INSEAD is rightfully regarded as the most international of all business schools, with permanent campuses in Asia (Singapore), the Middle East (Abu Dhabi), Europe (Fontainebleau, just outside Paris), and, as of 2020, North America (San Francisco). This footprint of campuses across four continents is matched by the international nature of the student body. Students come from 90 countries, which is not exceptional in itself, but at INSEAD, unlike at US and UK schools, the school truly has no dominant culture. To support this international outlook, INSEAD requires applicants to speak two languages upon admission, and three languages before graduation.
INSEAD’s one-year full-time program offers a September intake (10 months with no internship), and a January intake (12 months, with a two-month internship). The September intake is popular among students including sponsored consultants and finance professionals, and family-business candidates, who want to rapidly complete the MBA and return to their previous jobs. On the other hand, the January intake offers career switchers the chance to do a summer internship, enhancing their chances of making a successful career pivot.
Finally, INSEAD offers a truly holistic admissions process. Many schools claim to do so (while focusing on GMAT scores, undergraduate GPA, and the prestige of your employer), but our many experiences guiding non-traditional applicants to success at INSEAD prove that the school is interested in your story, your strengths and weaknesses, and your potential for future leadership. But be warned! This holistic process means you’ll write a lot of essays and answer several video essays during the application process. You’ll even be interviewed twice!
| Class Size | 1000 |
| Acceptance Rate | Does not disclose |
| GPA Average | Does not disclose |
| Average Age | 29 |
| Avg. Years Work Experience | 5.5 |
| Diversity Women | 38% |
| Diversity Intl. | Does not disclose |
| Pre-MBA Industries | Mangement Consulting: 37% Financial Services: 23% TMT: 11% Retail, Consumer and Luxury Goods: 7% Manufacturing: 6% Energy: 4% Healthcare: 3% Corporate Services: 2% Public Sector / Social Impact: 2% Transportation: 2% Education: 1% Primary Industries: 1% |
| Undergraduate Majors | Business / Administration: 32% Engineering: 29% Economics: 13% Sciences: 8% Law / Political Sciences: 7% Humanities & Arts: 6% Others: 5% |
The data above is from 2023 and represents the INSEAD MBA class of 2024.
See the full report: INSEAD MBA Class Profile
| Salary Average | $141,900.00 |
| Offers Upon Graduation | Does not disclose |
| Offers At 3 Mos. | 88% |
| Post-MBA Industries | Management Consulting: 44% Corporate Sectors: 13% Financial Services: 10% Technology, Media & Telecommunications: 8% |
| Post-MBA Locations | Northern/Western Europe: 36% Asia Pacific: 22% North America: 9% Africa/Middle East: 18% South America: 5% Eastern Europe: 2% |
| Post-MBA Companies | Does not disclose |
| Career Development Resources | INSEAD Career Development |
The data above is from 2023 and represents the career statistics for the INSEAD MBA class of 2023.
See the full report: INSEAD MBA 2023-2024 Employment Report
INSEAD’s one year MBA curriculum spans across six academic periods, where each period is eight weeks long. The program kicks off with a “Period 0”, where you will have the opportunity to participate in a business foundation series and language courses. The majority of the curriculum is devoted to core classes, but the final two periods are dedicated solely towards taking electives. INSEAD’s core curriculum consists of 14 classes in total. Some of these courses include topics such as Financial Markets and Valuation, Organisational Behaviour, Corporate Financial Policy, and Leadership Communications Foundations. Electives at INSEAD can be completed by selecting from 75 available courses, which cover 10 subject areas. These electives include topics such as Negotiations, Decision Models, Bank Management and FinTech, and Technology and Innovation Strategy.
See course offerings in more detail: INSEAD Course Descriptions.
INSEAD does not offer official majors, however, you can choose to shape your MBA course selection using electives. You can take classes in one or more of INSEAD’s 10 academic areas:
INSEAD’s Personal Leadership Development Programme goes hand-in-hand as part of their academic curriculum. This experiential learning curriculum offers you the chance to take self-directed development exercises and a mini communications course in order to fuel your professional and personal development. In addition, the program also offers professional coaching.
As part of your MBA, you will have access to the 15 research centers and initiatives at INSEAD. The range of topics covered by the research centers is diverse, traversing subjects like Family Enterprise and Healthcare Management. Some of the centers and initiatives include the Blue Ocean Strategy Institute, the Humanitarian Research Group, and the Gender Initiative.
