Returning to Study and Making a Success of It
Tempted by the idea of going back to school as an adult? Many professionals are rethinking their priorities and exploring new paths that better match their personal and professional goals. But returning to study is a significant commitment, which calls for careful planning and thought. Let us look at how to give yourself the best chance of making a real success of it.
Why Return to Study at Any Age?
Returning to study as an adult is not simply a return to the classroom: it is an act of courage, a choice to transform yourself. In a professional world that is constantly changing and demands ever more new knowledge, adult education becomes a powerful lever for reinventing your career, restoring meaning to your daily life or seizing new professional opportunities.
Whether it is a matter of career change or upskilling, continuing education answers a thirst for learning, but also a strategic need: staying competitive and fulfilled in a rapidly changing job market. Today, career paths are no longer linear, and transitions have become the norm.
Returning to study also means taking back power over your future. It means affirming that the will to learn does not fade with the years but, on the contrary, grows stronger when you decide to fulfil yourself fully.
Which Programmes Should You Choose to Return to Study?
Before taking the plunge, it is essential to ask yourself the right questions: what are you looking to gain? Specific technical skills? A recognised qualification? A complete career change? A springboard to career progression? These goals will determine the type of programme to favour: a bachelor's to rebuild solid foundations, a master's to specialise, a grande école programme to move towards positions of responsibility.
The programmes best suited to a return to study are often those that offer a gradual, career-oriented approach that is compatible with real-world practice. Work-study, integrated internships and concrete projects in companies allow you to learn while staying connected to the professional world. Schools such as EDC Paris Business School also offer tailored support for career changers, with coaching, refresher courses and an active alumni network.
Returning to study also means rejoining campus life and a learning rhythm that is sometimes very different from that of the working world. You might as well do so in an environment that is dynamic, human and focused on everyone's success. Joining a recognised, well-ranked school with a strong human and entrepreneurial dimension can make all the difference.
If you want to return to study in a structured and stimulating setting, the Bachelor in Management at EDC Paris Business School is an excellent option. This 3-year programme (with possible admission into the second or third year) allows you to acquire the fundamentals of management, marketing, finance and strategy, while developing your agility and your initiative. With a career-oriented format (internships, work-study, projects), this course adapts perfectly to career changers and to those resuming their studies, and prepares you to enter the job market quickly or to continue to a master's.
EDC also offers more specialised programmes depending on your project. The Master in Management, open to those with bac+2 or bac+3, is ideal for aiming at strategic management roles in an international context. The Master in Data Science & Business Analysis is aimed at those drawn to data and business intelligence, with strong employability as the result. Finally, the Master in Audit & Management Control trains experts able to steer company performance, a valuable asset for a successful return to working life.
What Support Is Available for Returning to Study?
First rule: do not go it alone. Talk about your project to those around you: teachers, former students, family, friends and so on. Any of them could be a way in to a company abroad. Also think of approaching your school's careers services: at EDC, a dedicated team supports students in their search for international assignments and provides an exclusive database of offers.
Some platforms specialise in internships and work-study placements abroad: GoAbroad, ErasmusIntern, Globalplacement, and LinkedIn with its international filters. Aim first at companies with a worldwide footprint or offices in Europe, which are often more familiar with the principle of work-study.
Abroad, expectations regarding CVs, cover letters and interviews can vary. A piece of good advice: adapt. Find out about the customs of your target country. Prepare in English, but also in Spanish, German or the local language if need be. And do not forget to emphasise your human qualities: independence, adaptability, curiosity. These are often what make the difference.
Among the programmes at EDC Paris Business School, the Master in Audit and Management Control is particularly well suited to a work-study placement abroad. Why? Because it trains experts able to work in all kinds of environments, including multicultural ones. Thanks to rigorous, results-oriented teaching, this master prepares future auditors and management controllers to steer a company's financial performance wherever it is in the world. The emphasis is on analysis and anticipation, but also on a detailed understanding of strategic issues. A true passport to the international scene, in a sector that knows no borders.
