London Business School vs INSEAD MBA Admissions: Application Guide

London Business School and INSEAD are two of the most internationally focused MBA programs in Europe. Both attract applicants from a wide range of countries, industries and professional backgrounds, but their MBA applications are structured differently.

For applicants considering both schools, understanding those differences can help you prepare a stronger application. Your resume, career goals, essays, recommendations and online application all need to work together to tell a consistent story.

In this guide, Shimri Winters, London Business School alumnus and former LBS interviewer, walks through the admissions process at both London Business School and INSEAD. He discusses the application requirements, MBA resume, essays, recommendations and the details applicants should pay attention to when preparing their applications.

The guide is particularly useful if you are seriously considering applying to both schools and want to understand how to approach each application differently.

You can also explore ARINGO’s top MBA program resources, MBA essay guidance and MBA admissions blog as you build your application strategy.

London Business School vs INSEAD MBA Admissions

Watch the full video for a detailed walkthrough of the London Business School and INSEAD MBA admissions process.

LBS vs Insead

London Business School and INSEAD are both highly international MBA programs, but applicants should not approach their applications as if they were interchangeable.

The basic admissions requirements are similar. Both programs look for candidates with professional experience, strong academic preparation, standardized test results and a clear reason for pursuing an MBA.

The major difference comes in how much information each school asks applicants to provide. The London Business School application has two mandatory essays, one optional essay, one recommendation and a detailed online application. INSEAD has a significantly longer written application with multiple essays, two recommendations and a mandatory video interview before the interview stage.

This means that applying to both schools requires planning. You can reuse some of the thinking behind your application, but you should not simply copy and paste the same essays or application answers.

London Business School is based in London and has a highly international student and alumni community. The school offers a flexible MBA structure that allows students to customize the length of the program depending on their plans.

One feature highlighted in the video is the ability to complete the MBA in different timeframes. Students can choose a shorter path or take additional time, including using the summer period for an internship.

The school also offers a wide range of electives, giving students significant flexibility in shaping their academic experience.

For applicants who want to understand the broader program before focusing on admissions, the previous London Business School content in this series covers the school’s curriculum, alumni network, careers and learning experience in greater detail.

Before working on the application itself, applicants should make sure they meet the basic requirements for the London Business School MBA.

The presentation explains that applicants normally need an undergraduate degree and at least two years of professional experience. In practice, having around three or more years of relevant work experience can provide a stronger basis for an MBA application.

The work experience does not have to come from a particular industry. Applicants can come from consulting, finance, accounting, law, marketing, entrepreneurship, technology and many other professional backgrounds.

The key is that the experience should demonstrate meaningful professional development rather than simply being an extension of a student job.

London Business School also requires a GMAT or GRE score and may require an English language proficiency test if your undergraduate education was not conducted in English.

The presentation identifies two years of professional experience as the minimum threshold discussed for both London Business School and INSEAD. However, applicants should think beyond the minimum requirement.

Having more work experience does not automatically make an applicant stronger. What matters is what you have accomplished during that time, how your responsibilities have developed and what you have learned from your professional experiences.

For example, an applicant with four years of experience and several promotions, leadership opportunities and measurable achievements may have a very different application from someone with four years of experience who has performed essentially the same responsibilities throughout.

Your MBA profile assessment should therefore look at the quality and progression of your experience, not just the number of years you have worked.

London Business School places particular emphasis on the one-page CV. The presentation repeatedly highlights this requirement and recommends keeping the MBA resume concise even when you have significant professional experience.

A one-page resume forces you to focus on the information that matters most. Rather than listing every responsibility you have ever had, use the available space to show your professional progression, leadership, achievements and measurable results.

If you have a significant gap in your professional history, the application provides an opportunity to explain it separately. The important thing is to provide a clear explanation rather than leaving the admissions committee to guess what happened.

INSEAD has a significantly longer application than London Business School, according to the presentation.

The application includes multiple mandatory essays, optional essays, two recommendations and a video interview. The school also has two intakes, January and September, which means applicants have several opportunities during the year to apply.

Because of the number of questions and essays, applicants should begin the INSEAD application well before the deadline.

The longer application also means that applicants have more opportunities to demonstrate different sides of their profile. The challenge is making sure those different sections work together rather than repeating the same information.

The basic prerequisites for INSEAD are similar to London Business School. Applicants normally need an undergraduate degree, professional experience and a GMAT or GRE score.

The presentation discusses a minimum of two years of professional experience, while noting that applicants generally benefit from having more substantial professional experience.

If your undergraduate education was not conducted in English, you may also need an English proficiency test. The specific accepted tests and requirements should always be checked against the current INSEAD application requirements.

