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- How to apply | One-Year MBA
Applications for the MBA1Y2027 class
- Application process
- Application calendar
Applications for the August 2026 intake are open.
- We have four application deadlines each year - see Application Calendar for dates.
- All application deadlines are 17:00 UK time
Prepare for your application
You can start preparing for your application for the August 2026 intake, following the below guidance:
- Prepare for and take your GMAT or GRE test
- Notify your professional referee
- Begin drafting and writing your essays, as per essay questions below.
Question 1. (500 words) What are your post-MBA goals and how will your prior experience and the London Business School programme contribute towards these?
Question 2. (200 words) What makes you unique?
Question 3. (500 words) (This question is optional) Is there any other information you believe the Admissions Committee should know about you and your application to London Business School?
Candidate requirements
If you are made an offer at London Business School and you are a European Economic Area (EEA), Swiss or non-EEA national, you may need a visa to study in the UK. For more information, please visit visa requirements.
Candidates must have a qualifying masters in management, or an equivalent masters level degree covering the main disciplines of business, in line with the seven subject areas of the School. Candidates will need to show they have studied, in their masters qualification, a minimum of five courses from the seven disciplines of business below. These must the include the quantitative courses, specifically finance, accounting and data analytics.
- Accounting
- Data analytics
- Economics
- Finance
- Marketing
- Organisational behaviour
- Strategy
If there are topics the candidate did not cover during their masters qualification, they will be expected to take relevant online courses, as recommended by London Business School, prior to joining the programme.
Masters qualifications must have been obtained three or more years ago and be from a university/business school approved by the accreditation bodies EQUIS and/or AACSB, UK Russell Group universities, or from a University of London member institution.
The application form is designed to be completed over several sessions. You can save your work as you go and submit the completed form whenever you are ready.
Essays are a vital part of your application and we recommend that you spend a significant amount of time in their preparation. The questions for our MBA programmes are:
- What are your post-MBA goals and how will your prior experience and the London Business School programme contribute towards these? (500 words)
- What makes you unique? (200 words)
- Is there any other information you believe the Admissions Committee should know about you and your application to London Business School? (Optional) (500 words)
Your one-page CV is uploaded as part of the online application form. Please give reasons for significant gaps in employment history on a separate sheet.
You need to ask someone to act as your referee, this person could be either of the following:
- your current employer (if you don't want to ask your employer to be a referee, a colleague is acceptable)
- someone else who knows you well in a work context, for example a former employer or long-standing client.
After you input your referee's details into the online application form we will send them an email with log-in details for our online reference system. London Business School reserves the right to contact your referee for further information in connection with your application.
Download further information on references for applicants and referees
You must have a valid GMAT or GRE test score before submitting an application. Valid scores must be less than five years old and you must request for the test organisation to report the official score to us. Please submit your official test taker copy of your score with your application.
If you are taking a GMAT test, or have previously taken a GMAT test, you might not have the option to download a test taker copy of your score. In that case, please take a screenshot of your score and upload it with your application.
Please note, you may be asked by the Admissions Committee to retake the test before receiving an offer.
Register to take the GMAT, or try the GMAT test.
Read the FAQs for more information on GMAT/GRE requirements.
Unless your first language is English, and you have always been a citizen of and primarily resident in a majority English-speaking country as defined by UKVI, you will need to submit an IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge CPE, CAE, PTE Academic or Duolingo English Test score. Other tests will not be accepted.
Our TOEFL institution code is 0898.
At the discretion of the Admissions Committee, the requirement to submit an English language test score may be waived.
For more information, see our English language requirements information sheet.
The application fee is £200. This fee is paid by credit card with your application form; your application will remain incomplete until we receive the correct fee.
You will need to provide a transcript of grades from each university you have attended. If your transcript is not in English, you must provide a certified translation into English.
We will ask you to submit an original or certified copy of your academic transcript if you are made an offer.
Getting ready to take the GMAT or GRE?
A strong GMAT or GRE score gives us a good indication of your ability to succeed on the programme.
Admissions blog
Get an inside look at how best to showcase your potential to the Admissions Committee.
See our Admissions blogSo what happens next?
Once you successfully submit your application. Here’s what to expect next.
Your application will be considered by the Admissions Committee in keeping with the deadlines relevant to the stage you applied. If you are successful your Regional Admissions Manager will begin the process of finding an interviewer for you.
Selected applicants will then be invited to join us for the interview stage. Interviews are conducted by alumni or senior admissions staff of the One-year MBA programme and your interview will take place in the region in which you are based. Based on interviewer availability, you may be asked to travel in order to complete your interview.
Interview feedback is then combined with your initial application and used by the Admissions Committee to reach a decision which may be:
- Offer – The exceptional merits of your application and interview mean London Business School would like to offer you a place to join the One-year MBA programme
- Reject – Your application will come to an end for this year but the option to apply in the subsequent admission cycle is available
- Waitlist – London Business will not be making an offer at this stage, but we remain open to gathering more information concerning your candidacy given the strengths of your application
Please note that all offers are made via email. Given varying time zones this email may reach you outside of working hours.
Each year some applicants who are placed on the waitlist are later offered a place in the current class, or sometimes for the following year. If you are placed on the waitlist you will be provided with additional information about next steps.
Admissions advice
David Simpson, MBA and MiF Admissions Director at London Business School, shares his advice on applying to the MBA programmes.
Fees, financing and scholarships
We have a broad and growing scholarship portfolio to help support your studies, as well as a number of loan options.
Find out more about scholarships and loansHow to apply FAQs
Applications for the inaugural 2025 class will open in July 2024. Please register your interest to receive programme updates.
You must ensure that you have a valid GMAT / GRE score by the application deadline of the round you apply in. Our average GMAT score for the MBA class is around 645, with a typical class range of 555 to 805.
We will look at all elements of your score and although a good score is preferable, the GMAT is just one of several admissions criteria. Just as a high score does not guarantee admission, a below average score does not always eliminate a candidate. You should however note that the minimum score we will accept is usually around 555.
We have no preference between GMAT and GRE.
For GRE, we prefer scores of over 160 for both verbal and quantitative sections.
We are happy to accept the GRE; however, you should be aware that some employers may ask for a GMAT score.
If you feel that you could improve your score, you are advised to retake the test to help make you a more competitive candidate. If you plan to retake your test after the application deadline you should liaise directly with the MBA admissions team at apply.mba@london.edu for further advice.
Please note, you may be asked by the Admissions Committee to retake the GMAT or GRE before receiving an offer if they feel that your current score is too low. Practice the GMAT test with London Business School's GMAT simulator and prepare yourself for the test.
No. You’ll need to select which programme you’re applying to at the beginning of your application. If you are unsure which is best for you, please contact our recruitment team oneyearmba@london.edu.
The School does not have any arrangements for students to transfer between its programmes or to/from a programme at another institution.
The expected range of work experience after completing your masters in management is 3 to 10 years.
We will consider you, but the strength of your case will depend on the quality as well as the length of your work experience.
In addition to having obtained a masters in management, you will need to have at least three years’ relevant, high-quality work experience that demonstrates a strong track record of achievement.
Your work experience does not necessarily need to include experience as a manager. The programme is suitable for people who come from technical backgrounds (for example, engineering or IT), as well as for people who have worked in finance or consultancy or run their own business. We also welcome applications from people who have worked in the public sector/government.
Yes, we believe that military experience is very valuable. We strongly encourage former military personnel onto our programmes, as they have proven leadership, interpersonal and team-building skills.
Application to the One-year MBA will be free to London Business School alumni and active military candidates.