There are many things that you should take into consideration when choosing the right business school for you. You might have a specific country in mind, or you might want to check the rankings to see which universities are scoring top of the list. At EDUopinions we help students understand one of the most important metrics you can take into account when finding a business school in Europe. What actual students say about their place of study. With over 13,000 verified reviews we look at the 7 best business schools in Europe according to genuine student reviews.
Is it worth studying business in Europe?
Before we delve into the reviews, let’s consider if Europe is the right choice for you. With many different countries, many with their own very unique cultures, the decision of exactly where to study is challenging for many students.
There are many benefits of studying business in Europe. If you choose one of the key metropolitan cities such as London, Paris or Berlin, you will not only be studying business but living in an environment where you can live and breathe it. Many universities have links with local businesses to enrich their programmes and offer student real-world experience during their studies. Additionally, this also means that there are many opportunities available after graduation, with many businesses offering graduate or fast-track programmes. With so many diverse countries you can also take your pick of which will suit your lifestyle preferences and interests too.
On the other hand, as each country has its own unique culture, this can be a shock to many students who look to study internationally. Another consideration is language. Ensuring you research institutions that have strong international student body can help you feel more at home, as can finding a school which teaches in English if you are fluent or comfortable in that language. Student visa requirements are also more stringent in some countries than others. If you want assistance understanding which countries are best for you based on visa requirements, budget, admission criteria and more then get in touch for a 100% free consultation.
Which is the cheapest country to study in Europe?
For most students, cost is a key consideration. Not only do you want something that fits within your budget, but you want to have enough left over to enjoy exploring your new home and enjoying student life.
In terms of tuition fees, if you are coming from another EU country then there are a few countries that will offer free tuition fees, although this tends to only apply for undergraduate programmes. These countries include Germany, Norway and Finland. Research the investment required based on your programme of study as it may impact your decision.
Finally, cost of living is another consideration and varies greatly from country to country. You will also find that most countries have some cities which are far more expensive than others. Countries such as Greece and Poland offer great standards of living at a low monthly requirement with rents being as low as 200-300 EUR.
You may also want to read our post on 5 affordable countries to study in Europe. Or if you are looking for an MBA then this post on 4 affordable countries to study an MBA may also be helpful.
The 7 Best Business Schools in Europe According to Student Reviews
1. London Business School
London Business School, also known as LBS, is a constituent college of the University of London that offers post-graduate programmes. It was established in 1964 and it is represented with two campuses, one in London and one in Dubai. The Financial Times placed LBS ahead of Harvard and INSEAD and ranked it as 1st in Europe three times in a row in the last years. And that is why it is referred to as one of the best business schools in Europe and in the world.
LBS Student Reviews
LBS scores 4.9 stars out of 5 in the overall ranking on EDUopinions. Facilities, Professors, Value, Internationality, Student Life, and Location are all things that students are happy about.
An anonymous student of the MBA programme tells us that LBS has been just as good as they expected it to be. They are happy with the internationality of the place and the fact that students feel like they are part of something much bigger than just a business school.
London Business School is an amazing experience. It is as good as I expected it to be. Every university talks about diversity, but LBS truly lives upto its reputation. In no other school would you find such diverse nationalities, backgrounds, work experience. An opportunity to network with such a wide and strong network is what I like the most about this school.
Would strongly recommend it to anyone who can make it to LBS. It is not just about one or two years of studies, it is about becoming a part of something much much bigger. It is about becoming a part of an ever growing elite club.
Other reviews include that students are happy with the networking possibilities on campus. The friendships that they established in only one month seem to be much longer than that. It is also important to be open-minded as students all come from different professional and academic backgrounds. They do not deny that studying at LBS is hard but they also encourage others that can to study there.
2. Warwick Business School
Warwick Business School is part of the University of Warwick and has two campuses, one in Coventry and one in London. Warwick Business School is one of the best business schools in Europe and one of the few institutions to hold accreditations from major management education associations, such as EQUIS, AACSB, and AMBA. It was born in 1967 as the School of Industrial and Business Studies.
