The joyful culmination of your journey to business school will come when you finally get your acceptance. That day, you’ll anxiously open your application portal, rapidly dart your eyes across your screen, and beam a great big smile when you see the good news.
But if you hope to enroll in a top-ranked European MBA program in 2025, this exciting day is still a ways away. And if you want to ensure it comes, it’s time to start preparing, leaving no stone unturned on your path to crafting the ultimate applicant profile.
Whether you already have a concrete list of the universities you’re eyeing or are still mulling your options, you must first know what materials you need for your applications and when to submit them.
With that in mind, A1 MBA Consulting is excited to launch our series covering application essentials for QS’s Top 25 MBA Programs in Europe. This post will take a deep dive into the top five universities in the ranking:
1. London Business School
2. HEC Paris
3. IE Business School
T4. University of Cambridge: Judge Business School
T4. IESE Business School
London Business School (LBS)
LBS is yet to announce its application calendar for students looking to enroll in September 2025. We will add this information as soon as the university publishes it.
- Completed Application Form
- Two Essays:
1. What are your post-MBA goals and how will your prior experience and the London Business School program contribute towards these? (500 words)
2. Is there any other information you believe the Admissions Committee should know about you and your application to London Business School? (Optional) (500 words)
- One-Page CV
- Name, Details, and Contact Information of Your Referee – A Current Employer or Someone Who Knows You Well in a Work Context
- GMAT / GMAT Focus Edition / GRE Score
- Proof of English Language Ability
- A Copy of Your University Transcripts
- Application Fee: £200
HEC Paris
HEC Paris is yet to announce its application calendar for students looking to enroll in September 2025. We will add this information as soon as the university publishes it.
- Completed Application Form
- Essays – Questions Yet to be Announced
- 2 Recommendations
- Current Professional CV in English
- Passport-Style Photo
- Transcripts from All Post-Secondary Institutions
- Copy of Passport (Copies of Both if You Have Dual Nationality) or Birth Certificate
- GMAT/GMAT Focus Edition, GMAC Executive Assessment (EA), or GRE Score
- Test Taker Copy of the TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS, Cambridge English Exam, PTE Score Report, or Duolingo English Test
- Application Fee: €200
IE Business School
IE Business School offers rolling admissions for its in-person International MBA program. Students can apply to begin their course in either January or September 2025.
- Completed Application Form
- Essays – Questions Yet to be Announced
- A Minimum of 3 Years of Work Experience
- Academic Accreditation, Bachelors Degree, or Equivalent (Transcripts and Diploma)
- Entrance Exam Score (GMAT, GMAT Focus Edition, GRE, or IE Admissions Test)
- Language Certificate (English or Spanish) – If You are a Non-Native Speaker of the Language in Which You Want to Study
- 1-Page CV
- Two Letters of Recommendation
- Photo and Copy of Passport
- Application Fee
University of Cambridge
- Round 1: 27 August 2024
- Interviews: 30 September – 14 October 2024
- On-Campus Interviews: 14 October 2024
- Interviews: 30 September – 14 October 2024
- Round 2: 7 October 2024
- Interviews: 11 – 25 November 2024
- On-Campus Interviews: 25 November 2024
- Interviews: 11 – 25 November 2024
- Round 3: 6 January 2025
- Interviews: 17 February – 10 March 2025
- On-Campus Interviews: 10 March 2025
- Interviews: 17 February – 10 March 2025
- Round 4: 31 March 2025
- Interviews: 28 April – 12 May 2025
- On-Campus Interviews: 12 May 2025
- Interviews: 28 April – 12 May 2025
- Completed Application Form
- Undergraduate Degree – At Minimum a 2:1 Honors Degree on the UK Grading Scale (or International Equivalent)
- Work Experience – A Minimum of 2 Years (Class Average is ~6 Years)
- GMAT/GMAT Focus Edition or GRE Score
- Reference – Must Come from a Manager/Superior in a Professional Role
- Essays – Career Objectives Statement and Three, Shorter Essays (For Brevity’s Sake, Please Read the Full Prompts HERE)
- Recognized English Language Proficiency Test
- Application Fee: £165
IESE Business School
IESE is yet to announce its application calendar for students looking to enroll in September 2025. We will add this information as soon as the university publishes it here.
- Completed Application Form
- Completed Kira Video Essays
- Application Fee: €200
- Official Undergraduate Transcripts
- CV
- GMAT / GMAT Focus Edition / GRE Score
- English Test: Recommended Score of TOEFL 105 | IELTS 7.5 | PTE Academic 68 (C1), and Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English – Minimum Level B
- One Letter of Recommendation
- Written Essays (Online Form)
- Passport-Size Digital Photograph (Max. 2Mb.)
Apply with Confidence: A1 MBA Consultant
At A1, we are far more than glorified essay editors. We work relentlessly on 100% of your application – from your essays to your CV, interview, and networking – to highlight your unique experiences and abilities in a way that cannot be ignored by top-tier business schools.
Want to work with us?
Book a Free Consultation today to meet with Hadi Hussaini, our Founder, Head of Admission Consulting, and Head of GMAT Tutoring.
If you decide to partner with A1, you’ll pay $3,000 for your first application, $1,000 for your second, and $500 for each one after that – far less than you’d shell out to work with other “top” consulting firms charging $7,000 – 20,000 for their boilerplate services.
Please feel free to contact us at mya1consultant@gmail.com with any questions. Happy application season!