EHL Hospitality Business School - EHL (reviews)

I first learned about EHL almost 7 years ago when my sibling was interested in applying. We came to see the university, did some taster classes and were shown around and that is when I realised that this was the place for me to study. Studying at EHL has opened doors, given me opportunities and allowed me to grow into a more well-rounded individual. Although the Bachelor in International Hospitality Management course program is rigorous and demanding, with 9 courses per semester, it gives you an in-depth perspective into the hospitality and business industry. EHL gives everyone the possibility to explore their interests and motivates us to become leaders. For me, having opportunities such as Career Fair, company visits, Internships and hands on projects has given me real world experiences and is helping me prepare for the job market. My operational internship has one of the most memorable experiences of my life, which shaped me into who I am today. The internationalism and openness of the EHL community is another factor I find unique about the university. EHL is really a family that aims to help us within the university as well as once we have graduated. The campus is like no other with different outlets for food and drinks as well as modern and pristine facilities (gym, pool, basketball ,padel, tennis courts). I am thankful to be here and wouldn’t imagine studying anywhere else.

My personal experience at EHL has been very positive. From campus life to international opportunities, the school genuinely has something to offer for everyone. I particularly enjoy the variety of events and opportunities for involvement offered to students on campus. My personal highlight so far has been the mobility semester in Singapore and being able to do my internship there as well. Although EHL is a hospitality institution, the opportunities for students extend beyond the industry, myself having completed an internship in asset management. EHL not only prepares its students for the industry but also for adaptability in an ever-changing environment.

At EHL, I was lucky enough to discover a way of teaching that suits me better. I like making connections between what I’m taught and the real world, and at EHL, classes are often based on concrete or even real-life examples. This helps me understand better and makes me more engaged. Outside the classroom, EHL gave me the feeling of being part of a big family. I was impressed by how much alumni and students support one another. During the preparatory year, I had the chance to travel abroad, and those were probably six of the best months of my life. I highly recommend EHL, not only for the quality of its teaching, but also for the life experiences this school can offer.

