INSEAD

FAQ

What is the tuition for INSEAD's MBA program?

The tuition for INSEAD’s MBA program is €91,225-€92,575 euros per year. For more cost and fees information visit https://www.insead.edu/master-programmes/mba/financing

What is the average GMAT score for admission to INSEAD’s MBA program?

The middle 80% of GMAT scores for the incoming class range between 670 and 750.

Does the INSEAD MBA program accept the GRE?

Yes. The INSEAD MBA program has accepted the GRE for a few years now.

What is the average GRE score for admission to INSEAD's MBA program?

INSEAD does not publish an average GRE score for its incoming class, but does accept the GRE for admissions.

What is the minimum number of years of work experience required for admission to INSEAD's MBA program?

INSEAD does not state a minimum requirement for years of work experience. However, it is important for candidates to be aware that they are being considered against other candidates with an average of 5.6 years of experience.

What is the average number of years of work experience for admission to INSEAD’s MBA program? (or, What is the average age of an INSEAD student?)

The average number of years of work experience among students in INSEAD's MBA program is 5.6. The average age of an INSEAD MBA student is 29 years.

What is the average starting salary for graduates of the INSEAD MBA program?

The average starting salary for INSEAD MBA graduates is $105,900 (mean salary, US dollars). The salary will vary by industry, with consulting and finance jobs generally commanding the higher salaries.

How long is INSEAD's full-time MBA program?

INSEAD offers a 1 year MBA program. Students may begin in September or January for a 10-month term.

What are the application deadlines for INSEAD's MBA program?

For January 2023 intake: The Round 3 deadline is June 14, 2022. The Round 4 deadline is July 26, 2022. For the INSEAD August 2023 intake, the deadlines are as follows. The Round 1 deadline is September 6, 2022. The Round 2 deadline is November 15, 2022. The Round 3 deadline is January 10, 2023. The Round 4 deadline is March 7, 2023. For the INSEAD January 2024 intake, the deadlines are as follows. Round 1 is March 7, 2023. Round 2 is April 18, 2023. Round 3 is June 27, 2023. Round 4 is August 8, 2023. To know more about INSEAD’s MBA program application rounds, please visit https://www.insead.edu/master-programmes/mba/admissions#dates

What percent of INSEAD MBA students are women?

Thirty-five percent of the class at INSEAD are women.

VIDEOS

Admissions

The Class Profile

The total class size of INSEAD’s two intakes in September and January usually lands around 1,000 students. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the school leadership decided to cut enrollment for the September 2020 intake. In September 2020, 232 students chose the Fontainebleau campus and 78 matriculated in Singapore. Thirty-two percent of the new class are women (74 chose the French campus and 25 chose the Asian one). The 310 students represent 62 different nationalities. Thirty-eight percent have primary nationality in Europe and 33 percent in the Asia Pacific region. Fifteen percent come from North America and seven percent from South America. Four percent each joined from Africa or MENA.

Business/Administration was the most popular undergraduate major, as 36% had studied it. Engineering followed at 25%. Another 12% earned degrees in economics and eight percent in law/political sciences. Ten percent had studied the sciences and five percent pursued the humanities. Over 300 candidates took the GMAT and their average score landed at 706.

The INSEAD students who joined in September averaged an age of 29 and 5.5 years of work experience. Twenty-six percent of the new group had earned pre-MBA experience in consulting. Another 21% came from financial services. Fifteen percent had worked across tech, media or telecom. The other 118 students came from corporate sectors, including retail, manufacturing, energy, healthcare and other typical fields.

