University in France
La Rochelle, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
University profile
Excelia Business School is the management school of the Excelia group, a private not-for-profit higher education institution based in La Rochelle, Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Founded in 1988 by the La Rochelle Chamber of Commerce and Industry, it holds the EESPIG label (private higher education establishment of general interest) from the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Space, and is triple-accredited by EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA. The group also includes Excelia Tourism School, Excelia Communication School and Excelia Executive Education.
The school teaches on four campuses in France: La Rochelle, Tours, Orléans and Paris-Cachan. Its core programmes are the Master in Management (Programme Grande École, Bac+5, State-accredited with the Grade de Master), the Bachelor in Business (three years, Grade de Licence), the BBA International (four years, with compulsory study abroad), Excelia First Year (60 ECTS credits, a foundation year for students unsure of their path), a range of Masters of Science (MSc) in eight domains (marketing, finance, management, purchasing and supply chain, human resources, engineering, entrepreneurship and real estate) and a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) for working professionals.
Learning combines academic teaching, field experience and personal development. Every programme includes Humacité, a solidarity or humanitarian project in France or abroad, and many include Climacité, a project on the ecological transition. Students can complete internships, work-study (alternance) contracts, academic exchanges with 233 partner universities in 57 countries, or the Disney International Programme, a semester in Orlando. Double qualifications are available with partner engineering and digital schools including EFREI, CESI, EIGSI and ISART.
The group counts some 7,800 students and learners, about 25% of them international from some 80 nationalities, with 111 permanent faculty, 650 management practitioners and 56% international teaching staff. About 47 student associations and clubs, among them the student office, a sports office and the ISSE'O sailing club, run events and projects, and participation is built into programmes. A disability unit arranges adapted exams, equipment loans and links with companies.
International students can apply fully online with a remote video interview, and there are two start dates a year (September and January or February). Most programmes have an English track, and the school's own French language institute (Institut d'Études Françaises) is certified FLE Qualité. The school also holds the Bienvenue en France label, membership of the Union des Grandes Écoles Indépendantes (UGEI) and PRME commitment. Housing advice, CROUS residences and a partnership with the Studapart platform support arrival in each city.
Under work-study (apprenticeship or professional contracts), the employer covers tuition from the date the contract is signed.
The Contribution Vie Étudiante et de Campus is a separate annual charge of €105 collected by CROUS and payable before enrolment, through cvec.etudiant.gouv.fr. Scholarship holders, refugees, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection and asylum seekers with the right to remain are exempt; exchange students are not concerned.
Aimed at attracting the best international students to undergraduate and postgraduate programmes taught in English. The Early Enrolment Scholarship is a 5% discount on first-year tuition for applicants who complete the application, admission interview and deposit within deadlines (31 May 2026 for the latest published round). The Merit-based Scholarship goes to students with proven academic excellence, an extracurricular record, a clear professional goal and motivation to study at Excelia.
A Scholarship Committee of three senior executives, including the DBA Director, decides within two weeks of submission. Schemes offer up to 20% reduction in tuition: Excellence (merit), Women in Leadership, Cultural Diversity and Make an Impact (based on potential contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals).
The school points students to the Eiffel Scholarship Programme (Campus France) for Master's and doctoral students, Erasmus+ and Franco-German University (UFA) mobility grants, regional support from the Conseil départemental de la Charente-Maritime and the Conseil régional Nouvelle-Aquitaine, student loans through partner French banks, paid internships and work-study, paid student projects through the La Rochelle Actions job service, and paid tutoring. Fees can be estimated with the school's simulator. See Funding solutions and Cost of studying.
Excelia Early Enrolment Scholarship →
Eiffel Excellence Scholarship (Excelia nominations) →
Browse the scholarships listed for Excelia Business School and check each award’s eligibility.
View scholarships for Excelia Business School →Applications are made online. Candidates select a programme and submit a CV and proof of their current academic level (exam certificates or a letter from their current establishment), and pay an application fee of €50 by bank transfer or credit card. International applicants then take a remote video interview in French or English depending on the programme and track: candidates have 5 days to answer a series of questions on motivation and academic and professional projects. A decision is notified within 6 days of the interview, and admitted candidates pay a deposit, deducted from annual tuition, before the stated deadline. Admissions are open all year, and there are September and January or February intakes. International payments can be made through Flywire.
Admission is based on a skills assessment interview that stresses oral skills, motivation and personal commitment; international applicants take it by online video at any time of the year. The Bachelor leads to a French Grade de Licence over three years.
Selection includes review of academic transcripts, a language test and a motivation interview, and good English is expected. Entry requirements for Year 1 are: at least 18 years old, a French Baccalaureate or equivalent, a copy of the passport, a CV and a motivation letter in English, and valid health insurance for the whole programme. Direct entry into Year 3 is possible.
Admission is by motivation interview via online video, available at any time of the year, for entry after the Bachelor or a Bac+3 (Bac+3 and post-Bac entry routes exist). Some tracks are accessible to international applicants under conditions set by the International Admissions team.
Every MSc follows an application file and a motivation interview. Entry is either into the first year of a 24-month programme after a Bac+3 or directly into the second year (12 months) after a Bac+4. Applicants may apply to several domains, with selection programme by programme. Professional experience is not a prerequisite. All MSc programmes lead to the Grade de Master and are registered at RNCP level 7.
Proof of language ability at level B2 of the CEFR is required for Bachelor, Master in Management and MSc programmes, in both English-track and French-track programmes. Foundation programmes (Business Foundation Programme, Excelia First Year) require A2 or B1 depending on the programme. Only official certificates are accepted. Proof is not required for applicants holding a qualification from a French-speaking country who apply to a French track. French courses at all levels A1 to C2 are available through the Institut d'Études Françaises.
Applicants typically hold a Master qualification or equivalent and significant professional experience, with a relevant research project and motivation. The file consists of a CV and a cover letter, followed by an interview with the Programme Director if the application is retained. The DBA runs 100% online or hybrid, with sessions in Paris-Cachan.
Nationals of the EU, EEA and Switzerland need no visa. Other students need a long-stay student visa for studies over three months. After enrolment the school issues a pre-enrolment certificate, required for the visa application. Where the Études en France procedure applies, the application goes through the Campus France platform. The visa cannot be obtained after arriving in France, and must be validated online on the ANEF portal within three months of arrival with a €50 tax stamp. A one-off multiservice fee of €350 gives access to administration and support, mobility insurance, reprographics credit, the Exceliaprime platform and Talent Centre coaching.
Immersive Learning Experience (ILE) tools and educational metaverses are used in teaching. Accommodation support covers all campuses through the Studapart housing platform and local social-housing associations.
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