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women in higher education

Master in Business Administration

Designed for early to mid-career professionals, this programme will develop your full potential and open doors to global career opportunities.

At a Glance
Full-time
10 Months
Two Intakes
January and August
Home Campus
France or Singapore

Diversity at the Core

The INSEAD MBA is your stepping stone to a fulfilling future as a leader in the competitive, global business world. Our multi-cultural environment, comprising of students representing over 90 nationalities and an international faculty of world-class business experts, is an ideal hotbed for your professional and personal development.

2

intakes a year

≈ 500

students per intake

4

application rounds

≈ 10

weeks from application to admission

INSEAD MBA Application Tips

Admissions Criteria

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Ability to Contribute

to the INSEAD experience before and after programme

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Academic Capacity

GMAT/GMAT Focus/GRE and University Degree

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International Motivation

Adaptability and flexibility in multicultural environments

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Leadership Potential

Work experience and quality of your achievements

INSEAD programme participants walking around campus

Application Process: Your Journey Starts Here

All elements of your application will be thoroughly reviewed by the Admissions Team. The selection process will take up to nine weeks from the date of completed application submission.

 

Important notes

Please check our Admissions Deadlines.

If you choose to delay submission of your application until the following round of the same intake, your application form details will be saved automatically. If you miss all application rounds of a particular intake, the majority of the application content is transferred if/when you open a new application form.

To be included in a specific round, complete applications must be submitted by 23:59pm Central European Time (CET / French Time) on the day of the deadline.

Applications will not be evaluated until all supporting documents and online portions of the application are received.

Applications for both campuses are processed in Fontainebleau and in Singapore.  For any queries after submitting your application, please write to [email protected], until you receive the name of your designated Admissions Officer via e-mail.

Campus preference is not taken into account when evaluating whether to accept or decline candidates. We will strive to accommodate your campus choice, but if your preferred campus is full, you will be offered the choice of either a place on the other campus or a place on the waitlist for your preferred campus.

We regret that feedback on rejected applications will not be provided. We do not encourage re-applications from previously rejected candidates unless there has been a substantial change in the profile of the applicant.

Please rest assured, each application is carefully evaluated regardless of the volume of applications received.

Application Deadlines

While we operate a staged admissions process, with four deadlines for each intake, applications are reviewed on a rolling admissions process within each round. This means that the Interview and Final Decision deadlines you see below are the latest dates by which you would receive your decision.

Rest assured that releasing decisions earlier than the published deadlines does not affect our thorough application evaluation.

Please note that while competition for each of the rounds is equal, the earlier you gain admission, the more time you have to secure financing and arrange logistics.

The new online application form opens approximately two months before each Round 1 application deadline.

 

August 2024 Intake
(Class of July 2025)
Deadline For Complete
application
Interview Decision notificationFinal decision notification
Round 112 September 202313 October 202317 November 2023
Round 207 November 202308 December 202312 January 2024
Round 316 January 202416 February 202422 March 2024
Round 405 March 202405 April 202410 May 2024

 

January 2025 Intake
(Class of December 2025)
Deadline For Complete
application
Interview Decision notificationFinal decision notification
Round 112 March 202412 April 202417 May 2024
Round 223 April 202424 May 202405 July 2024
Round 318 June 202419 July 202423 August 2024
Round 406 August 202406 September 202411 October 2024

Application Requirements

Prerequisites for admission into the INSEAD MBA programme include submitting an online application form and the required supporting documentation listed below.

Step 1: Online Application

The whole application process takes place via our online application system. You are able to save and work on different sections of the application separately.

The online application comprises of the following elements:

Dashboard and Photograph

Once you have successfully registered, you will access the Dashboard of the online application system. You can edit your login details and set your alert notifications. You are also required to upload a photograph of yourself (200x200 pixels in JPEG or GIF format).

Section 2-10: Profile

Your profile information is factual, similar to a detailed resume. You can save a PDF copy of these pages at any time by clicking on the printer icon on the top of your screen. Note that not all fields are mandatory, so if one does not apply to you, leave it blank.