Application Procedures

Because INSEAD has two classes per year, there are two sets of deadlines for applicants to keep in mind.  Individuals hoping to join the January intake can submit their applications in in early March, mid-April, mid-June, or late July.  For those pursuing a September start date, the timing shifts so that the first deadline is in mid-September, the second in early November, third in early January, and final in late February.  To apply, applicants must submit a completed online application, two letters of recommendation, and required essays.  Once those materials are submitted, applicants are given an application ID and the chance to upload a photograph of themselves, their official transcripts, their GMAT or GRE scores, and language certifications; applicants must also pay a €250 application fee.  Within 48 hours of application submission, the admissions committee sends applicants a unique link and instructions to complete four video interviews.  The video interviews do not replace the face-to-face interviews with INSEAD alumni.  The admissions committee then notifies those applicants who are selected for an interview.  INSEAD often schedules two interviews with applicants, which are conducted by INSEAD alumni in applicants’ countries of residence.

Application Checklist

• Profile
• Two Letters of Recommendation
• Job Description Essays
• Essays
• Photograph
• Application Fee
• Official Transcripts
• GMAT or GRE Score
• English Language Certification (only if applicant’s native language is not English)
• Entry Language Certification
  

Interview Reports

INSEAD Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Alumnus / Off-Campus

INSEAD R1/ 2 interviews, both with Alumni Location: Virtual and in-person Type of interview: both Alumni, mix of application-based and resume-based Questions asked: Why MBA and Why INSEAD? Tell me a time you worked with someone from a different background/culture from you. Strengths and weaknesses? Tell me a time you failed. How will you plan […]

INSEAD MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Alumni / Zoom

I was invited to complete two rounds of interviews with 2 INSEAD alumni. I understand they were selected as my interviewers considering they both worked in industries or functions that I intended to pivot to after my MBA. My first interview was smooth and centered around general school fit. My interviewer also allocated a large […]

INSEAD Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Alumnus / Zoom

Walk me through your resume. Why MBA? Why MBA now? Why INSEAD? My short and long term goal? Leadership experience? A time I had an uncomfortable conversation at work? (This got me off guard) He noticed I had a prior masters 9 years ago and kept grilling me on my motivations. The rest of the […]

INSEAD Interview Questions & Report: Round 3 / Alumnus / Off-Campus

I had 2 separate interviews – one with a recent alum and the other with somebody who graduated probably 15+ years ago. I had to send in my full application (essays, test scores, etc.) to the interviewer ahead of time. Both interviews lasted about 45 mins. My first interviewer wanted the interview to be open […]

INSEAD Interview Questions & Report: Round 3 / Alumnus / Off Campus

Had two alumni interviews in Toronto. One was at the alumni’s office, the other at a hotel lobby nearby the others office. Both interviews were laid back and conversational. Both began with tell me about your career path so far, your reasons for doing an MBA, and your intended career trajectory. Both also asked ‘why […]

INSEAD Interview Questions & Report: Round 3 / Two Alumni / Online

Because of the coronavirus outbreak, the interviews were conducted via messenger although both of the interviewers are in Hong Kong. Overall, the experience is quite friendly and smooth, and most questions are expected, including why MBA/Why now/Why INSEAD. One of the interviewers went deeper to understand the business model of my startup. At the end, […]

INSEAD Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Alumnus / Off-Campus

Location: Interviewer’s office in Tokyo After we got into the meeting room, the interviewer told me that he already read my application form and CV, and had no questions on them. He even let me decide how to proceed with the interview (interview first and then the Q&A, or vice versa) Questions I got during […]

INSEAD Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Alumni / Off-Campus

I have two interviewers that were scheduled on 2 separate days of a week. They were both very friendly. The first one is in the industry (consulting). that I would like to get into, the second one works in an industry that is completely different (retail). Some basic questions were asked: my background, my MBA […]

Insead MBA Interview Questions & Report – Round 1 / Alumnus / Off-campus

I had my interview with the alumnus in a hotel lounge, which lasted for 1 hour. The interview was pretty conversational, and most questions were very typical. I handed out my printed resume to her as she didn’t bring one though she said she has one on her PC which she used during the interview. […]

Submit a Tuck, Kellogg, INSEAD, or CBS Interview Report – Receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card

