Studying in Continental Europe for undergraduate degree is becoming an attractive choice for students looking to gain academic excellence and explore the vibrant European culture. Plus, with lower tuition fees than most US or UK universities, it's a great way to save money.

Institutions St Gallen, Essec, Eramus University have been climbing the world university rankings too. You don't need to worry if you don't speak the language, as there are many EU undergraduate programs taught in English.

Requirements for applying to a Undergraduate Degree in EU universities -:

All EU universities require your high school grades/proof of graduation as an application component; however, some may also have additional academic requirements such as entrance exams or the submission of standardised tests (e.g. SAT or ACT).

Students need to build a profile through extracurricular and leadership ESL activities (a portfolio of activities) to prepare a CV which many European universities needed.

In admission application EU essay plays an important part which can be a personal statement/ motivational essay is needed with letter of references.

Some EU universities require students to participate in 1 or 2 interviews as part of the application process, depending on the institution and course.

Did you know UnivAdmitHelp can help you get into EU Universities? You can connect with our IVY League mentors for help to gain admission to your dream EU university! 

BBA in Europe

Given that options for doing BBA in India are very limited and almost never lead to quality educational process (A case in point: none of the top IIMs provide a BBA degree or equivalent), Europe becomes an attractive option for students. US is a better education destination, however driven by cost considerations (US Bachelors in Business costs at least twice the amount of money that it takes to study in Europe), many people look for good BBA options in Europe. (And to a lesser extent in places like Singapore and Hong Kong in Asia)

European BBAs are little understood. Usually, people apply into programs in UK through UCAS and almost never venture out in mainland Europe. Many of the programs in Europe are offered in English and are ranked within the top 20 programs in the world. Hence, we believe, that these highly ranked programs should be a part of your consideration set.

Here is a list of some of these highly acclaimed programs and our own take on what is their relative worth. Obviously we have considered only the best programs of the respective country and have curated a view point on the top-30 programs.

Business Administration Major at University of St Gallen

University of St Gallen is best known for its fabled MiM program (SIM: Strategy and International Management) – which takes in just 50 students and has consistently been at the top for at least the last 7 years.

However its bachelor’s program is equally good and allows one the opportunity to apply into the SIM program at a preference. Spread over 3 years, it grants 180 ECTS and is considered extremely rigorous. Further, the costs are way lower compared to any university in the US/ Europe limited to ~ 3000 CHF/ year. Plus there are attractive scholarships which are available. April 30 is the last date to apply. However we recommend that you should apply by late November/ December so that you have time to prepare for the admission test which is mandatory and happens in the city of St Gallen only. 

Global BBA at ESSEC Business School

ESSEC is one of the Grande Ecole in France, implying that it is a top-class education institution. Advertised as, “3 campuses in 3 countries, 10 months of professional experience integrated in the curriculum, a world-class education in a multicultural environment,” ESSEC Global BBA is one of the most sought after and well-designed undergraduate BBA programs in the world. Offered across multiple campuses – France, Singapore and with access to multiple internships and International exchange opportunities, the program has made a name for itself.

The program has many deadlines; the first ones as early as in the first week of November and the last ones extending until May. Unless you have very specific extenuating circumstances, we recommend that you apply in the first round itself. Be cognizant of the fact that the application is demanding and may require substantive effort in building the answers to the essay questions and is contingent upon a strong profile/ narrative. Starting early therefore helps! In our experience applicants who are applying in November have at least twice the chance of getting selected as those who are applying in May.

Bsc in International Business Administration at RSM, Erasmus University, Netherlands 

RSM's International Business Administration (IBA) programme will allow you to investigate each functional area of business during at least two courses for each topic. The research-oriented approach is reflected in a track of research courses throughout the entire programme. For most courses, a student will attend plenary lectures and work in small groups, allowing for lively interaction and tailored feedback. IBA student population consists of 60 different nationalities. Upon successful completion of the IBA about half the people look for further studies at RSM itself and the rest choose to pursue careers, many going out of the country.

The deadline for application is Jan 31^st, however it is recommended that students apply at least a months before the same. Typical costs for international students are around 20,000 Euros per year (all inclusive).

As premium school of Netherlands, RSM offers unparalleled opportunities for personal and professional growth and is one of the highly selective Business Bachelors program in the world.

Bachelor in Management from ESCP Europe 

Touted as the most international Bachelors’ program in the world, ESCP Europe with its five campuses offer one of the most diverse program at the undergraduate level.

The program has the flexibility to let you pursue studies entirely in English or learn additional languages like German, French and Spanish. Spread over three years, and interspersed with numerous internships, a strong liberal arts foundation and centred in a multi-cultural class, studying Business at ESCP Europe is one of the seminal experiences for a student.

The application process operates on a rolling deadline system from October to June and is extremely selective. It is also one of the more expensive Bachelors in Europe with tuition fees close to 20,000 Euros/ year.

Stockholm School of Economics

SSE offers two highly attractive Bachelor Programs, both spanning three years and 180 ECTS. Please note that the Bachelor Program in Business and Economics is currently taught in Swedish and will be taught in English as of 2020, whereas the Bachelor Program in Retail Management is fully taught in English.

