How to get into a business school?

In brief
Three main families of routes lead to a business school: straight after the baccalaureate, after a preparatory class, or by direct entry at Bac+2, Bac+3 or Bac+4.
Excelia Business School is accessible through several of these paths, notably via Parcoursup for post-baccalaureate entry and via the BCE competitive examination (Banque Commune d'Épreuves) for entry into 3^rd year after a preparatory class.

Getting into a business school after the baccalaureate

Yes, it is entirely possible to get into a business school directly after the baccalaureate, through several distinct points of entry depending on the programme you're aiming for.

Several routes are open to you:

• Parcoursup: some programmes are directly attached to it, such as the Bachelor in Business, the BBA International or the Master in Management (Programme Grande École) at Excelia Business School
• The Ecricome Bachelor competitive examination: it gives access to EM Strasbourg, KEDGE Business School and Rennes School of Business, and also remains open to holders of a Bac+1
• The PASS competitive examination: it opens one of the BBA pathways at Inseec
• The ACCES competitive examination: it brings together three schools that award the Master's degree grade, IESEG, ESSCA and ESDES
• The Bachelor EGC competitive examination: it gives access to more than 19 campuses spread across France

This post-baccalaureate route suits a profile who wants to develop their field sense, adaptability and teamwork, within a professionalising programme made up of academic exchanges abroad and volunteering assignments.

Not all these points of entry suit every profile equally. Our post-baccalaureate guidance quiz helps you spot, in a few minutes, which one matches yours.

Getting into a business school at Bac+2 after a preparatory class

The economics and business preparatory class also leads to a business school, at the end of a longer and more theoretical path than the direct post-baccalaureate route.

If you choose one of the ECG, ECT, B/L or D1, D2 pathways after the baccalaureate, you will get into a business school after two years, or three years for students who repeat their second year. At the end of the preparatory class, you will sit the BCE and Ecricome competitive examinations. They comprise common written papers, followed by tests and oral interviews specific to each school where you are eligible. As with the post-baccalaureate examinations that bring several schools together, the advantage of these joint examinations is that you only sit the written papers once. If you are torn between several institutions, you keep your choice open until after the oral interviews.

This path suits baccalaureate holders who wish to deepen their theoretical knowledge across a wide variety of subjects, within a demanding and stimulating environment.

Getting in by direct entry, at Bac+2, 3 or 4

Getting into a business school by direct entry means joining the programme with a university or professional path already under way, at Bac+2, Bac+3 or Bac+4: this diversity of profiles directly contributes to the richness of a cohort.

The detail of the competitive examinations and the schools concerned by this route deserves an article of its own: discover direct entry to a business school, in detail. If your path involves a BTS, a BUT or a Licence, our FAQ specifically answers the question of getting in after a BTS, a BUT or a Licence.

Which route should you choose based on your profile?

These three routes are not simply theoretical categories: they correspond to very real points of entry at Excelia Business School, and knowing which one is yours changes the way you prepare your application.

Your point of entry depends directly on the path you have already taken. After the baccalaureate, the Bachelor in Business, the BBA International and the Master in Management (Programme Grande École) all three go through Parcoursup. For those coming from an economics and business preparatory class, access to the Master in Management (Programme Grande École) in 3^rd year goes through the BCE competitive examination, open to the ECG and ECT pathways as well as the B/L and A/L classes. For Bac+2, Bac+3 or Bac+4 profiles whose path is already under way at university or in a company, it is direct entry, described above, that takes over.

Not sure whether you need a preparatory class to succeed? Our FAQ details whether it is possible to get in without going through a preparatory class.

Discover our programmes

Frequently asked questions

Which baccalaureate track should I choose to get into a business school?

No baccalaureate track is excluded: the post-baccalaureate route remains open to all baccalaureate holders, whether via Parcoursup or via one of the joint post-baccalaureate competitive examinations (Ecricome Bachelor, PASS, ACCES, Bachelor EGC).

What is the Ecricome Bachelor competitive examination?

The Ecricome Bachelor competitive examination is a joint examination that allows you to apply to EM Strasbourg, KEDGE Business School and Rennes School of Business. It is also open to holders of a Bac+1, not only to baccalaureate holders of the current year.

Do you need a competitive examination to get into a business school after the baccalaureate?

Not systematically: Parcoursup is enough for the programmes directly attached to it, including several Excelia Business School programmes such as the Bachelor in Business, the BBA International and the Master in Management (Programme Grande École). Other post-baccalaureate routes, however, go through a joint examination shared by several schools.

How do the oral interviews work after a preparatory class?

Once you are eligible following the BCE or Ecricome common written papers, you sit tests and oral interviews specific to each school where you are eligible. It is this stage that distinguishes candidates between institutions.

How long does a preparatory class last before getting into a business school?

An economics and business preparatory class lasts two years. Students who repeat their second year join after three years.