The MBA Student Life & Community

INSEAD - The Business School for the World®

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Campuses

Fontainebleau & Singapore

Student Clubs

Weeks summer break / internship

(January Intake)

Work hard, Play hard

At INSEAD, we have a strong “work hard, play hard” MBA life ethic on our campuses. Through our world-class MBA programme, you get to experience both an intense and rewarding collaborative learning environment with one of the most culturally diverse student bodies in the world. Get an inside look at how student life unfolds during the MBA programme.

Student Profiles

INSEAD brings together people, cultures and ideas from around the world to change lives and transform organisations.

There is a tremendous amount of professionalism in everything that happens both in and out of the classroom.

Sid Ram
South African, MBA'17J
Job before INSEAD: Manager at a boutique investment & strategy advisory firm in Johannesburg

INSEAD has become a playground for me to try new things. The whole experience has challenged my thinking, pushed my limits and transformed me personally and professionally.

Gabriela Kosasih
Indonesian
Job before INSEAD: Data scientist in Risk Analytics, United Overseas Bank, Singapore

Even though many schools say they are international, INSEAD is by far the most international school out there.

Ivo Vassilev
Bulgarian
Job before INSEAD: Senior Associate, PWC Dubai

View Student Profiles

Student Clubs

The INSEAD clubs are run by students and supported by the School. You can choose to sharpen your leadership skills by running or creating a club. Alternatively, you can pursue new interests or old passions by becoming a member.

Business Clubs

They organise regular networking and speaker events on campus, as well as trips and "career treks" further afield, prominent annual forums and conferences.

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Sports Clubs

We have gyms offering regular fitness classes on both campuses (and squash courts in France), with a wide variety of sport clubs on both campuses.

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Social Clubs

Some clubs are just for fun but nonetheless offer opportunities to network or to pick up valuable new skills.

Student Clubs

Events & Activities

Launch Week
A week before the start of the MBA classes, our team will guide you through all the details related to programme logistics and administration. You will be introduced to our Dean and will get to hear more from the Career Development Centre. In addition, you will also take part on a one-day team building activity with your classmates. You can also take your exit language and Period 1 core course exemption exams at this time.
The week will also include some introductory lectures and student events.
Dash
When was the last time you dressed up in a chicken costume and ran to class at 7am? The Dash is a unique INSEAD tradition which challenges your creativity and showcases our adventurous spirit. Happening twice per year in P2, this is one of the funniest moments of the year.
Olympics
Taking place twice a year, the INSEAD Olympics is one of the popular student sporting traditions. During this whole day event, each class section competes as a team in various fun sports and activities.
National Weeks
One event that sets the INSEAD MBA experience apart from other business schools is the celebration of diversity. Ten times a year, students from various countries showcase their cultural traditions to the class during a week-long celebration. National weeks happen simultaneously on both campuses and always begin with what the students call an "Amphi storming" which kick-starts the main activities for the week.
Robin Hood Campaign
MBA 'Merry Men' and 'Fair Maidens' on both campuses get together to promote the Robin Hood fund campaign. As it is customary around P5, the senior class collects and donates funds towards a scholarship that will serve to support a talented admitted student from the incoming class.
Monsoon and Summer Balls
The Monsoon and Summer balls are usually held one month before graduation – in November (Singapore) and in June (Fontainebleau) respectively. These two glamorous events gather together more than 400+ alumni, students, faculty and staff under one roof for a night of celebration.
Cabaret
The Cabaret is INSEAD’s own talent show. Taking place twice a year in Singapore and Fontainebleau, this is your opportunity to show off your talents and entertain your classmates!
Graduations
Graduations, held in December and June on both campuses, are the culmination of the MBA experience. After the graduation you will step into a new role in the INSEAD community, and join the alumni community.
Global Leadership Club
INSEAD's Global Leadership Club brings some of the world's most prominent and successful business leaders and entrepreneurs to our campuses in Fontainebleau and Singapore throughout the year. The GLC events are designed to give MBA students an insight into the highlights and turning points of the careers of proven business leaders.

Partners and Families

Around 30 per cent of students bring partners to INSEAD, which makes for a large, vibrant community. We try to make sure that everyone benefits from the INSEAD experience in every possible way through the availability of on-campus support, activities and the INSEAD Partners' Club. A year as a partner at INSEAD is also a great opportunity to experience new cultures and learn new languages.

Discover the MBA Programme

Download our brochure for more information on our MBA.

Benefits of the INSEAD MBA
Admissions Criteria and Class Profile
MBA Curriculum
Personal Leadership Development Programme
Career Development
Application Dates & Fees

Download the MBA Brochure

FAQs

What is a typical day like for an INSEAD student?

There is no typical day as the schedule will change every day throughout the year. During the first two periods when students take their core courses, they often have 2 to 3 classes a day of 90 minutes each, Monday to Friday, starting at the earliest at 8.30am and finishing at the latest by 7.00pm. Students also have assignments and group projects, career counselling sessions and extra-curriculum activities. For the last three periods, each student has their own academic schedule depending on the electives he or she has chosen, with the same amount of assignments and group work, and typically increasing time spent on career related activities.

I have been admitted, but my preferred home campus is already full. What happens now?

We will strive to accommodate your campus choice. However, if your preferred homecampus is full, you will be offered the choice of either a place on the other campus or a place on the wait-list for your preferred campus. In such cases, we encourage you to start your MBA programme on the campus that was not your initial preference, and then participate in the campus exchange to experience the other campus.

What are my chances of working in Asia if I am based on the Europe Campus? What are my chances of finding a job in Europe/US if I am based on the Asia Campus?

Your chances of finding a job have more to do with your skills, experience and potential than your campus location. The Career Development team is well integrated across both locations and provides the same tools, coaching, and resources, irrespective of whether you are studying in Fontainebleau or Singapore. Career Development strongly recommends that you start networking in your target region early on and choose your campus for the peak recruiting season accordingly. On-campus recruiting is not generally impacted by location, as all companies recruiting from INSEAD must include students from both campuses in their recruitment campaign. Of course there may be exceptions where recruiters in the different regions have separate processes but they can also use the video and telephone conference facilities located on both campuses, to conduct interviews with students, regardless of location. Being based in the region where you ultimately want to work does obviously increase opportunities for networking, which can translate into a higher likelihood of securing the job you want.

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