ESSEC Business School is a non-profit business school founded in 1907, with campuses in Paris-Cergy, Paris-La Défense, Rabat and Singapore. It reports 8,543 students in bachelor’s and master’s programmes, 38.29% of them international.[1] Its Master in Management (Grande École) was ranked 10th in the Financial Times Masters in Management ranking 2025;[2] a press report of the 2026 results gives joint 13th.[3]
The programme pages we read do not publish a tuition amount for the Grande École. They list a €180 application fee, a €6,000 deposit and a €10,000 ESSEC Scholarship open to all international applicants.[2] Applicants need a management test (GMAT, GRE, TAGE MAGE or CAT), an English test unless exempt, and a 45-minute video interview in English.[4]
Key facts
| Official name | ESSEC Business School |
| Location | Cergy, France (3 avenue Bernard Hirsch, CS 50105, 95021 Cergy-Pontoise Cedex)[5] |
| Campuses | Paris-Cergy, Paris-La Défense, Rabat (Morocco) and Singapore[1] |
| Type | Non-profit organisation under the French Law of 1901[1] |
| Founded | 1907, as the Economic Institute within the École Sainte-Geneviève[6] |
| Students | 8,543 in bachelor’s and master’s programmes, 38.29% of them international; 5,000 managers and executives trained each year in Executive Education[1] |
| Faculty and alumni | 171 professors from 37 nationalities plus 26 emeritus professors; 79,000 alumni[1] |
| Master in Management (Grande École) | Flexible Track (2 to 3 years) and Intensive Track (1 year); courses in English or French depending on the track[4] |
| Accreditations | EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA (“Triple Crown”)[2] |
| FT Masters in Management | 10th in 2025; joint 13th in 2026 (press report)[3] |
| Tuition, Master in Management | No amount published on the programme pages we read; €180 application fee, €6,000 deposit[2] |
| Admission with a degree | Bachelor’s degree of at least three years; management test; English test; 45-minute video interview in English[4] |
| Official website | essec.edu |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 5 November 2026.
About ESSEC Business School
ESSEC dates back to 1907, when the Economic Institute was set up within the École Sainte-Geneviève.[6] In 1973 it moved from rue d’Assas in Paris to Cergy-Pontoise. Executive Education, launched in 1967, moved to the CNIT in La Défense in 1989. ESSEC established a presence in Singapore in 2005 and opened its own campus there in 2015; the Rabat campus (ESSEC Africa) opened in 2017.[6]
ESSEC describes itself as a non-profit organisation under the French Law of 1901 and reports 171 professors from 37 nationalities, 240 partner schools and universities in 50 countries and 79,000 alumni.[1] Its Master in Management pages name Cergy, Singapore and Rabat as the places where the programme is taught;[4] The history page mentions La Défense as the place Executive Education moved to in 1989.[6]
How is ESSEC Business School ranked?
ESSEC’s Master in Management programme page states 10th in the Financial Times Masters in Management ranking (2025).[2] A press report on the results published on 7 September 2026 gives ESSEC joint 13th worldwide in 2026, down three places from 10th in 2025.[3] ESSEC’s own pages we read still show the 2025 position.
ESSEC’s rankings page lists further 2026 results: Master in Management 2nd in France (Le Point and Le Figaro Étudiant), Master in Finance 4th worldwide (Financial Times) and European Business School ranking 7th in Europe (Financial Times).[7] The Financial Times 2026 MBA ranking places the full-time Global MBA 24th worldwide, up 23 places.[8] These are rankings of schools and single programmes, not an overall QS World University Rank. We found no QS World University Rankings 2027 position for ESSEC in the sources we read. Rankings differ by publisher and year. How we compile rankings.
What can you study at ESSEC Business School?
The main programme for international students entering France is the Master in Management (Grande École). It is open through two routes: the concours route, for candidates coming out of French classes préparatoires, and admission with a degree of at least three years from a top French or international institution.[9] Its master’s grade (BAC+5) is recognised by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research.[2]
- Flexible Track (2 to 3 years): up to two-thirds of the curriculum is self-designed, with more than 50 specialisations, and a minimum of 8 months of professional experience during the programme.[4]
- Intensive Track (1 year): for students with prior professional and international experience, with at least 6 months of professional experience before joining. It is offered on the Paris-Cergy campus only, and apprenticeships are not allowed.[4]
ESSEC also lists Masters and MSc programmes, Advanced Masters, a Global MBA, an Executive MBA, a Global BBA and a PhD.[10]
How much does ESSEC Business School cost?
The Master in Management programme pages state that tuition, registration and service fees are “all taxes included”, but they do not give a tuition amount for any track, campus or intake.[2] The service fee is paid in one instalment and covers the whole programme.[2] For the exact price, use the Financing tab of the programme page or the brochure.
