PGE - Step 1 - Gather the necessary documents for university selection

Your study abroad journey starts now! To make the most of this experience, it's essential to be well-prepared and to fully understand what it involves from the very beginning. Studying abroad is an academic opportunity with several goals:

• To broaden your global perspective
• To experience different cultures and teaching methods​
• to earn academic credits

This is not merely a language exchange or a travel experience; it is a chance to study business in an international setting.

Embark on Your Study Abroad Experience

IS PARTICIPATING IN AN EXCHANGE MANDATORY?

Yes, PGE students are required to complete an exchange.

WHEN CAN I UNDERTAKE MY EXCHANGE?

Depending on your program, here are your options:

• Classic pathway:
  • Exchange in semester 8 (2^nd semester of PGE2)
  • Exchange in semester 8 (2^nd semester of PGE2) + Exchange in semester 9 & 10 (Double Degree Abroad in PGE3) 

• Apprenticeship pathway - RPI:
  • Exchange in semester 9 (1^st semester of PGE3)

ESSENTIAL DOCUMENTS FOR YOUR EXCHANGE

In order to give you access to the widest choice of partner universities, you must first meet their admission requirements, including passport validity, language proficiency tests, and GPA requirements. It is your responsibility to ensure you are eligible for the universities you wish to apply to. Through the OFL (Online Training Offer), you will view all universities for which you meet the admission conditions.

IS A VALID PASSPORT NECESSARY?

If you wish to apply to universities outside Europe, you must upload a copy of your valid passport to your RISE account. Ensure your passport is valid for the entire duration of your exchange and at least six months beyond its conclusion to prevent any administrative issues with embassies.

HOW DO I UPLOAD MY PASSPORT?

Log in to your RISE account and navigate to "Exchange Abroad > My passport." Upload a clear copy of your passport and complete the required information.

WHAT IF I CHOOSE TO STUDY WITHIN EUROPE?

In this case, you are not required to provide a passport. Instead, select the “No, I want to go to Europe” option. Ensure that your national identity card remains valid for the entire duration of your exchange.

I AM A NON-EUROPEAN STUDENT. DO I NEED A VISA TO STUDY IN ANOTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRY?

Yes, you will need to apply for a student visa specific to the European country where you plan to study.

IS AN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEST REQUIRED?

Some universities require an official language test as a prerequisite for admission. If you intend to submit test results (such as TOEIC, TOEFL iBT, or IELTS) during the university allocation process, ensure you upload your valid test scores to RISE via the "Exchange Abroad > My language certificate" section before the deadline.

Please note that the language test score requirements set by our partners are strict. For example, if a TOEFL iBT score of 80 is required on our Exchange Places Offer, a score of 79 will not be accepted by either Rennes SB or the partner university.​

Some universities accept either the TOEFL iBT or the TOEIC. In such cases, you only need to provide the results of one of these tests.

HOW IS MY SECOND LANGUAGE (LV2) PROFICIENCY ASSESSED?

Certain universities require a minimum proficiency level in a second language (LV2) for admission. Your LV2 level can be demonstrated by:

• For all students:
  • An official LV2 language proficiency test
• For ex-PGE1 students only:
  • Your LV2 results in Rennes SB (grade A=C1, grades B-C=B2, grades D-E=B1)  
• For AST2 students only:
  • an online Language Placement test conducted by our language department (during summer)  
• For ex-BiM2 students only: 
  • Your annual LV2 BIM2 results at Rennes SB (grade A=C1, grade B-C=B2, grade D-E=B1) 

If you choose a destination where courses are taught in your second language (e.g., Spanish, Italian, or German), ensure you can fully understand lectures, actively participate in class, and complete assignments and exams in that language. Academic difficulties often arise from insufficient language proficiency.

What are the entry requirements for the PGE3 Double Degree Abroad Programme?

The Double Degree Abroad programme is selective. The following conditions must be met in order to access this programme:

If you entered PGE1 before 2024-2025:
- have opted for semester 7 abroad
- Valid passport covering the full exchange abroad (+6 months post-exchange)
- TOEFL iBT ⩾ 80 
- GPA ⩾ 3 before resit during the semester 8 if you decided to take a gap year
OR
- GPA ⩾ 3 before resit during your PGE1 if you decided to join PGE3 without taking a gap year

If you entered PGE1 in or after 2024-2025:
- have opted for a gap year
- Valid passport covering the full exchange abroad (+6 months post-exchange)
- TOEFL iBT ⩾ 80 or TOEIC ⩾ 800 or IELTS ⩾ 6.5
- GPA ⩾ 3 before resit during the semester 7

IS THERE A DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING MY DOCUMENTS? 

Click here to quickly understand the timeline of the University Selection process according to your exchange semester.

• For the Exchange in semester 8:
  • Ex-PGE1 students must gather your documents on RISE before 31 May.
  • AST2 students must gather your documents on RISE before 31 August.
• For the Exchange in semesters 9 & 10 (Double Degree), you must gather your documents (passport + one of the above language tests) on RISE before 31 January of your a gap year. 
• For the Exchange in semester 9 (Apprenticeship pathway - RPI), you must gather your documents on RISE before 28 February of your PGE2 year.

Choosing Your Exchange Destination

Through the OFL, you can access a list of partner universities for which you meet the admission requirements. With over 350 academic partners, we aim to provide a wide selection of exchange destinations. While many countries are available, not all universities within each country may be accessible, to ensure fairness across all programs.

The specific list of partner universities available for your program and cohort will be sent to you via email in the Exchange Places Offer document once it is ready.

WHEN WILL THE EXCHANGE PLACES OFFER BE AVAILABLE?

Click here to quickly understand the timeline of the University Selection process according to your exchange semester.

• For the Exchange in semester 8:
  • Ex-PGE1 students will get their Exchange Places Offer in early May.
  • AST2 students will get their Exchange Places Offer in early August.
• For the Exchange in semesters 9 & 10 (Double Degree), you will get your Exchange Places Offer in early February during the year of your gap year.
• For the Exchange in semester 9 (Apprenticeship pathway - RPI), you will get your Exchange Places Offer in late January of PGE2.

HOW CAN I LEARN ABOUT THE LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS OF PARTNER UNIVERSITIES?

Since the Exchange Places Offer may only be available a few weeks before your OFL, we recommend reviewing the Exchange Places Offers from previous years 👉 Exchange Places  Offer 👈. This can provide insight into potential destinations and the language prerequisites set by partner universities. Please note that these documents are for informational purposes only and may change from year to year.