How Likely Will You Be Accepted to Study at World's Top Schools for Management?

With locations in France, Singapore and Morocco, ESSEC Business School, ranked fourth in the master’s in management ranking, offers students the chance to study at one of three partner universities, take part in an international field trip, choose a specialized track with a specific career in mind and learn French or Mandarin as a foreign language.

You should have a master’s degree to apply for this program (although strong undergraduate degrees are also accepted) and apply by no later than May 20 for August 2019 entry. Professional experience is not required but can help your application.

Ranked fifth for its intensive MSc in Management program, Imperial College Business School provides students with a combination of business theory and its practical application to real-world cases. Students get the opportunity to tailor the course to their interests and network with leading global organizations.

Admission is very competitive. Recent graduates with an excellent undergraduate degree are welcome to apply. As part of your application, you’ll answer career planning questions, in which you should demonstrate that you’ve thought about how the program will help you achieve your career ambitions.

Heading back to Spain, IE Business School’s Master in Management, ranked sixth in the world, is offered every year in September and February in English, Spanish or a bilingual format, and allows students to specialize their course in the third period to suit their goals. They can also take part in an international exchange through the Beyond Borders Experience.

According to Forbes, IE Business School overall has an acceptance rate of 34 percent. Master in Management students are 23 years old on average and have about a year of professional experience. Students are required to take either the GMAT, GRE or IEGAT during the admissions process and will be required to attend an admissions interview.

Retaining its position of seventh, LSE’s 12-month MSc Management and Strategy program has a strong focus on economic business analysis and gives students a thorough understanding of the wider socio-economic environment in which companies around the world operate. 

Admission is highly competitive, with 6.5 applications per place. There are rolling admissions with no application deadline, but you may still wish to submit your application before the deadline for need-based scholarship applications (April 26 2019). The course is aimed at students with a quantitative background and a basic knowledge in elementary calculus and basic statistics. 

Unique among the top universities for master’s in management degrees in that it’s actually a strategic alliance of 31 top business schools, CEMS, the Global Alliance in Management Education is ranked eighth for its Master’s in International Management in 2019. The course aims to provide valuable theoretical foundations, practical knowledge and excellent career prospects.

No work experience is required for this program, but as the course is consecutive, you must be enrolled in a selected member school’s Master of Science program prior to starting this course. You’ll also need to have gained a bachelor’s degree in management, economics or a related field. Full information on how to apply can be found here.

ESCP Europe Business School comes joint ninth for its Master in Management degree in 2019, boasting high scores for both the diversity and employability indicators. The course takes two years to complete and gives students the chance to study abroad in up to four countries. You’ll also graduate with a minimum of 40 weeks professional experience.

There are three main requirements for admission: a bachelor or master’s degree in any field, fluency in English, and an international mindset. Work experience, international experience and knowledge of other languages are not essential but will enhance your application.

Concluding our look at how likely you are to gain admission to the world’s top management schools is Switzerland’s University of St. Gallen, also ranked joint ninth. Its Master’s in Business Management (MUG) degree is taught in German and is characterized by a highly entrepreneurial focus. It also aims to give students the knowledge and understanding to deal with dilemmas in business decisions that raise issues of ethics and sustainability.

As well as providing evidence of your proficiency in German, you’ll need to provide evidence of your proficiency in two foreign languages, plus evidence of sufficient accounting knowledge.  Unfortunately, the number of places for foreign applicants is limited by law, making it harder to gain admission as an international student. Foreign applicants are chosen through a selection process which considers your motivational letter, grade point average, extracurricular activities, college and curriculum.

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