Esade
Esade was founded in 1958 as an independent nonprofit institution. It became part of Ramon Llull University in 1995. Their full-time MBA operates on their Barcelona-Sant Cugat campus, but the school also has a campus in Madrid and another one in Barcelona-Pedralbes. The school is regularly ranked among the top international business schools and was the first Spanish school to earn the three most prestigious accreditations: AACSB International, EQUIS, and AMBA. Its nearly 60,000 alumni are considered school ambassadors of its values of social responsibility, intellectual rigour, critical analysis and academic excellence in more than 100 countries. Hallmarks of the Esade MBA include its quality education, its international focus and its holistic approach towards professional and personal skills development.
FAQ
What is the tuition for Esade's MBA program?
The tuition for Esade’s MBA program is 77,500 euros.
What is the average GMAT score for admission to Esade's MBA program?
The average GMAT score for the incoming class at Esade is 660.
Does the Esade MBA program accept the GRE?
Yes. The Esade MBA program has accepted the GRE for a few years now.
What is the average GRE score for admission to Esade's MBA program?
The average GRE score for the incoming class at Esade is 160 Verbal, 162 Quant.
What is the minimum number of years of work experience required for admission to Esade's MBA program?
Esade requires a minimum of 2 years of work experience.
What is the average starting salary for graduates of the Esade MBA program?
The average starting salary for Esade MBA graduates ranged from $61,567 to €92,915 depending on industry choice.
How long is Esade's full-time MBA program?
Esade offers 12-, 15-, or 18-month MBA programs.
What are the application deadlines for Esade’s full-time MBA program?
The Round 1 MBA application deadline is October 3, 2024. The Round 2 application deadline is November 21, 2024. The Round 3 deadline is January 14, 2025. The Round 4 deadline is February 20, 2025. The Round 5 deadline is March 20, 2025. The Round 6 deadline is April 24, 2025, The Round 7 deadline is May 15, 2025. The Round 8 deadline is June 5, 2025. The Round 9 deadline is June 20, 2025.
Admissions
Class Profile
The most recent class at Esade has 184 students. Thirty-seven percent of the class earned undergraduate degrees in business/management while 25% pursued degrees in engineering. Another 10% had studied social sciences before attending Esade and 9% had studied economics. Overall, the average GMAT score for Esade lands at 660 and the average GRE score of 160/162.
Women comprise 32% of the class. Ninety-seven percent of the group is international with 28% of students hailing from Latin America/Caribbean, 25% from Europe and 29% from Asia. Eight percent came from North America, 8% from the Middle East and 3% from Africa. Upon matriculation at Esade, students averaged 30 years in age with 6.2 years of full-time work experience.
Application Procedures
Esade’s full-time MBA has one annual intake, with classes starting each September and taking place Monday through Friday. As a flexible program, students can decide to complete the MBA in 12, 15, or 18 months (most choose the longer one). The program is open to 190 students maximum, divided into three sections. There are eight rounds of admissions deadlines from fall to spring, though the eighth and final round is open only to European Union residents. The application requirements for Esade include two years of work experience, along with completing the school’s online application form and submitting two essays, a résumé, two letters of recommendation, $150 (€135) application fee, transcripts from each college attended, a bachelor degree diploma, photograph, and passport or other international identification. Applicants also must report their GMAT or GRE test scores; and English-language results from either TOEFL (IBT 100 or CBT 250), IELTS (7.0 minimum), or Cambridge (proficiency), or Pearson (68 minimum). Interviews are required upon notification by the Admissions Office, held at admissions events, on campus in Barcelona, or via Skype.
Application Checklist
- Online application
- Curriculum vitae
- Minimum two years of work experience
- Official GRE or GMAT
- Two letters of recommendation
- Motivational essays
- A digital photo
- ID Card or Passport
- TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge or Academic Pearson test scores
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
- Uploaded transcripts, and academic certificates if the degree granted is not shown on transcripts
- $101 (€135) Application fee
Essay Topic Analysis
Recommendation Questions
ESADE Q&A's
ESADE LiveWire and DecisionWire
Academics
Faculty
Esade Business School’s international faculty of about 50 professors work diligently to balance both the academic and business worlds within their classrooms. The teaching staff partners with multinational companies across many sectors, providing a high degree of personalized attention to students. Much of Esade’s teaching body is involved in research and investigation, and many have published their own books and regularly appear in the media as business experts and opinion leaders. Like the school’s students, professors come from a variety of backgrounds, hailing from different countries and spanning all areas of business.
