By Shruti Menon Seeboo
Audencia Business School, located in Nantes, France, is one of Europe’s top business schools, offering a world-class education with a global perspective. For Mauritian students looking to study abroad, Audencia provides the perfect blend of academic rigor and rich cultural experience. Known for its innovative programs and strong international network, Audencia equips students with the skills needed to excel in today’s competitive business environment. Studying in France offers Mauritian students not only an opportunity for academic growth but also the chance to immerse themselves in French culture and experience life in one of Europe’s most vibrant cities.
Founded in 1900, Audencia offers a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and MBA programs that combine solid academic foundations with hands-on business experience. With its diverse, multicultural student body, Audencia creates a dynamic learning environment that encourages collaboration and fosters a global mindset. For Mauritians, studying at Audencia means gaining access to top-tier education while experiencing life in the heart of France.
We recently interviewed Adrien Bernard, the Admissions Manager for Africa at Audencia, who plays a crucial role in supporting prospective students from the African continent, including Mauritius. Adrien is dedicated to helping students understand the admissions process, exploring the range of programs offered by the school, and ensuring they are well-prepared for their academic journey in France.
Adrien and the Audencia team will be attending the Annual International Study Fair, hosted by Campus Abroad, on November 23-24, 2024, at the Henessey Hotel, Ebene. This event provides an excellent opportunity for Mauritian students to connect with Audencia’s admissions team, learn more about the school’s programs, and discover how studying in France can help shape their future career in business. Excerpts:
- How does Audencia’s global network and diverse student body contribute to a rich learning experience for students, especially those from Mauritius?
With 7,200+ students (a third of which are international students, representing 100+ nationalities) at Audencia, and a network of 34,000+ alumni all over the world, Audencia Business School is proud to be a real melting pot of cultures and origins. This is the occasion for our students, professors, and staff members to discover new ways of working, solving problems, studying. Being in an international environment such as the one we have at Audencia Business School is as important as the content of the classes. Our students from all over the world have the opportunity to create lifelong relationships, network, and even create businesses together.
2. What are the language requirements for international students at Audencia? Are there programs specifically designed for non-French speakers?
All programs offered at Audencia are taught in English; we require an IELTS 6.0 or TOEIC 750 or TOEFL iBT 84 or Duolingo 100 (students who had a previous program 100% taught in English can have a waiver). For students looking for a program taught in French, the only possibility is our Bachelor in Management; while being offered 100% in English, there is also a 100% French-taught track (requirements are either having studied fully in French before, or a Delf-DALF C1). This French Track still requires some English proficiency (TOEIC 550 or TOEFL iBT 42 or IELTS 4 or Duolingo 60).
3. What specific programs and specialisations does Audencia offer that align with the needs and aspirations of Mauritian students? How do these programs prepare students for successful careers in a globalised world?
Our 4-year BBA Data, Artificial Intelligence & Management is a joint degree program by Audencia, a top 10 Business School in France, and Centrale Nantes, a top 5 engineering school in France. This 4-year program allows students to have 12 months of academic exchanges in Morocco and China as well as 12 months of internships during the cursus. When students are in France, they have classes in both Audencia Business School campus and Centrale Nantes campus; there is literally just a road to cross to move from one to another. With classes focusing on managerial expertise (marketing, management, strategy, etc.) and advanced technical skills (AI & Data Mining, Blockchain & Purchasing, Fintech, etc.), our graduates are ready to either take on challenging job opportunities or carry on studying a Master’s degree.
4. Could you elaborate on the double degree programs that Audencia offers in collaboration with other international institutions? How do these programs benefit students, especially in terms of career prospects and global exposure?
Students enrolled in our Master in Management, our flagship program, can benefit from our excellent relations with other worldclass institutions. After a first year of advanced management courses, students can opt for several options including doing a double degree with one of our partners. Here are a few examples: Boston University or UC Berkeley Extension in the US, Nagoya UCB in Japan, Tec of Monterrey in Mexico, etc. The possibilities are many, offering our students the opportunity to go study abroad and acquire unique experiences and memories that will help them in their future career prospects. Recruiters often look for people who spent time abroad as it shows the capabilities of adaptation and open-mindedness.
5. How does Audencia integrate experiential learning opportunities, such as internships, work placements, and study abroad programs, into its curriculum to enhance students’ practical skills and global exposure? How does Audencia collaborate with industries to ensure that its programs are relevant to the current job market? Are there any specific industry partnerships that offer internship or job placement opportunities for students?
