IESE

Barcelona, Spain · Private · 2-year full-time (September 2027 intake = Class of 2029)

Average GMAT Focus: 630
Class size: 370
Program tuition: €132,994 (full program)

Deadlines

R1: Sept. 23, 2026
R2: Jan. 7, 2027
R3: March 9, 2027
R4: May 6, 2027

Essays

Essay 1: career goals (450 words)

To understand where you’re headed and how the MBA fits into your bigger picture, we’d like to hear what you hope to do after graduation, where you see yourself in a few years, and what your long-term ambitions look like. Keep it personal, realistic but ambitious, and show us how IESE fits into that journey. What are your immediate career goals upon graduation, your short-term goals within 3–5 years, and your longer-term goals 5–10 years after graduation? How will the IESE MBA program help you achieve them?

Essay 2: Plan B (250 words)

Career paths rarely follow a perfectly straight line. We would like to understand how you think about alternative routes to achieving your professional aspirations and how you adapt when plans change. If your preferred post-MBA role or industry is not immediately attainable, what alternative path (Plan B) would you pursue? Why is it a compelling option for you, and how does it align with your strengths, interests, and long-term aspirations? How would the IESE MBA help you pursue this path?

Optional essay (300 words)

What would you like to highlight about yourself or your journey which may have not been captured in your application?

Scholarship essay (scholarship applicants) (200 words each)

Why do you think you deserve a scholarship? Why do you think you need a scholarship?

Kira video essays (4 video questions (1 minute to prepare, 1.5 minutes to answer each))

There will be four video essay questions that you will be required to complete.

Editor's notes

Round 1 closed on Sept. 23. IESE says 70% of its scholarships go out in the first two rounds and asks non-EU applicants to apply before Round 3 for visa time. For most readers that makes Jan. 7, 2027, the deadline that matters.
IESE is relaxed about AI, within limits. The admissions director accepts AI for brainstorming and polishing but says it shouldn't tell your story, and he added a video question on how you think about AI. Your written and video answers should sound like the same person.
There's no test waiver, and IESE publishes an acceptance range (545 to 715 on GMAT Focus) rather than an average. Inside that range, the rest of your file decides. Below it, retest.
With one recommendation letter, an interview and an optional Assessment Day, IESE sees you in person more than on paper. Go to the Assessment Day if invited. It's built on group discussion, the same skill the case method runs on.