Excelia Business School
Excelia Business School is a triple-crown-accredited (AACSB, EQUIS, AMBA) French grande école operating as the management arm of Excelia Group, delivering undergraduate to doctoral business programmes across campuses in La Rochelle, Paris-Cachan, Tours, and Orléans to domestic and international students, and serving corporate recruiters via dedicated employer engagement.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1988
- HeadquartersLa Rochelle, France
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Excelia Business School does
Excelia Business School is the management school of Excelia Group, a private French higher education institution founded in 1988 (formerly ESC La Rochelle) and structured as an association under the 1901 French Association Law. Excelia Group operates four schools — Excelia Business School, Excelia Hotel & Tourism School, Excelia Communication School, and Excelia International Institute — across four campuses in La Rochelle, Paris-Cachan, Tours, and Orléans. The institution serves prospective undergraduate and postgraduate students, international exchange students, and corporate employers, delivering a portfolio of more than 30 programmes spanning bachelor, master, MSc, MBA, doctoral, executive education, language, and short programme formats in business, hospitality, tourism, communication, and languages.
Excelia's core technology stack comprises web-based learning management systems, digital accessibility infrastructure, and student-facing platforms including XL Connect, WEBGAIA, and Get Ready for Excelia. The platform is complemented by digital learning innovation for faculty-developed simulations such as the 2026-launched Blue Market Challenge. The school is triple-crown accredited (AACSB since 2013, EQUIS since 2020, AMBA since 2020) and holds a dense cluster of French state credentials (VISA, Grade de Licence, Grade de Master, EESPIG, Bienvenue en France, FLE Qualité, SD&RS), making it one of fewer than 140 French management schools to hold the Bienvenue en France label. It ranked #33 globally in the Financial Times Master in Management ranking and #54 overall in the FT Business Schools ranking in 2023.
The business model is tuition-driven (B2C), organised across three revenue streams: degree programme tuition for BBA, Master in Management, MSc, MBA, bachelor and doctoral programmes charged annually; continuing and professional development via the Executive Education Centre; and shorter-format summer and winter school programmes priced as one-time fees. Tuition is not publicly disclosed, requiring direct admissions inquiry, and varies by programme level, format, and residency status. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through an online application portal, regional international offices, dedicated corporate relations for graduate recruitment, and exchange pipelines from 200+ partner universities via Erasmus+ and bilateral agreements. The institution is governed as a not-for-profit, co-founded by the La Rochelle Chamber of Commerce and Industry, La Rochelle Conurbation, the Conseil Général of Charente-Maritime, and the Poitou-Charentes Regional Council.
Excelia Business School firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Excelia Business School
- Legal name
- EXCELIA Group
- Website
- https://excelia-group.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1988
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Excelia Business School is a triple-crown-accredited (AACSB, EQUIS, AMBA) French grande école operating as the management arm of Excelia Group, delivering undergraduate to doctoral business programmes across campuses in La Rochelle, Paris-Cachan, Tours, and Orléans to domestic and international students, and serving corporate recruiters via dedicated employer engagement.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Excelia Business School industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education / Business School
- NAICS
- Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Undergraduate Business Schools (BBA/BSBA Programs) (EDAHAHAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Executive Education & Corporate Programs (Non-degree) (EDAHAHAN), Marketing, Sales & Brand Management Schools (EDAHAHAE), Consortia & Network Exchange Programs (EDAIABAF)
Keywords
Where Excelia Business School is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- La Rochelle
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Excelia Business School business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Degree Programme Tuition: Revenue from undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes including BBA, Master in Management, MSc, and MBA programmes. Tuition fees charged per academic year with variation based on programme level and format.
- Professional Development: Continuing education and professional development courses for working professionals seeking skill enhancement or career transition.
- Summer and Winter School Programmes: Short-term intensive programmes for international students seeking academic credit or professional certificates during vacation periods.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Degree programmes - Contact for pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Excelia Business School product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Excelia Business School is a French triple-accredited higher education institution offering degree programmes (Bachelor in Business, BBA International, Master in Management Grande École, MSc specialisations, and Doctorate in Business Administration), executive education, language programmes, and short Summer/Winter schools. Programmes are delivered across four campuses in La Rochelle, Paris-Cachan, Tours, and Orléans, with work-study and international exchange options through 200+ partner universities. The broader Excelia Group also encompasses the Excelia Hotel & Tourism School and the Excelia Communication School.