WBS Student Reviews
WBS has gathered incredible reviews on EDUopinions, scoring 4.8 stars out of 5.
An International Business Management student says they are satisfied with the diversity in the teaching, important for developing critical thinking and soft skills. Getting involved in WBS with extracurricular activities is also extremely good as it will make your experience on campus like no other.
Amazing diversity, really great at developing critical thinking and soft skills. Great reputation amongst employers. Especially extracurricular activities are important here, really shaping your character and experience at Warwick.
Other students of Business Management said that they loved the variety of courses available and the preparation of the teachers, who are excellent. WBS gives students the possibility to receive the top-notch business education away from the distractions that a big city can bring, even though Coventry is just a few miles away from London.
3. ESADE Business School
ESADE was founded in 1958 in Barcelona and it now has another campus in Madrid. It also has offices in São Paulo, Lima, Mexico City, Bogota, and Buenos Aires. ESADE was listed as the world’s best business school by the Wall Street Journal and ranked as 3rd in the list of top business schools by the Financial Times. ESADE has also the largest alumni network in Spain and the second in Europe. That said, would you like to be part of this network by becoming a student of ESADE? Here is what current and past students have to say about it.
ESADE Student Reviews
ESADE has an overall rating of 4.7.
According to a current Master’s student of International Management, at ESADE you can find engaged, open-minded, passionate and problem-solving colleagues that can become friends easily as they study together.
ESADE Business School has successfully created an environment where engaged, open-minded, passionate and problem-solving individuals can proliferate both academically and professionally as they establish friendships with students/professionals from all over the world.
This business school prepares students to think on their own and take over many roles within a company. It promotes positive values and companies recognize degrees awarded by ESADE.
4. IESE Business School
IESE Business School is part of the University of Navarra and it has campuses in Barcelona, Madrid, New York, and Munich. It is one of the oldest management education institutions in Europe and offers MBA, Executive, Global CEO, and Custom programmes. The first two-year MBA programme in Europe was launched by IESE after starting an alliance with Harvard Business School in 1963, five years after it was established.
IESE Student Reviews
On EDUopinions, IESE also scores 4.7 in Student Life, Facilities, Accommodation, Professors, Internationality, Location, and Value.
Roger, an MBA student at IESE, absolutely enjoyed his time on campus. He learnt essential management skills in all aspects of business studies. One of the memories that he keeps close to his heart is the mock company competition, during which students partnered in groups for a whole week and acted as members of the board, with key decision-making moments of their business.
I enjoyed every bit of my time at IESE and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a boost in their career. I learned essential management skills in every part of the business ecosystem, from entrepreneurship, to supply chain, people management and new technologies. One of the most cherished memories that I have is the mock company competition, where we partnered in groups for a whole week and acted as members of the board, with key decision making moments across all areas of the business.
Other students at IESE say that the case method is the main teaching method. It helps students understand the reality that is taking place in the business world beyond theoretical models, with experienced and qualified teachers. Resources are great and students at IESE are passionate.
5. ESSEC Business School
ESSEC Business Schools was founded in 1907 and is now represented in Paris, Singapore, and Morocco. It obtained the triple accreditation of AACS (=), EQUIS and AMBA, which makes it one of the best business schools in the world. The partnerships that ESSEC has with top universities all over the world, for exchange and double degree programmes, make it a great place for students to study. In addition, the Advanced Master Strategy & Management of International Business (SMIB), the Master in Finance, and the Global MBA ranked as three of the top programmes worldwide in the QS World University Rankings.
ESSEC Student Reviews
ESSEC has an overall rating of 4.6. According to one of its students, ESSEC has a big variety of courses and it is one of the most prestigious business schools in France.