Application close on Jan 15, 2019. Letter of Motivation, CV etc. are required for application.

The key driver for applying to SSE would be to get a segway into the advanced Scandinavian economies. Scandinavia today offers top-of-the-class lifestyle and an amazing array of sophisticated job opportunities. Declining birth-rates at home imply that overall these economies are open to ‘high-quality immigrants.’ A stint at SSE, we believe, would definitely help you dial into some of the most sought after job opportunities.

BBA at ESADE

ESADE is a top-notch business school in Europe. Its MiM program is amongst the top five programs globally and is extremely sought after by business students across the globe. The global BBA consist of many acclaimed programs like Double degree in Law and Business, BBA, Bachelor in Global Governance and Economics, etc. ESADE offers truly international program and attract close to 60 nationalities in its BBA programs.

The program offers the usual components of a cutting edge learning experience – semester abroad and exchange programs, professional internships, practical action based learning, etc.

Usually operating on a rolling basis with interim deadlines, the process starts as early as Sep/October. In fact, ESADE has a unique window open to Indian students and roll out very-early admissions to many of them. You would need the usual material to apply – letter of motivation, few personal essays, English proficiency scores, your transcripts and predicted grades, etc. Additionally, you would also be expected to report ACT/SAT scores or sit in the ESADE admission test.

BBA at IE Business School

IE Business school is a top business school in Europe with excellent standing and attracts over 70% of its populace as international students. Clearly ahead of its peers in professionalism, and all-round learning, IE has established Madrid as a corner stone for business and entrepreneurship. The BBA program offers multiple tracks including law, international relations or a generalized BBA track – each allowing its participant to experiment with ‘elbow-deep entrepreneurship’ and learn the nuances of doing business in their respective geography. An international class makes the learning experience truly cross-cultural.

Entry requirements are standard with a focus on diversity and additionally seek top academic proficiency along with ACT/SAT scores.

Admissions are typically granted on rolling basis, however it is recommended that one applies early to get a head-start in the selection process. Most successful students, in our experience are done with their process by December.

International BBA at WHU

The school’s website states, “Our three-year Bachelor in International Business Administration (BSc) provides you with a rigorous business education, flexible curriculum, hands-on experience, and international exposure. We equip successful and thoughtful students with an outstanding skill set, ready to thrive in today’s fast-paced business world.”

It’s a great program. Apart from the usual bits, its excellence lies in its ability to connect you to the German Ecosystem (Germany is the largest and fastest growing Economy in Europe) and an opportunity to be a part of the MiM experience at WHU as a later stage, if needed.

The Bachelor in International Business Administration (BIBA) at WHU is a rigorous undergraduate program. It demands outstanding intellectual abilities as well as exceptional personal and interpersonal skills. The school values your whole personality, looking beyond academic proficiency and towards your potential in business. Exceptional logical and analytical skills should be balanced with creative thinking. Excellent communication skills, general knowledge, and fluency in English are important. If you’re qualified academically, the school wants you to demonstrate enthusiasm, initiative, openness, creativity, determination, resilience, responsibility, and team spirit.

Admissions are accepted from Sep 15 onwards and are typically followed by a skype-based test and a personal interview. Early decisions are received by April itself.

BSc in International Business from Copenhagen Business School

Offered by one of the premium business school from the Scandinavian country, CBS Bachelors allow you to dial into advanced economies which value higher education a lot. Many of the students go on to study at Masters level, often through attractive scholarships.

CBS offers many attractive programs with blend of new age study areas like digital economy, international business, policy and sociology, etc. The typical admission process starts late – around February but it gets finished by March 15. Typically, the process of selection is more academic in nature and gives a huge importance to ‘reported’ scores and ‘predicted grades.’

BBA from Lisbon Business School, Portugal

Despite its location in one of the laggards of the European Economy, Portugal, the program is one of the most rigorous programs and has a tremendous legacy. Catolica Lisbon is the most premium education destination for Portuguese students and off-late has become a destination for many international students as well.

The program design is exceedingly robust and is a rigorous Maths based program and gives solid grounding in Business fundamentals –

Early application deadlines are a little late – March 31^st typically and could be a good alternative to those who start their admission process late. The program requires some testing, especially in Mathematics, which can be waived off if alternative scores like SAT/ A levels etc. are made available. 

All of these schools that we have discussed offer only Fall (September) intakes. There are a couple of good schools which offer Spring intake as well –

Nova School of Business and Economics in Portugal and EMLyon in France

Given that France has become a leading international destination, there are couple of other good schools there, which though not in top-30 globally, offer attractive and well-designed BBA programs.

Grenoble Business School and EDHEC Business School

In this summary analysis of 14 business schools, we have presented the most coveted, English-based programs in Europe (barring UK). In our opinion, students often overlook many of these programs and gun for sub-par options elsewhere. These programs, should find a mention in your consideration set along with US and UK. An individual analysis might show you that they are more suitable for your needs and may offer you a cheaper/ more customized path to your business education at undergraduate level.

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