INSEAD vs London Business School (LBS) MBA: Which is better?

Studying at an elite top ranked school like INSEAD or LBS can offer a truly international experience with each of the schools known for its diverse culture and student body, great industry connections, renowned faculty and exceptional employment outcomes, making them the most-sought-after MBA programs in Europe.

Though both the schools offer highly prestigious MBA programs that rank among the top in the global MBA rankings, there are certain school-specific facts that applicants need to be aware of while making their final choice.

In this article, we’ll dwell on what’s unique about each program and how to decide on which program would be a good fit for your profile and career aspirations.

Program overview and campus location

When INSEAD was founded in 1957 and enrolled its first batch in 1959, it happened to be the first school outside the US to offer international business education.

INSEAD has two main campuses – the older campus at Fontainebleau (also referred by students as Fonty campus) in France is located next to a forest.

Here, you can expect a scenic stay in a rural setting with spacious accommodation, huge spaced-out campus. There’s not much to do around, which is why students spend a lot of time on campus with their classmates and there is a strong bonding between them.

The other full-fledged campus at Singapore (also called the Singy campus) has a lot of activities to do around considering all that vibrant Singapore has to offer. The well-equipped campus is strategically located with easy access to the airport and financial district.

The other two campuses are at Abu Dhabi and San Francisco. The Abu Dhabi campus offers executive MBA and executive education while the San Francisco campus offers executive development programs.

Founded in 1964, London Business School (LBS) joined the University of London in 1965.

LBS is located overlooking one of the famous Royal Parks. Its biggest advantage is its prime location with a campus in the heart of London, a global financial hub and the capital city of UK. The Ratcliffe Building that houses its lecture theatres and classrooms offer amazing views of the neighbouring Regent’s Park.

The city has an excellent connectivity allowing you to commute via bus, tube, rail, road or cycling depending on where you stay. London also offers unmatched opportunities in every industry be it tech, consulting, finance, luxury goods, retail or media.

Program structure and curriculum

The biggest difference between INSEAD and LBS is the program duration. INSEAD MBA is a one-year program whereas the LBS MBA continues into the second year with duration ranging from 15-21 months.

INSEAD is for those looking for a one-year intense MBA program. The biggest advantage of a shorter MBA format is its lower fees and living expenses as well as lower opportunity cost.

Students can choose between two intakes – the August intake and the January intake.

The August intake would be 10-month long whereas the January intake would be 12 months long which includes 2 months for full-time internship. The first part of the programs would focus on the core courses while in the second part, students can choose from a choice of over 75 electives covering a wide variety of topics.

INSEAD has a reputation for its case studies though the faculty can choose their own teaching methods which includes case studies, projects, computer simulation and role play. Students can get a multicultural experience by participating in the campus exchange or choosing to spend time at a partner business schools.

Also read: What INSEAD Looks for in MBA Applicants

LBS, on the other hand is a 15-21 month long flexible program. The second year of the program can be customised with exit points after completion of 15 months, 18 months or 21 months of the program. There’s a range of 80+ electives to choose from. The tuition fee remains the same irrespective of the duration of the program you take.

There are various options for students who can choose to participate in international exchange, join the entrepreneurship summer school or take up business project or internships. The school’s strategic location can give you an edge especially during your internship or job search.

INSEAD vs LBS – Key facts

	INSEAD	LBS
Financial Times ranking 2023	2	16
Program length	10/12 months	15-21 months
Location	France, Singapore	London
Tuition fee	– Aug intake: €97,000 – Jan intake: €98,500	£109,700
Scholarships	– The 2022 graduating MBA class received €6.1 million in scholarship – 31% received scholarship averaging €19,900 – 16% received company sponsorship	– £22m awarded in scholarships for 2019-2020 academic year across programs

Should I go for INSEAD’s August or January intake?

INSEAD has a long-standing reputation for consulting recruitments. Both the intakes offer equal opportunities as far as consulting jobs are concerned.

Those looking for a career in investment banking (IB) should go for the January intake which offers two additional months for an internship. This is because most of the IB firms usually like to hire MBA grads as an intern before deciding to offer them a full-time position.

Those who plan to return to their former employer would probably prefer the shorter duration and go for the August intake.

Both the campuses have the same world-class faculty and top-notch facilities. There are students who may prefer to spend all their time on a single campus (lifers).

Also read:
– INSEAD MBA diversity scholarship with an average GMAT score of 700 in Round 2
– INSEAD admit with low GPA in engineering degree

International student exchange programs

This exchange opportunity can help you gain new business perspectives, explore a new territory, soak up local culture and most importantly build network and make connections with local businesses.

