01 · Class profile
Who is in the Esade MBA class
Esade's class profile, which it labels Class of 2028: 177 participants, an average age of 30 and an average of 6 years of professional experience, with 40+ nationalities and a 97% international cohort.
Bachelor's degree of the class
Business and management
27% Share of the class, from the charts on Esade's class-profile page.
Where the class is from
Latin America and Caribbean
26% Share of the class, from the charts on Esade's class-profile page.
Test scores
| Test | Average | Median | Range |
|---|
| GMAT | Around 615 (current edition) or 660 (previous edition) | Not published | Not published |
| GRE | Around 160/162 | Not published | Not published |
Esade does not publish a class median or range for test scores, or a minimum score. The averages are what Esade's admissions page says for recent years.
Esade says the GMAT averages equate to the 75th percentile in each format.
Where Esade's pages differ
| Detail | What Esade's pages say |
|---|
| Intake size | Esade's pages differ: its admissions FAQ says an intake of approximately 180 students a year, and its class-profile page gives 177. This page uses 177. |
| Women | Esade's charts show women as 46%. This page uses 46%. |
| Programme length | Esade's pages differ: one place gives 12 months, and others give 12, 15 or 18 months. This page uses the 12, 15 or 18 months on the programme page. |
Esade also shows a chart of professional background by sector, but its labels and percentages cannot be matched reliably, so this page leaves it out.
Where do you sit in this class? Enter your score, experience and profile and see your position and interview risk.
Check my chances02 · Placements
Where Esade MBA graduates go
Esade says 90% of graduates found a job within 3 months of graduation, and, for the Class of 2025, that 96% changed function, location or sector, 45% changed function, sector and location together, and 55% secured roles internationally.
Esade's pages differ: the programme page says 57% found a job outside their home country, and the academics page copy gives 91% for the job figure. This page uses the careers page figures.
Esade does not publish starting salaries on its public pages. Its Full-Time Employment Report (Class of 2025) is behind a form on its careers page, so we could not read the number of offers, the salary figures or what they include.
Financial Times 2026 ranking figures
Esade's careers page quotes the Financial Times 2026 ranking: an average weighted salary of $206,389 three years after graduation (at purchasing-power parity) and a salary increase of 155% over those three years.
These are ranking figures, not a starting salary, and are not in euros. Esade's pages differ: its academics page copy shows 151% for the increase. This page uses 155%.
Companies that recruit
Esade lists these among the companies that recruited its candidates in the last 3 years, among others: Amazon, Bain and Company, Boston Consulting Group, Citi, Google, McKinsey and Company, Microsoft, Nestle, Nike, Oliver Wyman, Roland Berger, SAP, Siemens, UBS, Uber and Zalando.
Esade says career fairs run through the year.
03 · Fees and scholarships
What it costs, and how to pay less
€82,500
total compulsory fees
Esade's fees page, for the September 2027 intake. The €82,500 is Esade's total compulsory MBA tuition fees and expenses and covers tuition, course materials, on-campus IT services, library services and more.
On top of that: a €150 application fee for all administrative processes (Esade's admissions page says it includes the online Esade Admission Test) and a €100 MBA Student Association fee.
Esade's fees-page FAQ calls the programme 12 months, while its other pages say 12, 15 or 18 months.
How you pay
| Step | Amount and date |
|---|
| Reservation fee | €8,000, non-refundable, due 2 to 4 weeks after admission to secure your place. |
| Commitment fee | €8,000, non-refundable, due by 15th Jun 2027. |
| 1st instalment | 50% of the total fees, by September 2027. |
| 2nd instalment | The remainder, by March 2028, about halfway through the programme. |
Esade takes payment through Flywire. Its FAQ estimates living costs at about €1,200 a month for a shared apartment, food and transport in Barcelona.
The Dual MBA with Peking University Guanghua School of Management costs €39,650 for the first year at Esade and 100,000 RMB for the second year at Guanghua.
