Study BTS Commerce International for Global Business Skills - EMA Skip to main content Skip to footer
Intake
Intake :

September

Duration
Duration :

2 years
26h classes/week on average

Credits
Credits :

120 ECTS

Tuition Fees
Tuition fees :

€ 6,500

Programme delivered
Programme delivered :

French

Pre-Requisites
Pre-requisites :

Holder of a Baccalaureate from any stream (general, technical or professional)

Programme overview

Taught on our Paris campus, the BTS Commerce International is a state-recognised national diploma (RNCP41759). It takes two years after secondary school and opens two routes: straight into work, or on to further study.

An international trade operation is a chain of decisions: finding a client or a supplier, negotiating a price and an Incoterm, arranging transport, securing payment, meeting customs requirements, handling disputes, then measuring how the whole thing performed.

The BTS puts you at the centre of that machinery. You become the point of contact between people who share neither a language nor a profession: sales teams, clients, suppliers, freight forwarders, carriers, insurers, banks and customs authorities.

Built around the core functions of international trade: client relationships, export operations, business development, the programme is practice-led: real cases, professional simulations, and 14 weeks of work placement including 4 abroad, in a non-francophone country.

Worth 120 ECTS credits, it is open to school-leavers from every academic background.

Read more...
Incoterms Customs Documentary credit Cross-cultural negotiation Documentation chain Risk management

Contact Us

Registration at least 7 days before the start of the programme

Why choose this programme?

Four ways to end up here

People don't choose a BTS Commerce International for the same reasons. What matters is what you want to do with it.

Start working sooner

You don't want five years of study before your first real job. In two years, you become effective in roles that are genuinely in demand: export sales administration, freight forwarding, international purchasing. The diploma is state-awarded, and your 14 weeks in companies make your CV read like someone who has already done the work.

What comes next — a first role straight after graduating, with an exporting SME, a freight forwarder, or an international sales department.

Work internationally

You want a job that takes you out of France, not just a holiday that does. The BTS CI is the only two-year qualification that requires four weeks of placement in a non-francophone country, and that builds two foreign languages into professional skills. EMA adds its network across 16 countries and an optional third language.

What comes next — client-facing international roles from the start, then area manager, international buyer, or a move to an overseas subsidiary.

Build a foundation before going further

You're aiming for a three- or five-year degree, but you want to understand how a business actually works before you theorise about it. Two years of practice — negotiation, costing, contracts, logistics — make everything after it far more solid. Business schools are glad to recruit these profiles for exactly that hands-on maturity.

What comes next — our Bachelor Applied Management and Economics, a vocational degree, a modern languages degree, or a Grande École programme through parallel admission.

Change direction

A first year that didn't work out, a path you didn't really choose, or the pull of something more concrete. Every year the BTS CI takes in students from university, technical institutes and other schools. Small cohorts, close supervision, results you can see quickly: the format is built for regaining confidence.

What comes next — up to you, and that's the point: the BTS opens both doors.

Course content

The hours shown below are per week.

Subject What you'll learn Y1 Y2
General studies and communication Synthesis, argumentation, professional writing 2 h 2 h
First foreign language - English Negotiation, correspondence, presenting 4 h 3 h
Second foreign language Written and spoken, assessed in the final exam 4 h 3 h
Economics, law and management Contracts, competition, financing, strategy 4 h 4 h
Cross-cultural client relations Prospecting and cross-cultural negotiation 4 h 2 h
Client relations in English, economics and management Team-taught - two lecturers, one case 1 h 2 h
International operations Incoterms, transport, customs, payment, risk 5 h 6 h
International business development Market intelligence, market analysis, prospecting plans 5 h 4 h

Optional subjects

Internship preparation and support Guidance throughout your internship 2 h 2 h

Course content

The hours shown below are per week.

Subject

General studies and communication

Synthesis, argumentation, professional writing

Y1 - 2 h

Y2 - 2 h

First foreign language - English

Negotiation, correspondence, presenting

Y1 - 4 h

Y2 - 3 h

Second foreign language

Written and spoken, assessed in the final exam

Y1 - 4 h

Y2 - 3 h

Economics, law and management

Contracts, competition, financing, strategy

Y1 - 4 h

Y2 - 4 h

Cross-cultural client relations

Prospecting and cross-cultural negotiation

Y1 - 4 h

Y2 - 2 h

Client relations in English, economics and management

Prospecting and cross-cultural negotiation

Y1 - 4 h

Y2 - 2 h

International operations

Team-taught - two lecturers, one case

Y1 - 1 h

Y2 - 2 h

International business development

Market intelligence, market analysis, prospecting plans

Y1 - 5 h

Y2 - 4 h

Optional subjects

Internship preparation and support

Guidance throughout your internship

Y1 - 2 h

Y2 - 2 h

Your typical week

29h

of classes per week in Year 1

26h

in Year 2

5

days of classes per week

15

weeks per semester, on average

14 weeks in industry, 4 of them abroad

Managing a time difference with head office, adapting to cultural codes nobody taught you, solving a problem when you can't walk over to the next desk: this is where cross-cultural skill stops being a classroom idea.

