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IE Business School MBA Class Profile | 5 Key Takeaways

Learn more about MBA students at IE Business School! Our IE MBA class profile takeaways cover work experience, average GMAT, and MBA requirements

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By  Abigail Lister

Mon Apr 18 2022

BusinessBecause
IE Business School has a reputation as one of the best business schools in Europe and is consistently ranked among the best business schools in the world.

IE is also known for its strength in entrepreneurship and innovation, and boasts startup founders, CEOs, and executives of Fortune 500 firms among its notable alumni

Each year, candidates from around the world apply to secure a place in IE Business School’s International MBA program. After graduation, around 65% change careers and 42% land a job in a new country.

To give you a better picture of the students who get accepted into this top-ranked MBA, and support your IE MBA application, here’s five key takeaways from the latest IE Business School MBA class profile.


1. IE Business School MBA students have 5-7 years’ experience on average

IE Business School MBA candidates are required to have at least three years’ work experience, though many on the program actually have more. The average work experience for IE MBA students is about five-to-seven years.  

The average age of an IE Business School MBA student is 29, higher than some US MBA programs but still around the average age of MBA students worldwide. 


2. IE Business School boasts an international MBA class

IE MBA students typically represent around 70 nationalities in each class, meaning you’ll work and form connections with people from various personal and professional backgrounds.

While at somewhere like Harvard Business School the class size regularly exceeds 900 students, IE’s MBA class size is 677, a middle ground between larger intakes and more intimate MBA programs. 


3. Most IE Business School MBA students come from finance and technology backgrounds

22% of IE Business School MBA students come from the financial services sector, the highest of all pre-MBA sectors, followed by fast-moving consumer goods (13%), and technology (11%).

Other students come from industries as varied as retail, real estate, non-profit, hospitality, and government. 

Ultimately, you can become an IE MBA student whatever your background. BusinessBecause even interviewed a former chef who enrolled in the MBA at IE Business School.

When it comes to educational background, 14% of IE MBA students have previously studied finance. 22% are engineering graduates and 31% studied business before their MBA.


Read: IE Business School Dean: 3 Things Recruiters Want From You In 2022

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4. IE Business School’s average GMAT score is 650

GMAT scores can tell you a lot about the competitiveness of an MBA program. At IE Business School, the average score for MBAs is around 650. IE also accepts other tests like the GRE. 

Your GMAT score is important and you should aim for the class average. But what matters more to IE Business School is that applicants are a good fit for the program, and other parts of your application like the interview and personal statement are just as key. 


5. IE Business School MBA requirements include essays & interviews

IE Business School’s MBA requirements are broader than test scores alone. They include:

- Online application form
- Resume
- Two letters of recommendation
- University transcripts
- English language certificate for non-Native English speakers - TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo English Test, or Cambridge Advanced or Proficiency level are accepted
- Personal statement in format of your choice
- Online assessment
- GMAT, GRE or IE Global Admissions Test score
- €150 application fee ($165)

Candidates  also have either a face-to-face or online interview with someone from the admissions team. This is your chance to go further in-depth into your achievements and skills, and show the team your unique attributes.

Applying for a place in the IE MBA class is a rigorous process, which makes sense for a top-ranked European MBA program. 

The most important thing to remember is to make your application unique. IE Business School look for diverse professionals for their MBA and evaluate candidates holistically, so if you resonate with the program it’s worth applying for.


IE Business School MBA Class Profile | Key Takeaways

The IE Business School MBA attracts a huge range of professionals from diverse industries. IE MBA students want to work in a collaborative, entrepreneurial environment at one of the best business schools in Europe. 

As well as a focus on test scores, the IE Business School admissions team like to get a more personal view of their applicants through additional requirements like a unique personal statement and quick-fire online assessment. 

To succeed in your IE MBA application, make sure the admissions team get to know the real you. 

Data in this article is sourced from IE.

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