EDC also offers three other programmes that are particularly relevant for students with an international outlook: the Master in International Business, centred on companies' global strategies; the Master in Sales Management and Business Development, ideal for those who want to develop commercial skills on a worldwide scale; and the Master in Digital Marketing, designed for future digital marketing experts in an international and constantly evolving technological context.
How Can You Fund Your Return to Study?
Whether financially, organisationally or educationally, many schemes exist to make your return to study easier. You just need to know about them…
The cost of a programme can hold back some projects. Yet several funding solutions are open to you. The Personal Training Account (CPF) is one of the best-known tools: it allows you to use the rights accumulated over your working life to fund part of your training. Other schemes such as the career transition project (PTP), Pôle emploi support, regional grants or employer funding under a skills development plan can also be used.
If you want to return to study while keeping a foot in the professional world, work-study is an ideal option. It allows you to earn a salary, to fund your tuition fees and, above all, to put the knowledge you have acquired into practice immediately. At EDC Paris Business School, many programmes are available on a work-study basis, with individual support to find a host company suited to your profile.
Returning to study often means learning how to learn again. That is why some schools, such as EDC, put reinforced support in place for those resuming their studies: tutoring, methodology workshops, professional coaching, regular progress reviews and so on. The aim: to help you regain confidence, rhythm and effectiveness in your learning.
Finally, if you already have significant experience, you can benefit from the validation of prior experience (VAE) or join a course with exemptions. This makes it possible to adapt the programme to your background, to recognise what you already know how to do and, sometimes, to shorten the length of the programme.
How Do You Get Organised for Returning to Study?
Returning to study often means a change of pace, with new timetables, new constraints and new habits to form. You have to relearn how to organise yourself, manage your time and sometimes reconcile several lives in one: student, family and professional.
When you go back to study, you do not always have the academic reflexes: taking notes, structuring your ideas, concentrating for several hours at a stretch. This takes a little time to readjust to. It is better to start gently but regularly. Plan fixed revision slots, reread your lessons every week and work in small groups to keep your motivation up.
Between classes, homework, possibly a job on the side or family responsibilities, time management is a real challenge. It is essential to learn to plan, to prioritise and sometimes to say no. Using a diary, breaking tasks into smaller steps and anticipating busy periods: these are reflexes that will make the difference. Returning to study is not about doing everything perfectly; it is about moving forward with method and regularity.
One of the pitfalls of returning to study is trying to manage everything alone. Yet there is plenty of support: teachers, academic advisers, coaches, fellow students, alumni and so on. Do not hesitate to ask questions, to seek advice and to voice your doubts.
Mistakes to Avoid When Returning to Study
Take care to avoid the classic pitfalls of returning to study, starting with the urge to rush through the stages too quickly in order to catch up. Returning to study is a process. You have to accept relearning how to learn, sometimes getting things wrong and taking your time. Progress matters more than perfection.
Even on a career-oriented or work-study programme, academic demands remain high. Between classes, projects, reading and any work in a company, returning to study takes real commitment. Not preparing for it, or thinking it will be “easier than a job”, can lead to disillusionment.
Some adults returning to study think they do not belong among younger students or fear they will not fit in. As a result, they isolate themselves. This is a common mistake. On the contrary, the diversity of your background should be seen as an asset. Cohorts often mix students in initial education with career changers. So do not hesitate to get involved in group life, to exchange ideas and to learn from others, whatever their age.
Finally, one of the most common mistakes is to start without properly preparing your project: a programme chosen too quickly, uncertain funding, a vague plan. The result: difficulties that could have been avoided. It is essential to think ahead, set your goals, meet the teaching team, study the start options (including delayed starts) and plan your commitments.
Returning to study is not just about doing homework and earning a qualification. The best educational institutions will put you in touch with other professionals in your field. You will get to know not only renowned professors and tutors, but also learn to build an effective network. Whether you want to get a promotion, change career direction or simply refresh your knowledge, going back to school is often a good idea!