Why invest in a business school like Excelia

In a context of rapid change in the labour market, where career paths are less linear and requirements are higher, the decision deserves to be analysed with method. This article sets out to explain why investing in a recognised school like Excelia can be a strategic choice.

In brief
A business school is a financial investment; in return, it gives access to four things: a qualification recognised and monitored by the State, a relationship with companies throughout the course, fast entry into employment with a network that becomes active as soon as you graduate and over the long term, and salary progression.
Excelia Business School is a non-profit private higher education institution of general interest (EESPIG), whose qualifications are State-accredited, and its Master's cycle is open to work-study, an important lever in calculating the cost of study for a family.

A recognised and monitored qualification

Excelia Business School awards State-accredited qualifications: the Bachelor in Business and the BBA International lead to the Grade de Licence, the Master's cycle leads to the Grade de Master, and the school has held EESPIG status since 2017. It belongs to the Excelia group, a member of FESIC, the leading federation of private associative Grandes Écoles under contract with the State; according to this federation, its schools receive only limited State funding, less than 10% of their resources, meaning that tuition fees mainly fund the education.

Added to this is the quadruple accreditation EQUIS, AACSB, AMBA and EFMD Master: these international recognitions, awarded by independent bodies, place Excelia Business School among the fewer than 1% of business schools worldwide to hold all four, as detailed by the EQUIS, AACSB, AMBA and EFMD Master accreditations. For a parent, the investment rests on an institution that is assessed and monitored.

What the data say about entry into employment

For a future Excelia Business School graduate, certain sector data provide a useful framework. According to the Conférence des Grandes Écoles, more than 90% of management school graduates find a job within six months of graduating, and APEC states that most of them reach executive status from their first position. These are sector-wide figures, not a result specific to the school; our article on employment after a management school explains how to read them.

An investment that appreciates over a career, not a year

The level of qualification has a lasting effect on pay: according to INSEE, a Bac+5 level qualification is correlated with a higher median income over the course of a career, and the Conférence des Grandes Écoles puts the average gross annual salary of management school graduates between €38,000 and €42,000, an order of magnitude that then varies for each future Excelia Business School graduate.

The key idea: the effort involved should be weighed against a career of thirty or forty years, well beyond the campus years alone. To put this choice into perspective, our article on what sets a business school apart from a university answers point by point.

Work-study, financial aid and family arrangements: how a course is financed

Financing a course at Excelia Business School rarely relies on a single source:

• Family savings and monthly contribution from the household
• Paid internships, which ease the budget during the course
• Means-tested grants, paid via the Crous
• Adjusted student loan, matched to the remaining amount to be financed

Among these levers, work-study at a business school changes the equation the most: the company covers tuition fees, and the student receives an employee's salary.

The method that works: work out, every year, what remains to be financed, and identify the moment when work-study takes over from savings. A budget planned ahead stops being a source of anxiety and becomes a managed plan, which you can check with our study cost simulator, calculated according to the campus, accommodation and student status.

What the course adds to the qualification

The difference between two qualifications of the same level is built, at Excelia Business School, from what accumulates during the course: internships, work-study, international experience and society involvement, which expose the student to the business world before graduating. The course also allows students to explore several fields, including marketing, finance, entrepreneurship, human resources, international business, data, before specialising, which reduces the risk of choosing too early.

This involvement notably takes the form of the Humacité© and Climacité© engagement schemes, the content of which varies according to the programme. Student society life adds to this: the Excelia network has 47 student societies, where managing a budget and a team become management experiences.

Finally comes support towards finding a first job:

• Career coaching, to build your project
• CV and interview workshops, to prepare your application
• Recruitment simulations, in real conditions

How to decide as a family

Investing in Excelia Business School comes down to three areas: securing entry into employment, salary progression over a career, and intangible assets, ranging from the network to professional bearing and the ability to make decisions.

Talking about this project as a family is essential. The key is transparency. It is useful to discuss: the real budget, the financing levers, everyone's role, professional goals. When the plan is shared, the project becomes a joint one. Pressure decreases, because everyone understands the path. Our six-step guide to supporting your child's career guidance offers a method, question by question.

Frequently asked questions

Does a business school really guarantee a job?

No: no course guarantees a job. But according to the Conférence des Grandes Écoles, more than 90% of management school graduates are in employment within six months of graduating, and APEC states that most of them reach executive status from their first job.

My child doesn't yet know which career to aim for: is this a risk?

This is common: the course allows students to explore several fields, including marketing, finance, entrepreneurship, human resources, international business, data, before specialising, and internships as well as work-study refine the project along the way. The careers accessible after a business school provide concrete pointers.

How do you finance your child's studies at a business school?

Financing almost always combines several levers: family savings, monthly contribution, work-study or paid internships, means-tested grants via the Crous, and, if needed, an adjusted loan. Work-study changes the equation most directly, since the company covers tuition fees and pays the student.

Are parents obliged to pay for their child's studies?

The maintenance obligation under the Code civil requires parents to contribute according to their means, but this contribution can take various forms. Work-study and paid internships give the student greater financial independence, which eases the share borne by the family.

How do you approach the study budget with your child?

By sharing the plan: what remains to be financed each year, everyone's role, and the moment when work-study takes over from family savings. A budget discussed in advance becomes a managed project that the family handles together.