Year 1 - 10 weeks

In France, to see the operational chain from the inside.

Year 2 - 4 weeks

Including 4 consecutive weeks in a non-francophone country.

Where you can go

EMA belongs to a network of schools and companies established in ten countries, across four continents.

Spain United Kingdom Ireland Germany Malta United States India Australia United Arab Emirates Saudi Arabia

You won't be finding it alone

A dedicated module

Placement preparation and supervision — 2 hours a week, in both years.

The careers service

One-to-one support throughout your studies.

The Career OS platform

Access to vacancies and job-search tools.

Exclusive events

Reserved for EMA students, run by the school and by Career OS.

A day on placement, hour by hour

09:00

European orders and Incoterms checks

10:30

Customs declarations and certificates of origin

11:30

Distributor call in English

14:00

Export documentation and filing

15:30

Preparing a tender

17:00

End-of-day reporting

French language requirements

Test Overall Requirement
DELF (Diplôme d'Études en Langue Française) B2 Intermediate
DALF (Diplôme Approfondi de Langue Française) B2 Intermediate
TCF-DAP B2 Intermediate

French language requirements

Test

DELF (Diplôme d'Études en Langue Française)

B2 Intermediate

DALF (Diplôme Approfondi de Langue Française)

B2 Intermediate

TCF-DAP

B2 Intermediate

Need help funding your studies ?

EMA enables Year 1 BTS applicants to apply for a scholarship reducing Year 1 tuition fees by 20%, based on an exceptional achievement or commitment beyond academic performance.

You can spread your tuition fees over 5 interest-free instalments, arranged directly with the school.

What types of achievements are eligible?

  • Arts and creative practice
  • Sport and athletic achievement
  • Charity, civic or community engagement
  • Environmental or social impact initiatives
  • Student leadership or association work
  • Entrepreneurship or project leadership
  • Any other exceptional non-academic achievement

How to apply :

  • Be admitted to Year 1 of an EMA undergraduate programme
  • Write a 200-word statement presenting the activity, the level of achievement or commitment, and its impact
  • Submit supporting evidence (portfolio, certificate, ranking, press article, recommendation letter...)

What we assess :

  • Level and consistency of the achievement or commitment, supported by credible evidence
  • Impact generated beyond the applicant
  • Alignment with EMA values

The scholarship applies to Year 1 only and is not renewable in Year 2. The 30% deposit required for the Letter of Acceptance remains payable in full and is not reduced by the scholarship. The scholarship is selective, limited to 20 places per year and is subject to final approval. Submitting an application does not guarantee that a scholarship will be awarded.

Learning objectives

Année 1&2

RNCP35800BC01 – Develop business relationships in an intercultural environment

  • Exploit customer/supplier data
  • Manage international business relationships
  • Communicate in French and English in intercultural contexts
  • Oversee coordination between departments
  • Lead and develop a professional network

RNCP41759 BC02 – Implement international operations

  • Organise, monitor and follow up on the execution of an international contract
  • Assess the consequences of decisions made
  • Measure risks, manage risk coverage, claims and disputes
  • Monitor and track processes and the documentation chain
  • Evaluate service performance and supplier offers
  • Put forward improvements for operations management
  • Design and analyse dashboards for monitoring operations management

RNCP41759 BC03 – Contribute to international business development

  • Conduct monitoring of the company's global environment
  • Analyse and summarise information on a target market
  • Identify and define deployment strategies for a target market
  • Contribute to adaptation strategies related to the company's international development
  • Participate in commercial prospecting

Why choose EMA?

