Rennes

Rennes is a student town located in northwestern France. It is the capital of the Brittany region. Rennes has a colourful history and the city is full of medieval influences. Rennes has over 200 000 inhabitants, 60 000 of whom are students. Rennes is approximately 2 hours from Paris by train. There are lots of restaurants, cafés, creperies and bars in the city. There are also various parks and museums, such as Parc du Thabor and Musée de Bretagne, that are worth visiting.

ESC Rennes School of Business

ESC Rennes School of Business was established in 1990. ESC Rennes is one of the Grandes Écoles, elite graduate schools. The university has approximately 3 800 students, 40 percent of whom are international students. In addition, ESC Rennes is accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS), just to name a few. ESC Rennes was ranked 23rd in the Financial Times ranking in 2014. The university also has 170 university partners all over the world. Double degree students can choose to study Finance and Banking, Sales and Marketing or Purchasing and Supply Chain, and are required to complete 180 ECTS.

Tips From Previous Exchange Students

Living

• Private accommodation is generally recommended
• République, Saint-Anne and La Gare are desirable locations for accommodation if you wish to live near all the shops, bars and parks
• If you want to live close to the university, Villejean is a great location for an apartment
• Start searching for an apartment as soon as possible
• Make sure that you know exactly what your apartment contract says, especially if you are not fluent in French
• Accommodation prices range from 300 to 700, naturally depending on the location, condition and size of the apartment

University

• ESC Rennes has a prestigious reputation
• The welcome team assists international students and organizes events
• Associations arrange trips to nearby towns all the time
• The lunch break is nearly two hours long, so you can explore other options besides cafeteria food
• The library is big and modern, and contains 23 000 books
• The campus is open 24 hours a day, 6 days a week
• The teaching style and standards do not differ significantly from Metropolia Business School
• French language tests are compulsory in the beginning of the semester, even if you have never studied the language

Lifestyle

• The most efficient way to arrive in Rennes is flying to the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris and taking the TVG train to Rennes
• Book your flight and train tickets as early as possible since they can be extremely expensive
• You will need your birth certificate in both French and your own language in order to apply for a French housing allowance for students (CAF)
• Rennes has an excellent public transportation system
• There is a farmer’s market every Saturday that is definitely worth visiting
• Summers are long and warm
• The general price level is similar to Finland but food is significantly more affordable
• You do not have to speak français but it will make your life easier
• Since Rennes is a student town, there is always a party somewhere

 

Mia E. Varis