MUSB vs ISB – Which One Is a Better Choice?

With every country soaring ahead in terms of business education, India has also nurtured some of the best B-schools for professional business and management programs. Masters’ Union School of Business (MUSB) and Indian School of Business (ISB) are amongst the top business schools in India and are well-known in terms of their unique vision, programs, curriculum, faculty, and placements. This blog on MUSB vs ISB brings a detailed comparison of both institutions. 

Comprehensive Comparison of MUSB vs ISB

Name	Masters’ Union School of Business (MUSB)	Indian School of Business (ISB)
Campus Locations	Gurugram	Hyderabad and Mohali
Founding Year	2020	2001
Course Offered	PGP TBM – Post Graduate Programme in Technology and Business Management	PGP in Management (Various Departments)
Fees	18.70 Lakhs INR	35 Lakhs – 38 Lakhs INR
Course Duration	16 months (including a 3 months internship)	15 months – 1 year
Commencement Date	August 2021	June 05, 2021
Last Date to Apply	January 31, 2021	March 7, 2021
Official Website	https://www.mastersunion.org	https://www.isb.edu

Programs at ISB and MUSB 

With an essential emphasis on entrepreneurship and technology, programs offered by MUSB and ISB are focused on the ever-evolving arena of business and management in the contemporary digital age. 

MUSB offers its flagship Post Graduate Programme in Technology and Business Management (PGP TBM) which is suitable for experienced working professionals and freshers with impressive academic and co-curricular records as well as aspiring entrepreneurs, professionals working in a family-run business, budding artists aiming to learn the art of business and management in the digital world. It is a uniquely designed 16-month course curated by industry practitioners and incorporates a highly individualized and flexible curriculum with classroom learning, live projects, business tours, networking interactions, and tech boot camps.

Applications Open For MUSB PGP TBM 2021!
Register Now!

The applications are now open for MUSB PGP TBM 2021 till May 15th, 2021. It is a 16-month uniquely designed flagship program by MUSB and is led by real practitioners, driven by live projects, and grounded in technology. Click here to connect with our Leverage Edu experts to apply for MUSB PGP TBM today!

Masters’ Union School of Business | Unique B-School with classes taught by CEOs 

Indian School of Business offers varied short-term and online courses. ISB believes in implementing a pragmatic approach to business learning and provides courses that are taught by a research-oriented faculty, curated with international curriculums, and imparting expansive corporate exposure through innovative pedagogical methods. Here are the flagship courses at ISB:

• Post Graduate Programme in Management
• Post Graduate Programme in Management for Family Business
• Advanced Management Programme for Healthcare
• Post Graduate Programme in Management for Working Professionals 
• Advanced Management Programme for Manufacturing and Operations 
• Post Graduate Programme in Management for Senior Executives 
• Executive Fellow Programme in Management 
• Advanced Management Programme in Business Analytics 
• Fellow Programme in Management
• Advanced Management Programme for Infrastructure 
• Management Programme in Public Policy

What Do You Believe In?

Eligibility Criteria

Students with diverse educational backgrounds apply to MUSB and ISB. Both universities have exclusive criteria for each prospective program. Let’s take a look at the basic eligibility requirement for business and management programs at MUSB vs ISB:

Category	MUSB	ISB
Bachelor’s Degree	Bachelor’s degree in any domain (3-4 years)	3-4 year Bachelor’s degree in any discipline (3-4 years)
Entrance Exam	MU-BAAT/GMAT/GRE/ CAT/ NMAT scores	GMAT/ GRE scores
Work Experience	Preferred but not mandatory	At least 24 months of full-time work experience as of March 31, 2020
English Proficiency Test	—	IELTS/TOEFL*

*Scores of English language proficiency tests are compulsory if English was not the medium of instruction for a candidate’s bachelor’s degree. 

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MUSB vs ISB: Fees

The course fee is also a major feature of distinction between MUSB vs ISB since both these business schools vary greatly in terms of the fees for their different programs:

MUSB

For MUSB’s flagship Post Graduate Programme in Technology and Business Management (PGP TBM), the total course fee is ₹18,70,000 which includes a non-refundable admission fee, tuition fee as well as life-long union membership fee. Take a look at the fee structure of MUSB’s PGP-TBM:

Admission Fees (Non-Refundable)	₹1,37,500 + GST ₹24,750
Tuition Fee	₹16,22,500 + GST ₹2,92,050
Life-long Union Membership Fee	₹1,10,000 + GST ₹18,800
Total Fees	₹18,70,000 [Additional GST: ₹3,36,600]

ISB

The ISB programs vary from part-time to online courses and their course fee ranges between ₹30,00,000-₹50,00,000. Take a look at the following table which elucidates the total course fee for some of the popular postgraduate programs at ISB:

Courses	Fees
PGPM	₹37.49 Lakhs (1st Year Fees)
PG Program in Management (Exec)	₹30.41 Lakhs (Total Fees)
PG Program in Family Managed Business (PGPFMB)	₹41.98 Lakhs (Total Fees)
Certification	₹10.2 Lakhs (Total Fees)
Executive	₹47 Lakhs (Total Fees)
PG Program in Management for Senior Executives (PGPMAX)	₹40.23 Lakhs (Total Fees)

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Application Process

Another key point of distinction between MUSB vs ISB is the admission process for their prospective programs. Both these business schools offer online application forms for their courses and conduct a personal interview round with the shortlisted candidates thereafter. The following section elaborates upon the step-by-step admission process for MUSB and ISB.

