Off-cycle intake
Excelia Business School opens its doors to you in January or February.
Join Excelia in January or February
The off-cycle intake is an entry during the academic year at Excelia Business School: you start in January or February, depending on the programme. It gives access to a programme, in Paris or La Rochelle, and you apply directly to the school, without going through Parcoursup.
In brief
- Entry in January or February, depending on the programme.
- Paris and La Rochelle campuses.
- Online application.
What is your profile?
You are studying in France
You are changing direction, you have had a refusal on Parcoursup or you simply want to bounce back: the off-cycle intake lets you join Excelia Business School during the year. A recruitment session takes place every month, so you do not wait for a single date to apply.
You come from abroad
Does your academic calendar differ from the French September intake? You can strengthen your foundations and discover French culture before continuing your studies. Applications for the entrance exam are reviewed on a rolling basis, and the interview takes place by video call, wherever you live.
How does the January intake work?
You join the programme : entry takes place in January or February, depending on the programme chosen, without waiting for the September intake.
You validate a year : depending on the programme, the course is completed in reduced time, at an intensive, supervised and personalised rhythm.
You continue in September : depending on the programme, you join the following intake as the next step in your course, without any break and without a lost year.
Why choose the off-cycle intake
Six situations come up most often, and each finds its answer in an entry in January or February, whether you are aiming for an undergraduate Bachelor or a Master.
- Change direction : you change path during the year and join a programme without waiting for the following intake, rather than continuing a course that no longer suits you
- Seize an international opportunity : your academic calendar does not coincide with the September one, and you join the school as early as January or February
- Not lose a year : with no answer from Parcoursup at the start of the year, you do not wait twelve months to study, you start in January or February
- Take time to think : you want to let your project mature before committing, and entry during the year gives you that time without postponing your studies
- Pursue a personal project : a trip, an internship or an assignment occupies your autumn, you see it through and then you join the school
- Adapt to the unexpected : a health or family situation has disrupted your start, and the off-cycle entry offers you a second window to begin
The programmes available for the off-cycle intake
Five programmes are available in January or February, in Paris and La Rochelle, classified according to your situation. Each card shows the campus, the month of entry, the target audience and the fees, for students from the European Union (EU) as well as for others. Applications from outside the EU submitted before 30 October benefit from an early application offer on the fee.
After the baccalaureate
Excelia First Year
Offered by Excelia in Paris, this 6-month programme starts in February 2027 and is taught in French. It lets you explore several fields before choosing your path after the baccalaureate, without committing straight away to a specialisation.
Fees : €7,500 instead of €9,500 (EU) · €7,900 instead of €9,500 (non-EU)
Bachelor in Business, 1st year
The first year of the Bachelor in Business lasts 6 months, in La Rochelle, with an intake in January 2027 and teaching in French. It is aimed at those who want to become professional quickly in business, in a State-accredited qualification at Bac+3 level.
Fees : €7,950 instead of €9,950 (EU) · €8,900 instead of €10,700 (non-EU)
After a Bac+3
Master in Management (Programme Grande École), Master 1
The Master 1 of the Master in Management (Programme Grande École) takes place in Paris over 18 months, with an intake in February 2027 and teaching in French. The course suits you if you are aiming for excellence in management, and the Master in Management (Programme Grande École) is a State-accredited qualification leading to a Grade de Master.
Fees : €25,900 instead of €30,000 (EU) · €26,900 instead of €31,500 (non-EU)
See the Master in Management (Programme Grande École) at Master 1 level
Master of Science (MSc) in International Business Management
This MSc takes place in Paris over 18 months, with an intake in February 2027 and teaching in English. A short format for specialising in international management, it leads to a State-accredited qualification leading to a Grade de Master.
Fees : €20,000 (EU) · €17,000 instead of €20,000 (non-EU)
See the Master of Science (MSc) in International Business Management
For all levels
International Foundation Programme
Offered by Excelia in La Rochelle, this programme starts on 22 February 2027 and is taught in French. Whatever your level of study, it helps you consolidate your French and your academic foundations before entering higher education in France.
Fee : €6,100 (international fee)
Discover the International Foundation Programme (opens in a new window)
How to apply?
For the off-cycle intake at Excelia Business School, you apply online on XL Connect, whatever your profile. The process then differs depending on whether you are already studying in France or are coming from abroad, but in both cases, an interview lets you present your project.
Excelia in figures
Excelia Group
graduates in the Excelia network
Financial Times
French school, Financial Times 2026 ranking
Excelia Business School
private higher education institution of general interest
Still undecided?
Are you torn between two programmes, or do you want to know which one suits your situation? Leave us your details in the form below. In France, a recruitment session takes place every month; internationally, applications are reviewed on a rolling basis: you have time to choose.
Receive information before choosing
Frequently asked questions about the off-cycle intake
- When do the off-cycle intakes take place at Excelia Business School?
The off-cycle intakes take place in January or February, depending on the programme. Excelia Business School opens several programmes at these times, from undergraduate level to the Master 1, and the section "The programmes available for the off-cycle intake" on this page specifies the month of entry for each.
- Can I change direction during the year?
Yes, that is precisely the purpose of the off-cycle intake: you join a programme during the year rather than waiting for the following intake. It suits a change of direction, a refusal on Parcoursup or the wish to bounce back, and you then continue at the September intake without a lost year.
- Is the off-cycle intake suitable for international students?
Yes, because a foreign academic calendar does not always coincide with the French intake, and entry in January or February addresses this. A pathway also lets you strengthen your foundations and your French before continuing in France, and the interview takes place by video call.
- Are the fees the same for French and international students?
No, each programme shows a fee for students from the European Union and a fee for students from outside the EU. An early application offer applies to the non-EU fees, and all the amounts appear in the section on programmes on this page.
- How do I apply for an off-cycle intake?
You submit your application online on XL Connect, then you attend a motivation interview, face-to-face or by video call. The section "How to apply?" on this page details each step, for students in France as well as for international students.
- How do the recruitment sessions work?
In France, a recruitment session takes place every month, which saves you from waiting for a single date. Internationally, applications are reviewed on a rolling basis: you apply at any time, and the interview takes place by video call, live or by recorded video.