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Key Facts: Concours ACCÈS Exam

4 Schools

Member Grandes Écoles (ESDES, ESSCA, Excelia, IÉSEG)

Association Concours ACCÈS

6 Hours

Total Written Examination Duration

Association Concours ACCÈS

210 €

Universal Application Fee (50 € for boursiers)

Association Concours ACCÈS

350 Words

Standard Target Length for Épreuve de Synthèse

Association Concours ACCÈS

Concours ACCÈS is the competitive common entrance examination granting access to 5-year Grande École Master in Management programs at ESDES, ESSCA, Excelia and IÉSEG. Coordinated via Parcoursup, its written admissibility battery comprises three demanding tests totaling 6 hours: a 3-hour dossier synthesis essay (Synthèse), a 2-hour mathematical and logical reasoning exam, and a 1-hour English examination. Candidates qualifying on written scores advance to school-specific oral admission interviews.

Sample Concours ACCÈS Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Concours ACCÈS exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A merchant buys an item for 80 € excluding VAT (hors taxes) and applies a commercial margin rate (taux de marque) of 20%. What is the selling price excluding VAT?

A.96 €

B.100 €

C.104 €

D.120 €

Explanation: In French commercial accounting, the taux de marque is defined as the commercial margin divided by the selling price excluding tax: Taux de marque = (Selling Price - Cost Price) / Selling Price. Setting (P - 80) / P = 0.20 yields P - 80 = 0.20P, so 0.80P = 80, which gives P = 100 €. If the retailer had instead applied a taux de marge (markup on cost) of 20%, the selling price would have been 80 * 1.20 = 96 €.

2An investment fund grows by 20% in Year 1 and decreases by 20% in Year 2. Compared to its initial capital, what is the net performance of the fund over the two-year period?

A.0% (neutral)

B.-4%

C.-2%

D.+4%

Explanation: Successive percentage changes must be multiplied as compound factors rather than added arithmetically. The multiplier for a 20% increase is 1.20, and for a 20% decrease is 0.80. The composite multiplier is 1.20 * 0.80 = 0.96, which represents a net loss of 1 - 0.96 = 0.04 or -4%.

3A manufacturer produces luxury leather bags with fixed monthly overhead costs of 48,000 €. Each bag sells for 350 € and requires 110 € in direct variable production costs. What is the firm's monthly break-even volume (seuil de rentabilité en volume)?

A.138 bags

B.160 bags

C.200 bags

D.240 bags

Explanation: The break-even point in units equals fixed costs divided by the unit contribution margin (marge sur coût variable unitaire). Here, the unit contribution margin is 350 € - 110 € = 240 € per bag. Dividing fixed costs of 48,000 € by 240 € yields exactly 200 bags to achieve zero operating profit.

4A distributor applies a global multiplier coefficient (coefficient multiplicateur) of 1.625 to convert purchase prices excluding VAT into retail selling prices including VAT (TTC). If the applicable VAT rate is 20%, what is the retailer's commercial margin rate (taux de marque)?

A.26.15%

B.35.38%

C.38.46%

D.42.50%

Explanation: Let C be the cost price excluding VAT and P_TTC = 1.625 * C be the selling price with VAT. Since the VAT rate is 20%, the selling price excluding VAT is P_HT = P_TTC / 1.20 = (1.625 / 1.20) * C = (65 / 48) * C ≈ 1.3542 * C. The commercial margin is P_HT - C = (17 / 48) * C. The taux de marque equals (P_HT - C) / P_HT = (17 / 48) / (65 / 48) = 17 / 65 ≈ 0.2615 or 26.15%.

5Two automated production lines produce identical microchips. Line A manufactures 60% of total output with a defect rate of 2%, while Line B manufactures 40% of total output with a defect rate of 5%. If a randomly selected microchip is found to be defective, what is the probability that it was produced by Line B?

A.37.5%

B.40.0%

C.62.5%

D.71.4%

Explanation: By Bayes' theorem, P(B|Defective) = P(B and Defective) / P(Defective). The overall probability of a defective chip is P(Defective) = (0.60 * 0.02) + (0.40 * 0.05) = 0.012 + 0.020 = 0.032. The joint probability of being from Line B and defective is 0.40 * 0.05 = 0.020. Thus, P(B|Defective) = 0.020 / 0.032 = 20 / 32 = 5 / 8 = 62.5%.

6A corporate procurement officer purchases 3 laptops and 4 external monitors for a total of 3,800 €. Later, ordering at the same unit prices, she purchases 2 laptops and 5 external monitors for 3,000 €. What is the unit purchase price of a laptop?

A.800 €

B.900 €

C.1,000 €

D.1,100 €

Explanation: Let L be the laptop price and M be the monitor price. The procurement data yields the linear system: (1) 3L + 4M = 3,800 and (2) 2L + 5M = 3,000. Multiplying (1) by 2 gives 6L + 8M = 7,600, and multiplying (2) by 3 gives 6L + 15M = 9,000. Subtracting the first from the second yields 7M = 1,400, so M = 200 €. Substituting M = 200 into (2) gives 2L + 1,000 = 3,000, which yields 2L = 2,000, or L = 1,000 €.

