Higher Technical Qualification in Agricultural Business, Management and Strategy

Would you like to gain a comprehensive understanding of agriculture in all its aspects: production, processing and management? To understand, analyse and assess a farm system so that you can then make suggestions for improvement?

Are you looking to set up your own farm or take over an existing one? With this Higher Technical Qualification you’ll tackle a range of development challenges and get to the heart of the profession!

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Nature: Qualification-leading course
Lenght of training: 2 years
Terms and conditions: Work-study programme Full-time
Status: Holder of a Level 4 qualification: A-levels (general, technological or vocational) or equivalent

Overview

OBJECTIVES

This Higher Technical Qualification enables students to develop a strategic approach to agricultural business management, drawing on technical and economic analysis, accounting and management tools, as well as agricultural techniques.

Supporting ecological transitions in metropolitan areas
Developing a methodology for farm diagnostics
Developing skills in expression, communication and facilitation
Developing the ability to work independently and adapt to a variety of situations
Developing agricultural skills

Our training indicators

FULL-TIME PROGRAMME

There are a wide variety of training opportunities: visits to farms, real-world case studies and the examination of innovative biotechnical systems.

Hands-on field experience to support your plans to set up your own farm or to gain a better understanding of your future profession:

Communication Projects : connected farming, start-up creation, the post-milk quota era, precision farming…
‘Mentor’ days: in groups, you spend time on farms to develop a farmers’ instincts, absorb knowledge and apply logical reasoning…
Participation in competitions: the National ‘Temporary Grassland’ Competition organised by the National Interprofessional Group for Seeds and Plants (GNIS), the Open Agrifood competition…
Gaining a local understanding of short supply chains in agriculture.
Project courses to explore other challenges and sectors:
- “Dynamics of the wine sector”: enabling a future technician to understand the dynamics and challenges of the sector.
- “Professional commitment”
- “The basics of beekeeping”
- “Processing farm produce”
- “Taking up the challenge of entrepreneurship: processing produce on the farm”

WORK-STUDY PROGRAMME

ESA offers you the opportunity to complete the HND through a work-study programme.

During your work apprenticeship, you will be trained to work independently on most farm tasks:

Providing technical support in the fields of animal and crop production
Carrying out a technical, economic and financial assessment of the farm
Using forecasting tools and assessing the technical, human, economic and financial implications of a project on a farm.

At the ESA’s CFA (APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING CENTRE IN FRANCE) (Apprenticeship Training Centre in France) , training periods provide an opportunity to deepen theoretical knowledge, carry out case studies and visit farms. Throughout the course, the professional skills acquired serve as a basis for producing reports on livestock systems, forage, feed, etc.

To broaden your horizons, ESA also offers two weeks of specialisation through Project courses Processing agricultural products on the farm or Taking up the challenge of entrepreneurship.

FURTHER STUDIES

After completing a Higher Technical Qualification you can continue your studies. ESA offers three main career pathways and four diploma levels (two-year, three-year, four-year or five-year degrees):

Orientation agrotechnique :

Agribusiness Studies:

Agrotechnical & Agribusiness studies:

What courses can you take at ESA with your degree?

Key figures

85%

success rate in 2025

92%

are satisfied with the training in 2025

89%

will be in employment (six months after completing their training) in 2025

Programme

FULL-TIME PROGRAMME

80% of the time spent at ESA
20% of the time in an internship

Engaging with today’s world
Developing your personal and professional career plan
Communicating in a variety of situations and contexts

Managing crop and livestock systems with a focus on multi-performance
Handling the administrative, economic and financial management of the agricultural enterprise
Managing the operations of the agricultural enterprise
Leading a strategic agricultural enterprise project with a focus on multi-performance and resilience
Supporting regional strategic change within agricultural enterprises

‘Dynamics of the wine sector’: enabling a future technician‘ to understand the dynamics and challenges of the sector
‘Professional commitment’
‘The basics of beekeeping’
‘Processing of farm produce’

15 weeks of internship spread over 2 years:

9 weeks on a farm (5 periods)
2 weeks at an agricultural or para-agricultural organisation: a Centre for Rural Economics (CER), a technical institute, a bank, a Chamber of Agriculture, a cooperative, etc.
A minimum of 4 weeks abroad on a farm.

International

Discover the full programme

WORK-STUDY PROGRAMME

60% of time spent at the host organisation
40% of time at ESA

Engaging with today’s world
Developing your personal and professional career plan
Communicating in a variety of situations and contexts

Managing crop and livestock production systems with a focus on multi-performance
Managing the administrative, economic and financial aspects of an agricultural business
Managing the operations of an agricultural business
Leading a strategic agricultural business project with a focus on multi-performance and resilience
Supporting regional strategic change in agricultural businesses

‘Processing farm produce’
‘Taking on the challenge of entrepreneurship’

Typical schedule: 2 to 3 weeks in the workplace and 2 to 3 weeks at the CFA (Apprenticeship training centre in France).
Number of training hours: 700 hours per year, or 1,400 hours over 2 years.
Lectures, tutorials, case studies, company visits.
At the ESA CFA (Apprenticeship training centre in France), training periods provide an opportunity to carry out case studies and visits to key players in the agricultural sector (farms, processors, industry associations, etc.) and the para-agricultural sector (equipment, etc.).
Throughout the course, professional skills acquired serve as a basis for producing reports on livestock farming systems, arable farming systems, etc.

