Business schools: where to do a delayed start?

As the name implies, a delayed start to the school year begins later than an academic start. It is usually done in January, February or March.

What is a delayed start to the school year?

A staggered start is a type of training that begins outside of the regular school year. Thus, redirection begins later in the school year, usually between January and March, depending on the school. The training is the same as the one offered in the classic year.

The staggered start of the school year has its advantages:

• you avoid losing a year by enrolling in another course;
• you benefit from an accelerated training with the same courses (for the M1 at INSEEC for example)
• you benefit from a real professionalization through the periods of internship or alternation.

Who is the staggered start of the school year for?

A delayed start is generally intended for students who wish to change their studies or who have missed the start of the school year. You can choose this training formula for the following reasons:

• you have a high school diploma and you want to change direction;
• you did not get the assignments you wanted on public platforms like Parcoursup ;
• you stop your current training because it disappoints you or you don’t like it;
• you finish your previous rotation too late;
• you have just returned from abroad, you are starting to work and you wish to resume your studies;
• you are already working and your company offers a work-study program to improve your skills
• you are a foreign student and you did not get your visa in time for the beginning of the school year.

Do all business schools offer a delayed start?

The answer is no. Only a few business schools offer a staggered start to the academic year, notably INSEEC (Institut des hautes Etudes Economiques et Commerciales).

The delayed start of the school year at INSEEC

INSEEC helps you in your reorientation by proposing to integrate our programs from February or March. With our staggered start, you will follow a specialized program allowing you to acquire the professional managerial and technical expertise you desire.

The access to our staggered start is possible in Bachelor 1st year, 3rd year, MSc1 or MSc2 for holders of a Bac+4 or +5.

The Bachelor’s program is taught after the Baccalaureate and takes 3 years to complete. You can access it in the 2nd and 3rd year for holders of a Bac +1 and +2. We train operational managers who master the fundamental concepts of management and a growing specialization.

The 1st year of the MSc is for those who are in the process of validating a Bac+3 (equivalent to a level 6 RNCP title) or have a Bac+3. If you are an employee or a professional in the process of reorientation, our programs are available for continuing education.

The 2nd year of MSc is for those who are in the process of validating a Bac+4, or who have a Bac+4 or+5. This^2nd year is available in continuing education for professionals.
The goal of the MSc is to train you to be quickly operational in a company. To do this, we use work-study programs, which guarantee a winning partnership between you and the company. Our training courses are certified by the State and registered in the RNCP Répertoire National des Certifications Professionnelles (diploma Bac+5).

What is the difference between a reverse start and a delayed start?

The 1st year Bachelors go back to school in a staggered way: they attend classes from February to the end of July, do a one-month internship in a company and then go on to the 2nd year Bachelor’s program in September.

The 3rd year Bachelors do a reversed start: they start with a full time period in a company from February, then in September do the courses with the students of the September start for 1 year according to their calendar. So they do their year in 18 months.

The first year MSc&MBA students start their studies in a staggered way: they attend classes from February to the beginning of July, spend two months in a company and then start their second year MSc in September of the same year. This is called an “accelerated” year.

The MSc&MBA 2nd year students also have a staggered start: from March to September, they attend classes for one week a month and then spend three weeks in the company. In September, they resume their work-study program following the same schedule as the students at the start of the school year in September: three weeks/one week or three days/ two days, depending on the program. And this for 1 year. So they do their year in 18 months.

Updated 25 January 2024