7A regional sales director travels from Paris to Lille (220 km) at an average speed of 110 km/h. Due to evening congestion on the return trip over the exact same route, her average speed drops to 88 km/h. What was her average speed across the entire 440 km round trip?

A.97.8 km/h

B.99.0 km/h

C.100.0 km/h

D.101.2 km/h

Explanation: Average speed over equal distances is given by the harmonic mean, not the arithmetic mean. Outward travel time is 220 km / 110 km/h = 2.0 hours. Return travel time is 220 km / 88 km/h = 2.5 hours. Total round-trip time is 4.5 hours for a total distance of 440 km. The overall average speed is 440 / 4.5 = 880 / 9 ≈ 97.78 km/h.

8Working alone at constant rates, Auditor A can complete a financial audit in 12 hours, Auditor B in 6 hours, and Auditor C in 4 hours. How long will it take to complete the audit if all three work concurrently?

A.1.5 hours

B.2.0 hours

C.2.5 hours

D.3.0 hours

Explanation: When working concurrently, individual hourly work rates sum up: Rate = (1/12) + (1/6) + (1/4) = (1/12) + (2/12) + (3/12) = 6/12 = 1/2 of the audit completed per hour. The total time required is the reciprocal of the combined rate: 1 / (1/2) = 2.0 hours.

9A treasury manager places 50,000 € in a corporate certificate of deposit earning 4% annual interest, compounded annually. What is the total compound balance at the end of 3 years?

A.56,000.00 €

B.56,243.20 €

C.56,500.00 €

D.57,200.50 €

Explanation: Under annual compound interest, future value is calculated as FV = PV * (1 + r)^n. Here, FV = 50,000 * (1.04)^3. Calculating the growth factor: 1.04^2 = 1.0816, and 1.0816 * 1.04 = 1.124864. Multiplying 50,000 by 1.124864 yields exactly 56,243.20 €.

10A chemical cosmetics lab prepares a sanitizer by blending 30 liters of a 70% alcohol solution, 20 liters of a 40% alcohol solution, and 50 liters of distilled water (0% alcohol). What is the alcohol concentration percentage of the resulting 100-liter blend?

A.25%

B.29%

C.33%

D.37%

Explanation: To determine the final concentration, compute the total volume of pure alcohol and divide by the total liquid volume. Pure alcohol in the first component: 30 * 0.70 = 21 liters. Pure alcohol in the second component: 20 * 0.40 = 8 liters. The distilled water provides 0 liters. Total pure alcohol is 21 + 8 = 29 liters. Across the 100-liter total mixture, the concentration is 29 / 100 = 29%.

About the Concours ACCÈS Exam

Concours ACCÈS is the post-baccalaureate entrance gateway to four French business Grandes Écoles: ESDES Lyon Business School, ESSCA School of Management (Angers, Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Aix-en-Provence, Strasbourg, Budapest, Shanghai), Excelia Business School (La Rochelle, Tours, Orléans), and IÉSEG School of Management (Lille & Paris). Integrated within the national Parcoursup platform, ACCÈS selects high-calibre secondary school graduates and international applicants for direct entry into accredited 5-year integrated Master in Management (Programme Grande École - PGE) curricula. Candidates undergo a multi-tier selection process combining academic school records (dossier scolaire Parcoursup), rigorous online-proctored written examinations (admissibilité), and in-person oral interviews (admission: entretien individuel de motivation and oral English test). The written testing battery spans three core assessments: the landmark 3-hour Épreuve de Synthèse (evaluating analytical summarization and structured confrontation of a 30-to-40-page dossier on contemporary societal/economic themes), the 2-hour Raisonnement logique et mathématique (testing applied calculations, probability, algebra, and deductive reasoning under a distinctive 4-statement True/False scoring rubric with penalties for incorrect answers), and the 1-hour Épreuve d'Anglais (50 QCM items covering advanced grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension of international business journalism). This practice question bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation covering the knowledge and reasoning behind those written tests; it does not simulate the French-language synthesis essay or the official true/false answer sheet.

Exam sponsor: Association Concours ACCÈS. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Question count not published by the exam provider

Time Limit

6 hours total written examination (Synthèse 3h, Raisonnement logique et mathématique 2h, Anglais 1h)

Passing Score

Competitive composite ranking: Parcoursup dossier + online written admissibility tests (Synthèse, Raisonnement logique et mathématique, Anglais) + oral admission tests.

Exam / Certification Fees

210 € (for all 4 member schools; 50 € for boursiers du gouvernement français)

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Official sources

Association Concours ACCÈS: official exam information

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

30%

Mathematical Reasoning & Applied Algebra

Commercial margins, markups, compound growth, financial calculations, systems of equations, work rates, probability, and optimization word problems.

25%

Logical, Formal & Deductive Reasoning

Propositional logic, contrapositives, negation rules, valid syllogisms, truth tables, deductive constraint puzzles, and abstract sequence completions.

