5 Best Business Schools in France

France, with its rich culture, beautiful cities, and great weather, is not only a popular destination for tourists on holiday, but also for students pursuing academic excellence and further education.

France’s reasonably priced tuition rates and quality education are appealing to students. Moreover, large companies continue to invest in France, creating countless opportunities for well-educated professionals.

Being one of the largest economies worldwide and with French being a crucial business language, France is home to some of the best institutions for studying business. In this article, we will go over the top business schools in France.

Best Business Schools in France

1. INSEAD

  • INSEAD Page
  • Degrees offered: Master’s degree, MBA, PhD
  • Language of instruction: English (admission requires applicants to have practical knowledge of a second language, and graduation requires basic knowledge of a third language)

The best business school in France is the world-renowned INSEAD, ranked #2 by QS Subject Ranking in business and management worldwide. With campuses in France, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, and the US, INSEAD places huge importance on diversity. INSEAD’s vision is to assemble the brightest minds in this field to make an impact both in business practice and academic research worldwide.

In the promotion of international exchange of knowledge and research collaborations, INSEAD has partnered up with world-leading universities including the University of Pennsylvania, Tsinghua University, and Sorbonne Université. INSEAD offers multi-site programs, and all students need practical knowledge in a second language and basic knowledge in a third to graduate.

INSEAD offers degree programs for both fresh university graduates and experienced professionals seeking continuing education, as well as certificate and online programs for those looking for additional training. With its international locations, multicultural academics, and global vision, it is no wonder that INSEAD prides itself as the “Business School for the World.”

2. HEC Paris

The next top business school in France is HEC Paris. Founded in 1881, HEC values excellence and diversity in its students and faculty, encourages entrepreneurship, and promotes social responsibility while progressing financially in this changing world.

Ranked as the #1 business school by Financial Times in 2019, HEC offers some of the best programs in this field. In its pursuit of excellence and diversity, HEC offers joint degrees with world-class universities and has partnerships around the globe as well as close connections with international companies, which ensures its students real-life experience and countless opportunities in careers and placements.

In line with its value on social responsibility, HEC trains students and professionals to have awareness of ethical and environmental issues while maintaining strong economic performance for their companies. With its strong academic performance, conscious effort in sustainability, and spirit of entrepreneurship, HEC is certainly one of the best business schools there is.

3. ESSEC Business School

  • ESSEC Business School Page
  • Degrees offered: Bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, MBA, PhD
  • Language of instruction: Bachelor’s degree (English and French), master’s degree (English and/or French), MBA (English), PhD (English)

A pioneer since 1907, ESSEC Business School attracts top-notch academics and students from numerous cultural backgrounds, and they work together to transform business as well as society.

As one of the best business schools in France, ESSEC’s pursuit of academic excellence is reflected in its global rankings, with numerous programs in the top ten, including its Master in Strategy and Management of International Business, which is ranked #3 by QS in 2021. With academic partnerships with 182 top universities and close relationships with corporate companies, ESSEC combines academic learning and real-life practice and provides opportunities for its students and graduates.

ESSEC’s spirit of entrepreneurship is reflected in its innovating research, pedagogy, and graduates. ESSEC offers entrepreneurial training and support in the encouragement of innovative business ideas and startups. ESSEC’s diverse academics and students work together on campuses in France, Singapore, and Morocco in their pursuit of academic excellence, equal opportunities, and knowledge creation.

4. Emlyon Business School

  • Emlyon Business School Page
  • Degrees offered: Bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, MBA, PhD
  • Language of instruction: Bachelor’s degree (English and French), master’s degree (English and/or French), MBA (English), PhD (English)

Having been around since 1872, Emlyon Business School certainly knows what it is doing. Having over 180 academic partners worldwide, there are plenty of international opportunities on their campuses in France, China, India, and Morocco. This benefits over 1000 students annually and adds to their personal development and professionalism.

Emlyon places importance on employability and was ranked top 50 in global employability by Times Higher Education in 2018. It provides specialized master’s programs and customizable schedules, nurturing skilled and influential individuals to succeed in professional settings.

Even though it is the fourth oldest business school in France, Emlyon has its vision in the future. Emlyon strives to be the inspiration of future visionaries by being committed in social engagements, taking care of their student, and providing outstanding higher education.

5. ESCP Business School

  • ESCP Business School Page
  • Degrees offered: Bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, MBA, PhD
  • Language of instruction: Bachelor’s degree (English with some courses in Spanish, French, and German), master’s degree (English, French, Italian with different combinations), MBA (English), PhD (English and French, English and German)

We end our list of best business schools in France with the ESCP Business School. Founded by entrepreneurs in 1819, ESCP’s mission is in pursuing academic Excellence, developing Singularity in its approaches, cultivating Creativity, and promoting Plurality through diversity and openness.

With six campuses across Europe (Germany, UK, Spain, France, Italy, and Poland), ESCP has a wide range of disciplines. Collaborating with top local universities, each campus has specialized programs in different subjects. ESCP offers multi-site programs, and students can study on more than one campus based on their choices.

ESCP, proud of its European roots, strives to contribute to a prospering European economic community, and it promotes its European management approach to better tackle challenges of this ever-changing world. Being the source of numerous adopted innovations worldwide, ESCP continues to innovate as it has been for the past 200 years.

 

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