It’s a really nice business school very known in France, for the International and Professional environnement. There is a large choice of courses and they are all interesting and useful.
It’s a very prestigious school.
What is good about ESSEC is that they value professional experience and prepare you for a future job mindset. In addition, courses are considered practical and useful. Overall, the campus is very nice, and so are the café and the library. The only downside, according to students, is that campus is a bit far from Central Paris.
6. Montpellier Business School
Another well known French educational institution is Montpellier Business School which was opened in 1897 by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Montpellier, making it one of the oldest business schools in France and Europe. It is accredited by AACSB, AMBA and EPAS. It is also quite small, counting around 3600 students, 35% of whom do not pay tuition fees, thanks to scholarships or apprenticeship tracks. MBS offers many programmes:
- Bachelor of International Business Administration
- Programme Grande Ecole
- Masters of Science (in Finance, Marketing, Digital Transformation, Business Excellence, and International Business).
- Executive MBA
MBS Student Reviews
Both theory and practice are good at Montpellier Business School, where students are taught unique subjects by experienced professors. Diversity is also an important asset at MBS, where the student body is represented by 50 nationalities. MBS overall rating is 4.6.
Apart from the best diversity – there are students from more than 50 countries, __the subjects are unique and professors are excellent. There is guest faculty too who have a lot of real life experience about theories which we study in the books. So, we have the best of both worlds; Theory and practical examples.
As previously mentioned, MBS is one of the best business schools and its students seem to agree. Professors give importance to teamwork which is great in such an international environment where the only common things between students are the passion for business and the English language.
7. Copenhagen Business School
Copenhagen Business School, also known as CBS, was established by the Danish Society for the Advancement of Business Education and Research (FUHU) in 1917. It is a public university that counts approximately 23000 students. The international-focused programmes are accredited by EQUIS, AMBA, and AACSB, which makes CBS one of the two Danish schools that hold the triple-crown accreditation. CBS also offers double-degree programmes as it has many partnerships around the world.
CBS Student Reviews
Sounds like at CBS you are never going to get bored. In fact, the environment is proactive and challenging. Students at CBS also organize many events, so there are plenty of opportunities to meet people. Students are satisfied and rate CBS with an overall 4.1 out of 5 stars.
Stella was awarded a Bachelor’s degree and decided to pursue her Master at CBS. Studying is no joke at Copenhagen Business School, in fact, students are competitive but she loves studying there because interacting with international students helped her to see different perspectives within Business. She also spent one semester in Singapore as an exchange student and that encouraged her to pursue a career in a global company.
I did my Bachelors at CBS and their academic excellence and career opportunities led me to pursue my Masters in Accounting, Strategy and Control. I was very lucky to go on an exchange in Singapore for one semester it boosted me to get a career in a global firm. I like that it is super modern and has all the facilities for the business student in 2019. Especially, I liked the library and Bitlab where I spent most of my time studying. However, note that it is very demanding and studying here is no joke. Everything is very competitive and you are among the most excellent business students in the country. The interaction with international students helped me to see different perspectives in business and culturally and I was lucky to make friends from any part of the world. CBS is like a brand in Denmark. Every serious business company prioritizes us over any other Danish university and also it is free for European citizens. Overall, I have a very satisfying experience at CBS and I’m looking to continue my academical career even further.
Deciding where to study is hard but deciding where to spend two to four years of your life is even harder. Many countries are home to accredited institutions and these are just some of the best business schools in Europe. You just have to identify the right fit for you and your needs.
Editor’s note: This article was first published on the 8th of November 2019. We’ve updated it in November 2020 for current readers.
Recent Posts
If you're thinking of studying a technical subject like engineering at university, it's crucial that you choose a university that has a rigorous ...
Although it's possible to sail through university without giving a thought to what you're going to do afterwards - concentrating only on enjoying ...
Ever thought about studying in Greece? Between the sunny weather, incredible history, and breathtaking coastline, you could also get a top business ...