Section 11-12: Job Description Questions / Section 13-14: Motivation Essays

This is a critical part of our evaluation process. As such, we advise you to spend a significant amount of time on your application essays. Your responses provide the best opportunity to be creative and tell us about yourself. We would like to get to know you and to find out what motivates you.

The essay questions are not meant to be academic articles or business memos, but rather your personal stories. You can fill in the essay questions online or copy/paste your answers in the text boxes directly within your application.

Application fee

A fee of €250 must be paid online with a credit card once you have submitted your application form. Please note that this application fee is non-refundable and that your application will not be evaluated until the correct fee has been received. 

Step 2: Supporting Documents

Your application will not be evaluated until all of the below items have been received in addition to the online elements. Please attach your supporting documents via the online application system.

Official GMAT and GRE scores

Please arrange to have your GMAT or GRE test scores directly to INSEAD.

GMAT code: DL3-S8-89

GRE code: 0970

You can take the tests up until the day of the application deadline, in this case a copy of your unofficial score report (to be uploaded under “supporting documents” before you submit your application form) is sufficient for us to begin evaluating your file.

Test scores are valid for five years.

English language certification (only required if English is not your native language)

We accept TOEFL, IELTS and Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic. For INSEAD purposes, scores are valid for two years.

TOEFL code: 0970

PTE Academic code: 22W-R2-00

IELTS: Please look up INSEAD’s full name “Institut Europeen d’Administration des Affaires” when searching for INSEAD on their platform.

You can take the tests up until the day of the application deadline. In this case, a copy of your score report is sufficient for us to begin evaluating your file. Your official test score report will only be required later on during the evaluation process.

Alternatively:

You can also demonstrate fluency in English with a university degree (a minimum of one full-time academic year with a diploma received from that host university) where all courses were taught exclusively in English. (An exchange programme does not qualify and an English major at university does not qualify.)

If your university degree was exclusively taught in English but in a non-English speaking country, please make sure that your transcripts clearly mention the language of instruction is English to complete your application. 

While we do not have a minimum score required for admission, we advise candidates to aim for a score at or above:

TOEFL IBT: 105; TOEFL CBT: 260; TOEFL PBT: 620; IELTS Academic: 7.5 and PTE Academic: 72.

Section  11: Two Letters of Recommendation

At least one recommendation should come from your workplace; your current supervisor or manager is usually a good choice. The other recommendation should be from someone who has had a chance to evaluate you in a professional setting, for example, a client, a former supervisor or a colleague from your community service or extracurricular activities.

Academic recommendations are acceptable but they are less likely to address our main interest, which is to assess your ability to work with and manage others as well as your potential for senior management. If you feel it would add value to your application, you may also upload an optional third letter of recommendation as part of the supporting documents.

It is important to note that your recommenders can submit their online letters to us at their earliest convenience and up to the deadline to which you are applying.

Section 14: Supporting documents

Your curriculum vitae can either be free format or follow the format of the INSEAD official CV e-book - click here to view the template.

Please also attach scanned copies of your transcripts, diploma and any other documents you wish to share with the Admissions Team.

Step 3: Official Transcript

Please include both diploma and grades achieved from each college or university that you have attended. We accept transcripts in English or French. All others must be accompanied by a certified English translation. Each transcript must bear the official seal and signature of the institution.

Your transcripts should indicate both diploma and grades achieved from each college or university that you have attended. We accept transcripts in English or French. All others must be accompanied by a certified English translation. Each transcript must bear the official seal and signature of the institution. 

The transcripts need to reach the Admissions Office by the deadline. For us to start processing your application, the transcripts may be either uploaded with the application form (scanned copies) or sent to INSEAD via post by the applicant or by the academic institution directly. 

Should you be admitted to the MBA Programme, you will be asked to send your original transcripts and degree to the Admissions Office. Photocopies are only accepted if officially certified by a public or professional body (solicitor, embassy, town hall, etc.). 

Admissions Video Interview

Shortly after completing your INSEAD MBA online application, you will receive an e-mail notification from Kira Talent with a unique link to complete 4 video interviews. 

The video interviews are a unique opportunity for you to share your passions, your motivations and who you truly are. The MBA Admissions Committee is interested in obtaining an authentic view of you as a person, to see how you think on your feet and how you convey your ideas.