Curriculum
Esade Business School is comprised of annual September intakes, with a maximum of 190 students divided into three sections according to their program timelines. Most MBA candidates enroll in its 18-month program to take full advantage of all of its components. Students with professional commitments may require a more streamlined 15-month MBA program. In some cases and where strict Esade requirements are met, a 12-month “fast-track” option is available. The final course-length decision is not be required until as late as the third term, which runs from April to June.
Regardless of the program and timeline, all students start the full-time MBA in September and will complete the same number of credits (90 total). Mandatory core classes comprise the first 10 months over three terms, with electives starting during the second term. In August of each year, the school also offers bridging courses online to ensure each student starts the MBA program with comparable knowledge.
In the pre-term and during the MBA program, Esade requires students to begin learning or to expand on their Spanish-language skills, one of the most commonly spoken languages the world over. The school considers foreign-language fluency essential in the increasingly global business market, and living and studying in Barcelona is provides a key opportunity to consolidate Spanish-speaking skills.
The first term is called Awareness, and includes compulsory core courses covering general management and strategy, economics, finance, communication, and business analytics. The second term, entitled Create & Innovate, has classes on marketing strategy, creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The third and final core term is Transform. During this term, students learn how to, among other things, lead change, negotiate, and deal with ethics and social responsibility.
Starting in the second term, students begin taking electives from the Advanced Management Topics options. This study section lets students hone skills and deepen their specific market knowledge. With a wide range of options, MBA students can thoroughly explore their potential career trajectories and satisfy their personal requirements. The Final Master’s Project takes place during the program’s final months and lets MBA candidates demonstrate their expanded knowledge and abilities through a consultancy. During the project, students are guided by members of Monitor Deloitte, a faculty member, and a group of experienced professionals who serve as external advisors.
Esade collaborates with 45 universities around the world, and around 21% of its MBA students enroll in an exchange program. (They are not required to take an entrance exam or apply separately.) The school also offers for-credit Global Study Tours, held in different areas and regions each year, including Colombia, Germany, Korea, South Africa, and the United States.
Additionally, students are encouraged to take career treks to visit companies around the world, explore Esade-organized internships, and enroll in career-acceleration programs in consulting, investment, and private banking as well as business labs focusing on entrepreneurship, family business, innovation, and marketing.
Other MBA Degree Options
Beyond the full-time MBA, Esade offers the Executive MBA, the Multinational MBA, and the Aalto-Esade MBA for Executives. The Executive MBA, a 16-month, Barcelona-based program, is part-time and more flexible, allowing students to combine work with their management education. The Multinational MBA is a 15-month program held six different cities. It is designed for entrepreneurs, senior executives, and experienced managers who aim to grow their businesses in a global environment. A part-time modular EMBA program, the Aalto-Esade MBA for Executives takes 19 months to complete. The program teaches students in Finland, Singapore, Spain, and Vietnam, providing them with access to markets on two continents. Upon completion, students will receive a degree from both Aalto University and Esade.
Sample Electives
- Advanced Communication Skills
- Brand Strategy
- CBI: Challenge-Based Innovation
- Corporate Restructuring
- Entrepreneurial Finance
- Global Economy Debates
- In Search of Principles for a Life Philosophy
- Innovation & Creativity: Developing New Products and Services through Design Thinking
- International Portfolio Management
- Leader as Coach: Using Emotional Intelligence to Develop and Motivate Others
- Marketing Research
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Sports Business Management
- Strategic Brand Management
- Venture Capital & Private Equity
Degree Offerings
Executive MBA
https://www.esade.edu/en/programmes/mba/full-time-mba
Aalto-Esade MBA for Executives
http://www.mba4executives.com/
Multinational MBA
http://www.the-multinational-mba.com/
Campus Life
Clubs, Conferences and Competitions
Esade students can get involved with the MBA Student Association (MBASA), a student-run body that organizes a broad range of educational, social, professional, cultural, and recreational activities. The group is highly cooperative and encourages all MBA candidates to submit, develop, and carry out club proposals. Participants will together be a voice of the student community, enjoying networking and collaborating with diverse classmates. MBASA club life is a fun way to practice new skills and explore new connections; they span topics such as sports business, tech and media, fashion, politics, finance, healthcare, women’s interests, and groups based on regions such as Asia and Latin America.