Product overview
Excelia Business School is a group of dynamic, responsible and international schools offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programmes. The school operates as a multi-brand institution comprising Excelia Business School (management programmes), Excelia Hotel & Tourism School (hospitality and tourism programmes), and Excelia Communication School (digital communication programmes). The programme portfolio spans undergraduate to doctoral levels across Business & Management, Tourism, Communication, and Languages and Cultures disciplines. The school offers over 30 outstanding study programmes including Bachelor degrees (Bachelor in Business, BBA International, Bachelor in Hospitality tracks), Master programmes (Master in Management Grande École, MSc specializations), doctoral programmes, executive education, and short programmes including Summer/Winter schools. The institution is triple-accredited (EQUIS, AACSB, AMBA) and ranks among the best business schools globally according to the Financial Times.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Master in Management (Programme Grande École) A 5-year postgraduate qualification in high-level management offered in La Rochelle, Tours, and Paris-Cachan campuses. The last 3 years constitute the core Master in Management programme, designed for high school graduates seeking the French Grande École pathway.
- Bachelor in Business A 3-year undergraduate qualification in general business management and administration offered across La Rochelle, Tours, Paris-Cachan, and Orléans campuses, with specialisations in Digital Marketing, Sales Management, Banking & Insurance, International Business, Entrepreneurship, and Management tracks.
- BBA International A 4-year undergraduate qualification in international management offered in La Rochelle (Year 2 and Year 4) and Paris (Year 2 and Year 3), designed for students seeking a strongly internationalised bachelor's pathway.
- Master of Science (MSc) MSc programmes offering specializations in Marketing, Management, Finance, Entrepreneurship, Purchasing & Supply Chain, Digital Marketing, Sustainable Finance, International Corporate Finance, Sustainable Global Supply Chain Management, and Sustainable Luxury & Brand Management.
- Doctorate in Business Administration Doctoral programme offered by Excelia Business School for advanced business research, designed for candidates pursuing academic or high-level practitioner research at the doctorate level.
- Bachelor in Hospitality - Hotel Management Track A 3-year undergraduate qualification in hospitality and hotel management offered by the Excelia Hotel & Tourism School.
- Bachelor in Hospitality - Tourism Management Track A 3-year undergraduate qualification in tourism management offered by the Excelia Hotel & Tourism School in La Rochelle and Tours campuses.
- MSc in International Hospitality Master of Science in International Hospitality Management offered by the Excelia Hotel & Tourism School.
- MSc in International Event Master of Science in International Event Management offered by the Excelia Hotel & Tourism School.
- MSc in Tourism Products and Project Development Master of Science in Tourism Products and Project Development offered by the Excelia Hotel & Tourism School.
- Bachelor in Digital Communication & Strategy A 3-year undergraduate qualification in digital communication and strategy offered by the Excelia Communication School.
- MSc in Digital Communication & Visual Design Master of Science in Digital Communication and Visual Design offered by the Excelia Communication School.
- MSc in Digital Communication, Influence Marketing & New Realities Master of Science in Digital Communication, Influence Marketing and New Realities offered by the Excelia Communication School in Tours and La Rochelle.
- MSc in Digital Communication & Audiovisual Production Master of Science in Digital Communication and Audiovisual Production offered by the Excelia Communication School.
- MSc in Digital Communication & Event Strategy Master of Science in Digital Communication and Event Strategy offered by the Excelia Communication School in Orléans.
- International Foundation Programme Foundation programme for international students to prepare for higher education studies at Excelia.
- French Intensive Programme Intensive French language programme for international students delivered by the IEF French Language Institute within Excelia.
- English Intensive Programme Intensive English language programme offered by Excelia's International Institute.
- Summer & Winter School Short study programmes offered during summer and winter breaks, including Corporate Social Responsibility & Event Management, Fashion Design & Luxury Industry Management, French Language Culture & Gastronomy, User Experience & Web-Design, and Family Business & Entrepreneurship, for international students seeking academic credit or professional certificates.
- Excelia Business School Executive Education Centre Executive education programmes for working professionals offered by Excelia Business School for skill enhancement and career transition.
- Blue Market Challenge (immersive learning simulation) An immersive learning experience simulation for Year 3 Bachelor in Business students at Excelia Business School. Students take on the role of consultants analysing regional markets across Brittany, Occitania, and Île-de-France to identify weak signals, assess risks, and make trade-offs under uncertainty, with a focus on water management issues to train students to identify risks before a crisis arises. Designed by faculty member Ludivine Destoumieux with support from Excelia's Digital Learning & Innovation team.
Quantifiable outcome
- Financial Times #33 ranking for Master in Management (2023)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Excelia Business School
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Excelia Business School technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Excelia Business School partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered founding and core.
- La Rochelle Chamber of Commerce and IndustryfoundingFounding co-originator of Excelia Business School alongside other regional public entities, establishing the institution's roots in the local business community and providing ongoing institutional support and industry connections.
- La Rochelle ConurbationfoundingFounding co-originator representing the metropolitan area of La Rochelle, contributing to the establishment and regional development of the business school.
- Conseil Général of Charente-MaritimefoundingDepartmental council that co-founded Excelia as a public-private initiative, providing regional government support and institutional backing for the business school's mission.