The video interviews do not replace the face-to-face interviews with Alumni.

Your application will be considered as complete and ready to be reviewed only once we have received your answers to the video interviews. Please complete your video interviews at your earliest convenience and no later than 48 hours after the deadline to which you are applying. 

General advice on video interviews

  • For optimal user experience, we recommend that you use Microsoft Edge or Chrome to record your Kira videos
  • You can prepare yourself by practicing as much as you want. This will enable you to convey authentic and genuine answers. Practice questions are not shared with the Admissions Committee
  • Test your camera, your microphone, then forget the technology and look at the camera as if you were talking to the Admissions Committee
  • Although we ask you to wear business or business casual attire, the Admissions Committee will not judge your look or your background
  • You may want to prepare a notebook next to you to write down your key ideas; you will have 45 seconds to prepare each answer; you will then have 60 seconds to share each answer with the Admissions Committee

We look forward to receiving your video interviews!

How many questions are in the video interviews?

You must record your answers to 4 questions. Questions always vary from one applicant to another. You have 45 seconds to prepare each answer and 60 seconds to record your answer.

How many times can I try the practice questions?

You can practise an unlimited number of times. The practice session has several questions available and you can do as many practice sessions as you need to feel comfortable with the video interviewing. You do not need to complete everything in one go. You can create an account and come back later.

Are the practice questions recorded?

No, the practice questions are available for you to prepare, learn and improve. You can replay them and see how you performed and/or check if the sound and image are satisfactory.

What technology is needed?

You will need an internet connection, a desktop or laptop, a camera and a microphone. You can test your devices before starting the exercise. For optimal user experience, we recommend that you use Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Safari or Chrome to record your Kira videos (Internet Explorer is not supported). Please note that mobile devices, smartphones and tablets are not supported in Kira at this time.

What is the address for the technical support?

If you experience technological issues with the video (practice questions, device set up, etc.), please check the following technical support webpage https://www.kiratalent.com/support/. You can either e-mail, phone or chat with the Kira technicians.

When will I receive the link to the video interviews?

The unique link to the video interview is available within an hour of submitting your application. An e-mail message containing the link is sent to you by Kira Academic. The link is also available on the dashboard of the online application system.

When should I submit the video interview?

Please complete your video interviews at your earliest convenience and no later than 48 hours after the deadline to which you are applying. We strongly recommend however that you complete this step before the final date to allow yourself some time to prepare for this exercise.

Admission Policies

Language Requirements

If English is your native language: If English is your native language, you have to demonstrate at least a practical knowledge of a second language as soon as possible by passing one of our accepted language tests for your chosen second language.

If you are a non-native English speakerIf you are a non-native English speaker, your native language will fulfil the second language requirement (no test required). However, you will need to submit proof of your English proficiency.

In addition to English and your second or native language, all students will need to demonstrate at least a basic knowledge of a third language in order to graduate. If you already possess basic knowledge of a third language, we recommend you certify this language as soon as possible or during Launch Week on campus. If you need to learn a third language, you can do so during the programme and pass the language test before graduation. Language instruction is available on both campuses.

MBA Language Policy

Test Score Validity

  • GMAT and GRE scores are valid for 5 years prior to application deadline.
  • English language certifications are valid for 2 years prior to application deadline.
  • No Admissions decision will be released without receipt of the official scores sent by GMAT or GRE.

Deferrals

In general we do not grant deferrals. You should apply for the intake in which you intend to enroll.

Feedback

Due to the large number of applications we receive for each intake and the confidentiality of the deliberations of the Admissions Committee, we are unable to provide individual detailed feedback on rejected applications.

Campus Choice

When completing the online application form, you will be asked to select your home campus preference: France or Singapore. 

Choosing the value “Both campuses” means that you are completely indifferent about starting your INSEAD MBA on either of our campuses.

Please note that home campus choice does not influence final admissions decisions, as it is not taken into account when your file is presented to the Admissions Committee. Therefore, you do not have a higher chance of being accepted by selecting "both campuses" in your application form.

