INSEAD MBA Program is a 10-month degree program and is truly ‘The Business School for the World’, with over 80 nationalities represented in its typical MBA Class. For admissions to the 2024 MBA Class, there are two intakes – the January 2024 Intake (Class of December 2024) and the August 2023 Intake (Class of July 2024).
INSEAD was founded in post-war Europe with the aim of bringing people together through business and promoting peace and prosperity. Staying laser-sharp on its founding focus has allowed the INSEAD MBA Program to become one of the top international MBA programs in the world.
In this article, we will explore the various aspects of the INSEAD MBA program including the class profile, academic structure, curriculum, admissions deadline for August 2023 and January 2024 intake, and the latest careers and employment reports.
Watch this video where Tuhina, INSEAD MBA Candidate, shares tips on how to tackle the INSEAD MBA application:
INSEAD MBA Program
The INSEAD MBA program is one of the top-ranked international MBA programs in the world and consistently placed in the top 2 on the Financial Times and Forbes rankings. Also, since the opening of its Singapore campus in 1999, INSEAD became the first business school to have 2 campuses with permanent faculty staff.
The business school was founded in 1957 by Harvard professor and venture capitalist Georges Doriot, alongside Claude Janssen and Olivier Giscard d’Estaing, with the goal of bringing people together through business and promoting peace and prosperity in post-war Europe.
Here is a look at the statistics of the full-time MBA program at INSEAD:
| Sr. No | About the Course | INSEAD MBA Program |
| 1 | Duration | 10 months |
| 2 | Level | Masters Program |
| 3 | Average GMAT(Middle 80%) | 710* |
| 4 | Class Size | 1000 (Jan and Aug intake) |
| 5 | GMAT Range | 670 – 750 |
| 6 | Range of Work Experience | 3-8 years |
| 7 | Tuition Cost (per year) | € 97,000 (August 2023 Intake) € 98,500 (January 2024 Intake) |
| 8 | Average Age Range | 23-36 |
| 9 | % Employed after graduation (3 months) | 94% |
| 10 | Average Salary (US$) | $113,700 |
| 11 | Nationalities represented in the class | 75+ |
| 12 | Location | France and Singapore Campus |
| 13 | Dean | Ilian Mihov |
*The average GMAT score has been calculated based on the typical candidate profiles we have seen in the past 2 years. INSEAD recommends that in order to be competitive, one should aim to achieve a score at or above the 70 – 75 percentile in both the quantitative and verbal sections. For the Integrated Reasoning section, they recommend achieving a score of 6 or above.
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INSEAD MBA France Campus
INSEAD Europe campus, located just outside of Paris, sits on eight hectares adjacent to the Fontainebleau forest surrounded by 60,000 acres of deciduous trees. Students have described Fontainebleau as, “a town so small and quaint it doesn’t even really need public transportation.” INSEAD is within walking distance of numerous cafes, pubs, and restaurants as it is located a stone’s throw away from the town center.
Small Town like Feel with a Proximity to Urban Hubs
Though it may not possess a college town-like feel, the relatively small size and setting of the campus provide a heightened sense of community and allow students to get to know each other personally.
Fontainebleau combines the benefits and opportunities of a small student-centric community and an urban hub. Paris is just a 40-minute train ride away with dozens of trains running each day. The airport is also easily accessible offering flights throughout Europe.
This accessibility and connectivity to urban centers makes bringing industry speakers to campus rather easy and allows students to access the international business opportunities in France’s capital with relative ease.
INSEAD MBA Singapore Campus
INSEAD’s Singapore campus was established due to “a desire to create a bridge between Asia and the rest of the world.”
It is located in the heart of the Buono Vista district which is also known as Singapore’s “knowledge hub” and is surrounded by other universities including the National University of Singapore, Singapore Polytechnic, and the German Institute of Science and Technology.
Having a population of just over 5.6 million within an area of less than 300 square miles, the city-state of Singapore is a modern urban hub offering an extensive transit system along with restaurants, shopping centers, and other amenities. Businesses from around the world have offices in Singapore.
In 2016 PwC ranked Singapore as the #2 in the Cities of Opportunity Index. This index weighs the economic and social health of the world’s top business cities.
It performed well across the board, with low taxes, advanced technology, and strong transport and infrastructure systems that support its current status as a booming business hub, particularly for the finance and insurance industries.