Esade scholarships
| Scholarship | What you get and who it is for |
|---|
| Average | Esade says its scholarship system covers an average of 25% of tuition fees, and that most students finance their studies with a bank loan or private funds. It does not publish the share of students who receive aid. |
| Esade Excellence Awards | Talent-based awards open by nationality, gender and/or academic background. You can apply for one award only. Esade urges you to apply for it when you first apply, in the Award Information section of the admissions portal. They cannot be combined with other Esade prizes or awards. Esade's awards list names 24 awards, and the amounts are mostly not published. |
| Esade for Excellence Award | No separate application. Esade decides from your application, essays and interview report, and tells you with your admission decision. |
| Awards for women | Esade Women in Business Award, Award for Women Leaders, Forte Foundation Fellowships (at least $10,000) and the Women of the World Award. |
| China Development Award | Three awards, each covering 50% to 75% of tuition, with an essay. |
| External funding | Examples Esade lists: the Princess of Girona Foundation (up to 75% of tuition, for Spanish nationals or residents in Spain, deadline 15th Jun), Colfuturo (up to 15%, Colombia) and the Romanian Education Trust (€3,000 to €8,000). |
Esade's FAQ says scholarship funds normally run out before the final deadline, but that funds are reserved to last throughout the whole process. It publishes no decision date for scholarships.
Esade's awards lists name awards mostly without amounts and may predate the current cycle, so treat them as a guide and the fees page as the current statement.
Loans and income share
Esade also offers an Income Share Agreement, supported by the European Investment Fund: you apply during admissions and repay after graduation based on future income. It can be combined with scholarships or awards.
Esade's fees page lists loan partners including Lendwise, Sallie Mae, Deutsche Bank, ICICI Bank, Banc Sabadell and BBVA. Some of them, such as Deutsche Bank, Banc Sabadell and BBVA, state limits on who can borrow.
Could your profile earn a scholarship? Check where you stand before you apply.
Check my chances04 · Rounds and deadlines
Which round, and by when
Round 130th Sep 2026
- Interviews:
- Not published
- Decision:
- Not published
Round 218th Nov 2026
- Interviews:
- Not published
- Decision:
- Not published
Round 313th Jan 2027
- Interviews:
- Not published
- Decision:
- Not published
Round 417th Feb 2027
- Interviews:
- Not published
- Decision:
- Not published
Round 517th Mar 2027
- Interviews:
- Not published
- Decision:
- Not published
Round 621st Apr 2027
- Interviews:
- Not published
- Decision:
- Not published
Esade runs nine deadlines for the September 2027 intake and reviews applications on a rolling basis within each one. It numbers them the 1st to the 9th deadline; this page calls them rounds.
The 1st deadline (30th Sep 2026) has passed. The 7th to 9th deadlines are 12th May, 2nd Jun and 30th Jun 2027. Esade says not to worry if you miss a deadline by a couple of days.
Esade does not publish interview dates or decision dates for any round. After admission, the reservation fee is due 2 to 4 weeks later and the commitment fee by 15th Jun 2027.
Not sure which round to aim for? We look at your file and tell you.
Check my chances05 · Clubs and activities
Life outside class
Esade's MBA Student Association (MBASA) runs the MBASA Clubs and Communities. Esade's clubs brochure, for the 2027 cohort, lists three types: 9 business clubs, 5 affinity networks and 3 community groups.
Esade's pages differ: its life-as-a-student page uses different category names (business clubs, communities and social clubs). This page uses the brochure's types.
| Type | What Esade says |
|---|
| Business clubs | Consulting, Entrepreneurship, Family Business, Finance, Healthcare, Marketing, Sports Leadership, Sustainability, Technology. |
| Affinity networks | Asia and Allies, Blacks in Business and Allies, LATAM and Allies, LGBTQIA+ and Allies, Women in Business and Allies. |
| Community groups | Business Communications, Luxury and Fashion, Travel and Tourism. |
What some clubs do
| Club | What they do |
|---|
| Consulting Club | Structured learning experiences, defined preparation standards, guidance through the recruitment landscape, and relationships with firms and alumni. |
| Entrepreneurship Club | Hands-on workshops and experiments to build MVPs, with access to mentors, VCs and start-ups. |
| Finance Club | Practical skill development and high-impact industry exposure. |
| Technology Club | Skill-building workshops and engagement with global tech companies. |
| Business Communications | Practice of interviews, negotiations, presentations and crisis communication, with peer feedback. |
Described as Esade describes them in its clubs brochure, programme pages and international experience page. The brochure is undated.
