Indian School of Business (PGP)

Hyderabad, India · Private · 1-year full-time residential Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP); April start; Hyderabad and Mohali campuses

Median GMAT Focus: 675
Class size: 839 (Class of 2027)
Program tuition: INR 35,932 (full program, incl. shared housing, before GST)

Deadlines

Round 1 (PGP Class of 2028, starts 2027): Sept. 20, 2026
Round 2 (PGP Class of 2028): Dec. 6, 2026
Round 3 (PGP Class of 2028): Jan. 17, 2027

Essays

Leadership essay (400 words)

What unique experiences have shaped who you are? What have these experiences taught you about leadership and the kind of leader you aspire to be?

Learning approach essay (400 words)

What intellectual experiences have influenced your approach to learning and have led you to pursue an MBA? Please describe using anecdotes from your own experiences.

Optional essay (250 words)

Share with us any intellectual pursuits, unique perspectives, or experiences that you pursued that have shaped your worldview. How could they potentially contribute to our learning community?

Editor's notes

Round 1 is gone, and Rounds 2 and 3 are only six weeks apart (Dec. 6 and Jan. 17). ISB says competition is the same in every round, so pick the deadline that gives you your best test score and your best essays. Don't rush Round 2 for its own sake. You get one application per year.
Get your paperwork right before you submit. ISB checks every document against your application within 20 days and gives you three days to fix a problem, and only verified files go to review. The application also builds your resume from the work history you type in, so that form is your resume. Fill it with care.
Your essays share the load with a form that already lists your jobs, pay and awards. ISB asks for new information rather than a rehash, and it names three things it looks for: analytical thinking, leadership potential and commitment to growth. Let the leadership essay carry the second and the learning essay the third.
Prepare to write on the spot. The 30-minute interview includes two essays written during the interview, so practise drafting a clear, short answer under time pressure. With one recommender only, pick the person who has watched your recent work most closely, not the most senior name.