France: BBA-ESSEC | UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School

BBA-ESSEC is the undergraduate business program within the ESSEC Business School. Founded in 1913, ESSEC is placed consistently at the top of business school rankings in France. It is part of the elite grande école system and is AACSB and EQUIS accredited. French students undergo a rigorous selection process for admission, with a total undergraduate population of just over 4,000 students.

BBA-ESSEC is located in Cergy-Pontoise, a suburb of Paris developed in the 1960s that has around 200,000 inhabitants. ESSEC, previously located in Montparnasse, relocated to Cergy in order to expand and build an American-style residential campus. You will find modern services and shops readily available, along with campus activities, sports clubs and dormitories. Cergy’s convenient location means you can easily take the train to Paris for evenings and weekends and travel widely in Europe.

Quick Facts & Links

GPA Requirement: 3.00
Program Options: Exchange
- On an Exchange program, students “trade” places with a student from another institution and pay UNC tuition and fees. Please thoroughly review the “program cost” section below for specific information. For additional information about program types, click here.
Language of Instruction: English, French
Program Dates:
- Fall: September 2 to December 19, 2024 (includes exams)
  - Mandatory Orientation: August 30, 2024
  - Latest arrival date: August 29, 2024
  - Earliest departure date: December 20, 2024
- Spring: February 26 to June 13, 2025 (includes exams)
  - Mandatory Orientation: February 28, 2025
  - Latest arrival date: Late February 2025 (official dates are TBD)
  - Earliest departure date: Mid-June 2025 (official dates are TBD)
Visit the BBA-ESSEC Incoming International Exchange Program website for more information
Meet program alumni
Accessibility Resources

Application Information

	This Program’s Level of Competitiveness = 2 Level of Competitiveness (1 = least, 3 = most)
1	Chance of acceptance is probable if students meet the minimum requirements.
2	Most students are typically accepted.
3	This is one of the most competitive programs. We recommend having a back-up option in mind.

Apply for a Kenan-Flagler Global Program and Global Programs scholarship through the same application system using your Kenan-Flagler credentials. Click the Apply Now button below to learn more about application deadlines, requirements, and to start your application!

Apply Now

Program Logistics

Academics

Please visit Global Academic Procedures for detailed credit and other academic information.

BBA ESSEC has a significant international community with over 90 nationalities represented. Courses are taught in English and French, and the school offers beginning through advanced French language courses, including Business French. BBA ESSEC has mostly business elective courses and is suitable for second semester junior and senior undergraduate business majors. Most UNC students take 7-8 short courses to transfer 12-15 UNC credit hours.

Courses taken at the BBA-ESSEC will transfer back to UNC Pass (BBA-ESSEC grade of 10 and above)/Fail (BBA-ESSEC grade below 10). Pass grades do not affect your UNC GPA. Fail grades transfer back to UNC as Fs, which will affect your UNC GPA. Though transfer credit for this program is Pass/Fail, future employers and graduate schools will also look at the BBA-ESSEC transcript, so grades are important.

You will transfer back .6 UNC credits for every 1 ECTS credit, and are expected to take at least 20 ECTS credits (worth 12 UNC credits) total during the semester. Most courses at BBA-ESSEC are worth 4 ECTS credits, which is the equivalent of 2.4 credits. If you earn a 10 grade or better in all courses you will earn a total of 12-18 UNC credits for your semester abroad, depending on how many ECTS credits you take (between 20-30 ECTS). For students looking to study at ESSEC in the Fall of 2024 and beyond, view the ‘Credit Hour Conversions’ accordion on the ‘Academics Procedures‘ page for more information on credit hour conversion from ESSEC to UNC as the above guidance is for the Academic Year 2023-2024, and the credit hour conversion is slightly shifting starting Fall 2024.

This program also fulfills the Experiential Education requirement or the High Impact Experience requirement (if you are under the new IDEAs curriculum). Full-time enrollment in this program is defined as a minimum of 12 credit hours.

