01 · Class profile
Who is in the IE International MBA class
Current class, as on IE's programme page
IE's International MBA page shows this profile for the current class and gives no class year. It does not publish the class size. It shows 67% men and 33% women.
Class of 2024, as in IE's Career Report 2024
This is the latest dated profile: the '2024 Graduates' Profile' in the International MBA Career Report 2024, published as a PDF in September 2025.
IE's pages differ: the programme page counter says an average age of 29 and 57 nationalities, while its text says an average age of 30 and nearly 60 nationalities. A February 2025 brochure says 70 nationalities on average. This page uses the counters and the dated report.
Where the Class of 2024 is from (share of graduates)
Share of the Class of 2024, regions as IE groups them.
Academic background of the Class of 2024 (share of graduates)
Share of the Class of 2024. 'Others' is IE's own bucket.
Industry before the programme, Class of 2024 (share of graduates)
Banking & Financial Services
19% Consumer Products & Retail
12% Real estate / Construction
4% Chemical / Energy & Utilities
4% Agribusiness, Fish & Livestock
2% Share of the Class of 2024. IE's full labels are 'Technology / Telecommunications', 'Marketing / Advertisement / Communication' and 'Healthcare / Pharma / Biotechnology'. Companies the report shows in the class: Amazon, Apple, Coca-Cola, Nestle, Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft, Unilever and PepsiCo.
Test scores
| Test | Average | Median | Range |
|---|
| GMAT | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| GRE | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| ieGAT | Not published | Not published | Not published |
IE accepts the GMAT, GRE, ieGAT or Executive Assessment. It publishes no class test statistics, no minimum score and no GMAT edition.
Work experience
IE requires a minimum of three years of professional experience and says the average is around six years. The Class of 2024 report also gives 6 years.
Length and intakes
IE offers 11 or 15 months, or 19 or 23 months for dual degrees, with September and January intakes. The programme is full-time, in person, in English, in Madrid.
IE's 'Global MBA' is a different programme: part-time, blended or fully online. This page covers only the full-time International MBA.
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 IE International MBA graduates go
Class of 2024, from IE's Career Report 2024
2,000+
recruiting partners
The Career Report 2024 gives no pay, no response rate, no count of accepted offers and no definition of who is counted. IE gives no definition of 'job opportunities'.
The report says 95% of IE Business School master's graduates receive a job offer within 3 months. That is for all its master's graduates, not the International MBA alone. IE's programme page also shows 100% of job seekers with an offer within 6 months, with no class year or definition.
Pay: the only International MBA figure IE publishes
From IE's earlier report, 'Careers and Employment in the new world of work, International MBA 2023', covering alumni of the 2020 to 2022 intakes who were actively seeking employment 3 months after graduation. It is not a Class of 2024 figure.
IE's label is 'Average of Total Compensation (PPP adjusted)': annual pay, as reported by alumni, converted to US dollars and adjusted for purchasing power. IE shows a value only where it has 3 or more data points. It publishes no median or highest pay.
Average total compensation by sector, 2020 to 2022 intakes
| Sector | Average total compensation |
|---|
| Architecture / Urbanism / Real Estate | $130,195 |
| Consulting | $126,357 |
| Financial Services | $125,111 |
| Consumer, Luxury & Retail | $119,341 |
| Technology | $108,514 |
| Industrial | $94,636 |
| Legal Services | $94,281 |
| International Development + Social Impact | $93,199 |
| All sectors | $113,770 |
Annual, in US dollars, PPP adjusted. The report prints the Technology figure as '$108.514', which we read as $108,514.
Average total compensation by region, 2020 to 2022 intakes
| Region of employment | Average total compensation |
|---|
| Middle East & Africa | $149,332 |
| Latin America | $136,792 |
| Asia Pacific | $118,809 |
| North America | $118,628 |
| Europe | $112,849 |
| Spain | $95,438 |
| All regions | $113,770 |
Sector of the job, Class of 2024 (share of graduates)
Consumer, Luxury and Retail
6% Marketing & Communications
3% Architecture, Real Estate
2% Share of the Class of 2024. IE's full label is 'Architecture/Urbanism/Real Estate/Design', and the report prints it twice at 2% each; the second may be a mislabel, so one is shown and these rows do not add to 100.
Function of the job, Class of 2024 (share of graduates)
Mgmt control, Public Relations
27% Asset & Portfolio Management
3% Share of the Class of 2024, functions as IE labels them. The top line is IE's 'Management control, Public & Institutional Relations'.
Location of the job, Class of 2024 (share of graduates)
Share of the Class of 2024. The printed values add to 99.
