Details

• France
• BaWiSo-23
• Undergraduate
• SoSe 2026
• Time spent at the partner university: 4 months

1. Preparation

There isn't much to prepare in advance. However, the course selection process at HEC and the recognition process at WU can be a bit lengthy, so make sure to start with both as soon as possible.

2. Accommodation

In the summer semester, there is the option to stay on campus. It is a bunk bed room, but you have it all to yourself. Since it's located right on the university campus, a lot of other exchange students and first-year master's students stay there as well. I would recommend it because it only takes five minutes to walk to the lecture buildings and it is also right next to the canteen, which provides pretty good meals for a cheap price. Additionally, you can use the campus facilities, such as the free HEC gym or the sports courses offered on campus. However, the downside is that it's quite far away from Paris. It takes approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours to get to the city center by public transport. On weekends, though, there is a shuttle bus you can use. The second option is to stay at Ecla in Massy-Palaiseau. There is a shuttle bus running every day from Massy to HEC. From Ecla, it takes about 10 minutes to walk to the shuttle bus station (which is right next to the train station) and the bus ride to HEC takes another 20 minutes. The advantage is that you are much closer to Paris. Ultimately, it depends on your priorities: whether you want to fully experience campus life or ensure you spend as much time as possible in Paris. In general, the rooms in Ecla are nicer and include your own kitchen, whereas on campus, you share a kitchen with other students.

3. Academic life at host university

Regarding the teaching style, attendance is often mandatory and your grade can be lowered if you miss classes. Core courses are graded on a bell curve, which makes it a bit more difficult to get a top grade; even if the course content itself is straightforward, you are still ranked against your peers. As an exchange student, you take first-year courses from the Master in Management program. In general, the student body is quite mixed: regular international master's students are highly hardworking and competitive about their grades. On the other hand, French students often care less about their specific grades and international exchange students are mostly on a pass/fail basis, meaning they as well don't care about their grade. This dynamic becomes especially important for group projects. I would recommend trying to avoid them if possible, you often end up in groups with students who are less motivated, meaning you might have to do most of the work yourself. Overall, the course content is at a similar level to WU or even a bit easier.

5. Every day life in the host country

Public transport in the Île-de-France region is generally pretty good. However, delays and cancellations do happen, which can be quite annoying when you are trying to get back to campus, missing a train or having one cancelled can easily prolong your travel time by 25+ minutes. There is an annual student transit pass available, which you can cancel after your exchange stay. However, if you live on campus, I wouldn't recommend it as it is probably not worth the cost, which is €400 for the full year. On campus, there are plenty of sports activities and courses you can join via the SportEasy app. Different HEC student associations also regularly organize events and parties. Furthermore, Paris itself has a lot to offer. A major advantage is that most museums are free for European residents under 26. There is so much to explore for free and I would highly recommend taking full advantage of this opportunity.

6. Testimonial

My exchange stay at HEC Paris was one of the coolest experiences of my life. Studying at a top international institution for free, making friends with people from all across the globe and deepening these connections through shared activities, sports courses, events and trips truly made my time there special.