Alliance Manchester

Manchester, UK · Public · Full-time MBA, 15 or 18 months (September start)

Program tuition: £68,081 (full program)

Deadlines

Round 1 (September 2027 intake): Oct. 1, 2026
Round 2 (September 2027 intake): Nov. 1, 2026
Round 3 (September 2027 intake): Dec. 1, 2026
Round 4 (September 2027 intake): Jan. 4, 2027
Round 5 (September 2027 intake): Feb. 1, 2027
Round 6 (September 2027 intake): March 1, 2027
Round 7 (September 2027 intake): April 1, 2027
Round 8 (September 2027 intake): May 9, 2027
Round 9 (September 2027 intake; UK candidates and those not needing a UK student visa): July 1, 2027

Essays

Essay 1 (Minimum 400 words)

What makes you a strong candidate for the Manchester MBA programme? Please write a personal essay that covers the following: Professional Experience. Share with us the story of your career to date; how have you progressed, what achievements are you most proud of and how have they shaped you as a person? Tell us about any leadership/management experience you have gained – this could also be in your personal life (e.g. managing people, leading teams or projects, managing important client relationships etc.). Do you have any career gaps on your CV or very short-term positions that need explanation? If you do, please tell us about this. Personal and Academic. Tell us about any personal and/or academic achievements that you would like to highlight. What motivates and inspires you and what would you hope to contribute to your MBA class? We understand that for various reasons not everyone is ready to ‘fly’ during their first degree and can be great achievers later or in other ways – you are welcome to tell us about that if relevant.

Essay 2: Career planning (Minimum 300 words)

Please make sure you structure your essay to cover the following questions: 1. Why is this the right time for your MBA? 2. Tell us about your short-term career goals immediately after graduating from the MBA. 3. It is important to be flexible and adaptable, so also tell us about your Plan B if you are unable to achieve your preferred goals immediately after graduating. 4. If you are looking for an international career – to change the country or region in which you are currently working - tell us more about this. 5. What is the connection between your current career background and your post-MBA goals and what gaps in your skill set do you need to develop through the MBA?

Scholarship video assessment and presentation (optional) (Two video questions; presentation of 2–3 slides or pages)

After submitting your MBA application, you'll receive an email from Kira Talent with instructions and a unique login. You'll answer two short questions: one about your interpersonal skills, and one about your career and personal aspirations. MBA scholarship presentation: What makes you a talented candidate who we'd love to have in our MBA class? Share who you are, what drives you, and what makes you unique.

Editor's notes

Nine deadlines and no fee make it easy to apply late. Don't. Scholarships are awarded in every round, but the Forté fellowships run only through Round 5 and several named awards go until they're gone. If funding matters, aim for the autumn or winter deadlines.
Both essays set a minimum, not a maximum. That's an invitation to be complete, not long. The school says it reviews every part of the file equally, essays included, so answer each sub-question cleanly and then stop.
Choose your route before you write. The 15- and 18-month routes cost the same £51,500, but the longer one adds international electives and a study tour. If your Essay 2 goal is an international move, the 18-month route is the one the school itself says helps most with a global career.
The test requirement has a side door. If you come from a less-represented nationality and have a strong professional profile, send your CV to the recruitment team and ask about the Manchester Admissions Test before you book a GMAT.