France
There are few other colleges as well that offer good MBA options. These business schools include:
- Sorbonne Graduate Business School
- Audencia Nantes School of Management
- EMYLON Business School
- IÉSEG School of Management, Paris
- Kedge Business School
- SKEMA Business School
- ESCP Europe – Paris Campus
- EMLV Business School
Eligibility criteria for pursuing MBA in France
Even though every university has set its own eligibility criteria for an MBA, some of the basic requirements for admission are common to all French universities. These include:
- Minimum work experience of three to four years (may vary according to university)
- Any Bachelor’s Degree or educational qualification equivalent to French Baccalaureate
- A valid IELTS or TOEFL score for international students and non-native English speakers
- A valid GMAT or GRE score (depending on the university)
Application procedure for MBA in France
- Most French universities have an online application process and the application forms can be downloaded from their respective websites.
- The filled form must be submitted along with the required documents and an application fee. Don’t wait for the deadline and try to submit the form as soon as possible.
- If selected, you’ll get an interview call from the university which will be conducted either online or through other electronic means.
- It can take up to two months for a Visa application to be approved. So, it is advisable to have a student visa for France before you receive the admission letter.
Pre and Post MBA Visa
As a student heading for an MBA in France, you would have to apply for the ‘Visa de long séjour etudes’ or the ‘Long-stay visa’. This visa allows you to stay for the entire duration of your program during which you can work for 964 hours in a year as long as your studies are not affected.
Once you have earned your MBA, you can apply for a non-renewable one-year temporary residence permit known as APS (authorization Provisoire de séjour). Under this permit, you are allowed to search for a full-time job as well as work up to 60% of a normal working week.
You are eligible to apply for a change in your visa status only when you get a full-time job that pays them 1.5 times the minimum wage. So, after reading this article we’re sure you are now ready to apply to your dream business school in France.
It will be a great experience to live in France. You don’t even have to worry about high rent prices as there are several affordable Purpose-Built Student Accommodations (PBSA) coming up in France and other countries. University Living, a student housing platform currently offers a whole range of PBSAs in more than 265 cities around the world.