IESE’s application includes one required essay, one optional essay, and video essays.
IESE Business School, based in Barcelona with campuses in campuses in Madrid, Munich, New York and Sao Paulo, is forward-focused and career advancement-driven. Likewise, the IESE MBA application aims to understand your career development and growth, your career aspirations and how the MBA will help you achieve those aspirations. The single required essay focuses squarely on that topic.
How to Tackle the IESE MBA Essay Questions
Career Goals Essay
What are your immediate career goals after graduation and your mid-term career goal 5-10 years after graduation? How will the IESE MBA program help you achieve them?” (300 words max)
The IESE admissions committee is looking for key attributes such as career progression and leadership impact. This IESE essay question aims to capture who you want to be and what you want to do.
Too often in essays like this, applicants focus on their dream job in the distant future, without designing a realistic path to reach it. By defining the timing in terms of just after graduation and five to ten years out, IESE is aiming to gain insight into the specific stepping stones you map out along your career path.
It will be important that your career aspirations be ambitious yet attainable. It can be tricky to find the right balance; however, keep in mind that unrealistic career goals can be a red flag to admissions professionals. Be sure to consider your previous experience and connect the dots between what you have done and where you want to go.
The admissions committee wants to be confident that you can envision how the IESE MBA will add value to your career goals and support your professional growth. Your ability to articulate a coherent, compelling career vision is an indication of the quality of work — and clarity of thought — you’re capable of producing. This kind of clarity is also evidence you possess the ability to develop a savvy job search strategy, even as your ambitions evolve. Do your research and speak to current business school students and alumni to learn more about what kind of career opportunities are available to IESE business school graduates and how the job recruiting process works.
For more guidance on crafting post-MBA career goals along with some great examples, view this terrific article by Fortuna’s Heidi Hillis.
Optional IESE Essay
What would you like to highlight about yourself or your journey that may have not been captured in your application? (300 words max)
This open-ended question is an opportunity to showcase your interests and passions, and this opportunity is not to be wasted! Reflect on a part of your story that you have not yet conveyed that provides insight into who you are and what you value.
IESE looks holistically at candidates, aiming to attract global citizens who care about social impact. This is your opportunity to show how you align with those values. This question could be used to provide insight into a less professional element that might have shaped who you are, such as the perseverance learned in playing the piano, the cultural awareness and perspective gained from traveling or the joy and gratitude of service. Your response should align with the core themes of the application and your first essay and provide additional insight into who you are.
As always, the IESE essays and application should be coherent, professional and extremely polished. Given the personality of the school, your attention to detail, appreciation of the school’s network and career growth, and your professionalism could add subtle value.
IESE Video Essay Component
IESE requires you to complete two video essay questions in addition to your written application. Once you submit your application and pay the application fee, you will receive a Kira Video Essay link (within 24 hours). The video must be completed by the application round deadline — but be aware that the link will expire 48 hours after receipt, so be sure to watch for it and read the instructions as soon as possible.
We recommend submitting the written application at least a few days before the deadline to give yourself adequate time to complete the videos. IESE will consider your application complete and ready to be reviewed only once they have received your answers to the video questions. All instructions for this section will be shared with you along with the link.
For more insight on IESE within the context of other top international MBA programs, view this invaluable video strategy session with Fortuna directors Matt Symonds and Caroline Diarte Edwards. See also Caroline’s article on key differences between US and European business schools and our five top tips on how to get into IESE.
IESE Scholarship Essay
IESE offers a wide range of scholarships to incoming students. The application for scholarships should be completed and submitted with the application form. All applicants seeking a scholarship are required to complete the IESE scholarship essay and submit it along with their MBA application.
You may select multiple scholarships you wish to be considered for. Ultimately, the admissions committee will determine the scholarship type to grant, so it’s important to make sure your scholarship essay reflects any criteria, personal background, or details that help the committee match you to available funding.
https://www.iese.edu/loans-scholarships/
Let’s Get You In
Fortuna Admissions is a dream team of former MBA admissions directors and officers from top business schools. With our unparalleled collective expertise, we can coach you to develop a clear vision of your goals for business school and beyond. We work closely with you throughout the application process and provide expert guidance at every stage to maximize your chances of admission to a top school.
Our free consultations are consistently rated as the best in the industry. To learn more about Fortuna and assess your chances of admission to a top business school, book your free consultation session now.