Is a business school recognised by the State?

The three markers of recognition

A business school can claim several statuses, none of which covers the same guarantee, which can sow doubt when you compare several schools. Three distinct recognitions are combined, with none replacing the other two.

The visa comes first: awarded by the Ministry of Higher Education, it does not assess the institution's status but the academic quality of the programme itself, by validating its educational content. Next comes the grade, awarded by the same ministry, which indicates the qualification's level in the licence-master-doctorat system, a benchmark that matters concretely if you continue your studies, in France or abroad. As for listing on the National Register of Professional Certifications: it says nothing about the academic level, but confirms that the skills acquired correspond to identified occupations (see exactly what an RNCP certification is).

A school can hold one of these markers without the other two: it is therefore important to check marker by marker. As an illustration, you can consult the recognitions held by Excelia Business School's qualifications.

How to check it yourself

You need neither expertise nor a subscription to check this yourself: the process is public and free by consulting the National Register of Professional Certifications (RNCP). The official France Compétences register lets you check that the skills taught meet real labour market needs. Each certification has a listing you can consult in the France Compétences register, which states its validity period.

Note that an RNCP listing is never permanent. It is valid for a limited period, up to five years, before being renewed: you may therefore come across a different title or listing number from one year to the next. This does not make the certification lose its value: renewal is part of the register's normal operation, not a warning sign.

Access to this database lets you check the information yourself by consulting the up-to-date listing before committing.

What recognition changes in practice

The combination of these three recognitions shows up at three specific moments:

• when an employer looks at your qualification, in France or abroad, its level is immediately identifiable: the national qualifications framework, aligned with the European framework, makes this reading possible beyond borders, without this amounting to an automatic equivalence with a foreign qualification
• if you continue your studies, it is the grade that gives you access to programmes that require it
• if you are looking for a work-study company, listing on the RNCP makes your qualification recognisable to those recruiting

Two further benchmarks complete this framework. At group level first: Excelia Business School is the management school of the Excelia group, a private higher education institution of general interest (EESPIG), meaning a not-for-profit model, with no shareholders to pay. Internationally, where the French system remains less well known, Excelia Business School holds a quadruple accreditation EQUIS, AACSB, AMBA and EFMD Master: fewer than 1% of business schools worldwide hold it. On Excelia Business School's programmes and their qualification level, these markers provide additional information, without replacing the three recognitions discussed above.

One question remains that these three markers do not cover, and it is aimed first at parents: how can you support this choice? Our six-step guide to supporting your child's guidance gives you practical pointers.