However, once we have allocated you a campus upon admission, it is very difficult to change. INSEAD will endeavour to accommodate your choice of home campus but if you have a preference for one campus over the other, you should select that choice before submitting your application form.

Whilst we will strive to accommodate your campus choice, if your preferred campus is full, you will be offered the choice of either a place on the alternative campus or a place on the wait list for your preferred campus.

Reapplications

Unsuccessful applicants may reapply for a later intake.

Please exercise your own judgement in deciding if you have any significant changes in your new profile since your first application that will make a difference with the Admissions Committee. All re-applicants are requested to submit a new online application, unless otherwise indicated.

Attend an Event

19 Mar '24

Master Programmes

MBA Information Session and Alumni Panel | Hong Kong

You are warmly invited to attend our upcoming Information Session and Alumni Panel in Hong Kong to learn more about the INSEAD MBA Programme. Ben Ning, Assistant Director, MBA & MIM, Marketing & Recruitment, will provide insights into the curriculum, admissions process and career opportunities. You will also have the opportunity to have your questions answered during the Q&A session and interact with alumni during a networking reception. Please register to confirm your participation.


Date: 19 March 2024, Tuesday

Time: 07:30 pm - 09:00 pm

Venue: The Executive Centre Event Space, Level 2, No. 28 Stanley Street, Central, Hong Kong

Click here to view map


Agenda

07:15 pm - 07:30 pm | Registration

07:30 pm - 08:15 pm | MBA Information Session and Alumni Panel 

08:15 pm - 09:00 pm | Free Networking


Joining us at the event:

Andy Kwong

MBA'21D | Vice President, Global Wealth Management. PIMCO


Anthony Wong

MBA'18D | Head of Hong Kong Business Development, Uber


Daniel Wang

MBA’18D | VP, Product Strategy, Moody’s Analytics


Edward Tsim

MBA’20D | Legal Director, GoGoX


Elyse Zhao

MBA'20J | In-Market Brands & Business Innovation Manager, Novartis HK


Evgeniya Armstrong

MBA'17J | Executive and Business Coach


Jacky Lee

MBA'19D | Engagement Manager, McKinsey & Company


Leo Hu Yintao

MBA’18J | Head of Business Improvement, Corporate Solutions, AIA Hong Kong


Li Tao

MBA’18D | Senior Manager, Shopee


Nancy Siu

MBA’18J | Senior Strategist and Senior Corporate Development Manager, Hang Seng Bank


Philip Kwong

MBA’17D | Investment Officer, IFC – International Finance Corporation

Hong Kong Hong Kong
MBA
Hong Kong Hong Kong
19 March 2024, 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Open to Public
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20 Mar '24

Alumni, Master Programmes, Executive Education Programmes

Tech Symposium

INSEAD Tech Symposium: AI’s Impact on Business Transformation - this ground breaking symposium promises to be a cornerstone event, offering insights into the rapidly evolving world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its significant influence on business landscapes.

Asia Campus - 1 Ayer Rajah Ave, Singapore 138676
MBA, GEMBA, EMFin
Asia Campus - 1 Ayer Rajah Ave, Singapore 138676
Open to By Invitation Only
Tech Symposium 2024 - Career Development Centre
20 Mar '24

Master Programmes

Alumni Panel Discussion and Networking Iftar | Dubai

You are warmly invited to attend our upcoming in-person Panel Discussion with our INSEAD Alumni.

The objective of this interactive session is to provide you with more insights into the programmes, to learn more about the INSEAD experience, and to understand the steps to a successful admissions application. You will have the opportunity to have all of your questions answered and to interact with like-minded individuals.


In celebration of the Holy Month, we will end the evening with a Networking Iftar. Seats are limited and RSVP is required.


Venue: JW Marriott Hotel Marina | 66 Al Marsa Street - Dubai Marina, Dubai


Agenda:

4:45 pm - 5:00 pm Registration

5:00 pm - 6:30 pm Alumni Panel and Q&A

6:34 pm - 6:45 pm Break and Prayer

6:45 pm Onwards Networking Iftar

Dubai United Arab Emirates
GEMBA, MBA, MIM, TIEMBA
Dubai United Arab Emirates
20 March 2024, 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Open to Public
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