MBA candidates can compete in a two-day event called “Leading Futures,” for which they’ll learn about principles in design-thinking workshops, apply methodologies to solve business challenges, and present innovative solutions each business case.
Campus Spaces
Esade MBA students call Barcelona home. This Mediterranean city is considered one of the most attractive areas in Europe for MBA students, easily combining business and leisure unlike many other urban environments. Barcelona is an entrepreneurial business center, and a thriving gateway to Europe with international diversity, dynamic communities, rich culture, and stunning nature all around.
Esade opened the state-of-the-art Sant Cugat Campus in 2009, adding 200,000 square feet of varied facilities. Located in a more rural area, the campus includes an integrated gymnasium, restaurants, and several other on-site services. The Sant Cugat Campus houses the Esade Creapolis, the “innovation park” that invites companies to collaborate with Esade students and school leaders by providing an ecosystem to inspire, facilitate, and accelerate innovation.
MBA Careers
Career Services
Through Esade Careers, MBA candidates can get a jumpstart on their professional track. The department’s skilled professionals offer each student personalized attention throughout the career-orientation and job-search process. The office provides resources, advice, and tips on narrowing the search for and pursuit of each student’s dream job—whether that is to build a new business or join an existing company.
Specialists are broken into two areas. The first is strategy development and career journey. The experts under this umbrella aid in career orientation and job hunting. The second area is the sector teams. These teams work with top companies and organize year-round events focused on recruiting insights and market trends. Specifically, Esade Careers Support helps candidates and graduates define their career strategies, improve their job-search written materials, learn effective ways to meet recruiters, improve interview techniques, negotiate offers, and enhance their international career prospects. Additional benefits come with Esade’s network of over 70,000 alumni, many of whom hold leadership positions in top companies around the world—always keeping in touch through the vibrant alumni network across more than 100 countries.
Career Statistics
Ninety-one percent of Esade’s full-time MBA graduating Class of 2022 secured a job within three months of graduation. Thirty-seven percent joined the tech industry. Another 23% of Esade MBAs chose to work in consulting and 15% entered financial services. Ten percent joined healthcare and 6% pursued retail. The average base salary for Esade 2022 MBA’s ranged from $61,567 to €92,915 depending on industry choice.
Twenty-six percent settled in Europe after graduation with another 2% staying in Spain. Twenty-six percent went to Latin America and 25% to Asia to start their post-MBA careers. North America took in 11% of graduates and 9% went to MENA.
Ninety-seven percent of graduates changed region, industry, or function while 34% changed all three through the MBA program.
Financing
Esade’s 2024–2025 tuition is €77,500, which includes course materials, on-campus IT services, and library services. In addition to the €100 MBA student-association fee, the school estimates monthly living expenses between €1,100 and €2,300, which covers off-campus housing, utilities, food, recreational sports fees, and miscellaneous expenses. Students moving to Barcelona with partners for the academic year are advised to increase all costs by approximately 30%. These estimates can vary greatly depending on the student’s housing, lifestyle, and transportation choices.
Many students finance their degrees through combinations of loans, scholarships, and personal savings. Full-time admitted candidates may simultaneously apply to for loans with Esade two financial partners, Banc Sabadell and Prodigy Finance, but can select only one option to finance their MBA program. The maximum loan amount offered through these agreements is capped at 100% of tuition fees. A number of scholarships also are offered during the admissions process, based on either academic and talent criteria and/or need-based criteria.
Estimated Cost of Attendance
Tuition, course materials, IT services on-campus, and library services €77,500
MBA Student Association Fee: €100
Living Expenses (per month)
- Housing €400 – €1000
- Utilities €100 – €200
- Food €250 – €500
- Transportation €50 – €70
- Miscellaneous €250 – €450
- Sports €50 – €80
- Living Expenses Total €1,100 – €2,300 (per month)
Recent News
Contact
Mailing Address
Av. Torre Blanca, 59
08172 Sant Cugat del Vallès
Barcelona SPAIN
Phone: +34934952088
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.esade.edu/ftmba/eng
Blog: http://mba.esadeblogs.com/
Twitter: @theESADEmba