Poets&Quants Top Business Schools

IE Business School

Contact our general manager with any questions. Profile updated: November 27, 2019.

School Data

Annual Tuition: €32,500

Acceptance Rate: 25%

Full-Time Enrollment: 440

Median GMAT: 670

International: 91%

Female: 31%

Male: 69%

Average Age: 29

Application Deadlines: IE Business School operates on a rolling admissions process. As such, there is no explicit deadline for applications for a particular intake.

A lot of business schools talk about being entrepreneurial, but entrepreneurship is in Madrid-based IE’s DNA. The school was set up in 1973 by three entrepreneurs, rather than academics, and it retains a creative spirit that other schools can only aspire to — as well as the flagship International MBA (IMBA), a highly regarded executive MBA, an online Global MBA (the world’s first), and an Asian-focused program run with Singapore Management University.

IE has enjoyed a stellar rise in the business school rankings in the last 15 years. In 2002 its full-time course was ranked just 35th in the world by the Financial Times, but IE’s ability to read the changes in the business education market meant that by 2010 it was a fixture in the top 10, and in 2017 it was ranked third in Europe. Its Global MBA is regularly ranked best in the world. Eyebrows were raised, however, when the FT excluded the school from its 2018 rankings because some of the data it supplied was incorrect. IE has acted quickly to protect its reputation by firing those responsible.

True to IE’s commitment to doing things differently, the 12-month IMBA is organized in an unusual way. It starts with a six-month Core Period that includes the usual business fundamentals, such as accounting and managerial decision-making. But it gives equal weight to two other areas: Developing an Entrepreneurial Mindset — IE was the first business school to make an entrepreneurial course a requirement — and Thinking Beyond Business, which includes courses on Innovation in a Digital World, Critical Management Thinking, and Business, Government, and Society.

This is followed by a two-month Lab Period. Depending on how they see their futures, students can choose between Business Lab (for those wanting to work in a corporation), Start-Up Lab (for entrepreneurs), or Social Impact Lab. Alternatively, those focused on a career change can do a four- to seven-week internship.

The final, four-month Elective Period is where students choose from a long menu of electives and/or take on consulting projects, exchanges, or treks. There is also Venture Lab, which helps take a business idea to investment-readiness. All of this runs parallel with courses in Career and Behavioral Fitness, which promise to develop students’ soft skills to make them more competitive.

IE is committed to having a diverse cohort; each year 90% or more of its students are international, with 70-75 nationalities among the 440 students. Typically, a quarter comes from Europe, the same amount hails from Latin America, and North America and Asia account for another 15% each. Half of the cohort comes from non-finance or banking backgrounds, with 20% from industry, energy, and construction, and a further 15% each from consulting and consumer goods. Up to 40% of IE’s students get some sort of financial help with their fees.

Martin Boehm, Dean

At IE Business School, we look for and promote an entrepreneurial mindset. The school was founded by entrepreneurs and we tend to naturally attract that sort of candidate. We also embrace diversity — not only in terms of passports or nationalities but in mindset, perspective, and experiences. The benefit of this is quite evident. The IE student body is made up of people from different cultures, backgrounds, and professions, and they learn a great deal from each other — just as they learn from their professors — both in and out of the classroom. Our goal at IE is more than to help people develop professionally, because to be an extraordinary leader — to make a difference in the world — it is not simply about technical skills but about being a good human being with a global mindset. We prepare our students to become the leaders of tomorrow, ready to face a future that includes such challenges as digital transformation.

Nicholas Zeppel, MBA 2018

I was looking for an international school in Europe, and one that involves lots of diversity. I am from South Africa, so I am used to working with a lot of cultures, and I know that it adds a lot to a learning environment. IE ticked that box: there is a vast range of students from different cultures. The other thing that attracted me was the entrepreneurial side. I am looking to move out of the corporate world and into entrepreneurship, and in common with a lot of students here I am currently working in the Start-Up Lab, where you take an idea and turn it into a viable business in six weeks. I am very much enjoying it — there is a real buzz around the place. The professors teaching entrepreneurship are excellent — they teach their own experience and their passion shines through — and there are lots of opportunities to talk to alumni who are generous with advice about their own experiences.

 

Contact Information

Location:
Maria de Molina, 11,
Madrid, Spain 28006
Admissions Office:
+34-91-568-96-00
School Social Media:

FROM IE BUSINESS SCHOOL

IE Business School shapes leaders who drive innovation and change in organizations. Recognized as one of the top business schools in the world based on international rankings, IE Business School has an urban campus in Madrid and delegations on the five continents. The school has a faculty comprised of more than 500 professors who currently teach students from 128 countries at a graduate and post-graduate level, as well as deliver Masters in Management, MBAs and Executive MBAs, Masters in Finance, and Doctoral and Executive Education programs.

IE Business School is constantly innovating in order to remain a driving force in education and to develop leaders of change. They are made of knowledge and novelty, trial and error.

The school elevates and revolutionizes teaching methodologies to be at the forefront of an ever-changing environment.

If you would like to experience a community of academics and life-long learners from across the globe, IE Business School will power your growth.

Master in Management

The Master in Management at IE Business School is 10-month customizable program which provides recent graduates with the best education in business management. Composed of 2 periods of core business modules, and a third period of specialization that will deepen knowledge in a specific area according to interests and professional goals. It is available in both Spanish & English. More than just an academic program the MIM allows students to network, develop their business plan and enjoy living in one of Europe’s most vibrant cities. Full-Time, 10 months, intakes February and September.

Quick Facts:

Language: English, Spanish or Both

Format: Full-Time

Intakes: February & September

Length: 10 Months

Avg Experience: 1 Year

Location: Madrid

Click here to learn more about this program

 INTERNATIONAL MBA

 IE Business School’s top-ranked full-time International MBA is designed for professionals looking to consolidate their management experience. Students come from many different backgrounds, creating a truly international experience, and allowing you to build a truly global network of contacts.

The IE International MBA is designed for those who can think outside the box and challenge conventional...

Read More