Employers
Top hiring companies in the Career Report 2024, as logos with no order or counts: Amazon, adidas, Santander, Deloitte, EY, Johnson & Johnson, KPMG, McKinsey & Company, Tesla, Siemens, Uber and NTT Data.
IE's programme page shows a different, undated chart of sectors, functions and locations for alumni, and logos including Bain & Company, BCG, J.P. Morgan, Salesforce, Google and PwC. This page uses the dated report.
Career support
IE says it has more than 2,000 recruiting partners, about 300 of them on campus in the academic year. Its report gives 70+ recruiting events in one place and more than 282 events with recruiting partners in another. Its bi-annual Talent Forum is the largest recruiting event.
03 · Fees and scholarships
What it costs, and how to pay less
Tuition is €89,900 for the 11-month and 15-month programme only. IE's page names no intake year and says tuition is reviewed yearly and subject to change. Dual-degree tuition varies by combination.
The €1,200 is a one-off contribution to the IE Foundation, paid once during enrolment. The application fee is non-refundable and IE says it offers no waiver. IE publishes no single total.
IE lets you pay tuition in up to 7 consecutive instalments, interest-free, with no credit check. Plans of more than three consecutive instalments carry a €400 administrative charge.
IE does not publish the amount or due date of the place reservation fee; contact your admissions advisor for it. The reservation fee cannot be paid in instalments, and a financial aid award cannot be used for it, except some full partner or donor scholarships.
IE says studying in Spain can carry costs beyond tuition and points to Student Services, but it gives no living-cost figure. The optional Global Immersion Month carries additional fees. IE does not state VAT treatment.
Scholarships and awards
| Scholarship | What you get and who it is for |
|---|
| Direct awards | Merit-based and granted automatically on admission, with no separate application. IE considers every applicant. Recipients may still apply for additional aid. |
| IE Awards | Cover 10% to 40% of tuition, across all IE master's programmes. They need a financial aid application and are assessed on merit and financial need. The deadline is the programme start date. |
| Laidlaw Women's Leadership Scholarship | For women admitted to the International MBA. Covers 50% to 100% of tuition, with possible full or partial cover of living expenses, and at least 14 scholarships a year. Criteria are academic and professional success, leadership potential and high financial need. It needs two essay questions. |
| IE Foundation scholarships | Partner scholarships, including the Laidlaw scholarship. Some need an extra essay in the 'Additional Documentation' section. |
An older IE brochure (February 2025) calls the direct award the IE High Potential Award and says awards are need-blind. IE Awards and IE Foundation scholarships cannot be combined.
How aid is decided
Apply for admission first, then submit the aid application. You can apply for up to three awards but only one can be awarded. IE asks for a short essay, your last three pay slips and your most recent income tax declaration.
IE allocates funds on a rolling basis and usually resolves aid applications 1 to 3 weeks after admission, by email. Most awards cover part of tuition, and scholarships do not transfer between programmes or intakes.
IE does not publish the share of International MBA students on aid or the average award size.
Loans and financing
IE says to email loans@ie.edu for the conditions of its agreements with financial institutions.
Could your profile earn a scholarship? Check where you stand before you apply.
Check my chances04 · Rounds and deadlines
Which round, and by when
IE runs rolling admissions. It says there is no fixed application deadline and you can apply throughout the year. IE publishes no rounds, no deadline dates, no interview windows and no decision dates, so this page shows no round cards and no countdown.
IE says places are limited and recommends applying early for your preferred intake. It says admission is valid for the intake you apply to and the following one.
IE has two intakes each year, in September and January.
How long it takes
IE says the whole process typically takes four to six weeks, and the decision usually comes by email within one to three weeks after the interview.
Dates IE does state
| What | Date IE states |
|---|
| Laidlaw scholarship, fall intake | Apply by 15th Apr, result by 15th May. IE prints no year. |
| Laidlaw scholarship, spring intake | Apply by 15th Sep, result by 15th Oct. IE prints no year. |
| IE Awards | The deadline is the programme start date. |
These are scholarship dates, not application deadlines. IE's own pages say rolling.
Not sure which intake to aim for? We look at your file and tell you.
Check my chances05 · Clubs and activities
Life outside class
IE's International MBA page says 'With 120+ student clubs to choose from' and names three popular clubs. IE publishes no club directory, so this page cannot list the clubs. It is not clear whether the count covers all of IE.
Clubs IE names
IE Sports and Wellbeing; IE Net Impact Club; and IE Women in Business.
A February 2025 IE brochure, which covers the university rather than the International MBA alone, says 'more than 120 active student-led clubs' in one place and '100+ active clubs on campus' in another. This page uses the programme page.