Amounts ESSEC names
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee (non-refundable) | €180 |
| Deposit after admission, deducted from tuition | €6,000 (€500 for CROUS or Cap ESSEC scholarship holders) |
| ESSEC Scholarship for international applicants | €10,000 |
The application fee, deposit and scholarship are stated on the programme page. The deposit is due within two weeks of admission.[2]
The ESSEC registrar’s page on CROUS exemptions, written for students entering in 2026/27 and later, names further Grande École amounts: €2,000 registration rights per academic year, €2,620 of contributions in the first year, €2,500 per year for additional years (years 4 and 5) and €50 preventive medicine per year. It calculates the exemption from a base of €19,100 multiplied by the exemption percentage and the number of academic years.[11] The page does not label €19,100 as the price list, so we cannot confirm it as the tuition amount.
Scholarships and exemptions
- Open to non-French candidates: the Eiffel Excellence Scholarship (a monthly allowance of €1,181 plus an international return journey and social security cover; candidates under 30 when the committee meets).[2]
- Apprentices on the Flexible Track pay no tuition for the programme, although other charges may apply.[2]
- CROUS grant holders at levels 4 to 7 get a full exemption from Grande École tuition from the 2026 academic year, according to an announcement of 10 October 2025. They still pay tuition rights and association contributions.[12]
How do you apply to ESSEC Business School?
For admission with a degree (Master in Management), the steps are an online application with documents, shortlisting, a 45-minute video interview in English, and the admission result. Admitted students sign the student contract and pay the deposit within two weeks.[4]
- Degree: at least a bachelor’s degree of three years, from a top university or school.[9]
- Management test (mandatory): GMAT, GRE, TAGE MAGE or CAT (for Indian applicants). GMAT Quiz scores are not accepted.[4]
- Documents: one-page CV, diplomas and authenticated transcripts, two recommendations (one academic and one professional recommended), ID and a photo. Intensive Track applicants also provide proof of employment.[4]
- Interview: assesses personality, values and the fit between your professional project and the programme.[4]
Candidates from French classes préparatoires apply through the concours route; the page we read redirects to a French-language page for it, which we did not use.[9] We give no deadlines because they change every year.
Which language level do you need?
An English test is mandatory: TOEIC Listening & Reading (minimum 850), IELTS Academic (6.5), TOEFL iBT (95 of 120) or Cambridge B2 First (175). Tests must be no more than two years old at the application deadline. Applicants with an international degree are exempt if they completed at least three years of full-time study taught entirely in English.[4]
Courses are taught in English or French depending on the track, and all Singapore tracks are taught entirely in English. A foreign-language course is mandatory, and non-French speakers must take a French course.[4] The page does not name a French level for entry.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does ESSEC Business School cost?
The Master in Management programme pages do not state a tuition amount. They list a €180 application fee and a €6,000 deposit that is deducted from tuition.[2] The registrar’s page on CROUS exemptions gives other Grande École amounts for 2026/27 entrants but does not present them as a price list.[11]
Is ESSEC in the QS World University Rankings?
We found no QS World University Rankings 2027 position for ESSEC in the sources we read. ESSEC’s own rankings page lists Financial Times, French press and some QS programme rankings.[7]
How is the ESSEC Master in Management ranked?
Which campuses does ESSEC have?
Do I need to speak French to study at ESSEC?
Not necessarily. Courses are in English or French depending on the track and all Singapore tracks are taught in English, but non-French speakers must take a French course.[4]
More about studying in France
- France: best universities
- Study in France: complete guide
- Cost of Studying Abroad
- International Student Scholarships
- University Ranking Methodology
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Sources
[1] ESSEC: About ESSEC Business School (page without a date; footer 2026, refers to the Annual Report 2025)
[2] ESSEC: Master in Management, international applicants (page without a date; states the 2025 FT position)
[3] Planète Grandes Écoles: Financial Times Masters in Management ranking 2026 (press report of 7 Sep 2026)
[4] ESSEC: Master in Management, admission with a degree (page without a date)
[5] ESSEC: Contacts (page without a date)
[6] ESSEC: History (page without a date)
[7] ESSEC: Rankings (page without a date; lists results from 2025 and 2026)
[8] ESSEC: Financial Times 2026 MBA ranking, ESSEC ascends to 24th worldwide (news item of 16 Feb 2026)
[9] ESSEC: Master in Management (Grande École) (page without a date)
[10] ESSEC: Homepage (programme navigation) (page without a date)
[11] ESSEC Registrar: CROUS partial exemption from your tuition fees (page modified on 18 May, year not shown; applies to 2026/27 entrants)
[12] ESSEC: Tuition exemption for CROUS grant holders, levels 4 to 7 (French) (news item of 10 Oct 2025)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.