Key advantages

Group trips abroad or within France.
Support throughout the course from a teaching and administrative team.
Access to a web platform with resources (course materials, exercises, etc.) as well as communication tools and the ESA’s digital library (19,000 titles listed in a computerised catalogue, an e-book platform, ScholarVox, and access to databases).
Apprentices have access to our Language Resource Centre. This centre focuses on independent study and interaction to make language learning more engaging in a welcoming environment: various rooms such as reading rooms, private rooms (games/DVDs), a creativity room with a theatre stage…
Each apprentice has a personalised learning booklet enabling them to track their progress and the acquisition of the skills required to qualify for the diploma.
We provide support in professional fields with personalised guidance. Our environment offers access to seminars and conferences, inaugural lectures, an international outlook, and the opportunity to take part in competitions and projects.
We have introduced a writing support programme to provide guidance and monitoring in expression and writing.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

The Higher Technical Qualification is accredited by the Ministry of Agriculture, Agri-Food and Food Sovereignty.

The Higher Technical Qualification is divided into semesters: the 27 skills in the curriculum, organised into 8 blocks, are assessed at the training centre through certification exams over the course of the 4 semesters of the programme.

Candidates therefore no longer sit national final examinations.

The requirements for obtaining the Higher Technical Qualification are as follows:

The marks for the 27 competencies are linked to the 8 skill blocks
The overall average for the 8 blocks must be at least 10/20
The average for the 5 professional blocks must be at least 10/20
The average mark obtained in each of the 5 professional blocks must be at least 6/20

3 good reasons to choose the Higher Technical Qualification

01.

Support for the construction of the proposed facility:

system organisation, technical choices and cost-effectiveness.

02.

The ability to present one’s project effectively:

thorough preparation to convince banks and professional bodies.

03.

An open training programme:

numerous real-life case studies to understand the realities on the ground.

Admissions

Admission process

Required level for admission to the Higher Technical Qualification

Create an account
Complete the application form and upload the required documents
Once completed submit your application form

You are an exchange student

If you are a student from a partner university you must be officially nominated by your university. Once you are nominated by your university you will receive a link to our online application form.

Advantages of the Higher Technical Qualification

INTERNATIONAL OUTLOOK

To broaden your horizons, enhance your CV and gain a unique personal experience, the Higher Technical Qualificationat ESA offers you:

For apprentices:

A one-week group trip in France or Europe: to discover different farming practices.

For students:

9 weeks on a farm (5 periods).
2 weeks at an agricultural or para-agricultural organisation.
A minimum of 4 weeks abroad on a farm.

Placement in a host company, supported and approved by ESA’s international department.

KEY ADVANTAGES

A wide range of courses, including 8 agricultural HND qualifications.
Close and strong links with a network of businesses at regional, national and international level.
Employment or further study: bridges from bachelor’s to master’s level.
A support module for those wishing to progress to engineering studies.
Full-time or apprenticeship: choose the pace of your higher education depending on the HND
A student-centred education with personalised support and teaching methods linked to the real world and focused on cultural openness.
A modern and attractive campus: the resources to learn and develop.
An international outlook: depending on your preferences, you can go abroad on a group trip, an individual stay or an internship.
Living and studying in Angers, a major university city and European plant-based hub, at the heart of France’s leading agri-food region…

CAMPUS LIFE

The ESA is a friendly place to live, open to the city and full of life!

Joining our school means:

to have a rewarding and life-changing experience that will shape your future
thrive through involvement in student societies (over 20 active societies, around a hundred committed students…)
to meet and share experiences in a multicultural environment
building a network…

Take a virtual tour of our school

Angers, an attractive city

Angers, the ‘capital of plants’ since the 19th century, a region with a ‘nature’ label… a new way to experience the city! The 18th largest city in France, at the heart of an urban area with over 300,000 inhabitants, including 47,000 students. A green and cultural city, Angers is a dynamic, ‘human-scale’ city renowned for its relaxed atmosphere and quality of life. It offers a unique living environment with landscapes listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Find out more about life in Angers

AND AFTER ?

An Alumni network

Take advantage of the services of the AAESA (ESA Alumni Association) from the moment you enroll and throughout your professional journey: directory, testimonials, company visits, sponsorship, mentoring, events, job opportunities…

The association is a true career booster, maintaining connections with the school and fostering links between students and professionals.

Join us!

BTS ACS’AGRI – Analyse, conduite et stratégie de l’entreprise agricole (ex : BTS ACSE) formation ESA, distanciel, reprendre une exploitation, diagnostiquer un système d’exploitation

TUITION FESS AND FUNDING

Tuition fees Full-time Programme

Tuition fees*: € 2 278 € per year

Student Union (BDE) membership fee: €30
Workplace accident insurance contribution: €81
Campus services fee: €100

Tuition fees work-study programme

Training is free for apprentices or participants on a professionalization contract.

The annual cost of the program is €. 8 200. For companies established in France, the cost may be covered by an OPCO (French skills and apprenticeship funding body).

For an apprenticeship contract, the coverage level is specified by France Compétences or the OPCO (French skills and apprenticeship funding body)

If the training cost exceeds the OPCO coverage level, the remaining balance will be charged to the company
(remaining balance = training cost – OPCO coverage level).

It is necessary to consult your OPCO to determine the coverage level for the training.

A training agreement is established between Groupe ESA and the employer alongside the contract, specifying the qualification pursued, resources provided, training cost, and any remaining balance.

Student Union (BDE) membership fee: €20
Group trip (first year only): €400

*Price applicable for the 2026–2027 academic year, for information purposes only

Funding

Full-time programme

Income-based grant: use the grant calculator at simulateur.lescrous.fr
Grants and student accommodation: complete your Student Social File (DSE)
ESA is here to help – find all our advice on completing your DSE

Bank Loans

A student loan of up to €15,000 is guaranteed by the French government, with no income requirements.
A youth loan is available under the same financial conditions as the student loan, but repayment of the principal starts immediately (not after graduation).