"BBA" — Bachelor of Business Administration — is the name most of the world gives to a multi-year, English-taught undergraduate business degree. In France, the same format exists under the name Bachelor. At LIBS, it's the Bachelor in International Business: three years, one hundred percent in English, in the centre of Lyon.
What "BBA in France" means here
If you're comparing English-taught business bachelors across Europe, here is what the LIBS program is, in plain terms:
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Format | 3-year undergraduate business degree (BBA-style Bachelor) |
| Language | 100% English — lectures, coursework, exams |
| French required? | No — free French classes run alongside |
| City | Lyon, France's second-largest economic hub |
| Campus | 84 rue de la Charité, 69002 Lyon (city centre) |
| Open to | International and French students |
Students are enrolled at École de Commerce de Lyon and receive the school's diploma, with a LIBS international specialisation. Exact terms and admission requirements are confirmed in writing before enrolment — nothing is left vague.
The curriculum: built for international careers
Over three years, the program covers the core of an international business education:
Management
The fundamentals of running teams, projects and organisations, taught with real-world cases.
International marketing & trade
How products and services move across borders — and how to sell them when they get there.
Digital business
The tools and models of business today: e-commerce, digital marketing, data-informed decisions.
Intercultural communication
Working across cultures — the skill that separates international managers from local ones.
Professional French (FLE)
Free French as a Foreign Language classes alongside the program, from your first semester.
An international cohort
Study in English with students from Europe and beyond, in a city built for student life.
French included — a second language for free
An English-taught BBA anywhere gives you a business degree. Doing it in France gives you something extra: three years of immersion and free FLE classes, so you graduate with professional French on top of English — two working languages on your CV for the European job market.
Year by year: the three-year BBA-style Bachelor
Year 1 — foundations. Management, accounting, marketing and economics, taught in English with daily language support.
Year 2 — international trade operations. Foreign-market research, sales and cross-cultural negotiation, import-export operations and an introduction to international payments.
Year 3 — professional entry. An international development project, managing multicultural teams, strategy for emerging markets and a final-year project presented to a jury.
Study rhythm and English support
A daily business English session runs Monday to Friday, a CEFR placement test is taken at the first class of each intake, and level is assessed again at year end. The format is one day on campus per week, the rest remotely, so it can fit alongside an internship or a job. Exact timetables are confirmed per intake in writing.
BBA, Bachelor, BSc: which name should you search for?
"BBA" is the international name for a business bachelor; in France the same level is simply called a Bachelor. In both cases it follows the baccalaureate (or equivalent) and lasts three years. The LIBS program is a school-issued degree of École de Commerce de Lyon, not a French state degree. If you already hold a bachelor's degree, look at the Mastère; with professional experience, the MBA. The French-language page on the Bachelor Commerce International gives the same program in French.
Admission: clear steps, written answers
The path is straightforward: request information, talk to an advisor, submit your application, and receive any admission decision in writing before you enrol. For students coming from outside Europe, the Concierge Desk then takes over the practical side — student-visa guidance, housing before arrival, bank account, onboarding. The full process is detailed on the admission page →
Already in Europe on a valid permit?
Joining from Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg or Germany can be simpler than starting from zero.
After the bachelor
Graduates can continue into the English-taught Mastère in International Management (2 years) at LIBS — global strategy and leadership, international marketing, entrepreneurship, cross-cultural management — or take their degree onto the job market. To see both programs side by side, visit the programs page, or read why Lyon is the right city for it.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an English-taught BBA in France?
Yes. LIBS offers the Bachelor in International Business: a 3-year business bachelor taught entirely in English in Lyon — the format international students usually search for as a BBA. No prior French is required.
What is on the curriculum?
Management, international marketing and trade, digital business and intercultural communication over three years, with free French as a Foreign Language classes alongside.
Who can apply and how?
International and French students after secondary school. Request information, talk to an advisor, apply, and receive any admission decision in writing before enrolling. The Concierge Desk then helps international students with visa procedures, housing and arrival.
Can I continue after the bachelor?
Yes — into LIBS's 2-year English-taught Mastère in International Management, also in Lyon.
What diploma is delivered?
Students are enrolled at École de Commerce de Lyon and receive the school's diploma, with a LIBS international specialisation. Exact terms are confirmed in writing before enrolment.
Start your English-taught bachelor in Lyon
Talk to an advisor about the next intake and how to apply from where you are.