I first heard about EHL Hospitality Business School about 7 years ago, when I was 14, and it only took a panel talk for me to know it was the place I wanted to study. It was just as I started thinking about what I wanted to do after finishing high school that finding EHL felt like a huge relief. So, I did my research, attended webinars and events, and did two operational internships in my hometown to get a real taste of the hospitality industry. Fast forward to September 2024, when I started EHL. It was the first time I moved out to live alone abroad, feeling a bit overwhelmed, but as I arrived at EHL, my fears vanished. Little did I know back then that I was about to start the 4 best years of my life. The first year at EHL focuses on a better understanding of the operational side of hospitality, divided into 2 semesters. The first one consists of 24 weeks of workshops, including Catering, Bakery, Housekeeping, Front Desk, Service, and Kitchen work across all our bar & restaurant outlets, including our Michelin-starred restaurant “Berceau des Sens” (BDS), Enology, Mathematics, and more. My personal favorites were Events, R&D, and service at BDS. I actually loved the entire semester because, under the careful supervision of our amazing teachers, we got to experiment with what hospitality is all about, dispel misconceptions, and deepen our love for it. EHL provides you with both service and kitchen uniforms, so there is nothing to worry about upon your arrival. And yes, you might have to either wake up very early or finish very late, but it’s all worth it, actually, since you live on campus, in the same place as your colleagues who share the same experiences, it’s rather fun! Then, there is the operational six-month internship, which you can do wherever you want. And here is where EHL steps in again, through the Career Partners who will guide you along the way and help you draft your CVs and cover letters to make sure you stand out and help you find your perfect internhip, our online platform EHL Connects where you can find and apply to plenty of jobs, and most importantly the Career Fair, the major event where more than 120 companies are present on campus, so you get the chance to talk to their representatives, make a good first impression and perhaps secure an internhsip. That’s how I found mine!
Then, after your return from internship, that’s where the real university experience begins. EHL’s Bachelor program is divided into 6 semesters, totaling 3 years of study, with one semester dedicated to the second internship, the administrative one. The curriculum is divided perfectly between modules: Communication and culture, Foundations of Hospitality Management, and Business Tools, with classes such as: Business Communication, Academic Writing, Marketing, Human Behavior & Performance in the workplace, Room Division Management, Service Quality and Design, Financial Accounting, Statistics, Micro/Macroeconomics, a Language of your choice (French, German, Spanish, Russian etc.), and more!
And EHL has, in my opinion, the best learning model: the lectures with our amazing teachers, tutoring classes with Teaching Assistants to get over any uncertainties one may have, our online platform featuring all necessary learning materials, working on group projects to prepare its students for their final Student Business Project or thesis for graduation, and our library with all resources to expand your knowledge. Now, I could go on and on about our teachers and how amazing and passionate they are, managing to turn any subject into something so attractive for us students, making me want to know more and more. Nevertheless, here are some of my favorite teachers I’ve had so far, since I find it worth mentioning: Professor Giuliano Bianchi (Microeconomics), Professor Karen Earl Erpelding (Financial Accounting, Topics in Financial Accounting), Professor Jouni Kassem (Revenue Management), Professor Steven McMath (Legal Challenges), Professor Sebastien Fernandez (Human Behavior & Performance in the workplace), Professor Christopher Rudolph (Service Quality and Design), Professor Peter Varga (Corporate Sustainability), Professor Valentina Clergue (Foundations of Hospitality Marketing), Proefessor Fernanda Nussbaum (Spanish). And how could I forget about the teaching assistants who answered all of my questions, even if they had to repeat themselves a hundred times: Emma Bernardini, Adrian Fazilaj, and Muzeyyen Yemis. All these people, helped shaping my academic experience at EHL, and now I can certainly state that I will always remeber how to create and anayze a Balance Sheet, Income Statement and Cash Flow Statement, how to calculate elasticity and explain perfect competition, how different forms or reinforcement work and why delayed gratification is better, how to explain the customer buying journey, how to tell if a contract is valid or not, and how to order at a restaurant in Spain 🙂 And, this is just a small part of what stuck with me.
Now, a bit about the Student Life at EHL. We have 28 student committees, at least one for every interest (Football, Basketball, Golf, Rugby, Music, Theatre, Arts, Photography, Mixology, Finance, Sustainability, etc.). And from my experience, I can tell you that by joining a committee, you not only immerse yourself even deeper into the EHL lifestyle but also gain practical and organizational skills and make a ton of new friends. Now, I can proudly say that I have friends from all over the world.
Even more, at EHL, there are tennis and padel courts, volleyball and basketball courts, a gym, and a swimming pool, all on campus, so you can easily do plenty of activities in your free time. I love playing tennis with my friends, and we try to do it as often as possible. As well, there are a multitude of projects and events happening on campus almost every day. My favorite type is the “Spend a day with” events, where companies such as LVMH, Cartier, or even KFC are present on campus to conduct panel talks and workshops for interested students. So, all in all, I can firmly affirm that EHL was and still is the place where I continually grow academically and socially, and it was definitely the best choice I have ever made. But obviously, you are in charge of how your experience at EHL is going to look, and as I like to say, EHL gives you all the opportunities, but it’s YOUR job to make the most of them!

It has been 2 years now since I started my studies at EHL and what an experience!

I moved to Epalinges in September 2024 and I still can’t believe how far I have arrived today, about to begin my 3rd year at EHL.

Thanks to all the skills and preparation gained through my AP semester, it helped me a lot during my internship in Dubai in the Concierge department. Working in such a luxury environment pushed me to learn the city inside out, so I could actually talk guests through where to go and what to do, not just recite a list. That is where I understood how much detail and genuine care go into hospitality at that level, and it confirmed why I wanted to be there in the first place.

Alongside my studies, I also became a Student Ambassador, and I reached gold status in just one semester. It has honestly been one of the best parts of my time at EHL so far. As an Ambassador, you help during campus tours for prospective students, and you also support during intro week, welcoming the new AP students as well as those arriving from the Singapore and Passugg campuses. Getting to meet so many people from the very first day they set foot on campus, and knowing you played a small part in making them feel welcome, is something I did not expect to enjoy as much as I do.

Comparing the AP semester to where I am now, the workload has changed a lot. AP is shorter and the exams are weekly, so it moves fast but stays manageable. Now that I am deeper into the Bachelor’s and things are less practical, I find myself studying more, and differently too, since it is more about memorising and less about applying.

Some memories stay with me more than others. During intro week in AP, we went to Gruyères to eat fondue as a group, and that day did more for our bonding as a class than anything in a classroom could have. I also still think about the BOSC 1 welcome event, seeing everyone again after coming back from our internships and realising how much we had all grown individually while still being the same group.

