The Business Foundation Program
The Business Foundation Programme (BFP) is primarily aimed at international students who are looking to go on to higher education management studies in France. This 1-year or 6-month programme will enable you to acquire the fundamentals of management whilst developing the linguistic and technical skills needed to apply for Excelia’s undergraduate or postgraduate programmes.
Whichever programme you choose afterwards, you’ll be joining a leading French business school and obtaining an internationally recognised qualification.
Why choose the Business Foundation Programme?
- To improve your level of French
- To learn about European academic methodologies, making it easier for you to follow the lessons and progress more quickly
- To acquire the fundamentals of business and management
A programme tailored to your level
The BFP is available as a 1-year or a 6-month programme.
To start the course in September, you must have a minimum A2 level in French.
To start the course in January, you must have a minimum B1 level in French.
A choice of 2 study paths
- 1-year programme (September start date), providing a valuable bridge between your previous studies and your future study programme in France (60 ECTS)
- 6-month fast-track programme (January start date), enabling students who already have a B1 level in French to improve their knowledge and to better prepare for their future study programme in France (30 ECTS)
A choice of study location: La Rochelle or Paris
More about our La Rochelle campus
More about our Paris campus
Pedagogical objectives
- To improve students’ level of French to enable them to follow lessons more easily and to progress more rapidly (objective B1 level by the end of Semester 1 for those joining in September, then B2 at the end of the academic year)
- To train students for the Test d’Evaluation du Français (TEF) and enable them to obtain the required score for admissions to their chosen qualification-awarding programme (possibility of joining the Bachelor in Business, BBA International, Master in Management, Bachelor in Tourism & Hospitality)
- To help students to settle in and to adapt easily and effectively to teaching methods and life in France
- To enable students to embark upon the qualification-awarding programmes with greater confidence
- To enable students to undertake internships in France and then continue their professional lives here
The Business Foundation Programme comprises 850 hours of lessons, broken down as follows:
| 640 HOURS OF FACE-TO-FACE TEACHING IN FLE | Focusing on the 4 skills: oral comprehension, written comprehension, oral expression, and written expression. |
| 30 HOURS OF MANAGEMENT CLASSES | These aim to familiarize students with the economic, political, and cultural environment in France and Europe. |
| 30 HOURS IN INTERCULTURAL MANAGEMENT AND ETHICS | Focusing on the way of life and the approaches to study in Europe and cultural and ethical diversity. |
| 30 HOURS OF METHODOLOGY CLASSES | Which aims to equip students to succeed in higher education via a range of activities: critical analysis, case studies, project work, and critical thinking, etc.) |
| 30 HOURS OF GENERAL CULTURE CLASSES | To provide students with key concepts in philosophy, history, and history of art in Europe. |
| 30 HOURS OF GUEST SPEAKER TALKS | Dealing with a wide variety of topics is generally delivered by experts in their field. |
| PREPARATION FOR THE TEF TEST | Given regularly throughout the year’s classes, students can take the test and achieve B2 level on the CEFRL at the end of the academic year. |
Coaching
The aim of coaching is to give you the opportunity…
- to identify and build your personal project (getting to know yourself better, understanding your aspirations, your motivations, your values, etc.)
- to help you in your choice of programme and study track
- to prepare your communication tools and develop your reasoning, and to be able to present them effectively
- to prepare you to succeed in higher education entrance tests
Prices 2023-2024
| Period | Tuition fee | Multiservices fee* | Total ** |
| From Sept. to June | € 7 500 | € 250 | € 7750 |
| From Jan. to June | € 5 300 | € 125 | € 5425 |
* Multi-services fee allows access to School’s multimedia network, Internet, media library, international student card (ISIC).
** The total is given without the Contribution Vie Étudiante CROUS (CVEC) of 95€, which must be paid directly to the CROUS (National Students Office) to get a receipt allowing students to complete their registration. Click here for more info!