Work-study programmes, gap years and internships

WORK-STUDY PROGRAMMES, A PATH TO EXCELLENCE AND EMPLOYABILITY

As a pioneer and expert in work-study programmes, Montpellier Business School relies on its expertise, its network of partner companies and one of the largest Career Centers in France to offer personalised support to each student.

During a work-study programme, tuition fees are paid in full by the company, which also pays the student.

The work-study system at MBS:

25+ years of experience
More than 1600work-study students
An unlimited number of places

Recognised ranking: the top business school in France for work-study programmes (Le Parisien 2021) and 6th for professional training (Financial Times 2021)

UNDERSTANDING THE WORK-STUDY SYSTEM

The work-study system allows students to follow a degree course alternating between periods of theoretical training and periods working in a company.
Work-study training courses have the same level of requirements as courses followed on a “continuous” basis and lead to the same degree.
In a work-study programme at MBS, the student does not pay any tuition fees: they are fully covered by their host company.
International students who wish to follow a work-study programme must be fluent in French.

THE BENEFITS OF WORK-STUDY TRAINING IN A GRANDE ECOLE BUSINESS SCHOOL

Immediate application of theoretical studies in the company
Developing solid professional experience during studies, which is recognised and valued by companies
The host company must pay the tuition fees for the work-study contract year
Remuneration by the host company

THE ADVANTAGES OF WORK-STUDY TRAINING AT MONTPELLIER BUSINESS SCHOOL

Schedule: 3 weeks in a company / 1 week on campus
- More time spent in the company
- Missions throughout France
- More responsibility in the content of assignments
Support from the Career Center
- Exclusive access to offers from our network of work-study students, graduates and corporate partners
- Group coaching sessions
- The opportunity to meet with a Career Consultant for personalised support from experienced HR and recruitment professionals.

THE GAP YEAR: FROM PERSONAL MATURITY TO PROFESSIONAL ORIENTATION

At MBS, students of the Grande Ecole Programme generally take advantage of a gap year to work on their personal and professional maturity. Any student may apply for an optional gap year during their studies, without being subject to additional tuition fees.

The majority of students choose to do an internship in a company, which helps to clarify their career plans through the real-life application of managerial skills during a long-term assignment.
The gap year can also take a variety of forms to deepen and confirm the student’s choices in the final year of the programme or to add distinctive skills to their experience:
- Humanitarian and solidarity work
- Professional activity
- International experience
- Student entrepreneurship

INTERNSHIPS: DEVELOPING YOUR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Regardless of the programme chosen, students in the Bachelor’s, Grande Ecole and Master of Science programmes have the opportunity to do one or more internships at the end of their study.

These internships may be compulsory and/or optional, depending on the programme and year of study. They allow students to discover the business world and to acquire professional experience, which is highly valued by recruiters. They also help students to progress from theory to practice and to develop soft skills in the field: self-confidence, team spirit, curiosity, listening skills, etc.

To find out more about the MBS internship programme, download the brochure for the chosen programme.

STUDENTS TESTIMONIALS

“I chose MBS for its strong values and for its approach to business, which I believe is a real accelerator in achieving one's short-term professional goals. My personal goal was to work in sports marketing. A year after joining the school, I was able to do a gap year. During this time, I was joined the company of my dreams, ADIDAS, for a six-month internship as Assistant Product Manager for Decathlon. I had an incredible experience and had a real insight into the world of sport. As a continuation of my studies and in order to finish my degree, I did my last year of studies on a work-study contract at ASICS as a Trade Marketing Assistant.”

“After a technical and commercial work-study course in industry followed by a year of travel in Mexico and Malta, I joined the PGE2 programme at MBS. I am now a recruitment consultant, still on a work-study basis, in a Lyon-based HR consultancy. In my final year of PGE, I chose an Entrepreneurship major specialising in the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE). Indeed, with a short-term objective of becoming an entrepreneur in the Social and Solidarity Economy, this specialisation programme was an opportunity for me to deepen my knowledge of this sector, to meet key stakeholders and to understand the issues at stake. This journey has been rich in encounters and has confirmed my desire to use entrepreneurship as a way of responding to my social and environmental convictions and changing the models of the future.”

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