What two clubs do
| Club | What they do |
|---|
| IE Women in Business | Created to reduce the obstacles women face in reaching top leadership positions, with over 2,000 members. IE celebrates International Women's Day each year with a week of events on gender equality. |
| IE Out & Allies | A student-led LGBTQI* club. It runs events year-round, from educational meetups to networking and cocktail events, and organises LGBT@Work, which IE describes as the longest-running LGBTQI* work conference in Europe. |
From the February 2025 brochure. Other clubs it names, with no descriptions: Net Impact, AI & Big Data, TechIE, IE Tech Lab, IE Tech & Innovation, IE Smart Cities, IE Cybersecurity, IE Blockchain, IE Air & Space, IE Fintech, IE Coding, IE E-Commerce and IE EdTech.
Programme activities
| Event | What it is |
|---|
| Global Immersion Month | Optional, with limited capacity and extra fees. One month travelling to international destinations: an intensive week at a partner university, then a career-focused week with local companies and alumni. It counts as elective credits (two fewer electives). |
| IMBA Labs | Five weeks, one lab chosen in place of an internship: Startup Lab (a full business plan), Tech Lab (partners include Microsoft and Amazon Web Services), Business Impact Lab (projects with companies) and Social Impact Lab (local communities in South Africa or Brazil). |
| Talent Forum | IE's bi-annual recruiting event, the largest of its recruiting events. |
| Exchange (15-month option) | Study at an IE partner school, with courses counting as electives. Places are competitive and not guaranteed, and partners vary by year. |
Destinations and partners for the Global Immersion Month vary each year; IE publishes none for 2027. Exchange partners IE lists include HEC Paris, London Business School, Chicago Booth, NYU Stern, Tuck and NUS.
IE's programme page describes Madrid as vibrant and student-friendly, with excellent public transport. Its Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center and incubator Area 31 give access to investors, mentors and founders.
06 · Process
From application to decision
Online applicationRolling
Submit the form with your CV, personal statement, transcripts, the contact details of two references, an English certificate if needed, a passport copy and photo, and the €150 fee.
IE says the fee is needed to reach the online assessment and to submit the application.
Admissions testAfter the form
Take the GMAT, GRE, ieGAT or Executive Assessment.
IE publishes no minimum score and no GMAT edition.
Online assessmentAfter the fee
You get a link to answer three live questions, two on video and one in writing, to show how you respond in real time and under pressure.
Personal interviewBy invitation
A conversation with a manager of the Admissions Team, face to face or online.
IE does not publish when invitations go out.
Admissions Committee decisionUsually 1 to 3 weeks after the interview
The Committee reviews your whole application holistically and emails the decision.
IE does not describe a waitlist.
After admissionAfter your offer
IE's FAQ refers to a place reservation fee; contact your admissions advisor for next steps.
IE tells non-EU candidates to confirm their place and start the visa process as early as possible. Student Services helps with visa documents.
07 · What you need
What goes into the application
1. Eligibility
A bachelor's degree from an accredited university and a minimum of three years of professional experience, with an average of around six. IE requires English proficiency to study the programme.
2. Test score
One of the GMAT, GRE, IE Global Admissions Test (ieGAT) or Executive Assessment. IE publishes no minimum score and no GMAT edition.
3. English test
TOEFL minimum 100 on the previous scale (105 recommended) or 5 for tests taken after 21st Jan 2026; IELTS minimum 7 (7.5 recommended); Duolingo English Test minimum 130; or Cambridge Advanced. Certificates are valid for two years. IE does not require one from native speakers, those with an English-language undergraduate degree, those with more than two years living and working in an English-speaking country, or those with extensive professional experience in English, though the Committee may still ask.
4. Essays
IE lists a personal statement as a required document, with no prompt and no word limit on the International MBA page. IE publishes no essay prompts for the current cycle, so none appear here.
5. Recommendations
IE asks for the contact information of two relevant academic or professional references, entered in the online application. IE publishes no reference format, no reference questions and no reference deadline, and does not say whether referees are emailed a form.
6. Video or assessment
After the application and fee, IE sends a link to an online assessment: three live questions, two on video and one written. IE does not publish the questions or a total length.
7. Other documents
Official university transcripts, with a certified translation into English or Spanish, a 1-page CV, a passport copy and a passport-size picture.
08 · What IE wants
How IE reads your file
IE says it evaluates your entire application holistically. It publishes no list of International MBA criteria with weights. The points below come from IE's own words on its pages.
| IE looks at | In plain words |
|---|
| Willingness to change | IE's starting point for the ideal candidate is a willingness to transform yourself and your future, the 'next best you'. It says the journey has highs and lows and that hard work and persistence pay off. |
| Interview qualities | Teamwork, communication, adaptability, innovative thinking, motivation and the ability to thrive in diverse, global environments. IE says the strongest candidates show clear goals, self-awareness, impactful examples and alignment with IE University's values. |
IE's programme page describes who the programme is for: entrepreneurs and founders, career accelerators, industry changers, aspiring leaders and global networkers. IE publishes no weights for any of this.
