Global MBA

No, each file is assessed independently, regardless of whether you are applying with a partner.

Yes, meetings with an admissions officer can be arranged either on campus or at various MBA fairs around the world. Visit the ‘Meet with us’ page to see where our representatives will be in the coming months and for information on how to schedule an appointment.

No. While we do encourage candidates to visit our campus, this does not affect your chances of admission.

Visa procedures are done through Campus France. ESSEC will provide you with all necessary documents for completing this process in your home country (this is generally finalized at least three months before departure).

The admissions team reviews applications as a whole, looking for overall quality and balance as opposed to any one particular component.

No, for your application to be considered complete, online copies of your documents are sufficient.

Every application is thoroughly reviewed by the admissions board which is comprised of both academic and professional staff, with consideration given to all elements including hard and soft skills that are considered essential for an MBA participant.

Once your application is submitted, it is considered final. If there are major changes that you feel are essential to the proper consideration of your application, you may request permission to submit additional files by contacting the admissions office.

You will have a response from ESSEC Business School within two weeks of submitting your application. If your application is successful, your interview will be scheduled during this two week time frame.

Due to the quantity of applications received, we are unable to provide personalized feedback for non-­admitted candidates.

Deferments are rare and granted under exceptional circumstances only for a maximum of one academic year.

No. All decisions made by the admissions committee are final. You can however, choose to re­apply for the following year.

Applicants must be at least 25 years old at the moment when they apply for the program.

The average age of the cohort is 30 years old, with the age of participants usually ranging from between 25 to 36 years old.

Letters of recommendation are usually a page or two long, single-spaced, although we set no specific page limit.

Your letters of recommendation are related to your professional experience and should represent a mix of supervisors and colleagues or potentially clients if you were in a sales, consulting or a service role.

Additional letters of recommendation are accepted under the condition that they provide a unique insight into a candidate’s profile. Having additional letters of recommendation is not considered an advantage.

The ESSEC Global MBA will accept certified, translated copies of recommendations. Letters of recommendation can also be submitted in French, but this is not preferable.

Letters of recommendation should preferably come from a supervisor, client, or colleague who is not a family member. We encourage you to find a client or colleague who is not part of your family.

The code for this specific program is X6R­FV­57

Your GMAT score is valid for 5 years.

You must take the GMAT prior to the final application deadline (as reflected on the following page) in order to have your official scores sent to the Global MBA administration on time. 

GMAT/GRE Waiver: Submit your application now, send in your test scores later! To ensure you get a spot on the ESSEC Global MBA program, you can apply without GMAT and be accepted into the program pending reception of accepted GMAT scores. You cannot be fully enrolled and benefit from scholarships before ESSEC receives all documents and test scores.

If you have taken the GMAT more than once, we will take the highest score into consideration.

More information about the GMAT, preparation, and registration can be obtained through GMAC.

The Online GMAT scores are accepted.

You may submit an application with a scheduled test date if you have not yet taken the GMAT however your official scores must be received in order for your application to be considered complete.

The TOEFL is required of all prospective students who are not native English speakers or who have not obtained their undergraduate degree from an institution in an English­ speaking country. We also accept the TOEIC and the IELTS. We require a TOEFL score of around 100, IELTS score of 7 and a TOEIC score above 800 for admission.

The TOEFL requirement can be waived on a case-­by-­case basis if you have obtained bilingual fluency in English.

The degree in question must have been conducted fully in English in order to qualify you for the TOEFL waiver.

A Masters or PhD degree conducted in English will make you eligible for the TOEFL waiver if it was completed in an English speaking country.

A minimum of 3 years of professional post-­bachelor work experience is required. Internships are generally not considered as professional work experience.

No, graduate education does not count as work experience.

No, the ESSEC Global MBA is open to candidates from all functions and sectors, as well as to non traditional backgrounds. The most important element of your professional background is that you demonstrate growth and a positive trajectory in your professional development, as well as a passion for pursuing a career in the specialization of your choice.

No, both specializations are open to candidates from all functions and sectors. Each application is reviewed individually and many factors are taken into consideration. For example, you do need to demonstrate a passion for your chosen specialization and motivation to launch your career in that field.

The ESSEC Global MBA is open to non-traditional backgrounds and recognizes the value and international exposure afforded by these types of experiences. The nature of your role in a volunteer organization etc. will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

The work experience considered by the admissions committee is that which is completed after your undergraduate degree program, though this can be discussed on a case­-by­-case basis depending on the nature of the work experience.

There is no specific undergraduate degree that is required for the ESSEC Global MBA. Before enrolling, all admitted participants will be given access to online learning modules in business fundamentals to be completed over the summer in preparation for the core courses in the Fall term.

Prospective candidates who already hold an MBA are eligible to apply, but must make clear in their application their motivation for pursuing a second MBA and how it will aid them in achieving their career goals.

Your undergraduate institution’s reputation does not affect your chances of being admitted, but it is an element of consideration with looking at your GPA and academic credentials.

No, there is no minimum GPA requirement for applying to the ESSEC Global MBA.

All applicants will be interviewed in-person in several cities around the world before admission. If your application is selected, you will be invited to an interview within the two weeks following submission of your application.

The purpose of the interview is to assess your motivation for pursuing an MBA, your professional goals and your potential fit with the program. All interviews are carried out in English, and last on average 30­ to 45 minutes. The interview is comprised of a panel session. During this time representatives from the school and industry professionals will ask you a series of questions that pertain to your application. It is a good idea to have a strong point of view as to why this program, and your preferred specialization, will help you advance in your career. They are also looking for strong and serious business professionals so having a clear objective in the interview will help you to advance into the program.

