Top 10 MBA programmes in Europe

Oxford (Said) ranked seventh in Europe again this year with almost-perfect scores in thought leadership and employability indicators. 

Said is the business school at Oxford University – the oldest university in the English-speaking world. The one-year MBA programme at Said follows the wider university’s three-term structure, divided into sets of core and elective modules focusing on three themes related to current world business challenges: entrepreneurship, global rules of the game and responsible business. 

The sixth highest-ranked European programme is the MBA at INSEAD. The programme received an almost perfect score for employability, ranking second in the region in this indicator. 

During the 10-month programme, students have the opportunity to study at INSEAD’s four campuses in France, Singapore and Abu Dhabi and San Francisco. Students complete 14 core modules and can choose from over 75 elective modules. INSEAD aims to create an international experience with business education that spans the globe.

Barcelona’s IESE Business School offers MBA students the opportunity to complete its programme in anywhere between 15 and 19 months. It receives a nearly perfect score for return on investment, ranking sixth in the world for this indicator. 

The school encourages connection with its Spanish roots, offering a Business Spanish learning programme for MBA students as well as the option for advanced and Spanish speakers to graduate with a bilingual MBA diploma. 

The 12-month MBA programme at Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge rises two places to rank fourth this year, surpassing its biggest rival, Oxford (Said): another top-ranking business school in the United Kingdom. It scored second in the region in the thought leadership indicator. 

Cambridge emphasises that students can tailor their MBA programme to their specific business goals through electives, a global consulting project and topic specifications. They offer 10 MBA focuses including Digital Transformation, Energy & Environment, Finance, and Marketing. 

Madrid’s IE Business School offers its 11-month international MBA programme, which ranked third in Europe overall and fifth in Europe for employability.  

IE Business School was founded in 1973 for entrepreneurs, by entrepreneurs with core values such as innovation, entrepreneurship, diversity, and humanitarianism. A part of its innovative approach to business education is the 2002 establishment of its International Executive MBA as a blended learning platform, its Area 31 entrepreneurship hub which has nurtured many start-ups and the IE Tower which aids in the pursuit of a sustainable campus. 

Earning second place in Europe this year is the HEC Paris MBA programme which received its highest score for return on investment, where it ranked fifth in the region, and thought leadership, where it ranked third in the region. 

The 15-month programme focuses on developing leadership potential through resources such as leadership seminars, a student-run MBA multisport tournament and the HEC Global Leaders Series, which influential speakers from the world of business. 

The highest-ranked MBA programme in the UK and also in Europe is found at London Business School. It ranked first in the region in the employability indicator and fourth in the thought leadership indicator. 

London is one of the world’s financial capitals with all of the world's top financial institutions represented in the city and three quarters of the top 500 global companies using it as their base. London Business School is a world-class institution which aims to bring together students and faculty with a collaborative approach to research and education. They pride themselves on the diversity within their community and commit to a forward-thinking approach to education. 

What are the admissions requirements for these MBA programmes?

The admissions requirements for an MBA course will differ depending on the country you intend to study in, the university you hope to attend, whether you want to study in your home country or abroad and also the course structure. 

Generally speaking, an MBA course will require a student to have a master’s qualification and sometimes a certain amount of work experience to be admitted. 

For more information on exact requirements, explore the university’s profile on the TopMBA and TopUnis websites. If you do not find the information that you are looking for, visit the university’s official website and look for admission requirements on the MBA programme page. If you are still unable to find the information you are looking for, contact the university directly and request the current requirements. Email addresses and telephone numbers for the institution should be available on the official website. 

How much does it cost to study an MBA?

The price of an MBA course will differ significantly depending on the country you intend to study in, the university that you hope to attend, whether you want to study in your home country or abroad and also the course structure. 

Of the MBA courses mentioned in the top 10, the most affordable MBA course is found at SDA Bocconi for 75,000 EUR (around £64,500 GBP or $82,200 USD) and the most expensive MBA course is found at London Business School for £115,000 GBP (around $146,500 USD). 

For more information on exact prices, explore the university’s profile on the TopMBA and TopUnis websites. If you do not find the information that you are looking for, visit the university’s official website and look for pricing information on the MBA programme page. If you are still unable to find the information you are looking for, contact the university directly and request the current prices. Email addresses and telephone numbers for the institution should be available on the official website. 

What career options are there with an MBA?

An MBA can lead to a career in many different fields such as project management, accounting, finance, marketing, data analytics and many more. There are many rewarding and high-paying roles within these sectors that graduates can pursue. 

There are a plethora of stories and articles about career options and MBA graduate experiences published on our website if you are looking for ideas or inspiration.