Looking ahead, I would love to become a General Manager of a hotel one day. Before that though, I want to build real experience, and I am hoping to join a Management Trainee Program with a hotel somewhere in the world once I graduate, to keep learning the business from the ground up.

EHL has given me so much more than a degree so far, and I am genuinely excited for what the next two years still have in store.

My time at EHL has been incredible. Beyond the academics, what stands out the most is the people. EHL helps you build real friendships and a global network that will stay with you long after graduation. I’ve learned so much, not just about hospitality but about myself, working in teams, and adapting to new challenges. The opportunity to go to the SG campus was unforgettable, new country, new perspective, and amazing memories with friends. EHL really pushes you to grow, and I’m so glad I’m part of

I came into EHL as a very shy person but I can proudly say that the experiences of working in teams for group projects with different nationalities have helped me evolve into a more confident and outgoing person. Initially, I felt overwhelmed with being in a different language speaking country, but we have an english speaking atmosphere around the campus. The professors and students at school always make me feel like a family and are very supportive for any discussions beyond just in-class learnings.

Before starting my master’s, I was in a business school in North America, and while I was taking courses, I noticed I didn’t enjoy my classes; however, I loved my job, which involved building personal connections and creating memorable events. While I was looking for a master’s program, I realized that hospitality was the right fit for me. Moreover, I looked into options in Europe and North America and found that EHL offered the best balance of classes, professional experience, and the ability to specialize in a sector.

Being almost done with my second semester of the Mihm program, I have found it fulfilling.
The first semester of the program was challenging, with constant classes and a practical case challenge with a company. This semester is really the foundation of business with hospitality; classes such as Mastering Service Operation, Project Management, and Hospitality & Service Organization Design emphasize the hospitality side, which was great for me since I don’t have a background in hospitality. Other classes, such as Accounting, Corporate Finance, and Service Economics, were less challenging since I had a background in business. The program does offer a good balance and also takes a hospitality lens when possible.

In terms of the structure of the first semester, it is very compact, in which you do not have a lot of time for anything else since you have classes from 9:00 am -12 pm and 1:30-4:30 pm every day, plus you will have to study for an exam or meet with your group for projects. One thing I wish I knew before coming was that the classes change every two to three weeks, hence the tight schedule with new projects or midterms coming and others finishing. Moreover, you have the opportunity to work on a real project in a group with a company, which adds to the first-semester workload but is also very rewarding, since you are working on something tangible and implementable. Regarding the second semester, the luxury specification schedule is less intense than in the first semester, and you have more group projects. Some of the most interesting classes were Strategic Branding, which focused on how luxury brands position themselves and the assets they have. I also enjoyed a multisensory experience, since that is more what I want to do in the future, and I find multisensory very interesting, especially which senses match and which don’t. We also had the chance to pitch our concept for an experience to several investors, which was very interesting, especially since we were able to connect the previous classes with this one.

The school offers you the option to join committees, which I would recommend, since as a master’s program, you do not interact a lot with bachelor students, and this was a great way to meet other students. You also have access to the gym, pool, and padel or tennis courts.

Finally, we had the chance to go to Paris for a week and experience luxury hospitality at its fingertips. We had the opportunity to stay at two very different hotels to see the different aspects of luxury hotels. Additionally, we visited three separate hotels and learned more about the ins and outs of their operations, and were able to connect with industry experts. As part of the luxury program, we also have a partnership with Cartier (each specialization has its own), during which we visited their headquarters, boutique, and foundation. I think the field trip was the cherry on top of the program so far because it goes beyond the classroom and lets us see everything we have learned in action. Furthermore, we have a concept week during which we will work with Cartier to address a challenge they will set for us.

Looking ahead, I think this program has set me on the right path for my future, with all the opportunities it offers, as well as the school itself.

When you first come to EHL, you notice that there is always something going on, from a culinary challenge to a workshop with Alvarez & Marsal. EHL is a university full of opportunities if you take hold of them.

The professors are open to helping students understand difficult concepts and advising them on their projects. It is always nice to see passionate professors who constantly try to improve their classes and listen to the students.

In our classes, I enjoy that we get a blend of group projects and exams, both of which require very different approaches and skill sets. A personal favourite were my private equity and hotel asset management classes.

The facilities range from a swimming pool, tennis courts, to a Michelin-starred restaurant, and the list goes on and on.

But what makes this place special is the strong community. Students are very active in their committees and create a hospitable environment, exactly what this school is about.