LBS MBA Interview: Questions, Presentation and Preparation Guide

The London Business School MBA interview is different from many other top MBA interviews. The interview is usually conducted by a London Business School alumnus, and the interviewer receives the applicant’s full application before the interview.

The interview also includes a presentation exercise. Candidates receive a topic they have not seen in advance, have five minutes to prepare their thoughts, and then present their point of view to the interviewer.

For LBS applicants, this means interview preparation needs to cover more than the usual MBA interview questions. You need to be ready to discuss your background, career goals, leadership experience, international exposure, and reasons for pursuing an MBA at London Business School. You also need to be comfortable organizing and presenting an argument without much preparation time.

In this guide, we cover the key points from our London Business School MBA interview presentation, including common LBS interview questions, the presentation exercise, answer structure, interviewer research, questions to ask, and what to do after the interview.

London Business School MBA Interview: What to Expect

In this video, Shimri Winters explains how the LBS MBA interview works and shares practical advice based on his experience as both an LBS alumnus and former LBS interviewer.

The presentation covers the structure of the interview, common questions, leadership and international experience questions, the LBS presentation exercise, and practical tips for preparing your answers.

LBS MBA Interview

The LBS MBA interview is usually conducted by a London Business School alumnus. Once you receive your interview invitation, you will normally receive information about your interviewer as well.

The interview itself typically has three parts:

  • Questions about your background, experience and goals
  • A presentation exercise
  • Questions from you to the interviewer

The first section can vary considerably depending on the interviewer. Some interviewers may have a prepared list of questions, while others may conduct the conversation in a more spontaneous or conversational way.

According to the presentation, this difference is largely about interviewer style. Your preparation should therefore focus on being ready for the topics you are likely to discuss rather than trying to predict the exact sequence of questions.

You can find more resources for preparing for MBA interviews in ARINGO’s MBA interview preparation guide.

Yes. If you receive your interviewer’s name before the interview, it is reasonable to research their professional background.

LinkedIn can be particularly useful for this.

Look for areas where your background may overlap with theirs. Perhaps you worked in a similar industry before your MBA, have a similar career path, or are interested in a post-MBA career similar to theirs.

This research is not about trying to impress the interviewer with information about their career. Instead, it can help you understand who you will be speaking with and potentially create a more natural conversation.

You should also be flexible when arranging the interview. Once you have been contacted, respond politely, express your enthusiasm, and provide your availability while allowing the interviewer to choose a convenient time.

One important difference highlighted in the presentation is that London Business School provides the interviewer with the applicant’s full application.

This means your interviewer may already have access to your essays, resume, recommendations, and other application information.

However, you should not assume that the interviewer remembers every detail.

Do not test them by saying things such as, “As I mentioned in essay number one…” or “As my recommender said…” Instead, simply explain the relevant point naturally during the conversation.

You can absolutely use examples that appeared in your application, but you should also be prepared to discuss new examples and provide more detail about experiences you have already mentioned.

Before your interview, review your entire application carefully. You should know what you wrote and be ready to discuss any part of it.

The interviewer is evaluating several different aspects of your profile.

  • Communication skills
  • Personality
  • Analytical thinking
  • International or multicultural experience
  • Career motivation
  • Leadership experience and potential
  • Interest in London Business School

But these qualities should not be treated as completely separate boxes to tick.

A useful way to think about the interview is whether the interviewer can see you as someone who would add value to the LBS classroom and wider community.

Your professional experience, perspective, personality and interests should give the interviewer a reason to believe that you would contribute something meaningful to the MBA class.

Your level of interest in LBS also matters. You should be able to explain why London Business School makes sense for your goals rather than giving a generic answer that could apply to dozens of MBA programs.

There is no single fixed list of questions that every LBS applicant will receive. Interviewers can have different styles, and some interviews may feel more structured while others feel more conversational.

However, there are several questions that you should prepare before your interview.

  • Walk me through your CV.
  • Why do you want an MBA?
  • Why do you want an MBA now?
  • What are your short-term career goals?
  • What are your long-term career goals?
  • Why London Business School?
  • What is your biggest achievement?
  • What is your biggest failure?
  • How would you describe your leadership style?
  • Tell me about a time you took a risk.
  • What do other people say about you?
  • What do you do in your spare time?

Preparing these questions does not mean memorizing a script. The goal is to understand your own experiences well enough to discuss them naturally.

How to Answer “Walk Me Through Your CV”

“Walk me through your CV” can be one of the longest answers in an LBS MBA interview.

Your answer should tell a coherent story rather than simply reading your resume from top to bottom.

Explain the major decisions and experiences that shaped your career. Highlight important transitions, achievements, and lessons, and then connect your past experience to where you want to go next.

A natural ending is to connect your career journey to your current MBA application. Explain why you are now pursuing an MBA and how it connects to your future goals.

Unlike most individual interview answers, the presentation suggests that this response can reasonably take around four minutes or slightly longer if needed.

For other interview questions, aim to keep your answers more concise, generally around one and a half to two minutes unless the question genuinely requires more detail.

International and multicultural experience can be an important part of the LBS interview.

You may be asked about your most significant international experience or an experience that changed the way you see another culture or country.

You could also be asked a broader question, such as whether companies should adapt their approach when operating in different geographic markets.

Think beyond simply listing the countries you have visited.

Focus on what you learned from working or living with people from different backgrounds and how that experience affected the way you communicate, make decisions, lead teams or approach business problems.

This is particularly relevant for applicants targeting a global MBA such as London Business School, where the international classroom is an important part of the experience.

Prepare two or three questions before your LBS interview.

The best questions are usually straightforward and connected to the interviewer’s own experience.

For example, if you discover that your interviewer moved from one career to another after LBS, you could ask about that transition and what helped them make it.

You can also ask about their experience at London Business School, the student community, or how their MBA affected their career.

Avoid turning this section into a difficult business or geopolitical debate simply to demonstrate how much you know.

The objective is to have a genuine conversation and learn something from someone who has already experienced the LBS MBA.

LBS MBA Interview FAQ

The LBS MBA interview is usually conducted by a London Business School alumnus. The interviewer receives information about the candidate before the interview, including the application materials.

Questions can vary by interviewer, but applicants should prepare for questions about their CV, MBA motivation, career goals, leadership, achievements, failures, international experience, communication skills, personality, and reasons for choosing LBS.

The presentation is a distinctive part of the LBS full-time MBA interview. Candidates receive an unfamiliar topic, have approximately five minutes to prepare, and then present their point of view for up to five minutes.

Practice organizing an argument quickly. During the preparation time, identify your position, two or three supporting points, and a conclusion. The presentation should have a clear structure rather than trying to cover every possible perspective.

Yes. If you receive the interviewer’s name, researching their professional background on LinkedIn can help you understand who you will be speaking with and identify genuine areas of common interest.

The length depends on the question. The presentation recommends allowing more time for “Walk me through your CV,” which can take around four minutes or longer. Most other answers should generally stay around one and a half to two minutes unless the question requires more detail.

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Need Help Preparing for Your LBS MBA Interview?

The London Business School interview requires more than preparing a list of standard MBA interview questions. You need to be able to explain your career story, demonstrate your motivation for an MBA, show why LBS fits your goals, and communicate clearly when faced with an unfamiliar topic.

If you are preparing for your LBS MBA interview and want an experienced admissions perspective, contact ARINGO to learn more about MBA admissions consulting and interview preparation.

You can also explore ARINGO’s MBA interview preparation resources for additional guidance.

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