We encourage all prospective and admitted participants to visit us and to meet the ESSEC Global MBA team. We ask that you coordinate your visit directly with the admissions office so that we can try and schedule your visit for a time when current participants are on campus and might be free to meet with you.

Click here to indicate your interest for a campus visit.

Campus visits are organized on a regular basis, during which prospective candidates will have the opportunity to*: 

• Tour the ESSEC campus in Cergy
• Experience an MBA class
• Meet the Global MBA and Career Services Teams
• Meet with current MBA participants
• Visit a student residence

*Kindly note that the above activities may be subject to change.

Prospective MBA candidates can click here to indicate their interest for a campus visit.

Please note that only one classroom visit is allowed per applicant to reduce disruptions.

ESSEC is located near the station of Cergy ­Préfecture on the RER A and Transilien line L from Paris Saint-Lazare, about 35 km from Paris. If coming from Paris, you will need to buy a metro ticket for Zones 1­ to 5 and take either the train (runs most frequently in the morning and evening) or the RER A (runs all day long) in the direction of Cergy ­le ­Haut. There are two hotels in Cergy that are close to the ESSEC Campus, Ibis (Avenue de Groettes), and Novotel (Avenue du Parc). Otherwise, there are many hotels in Paris at varying price ranges.

Current participants can be contacted through ESSEC Talk for general questions. On a case-by-­case basis, the admissions office can put admitted students in contact with alumni or participants. For privacy reasons, we discourage that you contact alumni or current students directly without an introduction from ESSEC.

Yes, the ESSEC Global MBA frequently organizes networking seminars, events, guest speakers, job fairs, and company visits throughout the year, and has a mentor program that connects current students with alumni. There are over 62,000 ESSEC alumni worldwide. Moreover, the Luxury network is very active in organizing events and alumni can keep in touch through newsletters and social media networks.

Throughout your time at ESSEC, you will be in close contact with a career advisor who is dedicated to providing one-on-one coaching, organizing seminars, workshops and networking events to relate to your individual professional goals.

The careers available after the program vary greatly and depend on your own passion for the specialization and related industries, and the drive to focus on a specific role or function. As noted on the Careers page, our graduates have found success in various industries, functions, and sectors. 

ESSEC helps participants prepare for their job search following the MBA through a series of meetings with the Career Services staff as well as by providing the students with numerous resources and contacts throughout the year. Participants also benefit from training on in-demand hard skills such as Google Analytics, as well as personal branding workshops, preparing them for the job search upon graduation.

Pursuing a career in France can be difficult, but not impossible. It really depends on your ability to learn the language and the job market in France following the completion of your MBA for your particular role. It is impossible to comment further on the probability of employment in any one region, because it really is unique for each student and changes depending on your experience and what skills you would be able to bring to the company upon graduation.

Over 80 cultural, professional, community, and athletic student associations are available at ESSEC. ESSEC is open to new ideas for clubs if the existing groups do not fit your needs or interests.

Many MBA participants choose to live in the school’s residence halls, some located within walking distance of the school with sufficient public transportation available. Participants are also free to find their own housing near campus or in Paris, or to make arrangements with a roommate. 

If you choose to live in Cergy, walking and shuttle services are an easy solution for getting to campus. If you have a car, parking spaces are available in the residence halls and at the school. Cergy is wellserved by public buses and also has a public bike rental program. In terms of transport to and from Paris, there is a train (Transilien line L) that runs in the mornings and evenings that goes to SaintLazare. The RER A runs all day and serves several locations throughout central Paris, including La Défense, which houses ESSEC’s second campus. ESSEC is located at the RER Station CergyPréfecture in zone 5. The commute to most areas in Paris takes approximately 45mins.

Cergy Le Haut is one of the most lively residence among the ones that are offered to post-graduate participants. It's 40 minutes from central Paris By train (RER). It is where most of the international students live and where some parties are organised during weekends. There are many leisure rooms with pool and foosball table, etc. There is also a gym and many people gather to study together in the study rooms.

The studio is basic and with basic furniture. 

1. All the studios (both in Cergy Le Haut, in les Linandes and in Le Port) are furnished and thus they have: a bed + mattress, curtains, a desk, a shelf, a closet, a small kitchen with fridge and shelf and a private bathroom with a shower. You won't have a microwave but it can be purchased for around 30€ at the little shop in the hall at Cergy Le Haut.
2. Cutlery, pots and pans, bedsheets, pillow, blankets are not provided. You can a) bring or buy them once you arrive either in IKEA or in any other shop, or b) you can buy the “starting package” from ALLEGESSEC for around 90€ which includes cups, cutlery, a pan and a pot, a pillow, a blanket, and sheets.
3. Internet is included in the rent in Cergy-le-Haut but needs to be purchased in Les Linandes.
4. The applications normally starts after the results of the last admission session are out.

Click here for more information on the residences you can check out this link: 

and these videos:

Cergy Le Haut: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJANimF7ASw

Les Linandes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jv5i16fGePE

How can I find a room in Singapore? Does ESSEC Asia Pacific offer accomodation?

At the moment, ESSEC Asia-Pacific does not offer accommodation. However, finding a room in Singapore is not as difficult as it might seem. Students of the Master in Management have created a “Flat-hunting guide” on our blog to help you in your search, and you might want to have a look at it.

Part 1: http://blog-msc-management.essec.edu/2016/06/flat-hunting-in-singapore.html

Part 2: http://blog-msc-management.essec.edu/2016/06/flat-hunting-in-singapore-2-student.html

Details on the type of scholarships available are listed on the Financing page. Aspiring candidates may also explore bank loans for studies from their home countries. If you are French or have a French guarantor, ESSEC has partnerships with several French banks. We also have a partnership with an Indian bank, Credila. These loans can be discussed on a personal basis, depending on your circumstances.