INSEAD MBA Class 2024 Application deadlines
Following are the application deadlines for the INSEAD MBA Program August 2023 Intake:
| Class of July 2024 | Deadline for complete application | Interview decision notification | Final decision notification |
| ROUND 1 | 06 September 2022 | 07 October 2022 | 10 November 2022 |
| ROUND 2 | 15 November 2022 | 16 December 2022 | 20 January 2023 |
| ROUND 3 | 10 January 2023 | 10 February 2023 | 17 March 2023 |
| ROUND 4 | 07 March 2023 | 07 April 2023 | 12 May 2023 |
Following are the application deadlines for the INSEAD MBA Program January 2024 Intake:
| Class of December 2024 | Deadline for complete application | Interview decision notification | Final decision notification |
| ROUND 1 | 07 March 2023 | 07 April 2023 | 12 May 2023 |
| ROUND 2 | 18 April 2023 | 19 May 2023 | 23 June 2023 |
| ROUND 3 | 27 June 2023 | 28 July 2023 | 01 September 2023 |
| ROUND 4 | 08 August 2023 | 08 September 2023 | 06 October 2023 |
Planning to pursue your MBA at INSEAD? Here are few articles that can help you with your MBA Application: INSEAD MBA Essay 2024 intake Tips, How to approach your INSEAD MBA Application 2023? , and How to get into INSEAD – Admissions decoded.
INSEAD MBA – Academic Structure & Curriculum
It is important to note that the INSEAD MBA Program duration is 10 consecutive months long. Students have often termed the accelerated pace of the course as an “Intense Experience.”
The 5 Academic Periods of the INSEAD MBA Program
The academic program comprises 5 periods, each lasting 8 weeks. Period 1 & 2 is built around 12 core courses such as Financial Accounting, Organizational Behavior, and Strategy.
This helps establish a solid foundation of key management disciplines. Period 3 onward students are free to choose from 75 different electives in a variety of subjects.
The program culminates with a capstone project in period 5, where you’ll also be juggling 3 elective courses, networking as well as recruiting activities.
Schools Philosophy and Strength
The INSEAD mission statement reads:
“INSEAD brings together people, cultures, and ideas to develop responsible leaders who transform business and society.”
Source: Alumni by Work continent
It prides itself on being “The Business School for the World” and truly strives to offer a global perspective on business through management education. Its innovative multi-campus format where classes run concurrently, unmatched classroom diversity, and an intense academic experience due to its shorter 1-year course format that contributes heavily to its student’s success.
INSEAD deeply values diversity as a source of learning and enrichment. From its diverse and multi-cultural class composition to the myriad different teaching styles used during instruction such as simulations, role-plays, and the case method.
Teaching Methods and Group-Based Learning Focus
There is no preferred teaching method, rather, what matters is the effectiveness of the learning experience. As professors aim to bring out the best in each student in the class, they encourage lively classroom exchanges. The objective of doing this is to examine different perspectives and to orchestrate a multi-faceted debate to challenge everyone’s assumptions.
Initially, you’ll be made part of a study group of 5-6 students who are selected to maximize diversity in terms of age in terms of gender, nationality, experience, and previous education. This study group will become the focal point of your work during your core courses.
Unlike U.S based business schools where the cases discussed in class are about United States businesses, INSEAD has developed deep expertise about Asia and Asian companies. This was further bolstered by its strong emphasis on academic research and presence in Singapore.
The breadth and diversity of the program also create an enviable network of over 57,000 alumni spread over 175 countries and 162 nationalities. This alumni network can open a door or answer any question wherever a graduate may go.
Thus, INSEAD’s strengths are firmly rooted in its diverse multi-cultural class. No wonder it was ranked above many two-year MBA programs in pay gain over time. With students coming $150,400 ahead after four years when tuition and cost of living are factored into the equation.
INSEAD MBA Incoming Class Profile 2022
The incoming class at INSEAD consists of professionals from a diverse number of regions and industries as well as a differing amount of work experience.
The class has an average age of 29 years which is about 2 years greater than U.S business schools. Since the 10-month MBA course format reduces the time professionals spend away from their careers, it reduces the opportunity cost of getting an MBA.
Thus, it is quite suitable for older candidates who are looking to get a world-class MBA experience in a shorter amount of time. These candidates also tend to have clearer career goals post-MBA due to their greater work experience.
Students holding undergraduate degrees in business from the largest cohort of students by educational background. The second-largest cohort is students with an engineering background.
INSEAD MBA Program Employment and Career Outcomes
INSEAD boasts of a strong track record of placements and career outcomes for the graduates of its MBA program. Out of 1094 students in the program (December 2021 and July 2022), 1073 students participated in formal recruitment activities, and 94% reported having received at least one job offer within 3 months of graduation.
