For many, studying abroad is appealing because it promises adventure.

But besides term breaks and long weekends, how much time can one spend traveling without compromising their studies?

And how far away from the campus can they afford to go?

ESSEC’s Global Bachelor of Business Administration (GBBA) students will tell you this: As much and as far as you please.

Leverage on Intercampus Mobility and Exchange Partnerships

Three campuses in Singapore, France, and Africa mean ESSEC students can enjoy intercampus mobility.

From the second year, they can even choose to complete a semester at any of the three campuses—during which they are well-positioned to travel around the continent.

ESSEC also has over 175 exchange programs with prestigious partner universities around the globe, and students must spend at least 6 months on exchange.

For alumni Akarsh Thodupunuri from the class of 2019, these programs allowed him to explore Singapore, France, and the Netherlands, traveling to over 30 countries in just four years.

“The highlight of my time was undoubtedly my exchange semester at the Rotterdam School of Management,” he shares.

“Not only was I able to expand my knowledge of Dutch culture and language, but I was also able to develop a robust pan-European network of friends who have remained close to me throughout the years.

Even today, I reconnected with all these friends in Canada where I am currently and can say that these connections are beneficial!”

Live and Intern Abroad

A second way GBBA students can travel the world is through overseas internships. Akarsh, for example, secured one at an EMEA-based consulting firm, Devoteam, while on exchange in France.

Niklas Schmitt, from the class of 2023, also started his GBBA journey at the Singapore campus before taking on a similar route from Asia to Europe: He completed a consulting internship at e-commerce powerhouse CHECK24 and a strategy internship at BMW—both in Munich—before finishing his last semester by working part-time in a strategy-related role at CRELOGIX in Zurich.

“ESSEC has always been pretty flexible about where I am, so when I wanted to work part-time in Zurich, I could conduct my eighth semester online,” he affirms.

The Exclusive IBEA program

A final way for students to live, study, work, and travel the world during their GBBA journey is through the International Business Education Alliance (IBEA) program.

The program is offered to just the top 10 students from the four schools—ESSEC Business School, the University of Mannheim, Fundaçao Getulio Vargas, and the University of South Carolina.

Students will get to spend a semester at each school and work with a global company as a junior consultant at each stop.

“IBEA has been my dream since high school,” second-year student Xiao Li exclaims.

“I believe this program can offer me an incredible international experience that improves my cross-cultural understanding and teamwork,” she explains, adding that she joined the GBBA program and worked hard to get on the Dean’s List, all with the IBEA program in mind.

IBEA alumni are sure she won’t be disappointed. “Whenever I’ve told anyone about the IBEA program, they say, ‘Wow, that’s incredible!’ And they are super interested in me,” Peter Bjerkén from the class of 2022 declares, noting that these international experiences contributed to him finding multiple internships and his eventual full-time job.

“There are not a lot of students who can say that they’ve traveled the world, gotten work experience, and studied at the best schools all at the same time, so it’s definitely a privilege,” he concludes.