If you’re interested in sharing your MBA interview experience, we are awarding a $10 Amazon gift certificate to each applicant who submits an MBA interview report for Tuck, Kellogg, INSEAD, or Columbia Business School by midnight EST on Sunday, September 17, 2017. To be eligible for the $10 gift card and the contest, please include the following information in your report:* 1. […]

Insead Q&As

Episode 48: Admissions Director Q&A with INSEAD’s Virginie Fougea

Clear Admit’s Graham Richmond recently sat down for an interview with Virginie Fougea, the global director of admissions and financial aid at INSEAD, to catch up on their MBA admissions and more. Though its name is an acronym for the French “Institut Européen d’Administration des Affaires” or European Institute of Business Administration, INSEAD has long […]

Admissions Director Q&A: INSEAD’s Virginie Fougea

As promised, we’re following our recent Real Humans of MBA Admissions piece highlighting INSEAD’s Virginie Fougea with a more in-depth interview that delves into the admissions process at the top-ranked business school with campuses on three continents. In addition to Fontainebleau, France, INSEAD students can also take classes at the school’s Abu Dhabi and Singapore […]

Real Humans of MBA Admissions: INSEAD’s Virginie Fougea

We were delighted at last month’s Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) annual conference in San Francisco to catch up with admissions directors from top business schools from around the globe. Among them was Virginie Fougea, INSEAD director of MBA recruitment and admissions, who we hope racked up plenty of frequent flier miles in exchange for […]

INSEAD LiveWire and DecisionWire

Academics

Faculty

INSEAD has a 170-strong faculty that teaches courses across nine academic areas.  In addition to their teaching responsibilities, these professors help organize and direct INSEAD’s research efforts and Centres of Excellence, which range in focus from the Emerging Markets Institute to the Learning Innovation and Teaching Excellence.

Curriculum

INSEAD takes advantage of a number of different teaching methods in its classrooms, allowing its faculty to design courses that utilize the case study method, computer simu­lation exercises, role play, lectures and class discussions. Upon their arrival on campus, students are assigned to a diverse study group of five to six students that work together on a number of class projects throughout their first few periods at INSEAD.

INSEAD accepts two classes per year, one beginning in September and graduating the following June, the other starting in January and concluding the following December. Regardless of the start date, classes go through the same curriculum and follow an academic calendar divided into five eight-week periods. Each period ends with exams and a short break before the next period ensues, and January entrants also have an eight-week summer break during which they are encouraged to complete internships. During the first half of their studies, students must enroll in INSEAD’s 14 core courses, which cover foundational business topics including accounting, marketing, organizational behavior, operations management and strategy, among others. Students take six core courses in their first period and six in their second period. In the third period, students complete their remaining two core courses and are given their first opportunity to better sculpt their education by taking four elective courses. The fourth period consists entirely of four elective courses and the fifth period concludes with three electives and a capstone project. INSEAD offers over 75 electives across its 10 academic areas.

Students are asked to choose their preferred starting campus when they apply to the MBA program and are generally given that preferred location for their first two periods, though that is not guaranteed. Six weeks after beginning their studies, students are given the opportunity to express their preference for the location of their third, fourth and fifth periods, which also includes the option of participating in Wharton, Kellogg, or CEIBS campus exchanges. Though INSEAD does ensure that all students will have the opportunity to study at its Singapore and European campuses, it does not guarantee that students’ preferences for the timing of those stays will be met.

Other MBA Degree Options

In addition to its 10-month full-time MBA Program, INSEAD also offers a Global Executive MBA program for experienced managers. The length of this part-time program is determined by the campus at which students start—Fontainebleau, Singapore or Abu Dhabi—and ranges from 60 to 65 days over 14 to 17 months.

