Name: Abishek
From: India, Mumbai
Studied in: France, Grenoble
Studies start: 2017
Grade: Master
Program: MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Strategy
University: Grenoble École de Management
Program satisfaction rate: 4/5
Internship: yes
Job: found right after internship in the same company
🎓 Application
How did you learn about this program?
I heard about the program from a friend who had done the program before
Why did you decide to enrol in this program?
Dec 2016 was when I decided to apply. I was interested in the program because it covered entrepreneurship which fascinated me. I was interested in eco-friendly products & the online education industry. France is very popular for climate change related policies. I thought it was a good idea to study entrepreneurship in a country that was passionate about eco-friendly products.
What was your application experience?
I had to show my CAT score, the Indian equivalent of the GMAT. There was a recorded interview & a live interview with the program director and another professor who later taught us a module on strategic marketing. Once I cleared all the application processes, I received my acceptance letter within 2 weeks.
What level of English is required to enter this program?
IELTS 6.5 +
What level of French is required to enter this program?
None
💡 Your impressions from your study abroad experience
What are your general impressions about this program?
The experience was absolutely worth it. My batchmates were the highlight of the program. The program was truly international with 40 students from 16 countries. We also had a 10 day trip to Silicon Valley, USA where we visited Google, Youtube, Netflix, Airbnb, Facebook offices in addition to many accelerators and incubators.
What was the major program value for you?
It helped me understand global cultures and how to work with different people from all across the globe. There were many interesting modules about innovation and strategy in different fields like finance, marketing, business strategy, etc. The program also had a very systematic approach to starting a business. The last 3 months of the course focused on setting up a new startup. We had a mock startup where the professors guided us right from the start to create that.
What did you like about this program?
The program really focused on team work involved in creating a business.
And what didn’t you like?
The program seriously lacked in offering technologically technical courses. There was absolutely no focus on hands on technology experience in any field. The program had digital marketing & digital analytics courses which seriously fell short in terms of real learning. Also, I believe in today’s world, all courses should have at least 2 modules on introduction to data analysis, maybe just on Excel, Tableau, etc.
What is the hardest part of studying abroad?
For me, the hardest part was the weather change that I experienced. I come from tropical Mumbai and living in snow-covered mountains of Grenoble was very challenging. I think it took me 1 entire winter to get used to the weather. The cold weather got me depressed.
How did your typical day look like?
I woke up at around 8, went to school at 9. We would have 6 hours of classes everyday. The classes would end at around 4, as we would have an hour long lunch break from 1 to 2. However, the day would not end at 4. From 4 to 8 we would typically be working on assignments or projects, often in teams. There were presentations almost 2 times a week. Post 8 PM, we would either head home or on the weekends go out. Days were hectic but satisfying.
Is this experience different from your experience at your country’s university? If yes, how?
It’s very different. Firstly, in my home uni, there were very few international students. Also, universities in India focus on “learning” and not implementing. However, admission in a top 10 Indian business school is much harder than a getting into a top 10 French business school, for me. Also, in India, life is very different. If I was studying in India, I could afford amenities and services like house-help. France was very different. In India, no student has to cook their own meals or do their utensils, etc but in France, there was a steep learning curve for doing all these things.
📌 Useful resources
If you had questions or issues (studies, language, administration, careers, integration etc), where did you get help/advice?
On the school portal or some offices the school had created in order to help international students integrate
Did you contact other students with a similar experience? Was their experience helpful?
I lived with 3 other people from my country and 2 of them were in my program. So we basically solved all problems on our own end.
Could you recommend websites which might help study abroad?
I am not sure I can answer this question
💰Finance
What was the cost of your program? How did you finance your studies?$22000. Prodigy Finance Loan.
🏠 Accommodation
What was your accommodation experience?
I rented a 4 BHK apartment with 3 other guys. It was a good experience. I was lucky to find a place with low rent (€350/month). My roommates were Indians studying in the same school. The apartment was very basic but it was cozy. However, the process of finding accommodation was very hectic. The documentation needed by landlords were often beyond the scope of what we had.
How much did you pay for living per month during your studies?
€1000 – Grenoble
🚀 Career opportunities
Did you do an internship during your studies? How did you find it?
I loved my internship (Panda 🐼: in a digital startup in Paris). I think Elina and I did many projects together and we learnt a lot of stuff together and absolutely felt involved. The internship did not really feel like an internship. I had so much autonomy at work that I would make decisions that had a direct impact on the sales and I could see that happen. I did not feel like an intern but rather I felt like I myself was making the money that the company earned. Whenever, we had a good week or month or a successful project, there was a deep sense fulfilment.
Did your university help you in this process?
No. I found the internship on my own via welcome to the jungle.
What was the field of your internship? If you don’t mind please share the remuneration you got.
Marketing. 800€/month
Did you find a job after graduation? Which field and how did you find it?
Yes, I found a job with the same company where I was interning.
🌏 Your future plans
What are your plans? Do you plan to stay in the country?
I moved out of France when the job contract expired. I had planned to go back to France however, the pandemic did not allow me to go back. Now, the job market is even more difficult, so I do not plan on returning as it would take a substantial amount of investment to find a job (Coming to France, renting, surviving on savings till I find a job or run out of money, and I am not ready for that.)
What do you like about France? And what not?
I like the vibe of France. I love the sense of independence that country offers. In India, society dictates life to a certain extent. In France I could make choices without that pressure. The only thing I would say that I do not like is that jobs are very difficult to come by if you are not French. As I did not speak French, it was even harder for me but for many of my friends who did speak French, even for them finding a job in France was a much bigger struggle. Many of them moved to the Netherlands or Germany where job seeking was comparatively easier.
Could you give a piece of advice to future students?
Try to understand what you would like to do before you join the course. Even if you plan on running your business after the course but if you would have to take up a job in order to make your business into a reality, understand what kind of job the course can help you get. Think about long term and short term money making points after the course and only then decide which course to go for.
Date: February 2021
Коментарі