Language Prerequisite: No prior French language experience required; we require students to take at least one language or business course (or another discipline’s course) in French during their semester abroad*

Language of Instruction: English/French*

*Students can choose to take a French language course or a BUSI course (or another discipline’s course) taught in French. The program offers courses in both English and French; you may enroll in a course taught in French if you fulfill the minimum language prerequisite for that specific course.

Housing

BBA-ESSEC guarantees housing for visiting exchange students in dorms located a short commute from campus, and most Kenan-Flagler students choose this housing option for ease of access to classes. French and international students live in the dormitories and they provide a great opportunity for social interaction. The dormitories have single rooms in apartment-style accommodation with a kitchenette and all furnishings provided. The dormitories have fitness facilities and shared lounges within the building. Learn more about accommodation at ESSEC on the ALEGESSEC page.

You may also choose to independently search for an apartment in Paris. Cergy-Pontoise is about a 45-minute commute by RER train from the center of Paris.

Program Cost

We suggest you create your global programs budget using our budget worksheet (xlsx) to help you think about your costs on this program:

Populate the figures from the tables below into the left side costs of attendance
Input your financial resources on the right

Your customized budget sheet can help determine your current financial status, and help you understand what additional funding you may need to help make this an affordable program option.

Cashier Billed Expenses*
Expense	Estimated Amount
UNC Tuition and Fees	Use the amount on the Tuition and Fees line and divide by 2 to get your cost
Fee UG Business Major/Minor	Based on major/minor enrollment
Global Programs Administrative Fee	$700
GeoBlue International Medical Insurance	$180

*Cashier Billed Expenses are those charges billed directly to your UNC ConnectCarolina account.

Out of Pocket Estimates**
Expense	Estimated Amount
International Airfare	$1,650
Housing	$4,070
Meals	$1,100
Immigration Visa/Residence Permit****	$500
Passport Application Fee	$165
Course Materials	$350
International Cell Phone Plan	$350
Personal Expenses
Travel Insurance	$400
Local Transportation	$350
Miscelleanous	$2,050


Other Personal Expenses***

Total Estimated Expenses (In-State):	$17,370
Total Estimated Expenses (Out-of-State):	$33,474

Withdrawal Policy: Once a student accepts their offer/enrolls on a study abroad program, the spot will be considered filled and will not be offered to another student. Students who withdraw from UBP Global are responsible for non-recoverable costs including the Global Programs Administrative Fee. Your student account will be assessed charges to cover any/all amounts that Kenan-Flagler UBP Global programs has committed or paid on your behalf and are non-recoverable at the time of withdrawal. Such costs include, housing, meals, transportation and any expenses that may be associated with faculty and support participation on your program (if applicable).

**Out of Pocket Estimates are based on the cost of the program, which is determined by combining the average costs our previous students have spent in each of these categories, along with the costs our partner provides to us as their averages. These estimates are subject to change based on exchange rate fluctuations, bank fees, and individual variances in costs of living.

***Other Expenses: our budget worksheet (xlsx) also has a place for you to input other expenses outside of the out-of-pocket estimates that you may incur, such as attending concerts or sporting events.

****This cost can vary greatly based upon visa requirements and distance of travel to the nearest visa office.

Funding your global program

Scholarships & Financial Aid

Travel Documents

Do you have a valid passport? If yes, check your passport’s expiration date to ensure that your passport is valid at least 6 months after your program’s scheduled end date. If not, you’ll need to submit a passport renewal application.

Do you need to apply for a passport (first time or renew)? If yes, we recommend that you get started on your passport application right away as you’ll need time to collect documents like your birth certificate to include as part of your application. For complete instructions click here.

Will I need immigration documents? If you are accepted into this program you will need to travel to a French consulate/embassy in the United States to obtain a visa permitting you to study in France. For this appointment, you will need your passport in hand along with other documentation from our office and the host university office. Please set up an appointment with your Global Programs Advisor to discuss.

Meet with an Advisor

UBP students can schedule a meeting to learn more about this and other programs by clicking on the “Schedule Appointment” link below.

Schedule Appointment

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