Elective Areas at INSEAD

• Accounting and Control
• Decision Sciences
• Economics and Political Science
• Entrepreneurship and Family Enterprise
• Finance
• Marketing
• Organisational Behavior
• Strategy
• Technology and Operations Management

Degree Offerings at INSEAD

Full-time MBA
Fontainebleau, Singapore
https://www.insead.edu/master-programmes/mba

EMBA
Fontainebleau, Singapore or Abu Dhabi
https://www.insead.edu/master-programmes/gemba

Dual Degrees
MBA/MA with John Hopkins
MBA/MA with Columbia University
MBA/MA with Yale School of Management
https://www.insead.edu/master-programmes/mba/academics#partnerships

Campus Life

Clubs, Conferences & Competitions

Outside of their academic responsibilities, INSEAD students can take part in a wide range of extracurricular activities. The school’s nearly 30 student-run clubs cover students’ social, professional and cultural interests and include organizations such as the INSEAD Sailing Club, the INSEAD Energy Club and the INSEAD Women in Business Club. In addition to their regular offerings, such as recruiting treks and group lunches, student clubs help organize events on campus. The INSEAD Private Equity Club, for instance, hosts Private Equity conferences on both the Asian and European campuses. Students also take the lead in organizing the Global Leader Series, which brings prominent business leaders to the Asian and European campuses to speak about their career paths.

To further celebrate the international diversity on its campuses, INSEAD sponsors National Weeks. These weeks are organized by student cultural groups in order to let the larger community learn more about their home countries. For example, the Indian National Week included traditional South Indian dance, and a sitar performance.

Campus Spaces

INSEAD has two main campuses, one in France and the other in Singapore.  Headquartered in Fontainebleau, the French campus’s facilities include 29 teaching spaces, 130 study group areas, the Georges and Edna Doriot Library, a bookshop, a gymnasium and housing accommodations for those enrolled in short-term programs. Students in the full-time MBA program are not provided with on-campus housing, and they are instead advised to rent apartments and houses in nearby neighborhoods.

The Singapore Campus was opened in 2000 and includes eight amphitheaters, a variety of teaching rooms and study areas, an auditorium, a 24-hour library and a gymnasium. As with the European campus, INSEAD’s Singapore campus only offers accommodation to those in shorter-term programs. Full-time students are encouraged to contact a real estate agent in order to find lodging during their time on the Asian campus.

MBA Careers

Career Services

The INSEAD Career Services team provides a variety of services to its students to help them prepare for recruiting process and their future careers. The office recommends that during their first two periods, students sit for self-assessment tests, attend career counseling sessions and workshops and begin to tailor their CVs. In the third period students are guided to create their job search strategies by doing industry research, learning more networking skills, sitting in on discussion panels and participating in networking events. During the fourth and fifth periods, the office focuses students’ efforts on interview preparation and salary negotiation skills.

Career Statistics

Ninety-eight percent of the Class of 2020 responded to INSEAD’s Career Services survey. Within three months of graduation, 89% of respondents reported that they had been offered at least one job. The annual mean salary for the class was $103,800, with a median sign-on bonus of $25,000.

Members of the Class of 2020 entered a variety of sectors upon graduation. The most popular sector was consulting, which was chosen by 48% of graduates. Another popular sector was financial services, with 14% of the class joining companies in this field, as well as technology, media, and telecommunications sector claiming 23% of the class. The remaining 15% went into an assortment of corporate sectors.

Financing

The tuition for INSEAD’s the classes entering August 2022 is €91,225, and €92,575 for the January 2023 intake. In addition to this base cost, accepted students should factor in an additional €2,000 in educational expenditures, such as an optional Business Foundations Program and a new laptop.  Students should also expect to spend between €24,360 and €28,260 in living expenses, depending on which campus they are based in and whether or not they have a car lease payment.  INSEAD offers both need-based and merit-based scholarships, and applicants need to fill out separate scholarship applications to be considered for these awards. Students can also finance their educations through private loans or through loan programs offered by their countries of citizenship.  All admitted INSEAD students are eligible to apply for a loan from the International Loan Programme from Prodigy Finance.

Program Tuition (August intake)

• Tuition Fees €91,225
• Foundations Programme (optional) €1,500
• Laptop €1,000
• Living Expenses €27,700
• Total €121,425

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