Whether it be for internships, study abroad programs, or relations with our graduates, Audencia has a specific department and staff who have an expertise in these areas. It allows our students to trust Audencia Business School in giving its best to help them towards their objectives; They are looking for an internship; They can count on our career counsellors to help them with their CV, letter of motivation, interview coaching, and access to job boards. While Audencia does not place students for internships or jobs, we offer them the best tools and services possible to help them achieve what they want. They need to get in touch with an Audencia alum from a specific industry. Our alumni relations experts will do their best to help them connect with each other. They want to go study in a specific country. Our Mobility department will go over the different possibilities and partners with them.
As for making sure our programs are still in tune with the current trends, we have experts coming directly from partner companies to give classes to our students or asking them to help solve real-life issues they are having, even sometimes organising hackathons.
6. What are the opportunities for Audencia graduates to find employment in Europe, Africa, or elsewhere after completing their studies? Does Audencia provide career counselling and job placement services to its international students?
International students interested in staying in France after their studies can do so once they graduate from a master’s degree, thanks to the Temporary Resident Permit (APS – Autorisation Provisoire de Séjour). After a bachelor’s degree, 75% of our students carry on studying with a Master’s degree either at Audencia Business School or elsewhere. The APS gives one year to recent graduates to either create their company or find a job; as Audencia alumni, they can still benefit from the support and expertise of our Career and Corporate Relations Center even after their studies (free of charge), and benefit from the network former students that graduated from our programs. Since we do not provide job placements, all these tools and networks are invaluable to our students to help them secure their dream job.
7. What financial aid and scholarship opportunities are available to Mauritian students who wish to study at Audencia?
Audencia has always had a strong scholarship policy for its international students; our objective is to support the projects of students from all over the world and increase the diversity of nationalities present in the campuses of Audencia. We strongly believe that a diversity of opinions, of mindsets, of cultures is a plus for a society as a whole. For all students completing their application on our website before January 31st, 2025, we will offer a discount of 4500€ that can be cumulated with our academic merit-based scholarship going up to 30% off tuition fees for high achieving students.
8. What kind of support services does Audencia offer to international students, such as accommodation, visa assistance, and cultural orientation? How does the school foster a welcoming and inclusive campus environment?
Thanks to our Student Life Department, our international students feel part of Audencia Business School even before setting a foot on one of our campuses. This department will help students find an accommodation according to their own criteria by giving them access to specific platforms where the students can directly get in touch with people from Nantes or Paris looking to rent their apartment. We can also arrange a stay in a host-family if students want the full French experience and immersion. The Student Life Department will also help the students in their visa process by providing tips on how to apply, how to open a bank account, setting up their health insurance, preparing their arrival in France. That Department organizes all year long webinars where they share these tips, and we always invite all our international students.
9. Could you provide some guidance on the visa and immigration process for Mauritian students wishing to study in France? Are there any specific documents or requirements that students should be aware of?
Given the good governmental relations between Mauritius and France, the student visa process is smooth and easy. All steps for the visa are handled by a French governmental agency in charge of promoting the French Higher Education environment called Campus France, that also has a branch in Beau Bassin-Rose Hill. The staff of Campus France asks the students for several documents and there is also an interview between the students and staff to discuss of the study project and prepare the visa request. The students should make sure to also prepare the Irrevocable Transfer Confirmation, a proof that they have a certain amount of money (around 7380€) on a blocked bank account that will be unblocked when they arrive in France. It helps the student justify their financial resources for their studies in France.
10. What kind of extracurricular activities, clubs, and organizations are available to international students at Audencia? How does the school foster a sense of community and belonging among its diverse student body?
At Audencia, we give priority of course to the classes taken by our students, to their studies and success, but we also believe that success comes thanks to a rich student life that includes student clubs and unions. On our campuses, international students can find several types of student clubs: clubs for arts (dance, cheerleading, musical), sports (rugby, football, basketball), junior enterprises (student-run organisations which can provide services for companies and institutions) in finance or consulting, etc. All students no matter their origin or study program are free to join one of these clubs and take a more important part in the life of Audencia.
11. What is the estimated cost of living for students in Nantes, including accommodation, food, and transportation? Are there any tips for students to manage their budget effectively?
It is very important for international students to know the tuition fees of course, but also the average monthly cost of living in the cities where we are located. In Nantes, the accommodation can be between 400 and 650€ a month while food can be around 200€ per month. For everything related to leisure, it really depends on each student and how much they want to go out in restaurants or cinemas or bars, but we estimate that to be around 100€ per month. All in all, we would recommend students to prepare a budget of 1000€ to live each month in Nantes, and 1500€ in Paris, not including tuition fees.