The INSEAD application process differs from London Business School in one important way: applicants complete a video interview after submitting the application, before the initial screening stage.

If an applicant progresses through the screening process, they then move to the interview stage. INSEAD typically conducts two interviews with alumni.

The presentation emphasizes that the overall INSEAD application is lengthy, so applicants should plan carefully and leave enough time for every component.

The video interview and alumni interviews are covered in greater detail in the next part of the London Business School versus INSEAD series.

Good interview preparation does not mean memorizing complete answers.

Instead, prepare the key stories and points you want the interviewer to remember.

  • Know your application well.
  • Prepare your career story.
  • Understand why you want an MBA.
  • Be specific about why Fuqua fits your goals.
  • Prepare examples of leadership and impact.
  • Prepare examples of teamwork.
  • Practice behavioral questions using STAR.
  • Keep your answers concise.
  • Do not memorize complete scripts.
  • Focus on having a genuine conversation.

When answering behavioral questions, a clear structure can make your stories easier to follow. Explain the situation, what you needed to accomplish, what you personally did, and what happened as a result.

You can find additional preparation resources in ARINGO’s MBA interview preparation guide and MBA interview questions by school.

The same core resume principles apply to INSEAD. Your CV should focus on achievements, progression, leadership, impact and evidence rather than simply listing responsibilities.

However, the presentation highlights one additional consideration: INSEAD places significant importance on internationalism and diversity.

If you have worked across countries, collaborated with international teams, lived abroad or developed meaningful cross-cultural experience, make sure the admissions committee can see that from your application.

Even a single well-written resume bullet can communicate international exposure if it explains the countries, teams or stakeholders involved.

Application Area London Business School INSEAD
Professional experience Minimum experience discussed in the presentation Minimum experience discussed in the presentation
CV One-page CV strongly emphasized CV should focus on impact, progression and international exposure
Mandatory essays 2 Multiple mandatory essays
Optional essay Yes Yes
Recommendations 1 2
Online application Detailed and lengthy Detailed and lengthy
Video interview After being selected for interview Completed by applicants before initial screening
Interview stage Usually an alumni interview Typically two alumni interviews

The exact application requirements and deadlines can change, so applicants should always check the current requirements for the intake they are targeting.

  • Confirm that you meet the current academic and professional experience requirements.
  • Take the GMAT or GRE and meet the school’s current testing requirements.
  • Check whether you need an English proficiency test.
  • Prepare a concise, achievement-focused MBA resume.
  • Keep the London Business School CV to one page.
  • Show promotions and career progression clearly.
  • Quantify professional achievements wherever possible.
  • Highlight leadership, initiative and impact.
  • Show relevant international and cross-cultural experience.
  • Build career goals that connect logically with your past experience.
  • Research LBS or INSEAD carefully before writing the school-specific sections.
  • Choose recommenders who know your professional work well.
  • Give recommenders enough time and information to prepare strong recommendations.
  • Complete the online application carefully and keep it consistent with your CV and essays.
  • Do not use optional essays unless they genuinely add useful information.
  • Leave enough time for proofreading and final application review.

Frequently Asked Questions About LBS vs INSEAD MBA Admissions

There is no simple way to determine which school is harder to get into for an individual applicant. Both programs assess candidates holistically, and the strength of an application depends on factors such as professional experience, academic background, career goals, leadership, international exposure and overall fit with the program.

The presentation discusses two years as the minimum professional experience threshold for both schools. However, applicants should focus on the quality and progression of their experience rather than simply trying to meet the minimum number of years.

Yes. The presentation strongly emphasizes the one-page CV requirement at London Business School. Applicants should focus on achievements, leadership, progression and measurable results rather than listing every responsibility from their career.

INSEAD requires two professional recommendations. Applicants should choose recommenders who know their work well and can provide specific examples of performance, leadership and potential.

Only if it adds meaningful information that is not already covered elsewhere in your application. An optional essay can be useful for explaining a significant gap, unusual career move, academic issue or another part of your background that requires context.

Yes. The two schools have different application structures and offer different program experiences. If both programs fit your career goals, you can prepare separate applications while maintaining a consistent overall career story.

Explore More MBA Admissions Topics

Sign Up For a Free Consultation

Need Help With Your LBS or INSEAD MBA Application?

London Business School and INSEAD both require applicants to present a clear and convincing story, but the application process is detailed and different for each school.

If you are unsure how competitive your profile is, how to position your career goals, which experiences to highlight or how to approach your essays and resume, getting an outside perspective can help before you submit.

ARINGO works with MBA applicants targeting leading business schools around the world, including London Business School and INSEAD.

Contact ARINGO to learn more about MBA admissions consulting and application support.