Program Details: ESSCA Angers
Is this program for me?
For more than 20 years, GVSU and Ecole Supérieure des Sciences Commerciales d’Angers (ESSCA) have partnered together to offer full immersion exchange opportunities to students in business and international relations. ESSCA is a small, private, not-for-profit, business school located in western France with approximately 3000 students. Founded in 1909, ESSCA’s mission is to educate students to work in an international environment. ESSCA- Angers offers courses in the fall and spring (GV's winter) semesters, as well as a summer program. Students can take courses in English or in French. Courses include: marketing, finance, intercultural communication, economics, European studies, management, political science—EU, and more. ESSCA offers a variety of different courses each semester. Students should carefully review the exchange options available through this partnership each semester. ESSCA offers programs on all four of its campuses: Angers (main campus), Paris, Budapest, and Shanghai.
The ESSCA Summer Program contains features that may be different from the semester exchange. Students interested in the summer option should scroll to the bottom of the page for additional information.
Location
Angers, France is a small medieval city of 160,000 inhabitants located in the heart of the Loire Valley. Angers is also a historic and student-friendly city filled with cobblestoned streets, cinemas, cafés, restaurants, and bars. The city is just a quick 90-minute train ride from Paris and only 60 minutes from the spectacular beaches of the Atlantic coast. Angers is home to many museums, a 12th century fortress, a lively city centre and a large student population with over 30,000 students.
Cultural Information
When studying abroad, it is important to learn about the culture of your host country.
For information on music, food, language, news & more, view Cultural Information
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Cost
2017-2018 Estimated Semester Budget
The cost of any study abroad program depends to a large extent on the participant's personal spending habits and lifestyle.
A PIC Partnership Grant is available for this program.
Any student studying abroad for a semester is automatically considered for the Study Abroad Semester Grand, click here for the grant guidelines.
Visa Information
Students studying in France for more than 90 days are required to obtain a student visa. The process for securing a student visa is lengthy and requires students to first obtain approval through an online system called PASTEL that is coordinated through CampusFrance. Students should begin the PASTEL application a minimum of 8 weeks prior to departure, however earlier application is recommended. Students must have acceptance from the host university before finalizing their PASTEL application. Students will be required to travel to the French Consulate in Chicago (or the Consulate with jurisdiction over your state of permanent residence) to apply for the visa. Details on the application requirements can be found at: www.consulfrance-chicago.org. Students can also reference our student visa guide for more detailed information.
Housing and Meals
ESSCA offers several different accommodation options:
(1) Residence De La Maine
(2) Fac Habitat
(3) Couffon Pavot
(4) Residence Volta
ESSCA offers a description of each of these types of housing in the Angers Accommodation Guide
Early application for housing is encouraged as some units fill quickly. Many international students choose to live in the city center and take a bus to the ESSCA Campus for classes. Students who want the convenience of being close to ESSCA's campus should consider Residence Volta which is across the street from ESSCA. Many of the European international students prefer to live in the city centre. Options are available to suit your preferences.
Program Dates
ESSCA-Angers offers several academic tracks for Undergraduate and Graduate students.
ESSCA's 2017-2018 Academic Calendar
Fall: September-December (17 weeks)
Winter (ESSCA's Spring): January - May (15-18 weeks depending on the academic program)
Academic Year: September-May
Summer: June-July (see program information below)
Courses
Students may choose to take courses in English or French.
Courses available to GVSU exchange students at ESSCA in Angers
Course offerings at each of the ESSCA campuses can be found on the ESSCA website. There are different links for each semester, as well as a separate link for the summer program.
Links to courses available at ESSCA Angers
ESSCA Angers Spring Semester (GV's winter)
How will the courses I take at ESSCA Angers transfer back to my GVSU Transcript?
If the course you wish to take appears on the "Existing Course Equivalencies" list, you do not need to secure course approval for that course. The courses on this list have already been approved by the academic department.
Existing Semester Course Equivalencies
ESSCA uses the ECTS credit system. In general, 2 ECTS credits is equivalent to 1 US credit.
ESSCA Application Process
Step 1 - Students must apply and be accepted into the GVSU OASIS application system.
Step 2 - The Padnos International Center will provide all applicants with application instructions after the OASIS priority deadline.
Step 3 - Students must complete all required application materials for ESSCA.
Step 4 - Students receive admission into the program and are provided with additional pre-arrival instructions.
Online Application Instructions
Summer Program Information
ESSCA Angers offers a 4 week summer program. The summer program does have features which are different from the semester. Program details can be found on the ESSCA website or in the ESSCA Summer brochure.
Summer: June-July (4 weeks)
Note:Summer 2016 dates were from June 8 - July 7, 2016.
Courses offered include: European Union Studies - 3 credits AND Culture and Communication - 3 credits. These courses have been pre-approved at GVSU. Existing Summer Course Equivalencies
Note: ESSCA uses the ECTS credit system. In general, 2 ECTS credits is equivalent to 1 US credit.
Travel Information
ESSCA provides detailed arrival instructions on their website in the Practical Guide. Students typically fly into Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and take the TGV high-speed train to Angers (St. Laud) train station. Angers is on the Paris-Nantes TGV lines. The train station is located in the airport terminal 2. It takes about 2 ½ hours from Paris to Angers. The cost will vary based on the time of day and demand. To find information on the train schedule and rates visit: www.raileurope.com. With advance notice, ESSCA can arrange for someone on the Welcome Team to meet you at the Angers train station.