Beyond the clubs
| Type | What Esade says |
|---|
| MBASA Board | Roles named in the brochure: President and vice presidents for Communications, Careers and Alumni, Clubs and Budgets, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Academics, and Events and Student Relations. |
| Treks | Clubs organise career treks to businesses in Barcelona and overseas, meeting local alumni. |
| Exchange | Esade's admissions FAQ says approximately 35% of MBA students take an exchange. |
| Campus | The Full-Time MBA is based at Esade's Executive campus in Pedralbes, Barcelona, with access to the Innovation campus in Sant Cugat. |
| Dual MBA | With Peking University Guanghua School of Management: the first year at Esade and the second at Guanghua. |
06 · Process
From application to decision
Apply
Complete the online application form, upload your CV and a scan of your ID or passport, pay the non-refundable €150 fee and e-sign. The application is only submitted after the fee and signature.
You can complete the form without a final GMAT, GRE or English result by giving your planned test date.
Upload documentsThrough the student portal
Add your transcripts (with an official translation if they are not in Catalan, Spanish or English), degree certificate, admission test or unofficial GMAT or GRE score, and English score.
Esade considers your file once all documents are submitted and shown as received in the portal.
InterviewBy invitation
After all documents are in, you may be shortlisted for an interview. Esade says the interview is a mandatory requirement for admission. An Associate Director of Admissions interviews all selected applicants.
Esade publishes no shortlisting criteria or timing, and no interview date for any round.
DecisionNot published
The Admissions Committee, made up of faculty members and the entire Admissions Team, decides after the interview. Decisions are final and appear in the student portal.
Esade gives no feedback on rejected applications and does not describe a waitlist process on its admissions page.
07 · What you need
What goes into the application
1. Eligibility
A bachelor's degree (or equivalent) that entitles you to postgraduate study in the country that awarded it. Esade says otherwise admission is academically void. You need at least 2 years of full-time professional experience after graduating. Esade says the class averages 6 years. Non-EU students need a Spanish student visa, and Esade says rules from May 2025 require applying at least 60 days before the programme starts.
2. Test score
Every applicant takes the Esade Admission Test, or submits a GMAT or GRE score. The Esade Admission Test is included in the application fee, is taken online once only with a computer and a phone for proctoring, and has four sections: Sufficiency of Information (30 minutes), Verbal Reasoning (35), Numerical Reasoning (35) and an English Placement Test (75 minutes, writing task and multiple choice, only if you cannot show the required English level). Esade does not share the result with you, the score is final and it cannot be retaken.
Esade accepts the current and previous GMAT editions and assesses them with GMAC percentile tables (school code 93M-3K-60). The GRE code is 5761, and the GRE General Test at Home is accepted. Scores are valid for five years. Esade publishes no minimum score.
3. English
Unless you are exempt: TOEFL iBT 100 (new scale 5.0, at least 4.5 in each section), IELTS Academic 7.0, Cambridge Advanced B+ or Proficiency C+, Pearson Academic 68+ or Duolingo 130+, valid for two years. Native English speakers and people whose bachelor's (120 ECTS or more) or master's (60 ECTS) was taught entirely in English are exempt, with a diploma supplement or certificate.
4. Essays
Esade's FAQ lists essays as part of the online application, but Esade's public pages do not show the essay prompts or word limits, because the application form is behind a login. We do not list any here.
5. Recommendations
Two letters are required, used to evaluate your global mindset and personal motivation. You enter your referees' details in the online form, and once you save that section they automatically receive a request to submit the letter. Esade publishes no question set, word limit or separate deadline.
Esade's pages differ: one passage says the referees may be professional and/or academic and recommends both be professional, while its FAQ says at least one must be professional. This page uses the FAQ: use at least one professional referee.
6. Video or assessment
Esade lists no video essay or Kira-style assessment on its public pages.
7. Documents
A CV is required, and Esade publishes no format or length rules. Also needed: transcripts, degree certificate, a scan of your ID or passport, your admission test or GMAT or GRE score, and your English score if you are not exempt.
08 · What Esade wants
How Esade reads your file
Esade says its Admissions Committee looks at the six things below, and that the interview is also a key aspect of its final decision. Esade publishes no weights.
| Esade looks at | In plain words |
|---|
| Academic performance | Your bachelor's results and any later study. |
| Professional experience | What you have done at work, over at least 2 years. The class averages 6. |
| Test scores | Your Esade Admission Test, GMAT or GRE result. |
| International experience | Time you have spent working, studying or living abroad. |
| Essays | Your written answers in the application. Esade does not publish the prompts. |
| Recommendations | Two letters, read for your global mindset and personal motivation. |
Esade describes the MBA it teaches as one for a 'creactivist' (a creative activist, entrepreneurial leader and trailblazer) and for responsible leaders working toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
See how your file reads against these factors before you spend weeks on the application.
