Why do these two test names come up together?
University master’s programs in management often list a test among their application materials: sometimes the TAGE MAGE, sometimes the Score IAE Message (SIM), and sometimes either one. That can be confusing: it may look like one test with two names. It is not. The TAGE MAGE is administered by FNEGE, which handles registration at tagemage.fr. The Score IAE Message has its own website, iae-message.fr, with its own sessions, candidate account, and SIM number.
The IAE France FAQ notes that the SIM is not required for every program and that some specializations require the TAGE MAGE. That reminder does not replace each program’s specific instructions: check which tests it accepts on the program page.
The IAE Aix-en-Provence MSc 1 in Management, open to applicants with a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, lists the TAGE MAGE or Score IAE Message among its management aptitude tests, as well as the GMAT or GRE in English. At iaelyon, the 2026–2027 page allows international students, or students abroad without access to a SIM test center, to replace the SIM with the TAGE MAGE or GMAT. These instructions were reviewed on October 15, 2026, and apply only to the institutions concerned.
What does each organization publish about its test?
The table brings together information reviewed on October 15, 2026, from the Score IAE Message website, the IAEs in Aix, Lyon, Nice, and Angers, and FNEGE. The SIM FAQ confirms prices, scoring, and validity in particular; check the terms for your session before paying.
The content differs as much as the format. The Score IAE Message includes general, economic, and management knowledge and an English section, which the TAGE MAGE does not; its French section overlaps in part with the TAGE MAGE verbal subsections, but is not identical. Both are multiple-choice tests. Both organizers confirm there is no penalty for a wrong answer. The two scoring scales alone do not let you convert a score from one test to the other.
| Comparison | Score IAE Message | TAGE MAGE |
|---|---|---|
| Website and registration | iae-message.fr; a single registration, regardless of how many IAEs you target | tagemage.fr, FNEGE |
| Content | Four sections: general, economic, and management knowledge; French; logical and numerical reasoning; English | 90 questions with 5 answer choices across six subsections |
| Duration | 3 hours total; 45 minutes recommended per section | 2 hours, plus about 30 minutes for instructions |
| Score | Out of 400: 100 points per section | Out of 600 |
| Wrong answer | No points deducted | No point penalty |
| Price | €42 in person; €89 online | €76 in mainland France |
| Validity | 3 academic-year intakes | 2 calendar years: the year of the test and the following year |
| Passages | Multiple sessions available; you submit the result of your choice | One per calendar quarter |
How do you know which one to take?
Each program’s page gives you the answer, and the test name alone is not enough: also read the verb used with it. Three situations are common, as explained in the article about test requirements.
- Only one test is listed as required: take that one, without assuming the other is equivalent.
- Both are listed as options, as at IAE Aix-en-Provence: either one meets the requirement unless the instructions say otherwise.
- The test is described as optional or recommended: read the published policy before deciding whether to take it.
Where can you find the list of participating programs?
Use the “Programs” page on iae-message.fr to find programs that use the SIM. Then check the program’s admissions instructions to find out whether the test applies to your situation. At iaelyon, for example, the 2026–2027 rules distinguish external applicants and certain exceptions.
Open the admissions page for each program you are considering and note the test name, its status, and the submission deadline. For the Aix MSc 1 in Management, the choice between the TAGE MAGE and SIM appears directly in the program prerequisites; that page is the source of record.
The pitfall
The pitfall is assuming one test can stand in for the other
A TAGE MAGE score does not register you for the Score IAE Message: each test has its own registration and candidate account. Their scoring scales (400 and 600) and validity periods differ. The examples from Aix and Lyon do not mean either test is accepted by every IAE program.
Do not infer equivalence by simply comparing scores out of 400 and 600. If your program sets a threshold or a substitution rule, follow its instructions; if anything is unclear, ask the admissions office to confirm.
How should you plan once you know which test to take?
Work backward from the score submission deadline. For the SIM, the FAQ says results are available about ten days after the session; its Sessions page lists each publication date. IAE France warns that many programs have completed recruitment by the late-August session. You may take the TAGE MAGE once per calendar quarter, so check the sessions before setting your deadlines.
Then compare the validity period with your timeline: three academic-year intakes for the SIM and two calendar years for the TAGE MAGE. For budgeting, the SIM FAQ lists €42 in person and €89 online. It allows cancellation and refund requests within 14 days of payment, ending the day before the session; purchases of past papers are excluded. To change your test center or session, it requires a refund followed by a new registration. After the deadline, absence—even for medical reasons—is not refundable according to the FAQ. Review these terms before paying.
If your programs require different tests, you will need to prepare for both; some content overlaps (French and reasoning), but not all of it. If they accept either test, try each format and consider your schedule instead of taking both just in case.
Key takeaways
- The Score IAE Message and TAGE MAGE are different tests, each with its own organization, score, and validity period.
- Whether one test can replace the other depends on the program’s instructions; the examples from Aix and Lyon do not apply to every IAE.
- For each program, note the test listed, its status, and the submission deadline.
- Take both only if your programs require them separately; a program that accepts either one requires only one unless it says otherwise.