When students choose to study business management in France they choose highly specialized and focused instruction. Of the 125,000 international students in France, 35,000 are studying business.

France’s universities and freestanding business schools offer more than 400 recognized degree programs that cover the full range of management disciplines and skills. Fifty universities offer degrees in management as part of their academic curriculum, as do 27 university-based institutes of business administration, 95 university-level institutes of technology, and 40 business schools. Programs are found in every major city in France. Top programs prepare students for careers at the very highest levels of business and government.

Specialized instruction in business got an early start in France with the creation of the first business school in Paris in 1819. Over the years, the content and methods of French business education have kept pace with the continual development of knowledge in economics and changes in business practices. University programs offer a wide range of professional education, from the general to the very specialized that covers all sectors of management as well as advanced research. The very selective programs of the freestanding business schools are in close touch with the realities of business firms and the economic world. They train executives and managers to perform at the highest levels of trade, manufacturing, and services.

Excellence in teaching is assured by a faculty that maintains direct contact with the realities of business life. Most programs benefit from the participation of active managers and directors. Theoretical instruction is often provided by renowned members of the university faculty, particularly at upper levels of the curriculum. Frequent internships enable students continually to test theory against practice. Graduates thus benefit from a well rounded education that includes a strong multicultural and international dimension.

International students are welcomed. They may enter the universities and business schools at various points. Decisions concerning the recognition of applicants’ credentials are made by the enrolling institution. Students are admitted on the basis of their academic record, an entrance examination, or another form of test. Students should inquire directly of the institutions whose programs interest them at least several months prior to the beginning of the program.