The admissions process from start to finish
Esade is committed to offering equal opportunities to all candidates. Therefore, Esade does not discriminate against any candidate on the basis of race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, marital status, political belief, disability or any other factor which could interfere with candidates being evaluated on an equal basis in the admissions process of its programs.
1. Submit the application form
The first step in your application process is to complete the Online Application Form. You will be asked to register. You can then save your application form to submit it later.
APPLICATION TIP: you can complete your application form without a final GMAT/GRE/English exam result – simply include the date you plan to sit the test.
Two recommendation letters must be submitted as part of the application process. These can be from professional and/or academic referees, although we recommend that both be from professional sources. Your recommendation letters will be used to evaluate your global mindset and personal motivation.
You will need to introduce your referees' information in your online application form. Once you have completed and saved this section of the form, your referees will receive an automatic request to submit your recommendation letter.
At the end of the form, you will need to upload:
- Your CV
- A recent, passport-sized photograph with white background (e.g., CV/resume picture). Maximum file size: 50 kb. Format: JPEG
- A scan of your identity card (Spanish citizens) or your passport (EU and non-EU nationals)
The application is not complete until you pay the non-refundable application fee and complete the electronic signature with your name. Once you have done this, your application will be considered as properly submitted and you will be able to upload the remaining documents in order to complete your application.
2. Upload the required documents
After submitting your application, you will need to upload the following documents through the student portal:
A) Bachelor Transcripts: During the application process, scanned copies from your Bachelor Transcripts will be accepted. This document must be issued in the original language. Any documents that are not in Catalan, Spanish or English must be submitted with an official translation into one of these languages.
B) Bachelor Degree: One of the basic prerequisites for applying for the MBA program is an undergraduate degree equivalent to a bachelor's degree. You must submit a copy of your diploma (if the degree granted is not shown on the transcripts). This document must be issued in the original language. Any documents that are not in Catalan, Spanish or English must be submitted with an official translation into one of these languages. Find out more about the official university degree requirements and other frequently asked questions in this document.
C) GRE/GMAT Unofficial Scores: upload the unofficial scores into the student portal and ask the GMAT/GRE organization to send your official scores to Esade, using the following codes:
GMAT: 93M-3K-60
GRE: 5761
We accept valid GMAT scores achieved through either the classic or new Focus edition equally. Over the last years, our class average GMAT score tends to be around 660, or 615 under the Focus edition. This equates to a performance in the 75% percentile tables published by GMAC.
D) Esade Admission Test: we are also offering the option of taking the online Esade Admissions Test. Please contact the Admissions Office for more information.
E) English Test Scores:
All participants who are not native English speakers or have completed their Bachelor’s Degree in English must have one of the following certificates:
TOEFL IBT: 100 (Esade’s code is 0884)
IELTS: 7.0 Academic test
Certificate in Advanced English: B+
Certificate in Proficiency in English: C+
Academic Pearson: +68
Duolingo test (+130)
Esade will accept English Certificates taken within the last two years. Esade only accepts official TOEFL scores sent directly to Esade from ETS. Our institution code is 0884. Cambridge and IELTS certificates are also accepted and must be originals or certified true copies. ** TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition test and IELTS Indicator online test are accepted.
If you are a native English speaker or you have completed your Bachelor’s Degree in English, you may be exempt from the English requirement. If your bachelor’s degree was taught entirely in English (+120ECTS), please send us a certificate from your university (i.e., diploma supplement) stating the language of instruction.
3. Application Documents Considered
Your file will be considered by our admissions team once all the required documentation is submitted. Please check your application through the student portal on a regular basis to make sure that your file is complete. Your documents will be shown as “received” after being validated by the Admissions Team.
4. Official Interview
After submitting all your documents, you may be shortlisted for an interview, which is a mandatory requirement for your admission. An Associate Director of Admissions will interview all selected applicants.
Official interviews for the Esade MBA program can be conducted in person either in Barcelona or at one of our international off-campus admissions events. Alternatively, if you cannot attend an admissions event or visit the campus in Barcelona, the interview can be done online.