See how your file reads against these areas before you spend weeks on the application.
Check my chances09 · Interview questions
What one candidate says IE interviewers asked
Five types of question from one candidate's account of an IE interview.
| Topic | How it was asked |
|---|
| Tell us about yourself | “Introduce yourself and what you do.” |
| Why IE | “Why do you want to study here?” |
| What makes you a good candidate | “What makes you a good candidate for this programme?” |
| A time you delivered bad news | “Tell us about a time you had to deliver bad news.” |
| An open-ended business scenario | “A company's turnover is up on last year but profit is down: what would you look at?” |
We have one candidate account, from 2023, so we do not show how likely each topic is. Treat these as examples from one account, not a pattern. IE's own pages are the authority on the current format.
For the scenario question, the candidate could think aloud and ask the interviewer questions about the business.
10 · Interview experience
What the interview is actually like
What IE says
| Topic | What to expect |
|---|
| Who interviews | A manager of the Admissions Team, face to face or online. |
| Invitation | By invitation, after IE reviews your application and you meet the requirements. IE does not publish when invitations go out. |
| What it is like | IE says it is structured around your skills but designed to feel like a two-way conversation, with a mix of behavioural and reflective questions. It suggests the STAR method. |
| What it assesses | Teamwork, communication, adaptability and innovative thinking, plus your motivations and your ability to thrive in diverse, global environments. |
| Not published | Whether interviews are blind or based on your file, and the International MBA page gives no interview length. |
What one candidate reports
| Topic | What to expect |
|---|
| Mode | A candidate describes a video interview with an admissions interviewer. |
| Structure | Questions based on the CV and application, in fairly standard wording, then one longer open-ended business scenario near the end. |
| The scenario | A company's turnover is up on last year but profit is down: what would you look at? The candidate treated it as a conversation, thinking aloud and asking the interviewer follow-up questions. |
| The surprise | The candidate had been told to expect a brain-teaser and found the real question milder. |
| What stood out | Few questions on business experience. The candidate read this as IE valuing creative thinking and a varied class, which is their own reading, not IE's statement. |
Based on one candidate's account, from 2023. Nothing recent describes the interview itself, so we show no tags and make no claim about how it feels today. Check IE's pages for the current format.
11 · FAQs
Questions students ask about IE International MBA
Does IE have application deadlines or rounds?
No. IE says the International MBA has rolling admissions, with no fixed application deadline, and you can apply throughout the year. It says places are limited, so apply early for your preferred intake. IE publishes no round dates, interview dates or decision dates.
Which intakes does IE have?
IE has two intakes each year, in September and January. It says an admission is valid for the intake you apply to and the following one.
Which test do I need, and is there a minimum score?
You need one of the GMAT, GRE, ieGAT or Executive Assessment. IE publishes no minimum score, no GMAT edition and no class test averages.
How much work experience do I need?
IE sets a minimum of three years of professional experience and says the average is around six. Its Class of 2024 report gives 6 years.
What are the essay prompts and word limits?
IE publishes none for the current cycle. It lists a personal statement as a required document with no prompt or word limit.
How many recommendations do I need?
IE asks for the contact information of two relevant academic or professional references. It publishes no reference format, questions or deadline.
How does the IE application process work?
IE lists five steps: the online application, an admissions test, an online assessment of three live questions (two on video, one written), a personal interview with a manager of the Admissions Team, and a final decision by email, usually within one to three weeks of the interview. IE says the whole process typically takes four to six weeks.
How much does the IE International MBA cost?
Tuition is €89,900 for the 11-month and 15-month programme, plus a one-off €1,200 contribution to the IE Foundation and a €150 application fee. IE does not publish a single total or a living-cost figure. You can pay tuition in up to 7 instalments.
Can I get a scholarship?
IE grants direct merit awards automatically on admission. IE Awards cover 10% to 40% of tuition and need a financial aid application. The Laidlaw scholarship covers 50% to 100% of tuition for women admitted to the programme. IE does not publish what share of students receive aid.
What pay and jobs can I expect after IE?
IE's Career Report 2024 gives no pay for the Class of 2024. The only International MBA pay figure is an average total compensation of $113,770 (PPP adjusted) from its earlier report on the 2020 to 2022 intakes. For the Class of 2024 the largest sectors were technology (21%), finance and industrial (18% each) and consulting (17%).