One of INSEAD’s newest centers is the Hoffmann Global Institute for Business and Society. Dean Ilian Mihov shares insights about the Hoffmann Center and INSEAD’s other sustainability initiatives in his interview with us.
INSEAD has three campuses in France, Singapore, and Abu Dhabi that students can take advantage of when deciding to add a global component to their MBA. Moreover, you can choose to complete a campus exchange with one of INSEAD’s many partners, including Wharton and Kellogg. In addition to their exchange program, INSEAD also has a global focus in their course offerings; the first six courses of the MBA curriculum are all internationally-oriented.
The INSEAD application is holistic and the admissions committee is determined to get to know you and your story.
The latest application requirements set by the INSEAD MBA admissions office are described below.
Here are the prompts for INSEAD’s 2022-2023 application:
Job Description. Briefly summarise your current (or most recent) job, including the nature of work, major responsibilities, and where relevant, employees under your supervision, size of budget, clients/products and results achieved. (text box, 200 words maximum) *
Job Description. What would be your next step in terms of position if you were to remain in the same company instead of going to business school? (text box, 200 words maximum) *
Job Description. Please give a full description of your career since graduating from university. Describe your career path with the rationale behind your choices. (text box, 300 words maximum) *
Job Description. Discuss your short and long term career aspirations with an MBA from INSEAD. (text box, 100 words maximum) *
Give a candid description of yourself (who are you as a person), stressing the personal characteristics you feel to be your strengths and weaknesses and the main factors which have influenced your personal development, giving examples when necessary (text box, maximum 500 words). *
Describe the achievement of which you are most proud and explain why. In addition, describe a situation where you failed. How did these experiences impact your relationships with others? Comment on what you learned (text box, maximum 400 words). *
Describe all types of extra-professional activities in which you have been or are still involved for a significant amount of time (clubs, sports, music, arts, etc). How are you enriched by these activities? (text box, maximum 300 words) *
Video Interview. Shortly after submitting this application form, you will receive a link to a video interview. This video component is required to start the evaluation of your application. You will have 48 hours after the application deadline you are applying for to complete the video interview. Once submitted, the video interviews will no longer be modifiable. Therefore please ensure that you carefully test your devices before starting the exercise. We are keen on getting to know you better and believe that through a video you can come to life, so be spontaneous, be creative and be yourself! We look forward to virtually meeting you!
INSEAD admissions interviews are conducted solely by alumni within your area (i.e., they are not held on campus). The school aims to pair you with alumni of similar profile, and the format is conversational so that both parties can truly determine “school fit”. Interviews are typically an hour in length.
In addition to the in-person interviews, INSEAD includes a “video interview” as a part of its application process. The following information is offered with the essay prompts to prepare applicants for this portion of the admissions process:
| Admissions Info | MBA Program Home Page Admissions Home Page Application Requirements |
| How to Apply | Request Information Start an Application |
| Meet INSEAD Business School | Admissions Events – Upcoming Connect with a Student |
| Do Your Research | INSEAD Knowledge All Blogs – InTheKnow – INSEAD Hoffman Institute: Popular stories Salamander: INSEAD Alumni Magazine INSEAD Newsroom Faculty Directory |
Length of the MBA Program: INSEAD offers just one-year programs, including both a 10-month and a 12-month option. These accelerated programs are great for people who want to obtain their MBA quickly and return to work.
Four Global Campuses: One of INSEAD’s main attractions is its global reach. From its founding campus in France to its eastern campuses in Abu Dhabi and Singapore, as well as its most recent addition in San Francisco, there are opportunities worldwide to grow and explore.
A Breadth of Diversity: INSEAD leads by example in the realm of diversity. And to them, diversity encompasses much more than a vast range of passports. In an interview with Virginie Fougea, Global Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, she explains, “It’s about the culture of the person, it’s about the languages spoken at home, about gender, about diversity in backgrounds, professional backgrounds as well as studies.” The INSEAD adcom wants to create the perfect environment for breeding ample and varied ideas.
Strong European Ties: For those aiming to launch their post-MBA career in Europe, INSEAD can position you exceptionally well, especially in the consulting industry.
Delve into the INSEAD MBA program and leverage the expertise of our MBA consultants to streamline your application process and maximize your chances of acceptance.
*All data retrieved from the INSEAD MBA Program webpages and other sources.
