Best Executive MBA Programs around the World

8 minute read
Executive MBA Programs

As a business owner, everyone wants to build a robust network, excellent business skills, and a reputation. But an Executive MBA (EMBA) program can help you build all that and much more.

Those who enrol in an executive MBA program get an opportunity to study with such students who are above the age of 30 and have more than 5 years of experience. The average duration of executive MBA programs is 12 months to 24 months. Thus, it would be convenient for you to study without disturbing your current business or job. But the bigger question here is, which one suits you the best?

Do you qualify for an Executive MBA? Is an Executive MBA worth it? Is an executive MBA as good as an MBA? Read this blog to find out answers to all your questions about Executive MBA Programs.

Course NameExecutive MBA 
Course Duration1 Year
Course TypeSemester Based
EligibilityGraduation + Work Experience 
Admission ProcessEntrance Exams like CAT/ GMAT
Top Job ProfilesManager, CXO, 
Top RecruitersTCS, Infosys, BCG, Accenture, McKinsey & Co
Course FeesINR 15,00,000 to INR 1,50,00,000
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What is an Executive MBA Program?

Executive MBA is a postgraduate program exclusively designed for working professionals who are looking to upgrade their managerial and administrative skills in their field of work and industry, in order to adapt and mould into a rapidly changing business environment. Since the Executive MBA in India is designed for working professionals, the duration of the course is shorter than other MBA programs and is available for the duration of 1 year to 18 months in the form of Full-time and Part-time Programs. 

Why Should you Go for EMBA?

MBA has a lot of options and one such is the Executive MBA. While the course may sound fancy it is not for everyone who wants to pursue management. You should go for EMBA if you:

  • Have experience of more than 10 years.
  • Have already been in leadership roles
  • Wish to gain expert-level knowledge in your field
  • Already have knowledge but are looking for a push to Fortune 50 companies
  • Not looking for placement but a better position in your own firm

Eligibility for Executive MBA

Your eligibility for an Executive MBA will depend on the country you are applying to. Top Universities in the world require:

  1. Bachelor’s Degree in BCom/ BBA or related field.
  2. Minimum work experience of 8 years
  3. 5 or more years of managerial experience (included in total work experience)
  4. Sponsorship from Organization
  5. Must have leadership potential
  6. International work experience with people of different cultures

Entrance Requirements for EMBA

Several universities have different entrance exams for their EMBA exam. While some accept GMAT, some have tests of their own. There are many universities where your result is solely based on your merit and work experience and require no entrance exam. Many universities have their own minimum work experience requirement. Here are the entrance exams and minimum work experience required for top universities for EMBA. 

UniversityEntrance Exam Work Experience
Wharton Business SchoolGMAT8 Years
IESE Business SchoolIESE Test/ GMAT10 Years
HEC ParisGMAT/ GRE/EA Test/ In-house HEC Test8 Years
MIT Sloan Institute of ManagementNot required10 Years
London Business School EA Test/ GMAT / GRE12 Years
University of ChicagoGMAT / EA Test10 Years
INSEADGMAT/ EA Test/ INSEAD Assessment13 Years
Said Business SchoolGMAT/ EA Test (Not required for highly experienced students)5 Year (Managerial)
UCLA Anderson School of ManagementNot required8 Years
Haas School of BusinessGMAT/ GRE/ EA Test8 Years

Executive MBA Admission Process in India

The admission process for Executive MBA can differ from country to country or even from school to school. Here is the admission process for EMBA in India.

  1. Candidates applying for an Executive MBA program are required to pass a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university.
  2. Candidates are required to score an aggregate of 50% in overall academics.
  3. Candidates are required to have a minimum of 4-6 years of experience in working with a business firm or in other relevant industries. However, this can vary from one institution to another.
  4. Candidates who are not currently working, are not eligible to apply for an Executive MBA program.
  5. Candidates are required to qualify for the CAT, XAC, GMAT, GRE or other equivalent tests to get admission into top colleges.
  6. Candidates are required to submit an in-principle agreement signed by their current employer along with their application forms. (may vary from college to college)

Executive MBA Admission Process to Study Abroad

Most top Universities in the world offer EMBA and have specific criteria for admission. Here is a general admission process for EMBA around the world.

  1. Submit the online application on your desired school’s website
  2. Submit required essays, Letters of Recommendation, CV, and GMAT or university-specific test scores.
  3. Pay your application fee.
  4. The admission committee will review your application.
  5. Attend the online interview session. 
  6. Your final decision will be declared in a few days depending on selection, waitlist, conditional acceptance or rejection.

Must Read: MBA Admission 2023: The Ultimate Guide!

EMBA VS MBA 

You might be wondering what is so unique about EMBA and how is it even different from a normal MBA. While a normal MBA is great for young professionals, EMBA is the perfect choice for experts. Here are the major differences between an MBA and an Executive MBA. 

CriteriaExecutive MBARegular MBA
Duration1 Year2 Years
FeesINR 15,00,000- INR 1,15,00,000INR 8,00,000- INR 1,00,00,000
Average PackageINR 18 LPA – INR 1 CPA INR 15LPA- INR 60 LPA
Average Work Experience Minimum 10 yearsNo work experience to Minimum 2 years
Target StudentsExperts in fields looking to enhance their knowledge or improve their career positionFreshers/ Working Professionals with early year experience looking for a jump in career

Top Executive MBA Institutes in India

There are several prestigious colleges and universities offering quality MBA programs. Here is a list of some of the best colleges and institutions providing Executive MBAs in India:

InstitutionFee (in INR)
Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi, Delhi1,00,000
Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad28,00,000
Integral University2,50,000
Christ University, Bangalore3,57,500
School of Business Management SVKM’s Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai
University Business School, Panjab University, Chandigarh1,92,690
School of Management Studies, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad7,68,110
Indian Institute of Management Calcutta27,00,000
Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development, Pune4,98,500
Delhi School of Management, Delhi Technological University, Delhi4,66,500
Indian Institute of Management Tiruchirappalli11,80,000 

Top 10 Executive MBA Programs in the World

Here are the QS Rankings for the Top 10 MBA Executive programs in 2023. This list will help you make an informed decision on which university to choose for EMBA. 

