Clermont School of Business

About Clermont School of Business

Clermont School of Business has operated in Clermont-Ferrand since 1919. The school changed its public identity from ESC Clermont Business School to Clermont School of Business in September 2024; official information describes this as a continuation of the institution rather than a merger or new establishment. Its operator is the Groupe ESC Clermont association, supporting classification as a private nonprofit institution rather than a French public university. The strongest evidence of degree-granting status comes from the French Ministry of Higher Education. For the period from 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2029, the ministry lists the Bachelor in International Management as a Bac+3 diploma conferring the grade de licence at Clermont-Ferrand and Marrakech. The ministry also lists the Programme Grande École diploma as conferring the grade de master over the same period. These nationally regulated grades are more informative than the school’s broader use of terms such as Bachelor, MSc, MBA, or DBA. The school’s historic Clermont campus is at 4 Boulevard Trudaine in the city centre. Following a 4,000-square-metre extension completed in 2024, the school describes Trudaine XL as a 15,000-square-metre campus containing classrooms, an auditorium, cafeteria, lounge, incubator, and other learning spaces. Clermont remains the institution’s principal base, although selected activities and programs are also associated with Marrakech and international partner locations. Applicants should confirm the teaching site for their intended course because government recognition and delivery arrangements can be campus-specific.

Admission depends on the program, entry year, applicant category, and language of instruction. For the Bachelor in International Management, the international route requires a secondary-school diploma or equivalent. The English track lists IELTS 6.0, TOEFL iBT 80, TOEFL paper-based 550, TOEIC 750, or a Cambridge English qualification as accepted evidence. Direct entry into year two requires 60 ECTS in a business-related field, while year-three entry requires 120 ECTS in a related field. French candidates using the domestic first-year route should follow the published Parcoursup process; the French program page lists 200 places for 2026 and selection using the school record, an English assessment, and a motivation interview. The Master in Management requires a bachelor’s degree or equivalent. Its current page requests a CV, motivation letter, identity document, prior certificates and transcripts, two recommendation letters, and proof of English at B2 level for relevant non-native applicants. Listed benchmarks include IELTS 6.0, TOEFL ITP 550, and TOEIC 750, with other named tests accepted. Eligible candidates complete an automated video interview, and the school may request a live online interview. The general international application process uses the school’s online portal, carries a non-refundable €50 application fee, and requires supporting documents plus a video presentation. The school says decisions normally follow within ten days after the complete file and required interview stages, but it does not publish one universal institutional deadline. Applicants should consult the page for their exact program and intake, particularly for Parcoursup, exchange nominations, later-year entry, and visa timing.

The academic portfolio is concentrated in business and management. The Bachelor in International Management is a three-year, 180-ECTS program open after secondary school. Its staged curriculum introduces management and the business environment before allowing greater direction and specialization, with international study and professional experience incorporated into the course. The program page advertises an English-taught route and direct entry to years two or three for applicants holding the required prior ECTS credits. For students starting from September 2026, the relevant diploma carries the French grade de licence through August 2029. At graduate level, the Master in Management, also called the Programme Grande École, is a two-year course entered after three years of higher education. Students complete management study and choose professional tracks and later specializations. The school advertises English-medium study, semesters or years with international partners, double-degree possibilities, internships, and work-study formats. Its Grande École diploma carries the state-regulated grade de master from September 2026 through August 2029. The wider catalog includes specialized MSc, MBA, MIB/MIM, and DBA offerings. These labels do not by themselves establish an academic degree level under the French national system, so applicants should check the exact diploma, RNCP registration, state visa, grade, awarding body, campus, and recognition period for each option. No independently awarded PhD was verified. The school instead describes a possible route from its management program toward research training and doctoral study through the ClerMa research environment, which should not be interpreted as a school-awarded PhD.

Key Highlights

• Founded in Clermont-Ferrand in 1919
• Renamed Clermont School of Business in 2024 without a closure or merger
• Licence- and master-grade diplomas authorized by the French state through August 2029
• City-centre Trudaine XL campus expanded to 15,000 square metres in 2024

Student Life & Environment

Student life is organized around school associations, integration activities, sports, and professional or community projects. The published association roster includes the Student Office, Sports Office, Creation Office, Humanitarian and Culture divisions, Finance Club, public-speaking group, International Student Community, cheerleading team, and organizations for work-study and internationally mobile students. Participation can involve planning events, managing budgets, organizing competitions, volunteering, or developing professional networks. The International Student Community helps connect international and French students and offers practical assistance, social events, and some French-language support. The school also describes a September integration program with an association forum and welcome activities. Clermont-Ferrand and Université Clermont Auvergne organize additional citywide welcome events for students, including activities aimed at international arrivals. Housing is not presented as a guaranteed school-owned residential system. Students may apply for limited CROUS public residences, use private student residences, rent independently, or seek assistance from the school’s relocation partner. The 2026 international guide advises beginning the search early because lower-cost options can disappear by late August and warns students about fraudulent rental advertisements. Students with disabilities can consult a dedicated guide, and the main campus reports step-free provisions, lifts, and an accessible parking space.

Location & Surroundings

The main campus occupies 4 Boulevard Trudaine in central Clermont-Ferrand, in France’s Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Its location favors a walkable, urban student experience rather than a self-contained residential campus. The school states that it is about a ten-minute walk from Clermont-Ferrand railway station, three minutes from the Delille Montlosier stop on tram line A, and immediately served by several city bus routes. Central placement gives students access to shops, cultural venues, services, university facilities, and privately operated housing across the city. Accommodation is dispersed: CROUS residences and private student residences are among the options, but places and prices depend on provider and availability. A school-listed private residence advertised studios from €524 per month with charges included for 2026–2027; this is an example from one provider, not a universal housing cost or a school guarantee. Clermont-Ferrand is substantially smaller than Paris or Lyon, which may appeal to students seeking a more compact setting. Travel to other cities should nevertheless be considered when evaluating internships and personal mobility. Students assigned to Marrakech or another international delivery site should not assume that Clermont-specific transport, housing, or campus details apply.

Costs & Career Outcomes

As advertised in August 2026, standard-format tuition is €8,500 per year for the Bachelor in International Management and €11,900 per year for the Master in Management. These figures exclude work-study arrangements and should not be generalized to the school’s other bachelor, MSc, MBA, or DBA programs. The school states that tuition does not cover living costs in France or abroad or expenses connected with internships and international periods. Applicants should obtain a dated fee confirmation for their program, campus, and intake before committing. Funding routes described by the school include social, academic, mobility, sports, and emergency support associated with the Clermont School of Business Foundation. Eligibility and award amounts are not universal. Work-study can reduce or replace some tuition costs where available and combines study with paid company experience, but availability depends on the program, employer, and applicable rules. CareerLab provides coaching, CV and LinkedIn support, job-board access, employer events, and assistance with internship and work-study searches. The Master in Management page advertises internships of up to three months in Master 1 and six months in Master 2, or work-study over 12 or 24 months. Its CGE 2025 survey reports that 89.71% of surveyed 2023–2024 graduates found a first job within three months and 90.7% held permanent contracts. These are program-specific, self-published survey outcomes rather than guarantees for every student or course.