20%

Documentary Synthesis & Critical Analysis

Multi-document synthesis methodology, thematic plan design, neutral cross-referencing, logical fallacy detection, and rigorous text confrontation.

25%

Business English, Grammar & Reading Comprehension

High-level grammatical structures, economic idioms, collocations, context vocabulary, and analytical reading of business press articles.

Preparing for the Concours ACCÈS Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Competitive composite ranking: Parcoursup dossier + online written admissibility tests (Synthèse, Raisonnement logique et mathématique, Anglais) + oral admission tests.
Assessment: Question count not published by the exam provider
Time limit: 6 hours total written examination (Synthèse 3h, Raisonnement logique et mathématique 2h, Anglais 1h)
Exam / certification fees: 210 € (for all 4 member schools; 50 € for boursiers du gouvernement français) Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

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Concours ACCÈS: Suggested Study Strategy

1Master commercial mathematics formulas: ensure instant fluency with taux de marque (margin / selling price), taux de marge (margin / cost price), coefficient multiplicateur, and break-even revenue (seuil de rentabilité = fixed costs / variable margin rate).

2Develop speed and accuracy in mental calculations: during the 2-hour quantitative section, time pressure is intense and calculators are prohibited on official tests. Practice shortcuts for percentages, fractions, and square roots.

3Understand formal logic rules: drill converse, inverse, contrapositive, and De Morgan's laws for propositions. In syllogisms, remember that 'Some A are B' does not logically imply 'Some A are not B'.

4Practice the strict discipline of the Synthèse: train regularly on multi-document dossiers by highlighting key points, assembling a cross-reference matrix (tableau de confrontation), drafting a two-part two-subpart thematic plan, and rigorously adhering to the 350-word constraint.

5Build high-level business English literacy: read weekly articles from The Economist, Financial Times, and Bloomberg. Drill inversions, conditionals (real, unreal, and mixed), subjunctive forms, dependent prepositions, and corporate finance vocabulary.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which business schools are accessed through Concours ACCÈS?

For the 2026 session Concours ACCÈS provides joint admissions to four French management Grandes Écoles offering 5-year post-baccalaureate master's degree programs (Programme Grande École - PGE): ESDES Lyon Business School, ESSCA School of Management (campuses in Angers, Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Aix-en-Provence, Strasbourg, Budapest and Shanghai), Excelia Business School (La Rochelle, Tours, Orléans), and IÉSEG School of Management (Lille and Paris-La Défense). Excelia joined the concours alongside the three founding schools, so always check the current member list on concours-acces.com before applying.

How is the written admissibility exam organized and proctored?

The written tests (épreuves écrites d'admissibilité) are conducted entirely online on a single day via a secure remote proctoring platform with artificial intelligence verification and human oversight. The testing day includes three distinct modules: Épreuve de Synthèse (3 hours), Raisonnement logique et mathématique (2 hours), and Épreuve d'Anglais (1 hour), separated by scheduled breaks.

How does the unique scoring system work for the Raisonnement Logique et Mathématique exam?

In the official Concours ACCÈS exam, the Raisonnement logique et mathématique paper consists of independent problems, each followed by 4 distinct statements labeled A, B, C, and D. For each statement, candidates must decide whether it is True (Vrai) or False (Faux). ACCÈS applies a strict scoring grid with negative marking: correctly answering all 4 assertions yields maximum points, while errors or contradictions trigger fractional penalties. Unanswered assertions receive 0 points. In this study adaptation, items are configured as 4-option single-best-answer MCQs that isolate and train the underlying quantitative and logical deductions.

What is the Épreuve de Synthèse and what are its strict constraints?

The Épreuve de Synthèse is a distinctive 3-hour exercise where candidates receive a dossier of 30 to 40 pages of varied source documents (academic articles, statistics, press reports, legal texts, philosophical essays) discussing a contemporary societal, economic, or environmental problem. Candidates must produce a strictly neutral, structured synthesis of exactly around 350 words (typically with a tolerance of +/- 10%, i.e., 315 to 385 words). No external knowledge or personal opinion may be introduced; the essay must confront source arguments across a balanced thematic outline.

How are the final admission results determined?

Admissions proceed in two phases: Admissibilité and Admission. First, an admissibility score is calculated weighting the academic record from Parcoursup (bulletins de Première et de Terminale, notes des épreuves anticipées du baccalauréat) and the online written exam scores (Synthèse, Raisonnement, Anglais). Candidates exceeding each school's admissibility threshold are declared 'admissible' and invited to the oral phase. The oral admission examinations take place on-campus at each school and feature an individual motivational interview (entretien individuel) and an oral English dialogue.

What is the registration fee and how do applicants register?

Candidates register on the French national higher education portal Parcoursup by selecting the Concours ACCÈS wish (vœu). For the 2026 session the standard registration fee is 210 €, which covers applications to all participating schools. Candidates holding a French government scholarship (boursiers de l'enseignement secondaire ou supérieur) pay a reduced fee of 50 €. The written tests were sat online on Thursday 9 April 2026 from 08:30 to 17:00.