QS Rank 2022 UniversityCountryProgram
#3Wharton Business SchoolUSMBA for Executives
#1IESE Business SchoolSpainGlobal Executive MBA
#2HEC ParisFranceExecutive MBA
#4MIT Sloan Institute of ManagementUSExecutive MBA
#5Oxford (Said)USExecutive MBA
#7London Business SchoolUKExecutive MBA
#6University of ChicagoUSExecutive MBA
#8INSEADFranceGlobal Executive MBA
#10Cambridge (Judge)USExecutive MBA
#9Haas School of BusinessUSExecutive MBA

Also Read: MBA in General Management

Top 10 Executive MBA Programs in the World by Financial Times

The global EMBA ranking of Financial Times is based on Alumni surveys, research ranks, diversity of faculty, and salaries of school alumni. Here is the ranking of EMBA by Financial Times. 

Rank University & CountryCourseAverage Salary (2020)
#1Kellogg/ HKUST Business School
(China)
Kellogg-HKUST EMBA$528,057
(INR 3,88,99,300)
#2CEIBS
(China/ Switzerland/ Ghana)
Global EMBA$482, 674
(INR 3,55,56,100)
#3HEC Paris
(France)
HEC Paris International EMBA$371, 789
(INR 2,73,87,800)
#4Trium: HEC Paris/ LSE/ NYU: Stern
( France / UK / US / China)
Trium Global EMBA$420,796
(INR 3,09,97,900)
#5Tsinghua University/INSEAD
(China / Singapore / France / UAE)
Tsinghua-INSEAD Dual Degree EMBA$372,148
(INR 2,74,14,245)
#6Shanghai Jiao Tong University: Antai
(China)
SJTU Antai EMBA$451,744
(INR 3,32,77,700)
#7ESCP Business School
(France / Germany / Italy / Lebanon / Spain / UK)
EMBA$272,852
(INR 2,00,99,600)
#8Iese Business School
(Spain / US)
Global EMBA$364,966
(INR 2,68,85,200)
#9INSEAD
(France / Singapore / UAE)
Global EMBA$311,882
(INR 2,29,74,750)
#10EMBA-Global Asia: Columbia/HKU/LBS
(US / UK / Hong Kong SAR (China)
EMBA-Global Asia$324,192
(INR 2,38,81,570)

Best Institutes for Executive MBA Programs

Here are the 6 best institutions in the world where you can do an EMBA course:

Executive MBA Programs at INSEAD

INSEAD is a private business school that was established in the mid-19th century. It’s a well-known business institution in France as well as abroad. Executive MBA courses are organized in a way that enables a student to study in various locations such as Singapore, Fontainebleau (Europe), and Abu Dhabi.  

Executive MBA Programs at Haas School of Business 

Haas School of Business, within the University of California Berkeley, is one of the greatest schools. The university has been able to score high for thought leadership. The school provides a 19th-month executive MBA program in which 5 terms exist. Most of the participants in this course are generally 38 years old.

Executive MBA Programs at UCLA Anderson School of Management 

UCLA Anderson School of Management has scored well across all ranking indicators because of its executive MBA program. It offers a 22-month program on the Los Angeles campus with two scheduling alternatives: monthly and biweekly. On a monthly schedule, classes get together on 3 weekends of the 10-week quarter. In the biweekly schedule, classes get together for 5 weekends of the 10-week quarter. Along with this, weekly online instructions are provided to everyone.

Executive MBA Programs at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business

The institution offers one of the best 21-month executive MBA courses along with 2-3 courses per quarter. During the international session weeks, this university takes classes at each global campus. The university offers 3 international session weeks in London, Hong Kong, and Chicago.  

Executive MBA Programs at IESE Business School 

According to all ranking indicators, this business school scores very high in everything. In fact, it’s known for providing the best career outcomes. Students can accomplish their courses in Madrid, Munich, Sao Paulo, and Barcelona. Second-year students get a chance to study internationally in places like Shanghai, Nairobi, and New York. The duration of IESE’s Executive MBA program is 18 months.

Executive MBA Programs at London Business School 

When it comes to business schools, London Business School has its own significance across the globe. Like IESE Business School, this school has also achieved very high scores in almost every ranking indicator. It’s known for generating successful careers. Almost every student in this school is highly experienced. As a student, you can build an excellent network here. 

The EMBA program of this school has been organized into 2 locations: London and Dubai. You need to spend 20 months to complete the EMBA course.

Also Read: Global MBA

FAQs

Is an executive MBA equivalent to MBA?

Though an executive MBA can be seen as equivalent to an MBA, the former is considered a more advanced degree than the latter.

Is an executive MBA worth pursuing?

Yes, an executive MBA is worth pursuing given the many opportunities it provides and allows students to reach the next level.

Which executive MBA program is best?

Northwestern University (Kellogg)’s executive MBA program is one of the best.

There are a lot of options for Executive MBA Programs in the World. We recommend you choose such a program that results in more accreditation, earnings, experience, and career opportunities. All institutions mentioned above are highly valued across the globe for their executive MBA program. Now, if you have your eyes on any business school, feel free to get in touch with Leverage Edu to get to know more about it and to explore further.

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