The overall annual Mean salary reported was $113,700 with the median sign-on bonus being $26,900. The median compensation was $110,100. This compares favorably with other top business schools in the U.S as well as Europe.
Employment Highlights
Source: Career opportunities- INSEAD
| Compensation Type | Median |
| Base Salary | $110,100 |
| Signing Bonus | $26,900 |
| Performance Bonus | $25,300 |
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Employment by sector
Take a look at the average annual salary for an INSEAD MBA garduate:
| Sector | Annual Median Salary | Median Sign-on Bonus | Median performance bonus |
| Corporate Sectors | $102,800 | $21,400 | $17,300 |
| Financial Services | $117,800 | $26,800 | $50,000 |
| Management Consulting | $117,300 | $27,200 | $25,800 |
| Technology,Media, and Telecommunications | $100,400 | $29,100 | $20,900 |
Corporate Sector – sub-sector salary range
| Sub-sectors | Salary Range (USD$) |
| Corporate Services | 120,000 – 232,100 |
| Energy | 74,200 – 113,900 |
| Healthcare | 33,800 – 160,300 |
| Manufacturing / Conglomerates | 63,600 – 145,500 |
| Primary Industries | 25,700 – 117,800 |
| Retail Consumer and Luxury Goods | 24,500 – 155,900 |
Financial Services – sub-sector salary range
| Sub-sectors | Salary Range (USD$) |
| Investment Banking / Banking / Sales and Trading | 39,700 – 253,100 |
| Investment Management / Hedge Funds | 72,800 – 178,800 |
| Other Financial Services | 54,000 – 300,000 |
| Private Equity / Venture Capital | 54,100 – 195,000 |
Technology, Media & Telecommunicationn – sub-sector salary range
| Sub-sector | Salary Range (USD) |
| E-commerce / Internet | 63,600 – 155,000 |
| Fintech | 30,900 – 187,200 |
| Information Technology / Telecommunications | 43,000 – 189,800 |
| Media Entertainment and Advertising | 50,500 – 200,000 |
Employment by location
| Continent | Percentage |
| North America | 9% |
| Northern and Western Europe | 39% |
| Southern/Eastern Europe | 9% |
| Latin America | 6% |
| Asia Pacific | 25% |
| Africa/Middle East | 12% |
Career Development Center Activities
The career development center is involved with every student even before the start of the program. Before you step foot on the campus, you can attend webinars and workshops related to resume and relationship building. Once you step foot on campus, the career development team organizes a series of events throughout the 5 periods including workshops, training, panel discussions, group, and one-on-one counseling sessions.
INSEAD MBA Program Top Employers
- McKinsey & Company
- Boston Consulting Group
- Bain & Company
- Amazon
- Strategy&
- EY Parthenon
- Accenture
- Kearney
- Restaurant Brands International
- Uber
- Microsoft
- Booz Allen Hamilton
- Deloitte
- L.E.K. Consulting
- Roland Berger
- Danaher Corporation
Notable Alumni
The following business leaders are a few of the notable alumni of the INSEAD
| Name | Accomplishment of Note |
| Meera Sanyal | CEO and Chairperson of the RBS |
| Jusuf Kalla | Vice President of Indonesia |
| Samir Arora | CEO of Sage Digital |
| Najib Mikati | Former PM of Lebanon |
| António Horta Osório | Chief Executive of Lloyds Banking Group |
| Tidjane Thiam | Chief Executive Officer of Credit Suisse |
| Henry Engelhardt | Chief Executive of Admiral |
Other MBA Programs you should consider
The following are some other schools that are a close match to INSEAD in terms of GMAT, rankings, age, and work experience. We have listed the programs by stretch, match, and safety. Note that these options are presented on the basis of the schools’ brand image and ranking status as a general yardstick.
Stretch Schools: IMD Switzerland, NYU Stern, UCLA Anderson
Match Schools: Oxford Saïd School of Business, London Business School
Safety Schools: University of Cambridge: Judge, HEC Paris
Getting into a top MBA program like INSEAD requires a competitive GMAT score, If you are planning to take the GMAT, we can help you by giving you access to quality online content to prepare. We are the most reviewed GMAT prep company on gmatclub with more than 2200+ reviews. Why don’t you take a free trial and judge it for yourself?
FAQs – INSEAD MBA
INSEAD MBA offers two schedules per year – September intake which takes 10 months and January intake which take 12-months.
Tuition fees for the August 2023 intake are €97,000. The fees for the January 2024 intake are €98,500.
You need at least a 700+ GMAT score for top business schools like INSEAD. The average GMAT score for INSEAD MBA incoming class of 2023 is 710, with a GMAT range between 670-750.