- Poitou-Charentes Regional CouncilfoundingRegional council that co-founded Excelia, contributing regional development funding and policy support for the establishment of higher education in the Poitou-Charentes region.
- Erasmus+ Partner UniversitiescoreEuropean exchange programme partnerships enabling student mobility within the Erasmus+ framework, allowing exchange students to study at Excelia for one or two semesters and earn academic credits toward their home degree programmes.
- International Partner Universities (200+)coreGlobal network of over 200 universities worldwide offering bilateral exchange agreements, double degree programmes, and collaborative academic initiatives for international student exchanges and faculty mobility.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Excelia Business School competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- TBS Education (Toulouse Business School): Triple-accredited French business school with campuses in Toulouse, Paris, Barcelona, Casablanca, and London. Direct peer on accreditation, programme mix (BBA, MSc, MBA, DBA), and FT ranking tier.
- ESSCA School of Management: AACSB and EQUIS-accredited French business school (pursuing AMBA) with campuses in Angers, Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Aix-en-Provence, and Budapest. Comparable size and programme portfolio, particularly on undergraduate BBA and Master in Management offerings.
- ICN Business School: Triple-accredited French business school (AACSB, EQUIS, AMBA) based in Nancy with Paris and Berlin campuses. Comparable scale, programme mix, and mid-tier positioning in the French business school market.
- NEOMA Business School: French triple-accredited (AACSB, EQUIS, AMBA) business school with campuses in Reims and Rouen, offering BBA, Master in Management, MSc, and MBA programmes. Most directly comparable to Excelia on size, accreditation profile, programme mix, and FT ranking tier (#30s-#40s in MiM).
- EM Normandie: Triple-accredited French business school with campuses in Caen, Le Havre, Paris, Dublin, Oxford, and Cork. Very comparable to Excelia in size, programme portfolio, regional footprint, and mid-tier French positioning.
- SKEMA Business School: Triple-accredited French business school with multi-continent campuses (France, China, US, Brazil, South Africa, UAE, India). Direct peer on programme portfolio and accreditation; differs in having larger international footprint and higher FT rankings (#3 MiM in 2023).
- Grenoble Ecole de Management: Triple-accredited French business school (AACSB, EQUIS, AMBA) with strong technology management focus and Paris/Singapore/Berlin/Morocco campuses. Comparable on size, accreditation, and BBA/MSc programme mix.
- IESEG School of Management: Triple-accredited French business school (AACSB, EQUIS, AMBA) based in Lille and Paris, part of Université Catholique de Lille. Comparable size and programme mix, especially BBA, Master in Management, and MSc specializations.
- KEDGE Business School: Triple-accredited French business school formed from the merger of Euromed and Bordeaux Management School, with campuses in Paris, Bordeaux, Marseille, Toulon, and Suzhou (China). Comparable scale, similar programme portfolio, and competing in the same FT ranking tier.
Broad incumbents
- EDHEC Business School: Triple-accredited French business school headquartered in Lille/Nice with global campuses. Larger and higher-ranked than Excelia (#7 FT MiM 2023), operating as a broader incumbent in the same French management education market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Excelia Business School social profiles
Digital presenceExcelia Business School compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance16 records
Excelia Business School financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Excelia Business School leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Excelia Business School funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Excelia Business School M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Excelia Business School
What does Excelia Business School do?
Excelia Business School is a French triple-accredited higher education institution offering degree programmes (Bachelor in Business, BBA International, Master in Management Grande École, MSc specialisations, and Doctorate in Business Administration), executive education, language programmes, and short Summer/Winter schools. Programmes are delivered across four campuses in La Rochelle, Paris-Cachan, Tours, and Orléans, with work-study and international exchange options through 200+ partner universities. The broader Excelia Group also encompasses the Excelia Hotel & Tourism School and the Excelia Communication School.
Is Excelia Business School a public or private company?
Excelia Business School is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Excelia Business School founded?
Excelia Business School was founded in 1988. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Excelia Business School based?
Excelia Business School is headquartered in La Rochelle, France, in the Europe region.
How does Excelia Business School make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Degree Programme Tuition is the primary driver. The others are professional Development and summer and Winter School Programmes.
Who are Excelia Business School's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are TBS Education (Toulouse Business School), ESSCA School of Management, ICN Business School, NEOMA Business School, EM Normandie, SKEMA Business School, Grenoble Ecole de Management, IESEG School of Management and KEDGE Business School. EDHEC Business School is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Excelia Business School have an API?
No public API is recorded for Excelia Business School.
What industry is Excelia Business School in?
Excelia Business School's product category is Higher Education / Business School. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAHAA, Undergraduate Business Schools (BBA/BSBA Programs), with a secondary code of EDAHAHAN, Executive Education & Corporate Programs (Non-degree). Its NAICS code is 6114 and its SIC code is 8200.