Discover what makes us the perfect choice for your academic journey

An international vision

An institution integrated into a network of schools and companies established in 16 countries around the world

Programmes concieved in both French and English, enabling international exchanges

A personalised support

A human-scale management school with a student well-being dedicated team

Classes limited to 20 students to foster skills development and interaction

A privileged place for  languages

Programmes that lead to professional mastery of the chosen language

Partnerships with expert schools in the field

An ally for your employment

A commitment from our teams and our learners to collaborative work for internships, student jobs and graduate jobs 

A training to face the contemporary challenges of the world of work through a sustainable / eco responsible  approach

Learning outcomes

At the end of the program, you will be able to:

  • Use and analyse customer and supplier data
  • Manage international business relationships
  • Communicate effectively in both French and English in intercultural contexts
  • Coordinate services and lead a professional network
  • Organize, monitor, and follow up on the execution of international contracts
  • Assess the impact of strategic decisions
  • Identify risks, manage their coverage, and handle claims and disputes
  • Monitor and control processes and documentation flows
  • Evaluate service performance and supplier offers
  • Propose improvements to operational management
  • Design and analyse performance dashboards for operations management
  • Conduct monitoring of the company’s global environment
  • Analyse and summarize information on a target market
  • Identify and define market entry strategies for a target market
  • Contribute to adaptation strategies linked to the company’s international development
  • Participate in commercial prospecting activities
Read more...

Delivery methods

The BTS Commerce International (CI) prepares you to become an operational professional, capable of combining theoretical knowledge with practical skills from the very start of your career.

Throughout your program, you play an active role in your learning. You immediately apply what you study through real-life case studies, professional simulations, practical exercises, and regular assessments. This approach helps you develop professional reflexes and strengthens your ability to effectively use your skills in a business environment.

Your training is structured around:

  • In-person classes that are interactive and career-focused
  • Work placements totaling 14 weeks, including 4 weeks abroad
  • Real-world simulations to train in conditions close to professional reality
  • Practical assessments to track your progress and highlight your achievements
  • Personalised support to guide you and help you improve throughout your journey, including during your internships

With the BTS CI, you develop directly applicable skills and actively prepare for successful integration into a demanding international professional environment.

Read more...

Assessment methods

Throughout your training, you are assessed progressively to highlight your skills and development.

  • National final exams to validate your knowledge
  • Regular assessments to monitor your progress
  • Real-life simulations to test your skills in practical situations
  • Assessed internships, including professional reports and oral presentations

You are evaluated on your knowledge, your ability to apply it, and your professional attitude

Read more...

EMA supports diversity and inclusion

The École de Management Appliqué is committed to the success of all its students and actively participates in the inclusion of students with disabilities. Adapted services are offered to ensure that our students are well received throughout their studies.  

For any question contact us at accessibility@ema.education

   
Certification Authority MINISTERE DE L'ENSEIGNEMENT SUPERIEUR ET DE LA RECHERCHE
Certification pass rates New programmes
The possibility of validating one or more skill blocks https://www.francecompetences.fr/recherche/rncp/41759/
Equivalences https://www.francecompetences.fr/recherche/rncp/41759/
Bridging pathways https://www.francecompetences.fr/recherche/rncp/41759/
Learning Pathways Upon obtaining your BTS, you will be able to continue your studies in a Bachelor's degree or a university Licence with a focus on business and international studies.
Career opportunities Upon obtaining your BTS, you will be able to work in industrial, commercial, or service companies, mainly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). These companies serve both individual customers and business clients.
Date of publication of the record 17/12/2025
Start date of the certification pathways 01/09/2026
Registration expiry date 31/08/2026
Final date for awarding the certification 31/08/2034
 

Certification Authority

MINISTERE DE L'ENSEIGNEMENT SUPERIEUR ET DE LA RECHERCH

Certification pass rates

Next certification session - summer 2028

The possibility of validating one or more skill blocks

Work placements totaling 14 weeks, including 4 weeks abroad

Equivalences

Real-world simulations to train in conditions close to professional reality

Bridging pathways

Practical assessments to track your progress and highlight your achievements

Learning Pathways

Personalised support to guide you and help you improve throughout your journey

Career opportunities

Develop applicable skills and prepare for professional integration

Date of publication of the record

17/12/2025

Start date of the certification pathways

9/1/2026

Registration expiry date

31/08/2026

Final date for awarding the certification

31/08/2034

New programmes

Success rates, recommendation rates, and the number of participants trained will be communicated in January 2027.

Frequently asked questions

Find answers to common questions about the BTS Commerce International

Students may take a third modern language (LV3) in the BTS programme. Arabic and Mandarin are offered as optional courses. A minimum A2 level is required, as the 120 hours of instruction over two years demand a solid foundation for effective progress.

The BTS is a State recognised qualification. It is a national diploma at the Bac+2 level, registered in the National Register of Professional Certifications (RNCP), which ensures its academic and professional value throughout the country.

Internships are mandatory in the BTS programme. The curriculum includes a total of 14 weeks of placement: 10 weeks in France and 4 weeks abroad, allowing students to develop practical skills and gain international exposure.

An intermediate level of French (generally equivalent to B2) is required in order to follow the courses and participate actively in the projects.