Check my chances09 · Interview questions
What Esade interviewers typically ask
Five types of question that came up, based on candidates' own accounts of their Esade interviews. This page shows no chance tags: it only shows what was asked, not how often.
| Topic | How it is usually asked |
|---|
| Why an MBA, and why now | “Why an MBA at this point in your career?” |
| Short and long-term goals, and a plan B | “What is your short-term goal after the MBA, and your long-term one?” |
| Why Esade, and your other applications | “Why this school specifically, and why not the others you are applying to?” |
| Your CV and essays, line by line | “Tell us about the extracurricular activity you mention in your essay.” |
| Funding and scholarships | “If you are admitted without a scholarship, will you still join?” |
The accounts are few and about 2023 to 2025. Nobody gets a fixed list, and the interviewer works from your own application.
Candidates also describe being asked to introduce themselves, to talk about your strengths and what you like and dislike in your current role, whether you have spoken to alumni or current students, and what questions you have for the school.
10 · Interview experience
What the interview is actually like
What Esade says
| Topic | What to expect |
|---|
| Who interviews | Esade says an Associate Director of Admissions interviews all selected applicants. The interview is mandatory and by invitation, after your file is complete. |
| Format | Esade says in person in Barcelona, in person at an off-campus admissions event, or online if you cannot attend. It does not publish the number or length of interviews. |
What candidates report
| Topic | What to expect |
|---|
| Length | Candidates describe about 45 minutes. |
| Setting | Candidates mostly describe a video call with one admissions interviewer, not a panel. |
| Tone | Candidates describe a friendly, conversational interview, and say a friendly tone does not tell you the result. |
| What it builds on | Candidates say the questions followed their CV and essays, with motivation, goals, why Esade and funding in most accounts. Some were asked about their admission test or other test score and about past pay. |
The accounts are few and about 2023 to 2025, so treat this as a guide to the pattern, not a promise.
11 · FAQs
Questions students ask about Esade MBA
Do I need the GMAT or GRE for Esade?
Not necessarily. Every applicant takes the Esade Admission Test, or submits a GMAT or GRE score. The test is online, taken once, and included in the application fee. Esade publishes no minimum GMAT or GRE score.
How much work experience do I need?
At least 2 years of full-time professional experience after graduating. Esade says the class averages 6 years and 30 years of age.
What are the Esade MBA essay questions?
Esade's public pages do not publish the essay prompts or word limits, because the application form is behind a login. Its FAQ lists essays and an updated CV as part of the application. Esade lists no video essay or Kira-style assessment.
Who can write my recommendation letters?
Esade requires two. Its pages differ: one says they may be professional and/or academic and recommends both be professional, while its FAQ says at least one must be professional. Use at least one professional referee to be safe.
How does the Esade interview work?
It is mandatory and by invitation after your file is complete. An Associate Director of Admissions interviews all selected applicants, in person in Barcelona, in person at an off-campus event, or online if you cannot attend. Esade does not publish the number or length of interviews.
Which round should I apply in?
Esade has nine deadlines for the September 2027 intake, which this page calls rounds. Round 1 (30th Sep 2026) has passed, and the next is Round 2 on 18th Nov 2026, then 13th Jan, 17th Feb, 17th Mar and 21st Apr 2027, with the last on 30th Jun 2027. Esade reviews applications on a rolling basis within each deadline.
How much does the Esade MBA cost?
€82,500 in total compulsory tuition fees and expenses for the September 2027 intake, plus a €150 application fee and a €100 MBA Student Association fee. There is also an €8,000 reservation fee after admission and an €8,000 commitment fee by 15th Jun 2027. Esade's fees-page FAQ says 12 months, while its other pages say 12, 15 or 18 months.
Does Esade give scholarships?
Yes. Esade says its scholarships cover an average of 25% of tuition fees, and its awards list names 24 awards. Most amounts are not published, and you can apply for one Excellence Award only. Esade says most students use a bank loan or private funds.
What does the Esade Admission Test include?
Sufficiency of Information (30 minutes), Verbal Reasoning (35) and Numerical Reasoning (35), plus a 75-minute English Placement Test only if you cannot show the required English level. Esade does not share your result, and you cannot retake it.
What are the graduate salaries?
Esade does not publish starting salaries on its public pages. Its employment report is behind a form, so pay is not available. Esade says 90% of graduates found a job within 3 months. Its Financial Times 2026 ranking figures are a different measure, not a starting salary.