5. Admissions Committee
After the official interview, your application will be considered by the Admissions Committee, which comprises faculty members and the entire Admissions Team. The decisions of the Admissions Committee are final. You will find the final decision from the Admissions Committee in your Student Portal.
Due to the confidential nature of Committee decision-making, we regret that feedback on rejected applications is not given.
Admissions Requirements
1. A bachelor's degree or equivalent
Before beginning the Esade MBA, you must have been awarded an undergraduate degree entitling you to undertake postgraduate studies in the degree-granting country. If the student is not in possession of the qualification required, the admission/registration will be academically void, and any qualifications obtained will be cancelled. Find out more about this admission requirement here.
2. Fluency in English
You must have one of the following English language certificates:
- TOEFL IBT: 100 (Esade’s code is 0884)
- IELTS: 7.0 Academic test
- Certificate in Advanced English: B+
- Certificate of Proficiency in English: C+
- Academic Pearson: +68
- Duolingo Test +130
Native English speakers and candidates who have completed their bachelor's or their master degree entirely in English are exempt from this requirement. If your bachelor's degree (at least 120ECTS) or your Master's Degree (60ECTS) was taught entirely in English, please send us a Diploma Supplement or certification from the university.
Note: Language test scores are only valid for two years.
3. A minimum of 2 years' full-time professional experience post graduation
Peer-to-peer learning is an essential part of the Esade Full-Time MBA.
That's why everyone on the program, like you, will have a minimum of two years' professional experience. Together you can share your insights and your perspectives from different business sectorsfunctions, and cultures, creating a richer, more diverse program based on real-world experience.
4. A high score in the GMAT or GRE exam
All applicants must take the GMAT or the GRE test. We accept valid GMAT scores achieved through either the classic or new Focus edition equally. Scores will be assessed using the percentile tables published by GMAC.
Over the last years, our class average GMAT score tends to be around 660, or 615 under the Focus edition. This equates to a performance in the 75% percentile under each format. Our average GRE score has been around 160/162.
Official GMAT or GRE scores must be sent to Esade using the following codes:
- GMAT: 93M-3K-60
- GRE: 5761
Note: GMAT and GRE scores are valid for five years.
Esade Full Time MBA Application Deadlines
The MBA Admissions timeline
Please find below the application deadlines and the Admissions timeline for receiving feedback on your MBA application from the Esade Admissions Committee. Applications are considered complete once we have received your online application and all the supporting documents required. Please note that after having completed your online application, you will need to access the portal again, in order to submit the supporting documents and finalize your application.
Lastly, bear in mind that whilst the timelines given are useful as a general guide, the sooner you submit your application, the sooner we will be able to review your candidature and give you feedback.
1st Deadline
Application package complete
5th OCT 2023
Feedback given by
22nd NOV 2023
2nd Deadline
Application package complete
23rd NOV 2023
Feedback given by
10th JAN 2024
3rd Deadline
Application package complete
11th JAN 2024
Feedback given by
7th FEB 2024
4th Deadline
Application package complete
8th FEB 2024
Feedback given by
14th MAR 2024
5th Deadline
Application package complete
15th MAR 2024
Feedback given by
17th APR 2024
6th Deadline
Application package complete
18th APR 2024
Feedback given by
15th MAY 2024
7th Deadline
Application package complete
16th MAY 2024
Feedback given by
5th JUN 2024
8th Deadline
Application package complete
6th JUN 2024
Feedback given by
19th JUN 2024
9th Deadline
Application package complete
20th JUN 2024
Feedback given by
5th JUL 2024
Online MBA Application
We deliberately limit the number of places on our MBA program to ensure that your Esade Business School experience is focused and personalized. As a result, competition for places is intense. Apply early by completing our online MBA application form.
Once you are logged in, follow the instructions that appear and please remember that your application will not be considered by our admissions team until all requested documents have been submitted. Your application should reflect your own experiences, motivations, and accomplishments, so please give us as much information as possible in order to boost your candidacy.
Do you want to know how to stand out from the crowd to be admitted to one of our programs?
What does Esade Admissions Committee look for in a candidate? Look at this video!
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Apply Now for admission
If the Full time MBA is your program, start the admission process by completing the online application.