Depending on which geography you’d like to explore and which economy you’d be like to understand better or where you’d like to look out for job opportunities, you can make your choices.

INSEAD exchange program

The exchange can happen between INSEAD campuses or partner business schools like Wharton, Kellogg or CEIBS.

All students are allowed to exchange between INSEAD France and Singapore campuses.

However, CEIBS campus is available only to those who choose the January intake whereas if you wish to exchange on the Abu Dhabi campus, you should choose the August intake.

LBS exchange program

Students can choose to participate in the international student exchange program and spend a term at partner schools in over 30 locations including the US, China, Latin America.

Also read: 16 things every London Business School MBA student should know

Class profile

	INSEAD	LBS
Class Size	1000+	509
Nationalities	75	74
Average age	29 years	28 years
Average work experience	6 years (3-8 years)	5.5 years (2-13 years)
Average GMAT score	710	708
International students	91%	90%
Women	37%	37%

Language requirement

INSEAD has an additional language requirement; in addition to English, you need to demonstrate intermediate proficiency in a second official language as an admissions requirement. Additionally, all admitted students need to have attained basic knowledge of a third language as a graduation requirement. You need to be aware of this qualifying criterion while applying.

At LBS, there’s no such language requirement that needs to be met.

Also read: How to get into London Business School

Career opportunities

All the top known companies hire at both the business schools. Both the schools offer excellent opportunities in every sector.

Both INSEAD and LBS see the big 3 consulting firms or MBB hire in large numbers.

	INSEAD	LBS
McKinsey & Company	160 (58)	54
Boston Consulting Group	108 (19)	32
Bain & Company	91 (22)	29

Note: The number in brackets indicates those returning back to their former employer after MBA completion.

INSEAD employment outcome

At INSEAD, around half the class took up management consulting jobs. This number includes those who were earlier in the same sector as well as those who’ve transitioned from other sectors including financial services, corporate sector, technology, media and telecommunications.

Also read: Life before and after IIT Bombay, INSEAD and McKinsey: Diary of an overachiever

35% of the incoming MBA class came from the management consulting sector (pre-MBA) which shows that this school happens to be a popular option for this sector.

84% of the MBA class managed a career change (sector, country or job function). 27% managed the triple jump (change of sector, country and job function)

At INSEAD, the placements showed a more geographical diversity – 38% in Northern/Western Europe, 26% in Asia Pacific, 11% in Africa/Middle East, 8% in Southern Europe, 7% in North America, 6% in Latin America, 4% in Central/Eastern Europe.

You may be interested in: 16 INSEAD facts every international student should know

LBS employment statistics

At LBS, the majority of the post-MBA grads found jobs in the UK (63%) followed by 11% in Asia, 7% in North America and Europe, 6% in Middle East and 5% in Latin America. For those aspiring to work in the UK, LBS would be a better choice.

37% of the MBA class found jobs in consulting, 27% in finance, 29% in technology. The advantage of being in the land of opportunity is reflected in the placements across diverse sectors. 55% of the graduating class switched location, 58% switched sectors while 34% switched location and sector.

Placement report

	INSEAD	LBS
Employed/received offers after 3 months	94%	94%
No of countries MBA grads got jobs after graduation	63	40
No of hiring companies	260	248
Post-MBA salary	US$110,100 (median)	USD $124,822 (mean)
Bonus	Sign-on Bonus: USD 26,900 Performance Bonus: USD 25,300	Other (mean) compensation $59,861

Which is better – INSEAD or LBS?

While choosing between two equally reputed programs can be challenging, it’s finally your priorities and preferences that need to be accounted for before your school choices firm up.

Here are some aspects to consider:

What kind of an MBA format (shorter/longer) are you looking for?
What do you expect from your college campus and surroundings?
Which country would you like to see yourself working post-MBA? Or are you planning to return to your former employer?
Which is your target industry?

Our team at MBA Crystal Ball has helped tons of MBA candidates get into the top business schools including INSEAD and LBS. Get in touch with us for help with your MBA applications:
info(at)mbacrystalball(dot)com

All the best with your applications!

Also read:
– INSEAD alumnus from India shares his risky strategy and application tips
– Top MBA in USA and UK with 2 years of work experience: London Business School and Dartmouth Tuck
– INSEAD Placements: How I got a job in Singapore after MBA

Image credit: Hermes Rivera (Unsplash)