France: BBA-ESSEC

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.

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.

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 are those charges billed directly to your UNC ConnectCarolina account.

Funding your global program

The Undergraduate Business Program offers scholarships to support our students who wish to participate on a global program. Please visit the Scholarships and Financial Aid page to learn more.

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.