MUSB 

The application process for MUSB’s flagship PGP-TBM is conducted online. Here is a step-by-step process to apply for MUSB PGP TBM:

1. Visit the official website of MUSB
2. Click on the “Apply Now” tab
3. Create a profile
4. Register and Log-In 
5. Fill in the application form
6. Add the required documents
7. Pay the application fee and submit the final application.

ISB

To apply for ISB Programs, follow the below process:

1. Visit the official website of the ISB 
2. Click on the “Application Form” link 
3. Fill out all the appropriate data, i.e. academic details, personal background, job experience, achievements, and events. 
4. Upload the scanned papers, i.e. photos, signatures, and passports (in the case of an international applicant) in pdf format. 
5. Please continue to fill up the online application fee 
6. Payment may be done by credit card, debit card, and bank transfer
7. Only apply the form in online mode.

Essential Documents  

Whether you are applying for a program at MUSB or ISB, you need to submit academic and professional documents. Here are the essential documents you will need while applying for a course at MUSB vs ISB:

MUSB	ISB
-Updated Resume -Up to 2 LORs -2 Essays  -Score Transcripts (if available) -Other important professional/academic  documents	-Personal Statement by the candidate -Letter of Consent by the current employer -GMAT scorecard -2 LORs* – 2-3 Essays

*It is mandatory for the candidates to present at least one letter of recommendation from their immediate previous employer.

MUSB vs ISB: Selection Criteria

The selection criteria for MUSB vs ISB are as follows:

MUSB

Candidates seeking to qualify for the MUSB PGP TBM will have to undergo the following screening process: 

• Students have to qualify for the Masters’ Union Business Aptitude and Admissions Test (MU-BAAT).
• Applicants will be shortlisted on the basis of the cumulative assessment of their profile and their performance in MU-BAAT.
• Shortlisted applicants will be invited to an in-person interview. The panel will be made up of respected academic and business Masters as well as members of the leadership team. Interviews will be at the MUSB Campus in Gurugram or over Zoom.

ISB 

GMAT/GRE-qualified candidates will be called for the interview round.

• The face-to-face interview is the first step of ISB’s admission process.
• Qualified candidates from the interview round can proceed to the document verification process.
• At the time of the document verification process, candidates are required to submit all the necessary documents.

MUSB vs ISB: Dates and Deadlines 

ISB

Rounds	Deadline	Interviews	Application Fee
Round 1	Sept 10, 2023	Oct Through Nov	INR 5,000 (First-time applicants) INR 2500 (Re-applicants)
Round 2	December 2023 (TBA)	Dec Through Nov	INR 7,500 (First-time applicants) INR 2500 (Re-applicants)
Round 3	Jan 2024 (TBD)	Jan Through March	INR 7,500 (First-time applicants) INR 2500 (Re-applicants)

ISB

Details	Cycle 1	Cycle 2
Application Deadline	September 20, 2020	January 10, 2021
Interview Timelines (tentative)	October 1 to November 10, 2020	January 20 to March 10, 2021
Final Results	November 2020	March 2021
Acceptance Due Date	10 days before the offer date	7 days before the offer date
Fee Payment	March 31, 2021	March 31, 2021
Commencement of Classes	June 5, 2021	June 5, 2021
PGPMAX, PGP MFAB August 2021 Intake Process	November 22, 2020	March 2021

MUSB vs ISB: Scholarships

ISB and MUSB both offer scholarships, fee waivers, and loans to the applicants. Here are some important scholarships offered for programs at MUSB and ISB:

Scholarships at MUSB	Scholarships at ISB
-Karthik Ramana Merit-Based Scholarships -Malvika R Harita Scholarship for Women -Narendra Jadhav Diversity Scholarship -Mukund Rajan India-Bound Scholarship -MU Scholarship for Technology Leaders -MU Scholarship for Young Leaders -MU Scholarship for Entrepreneurs	-Merit Waivers -ISB Merit by Diversity -Need-Based Waivers  -AIESEC – ISB Waivers -Bridge to India -International Diversity -Citi Scholarship -Bajaj Auto Scholar -PGMAX Co 2012 Scholarships -Ramesh C Khana Nurture India Scholarship -Aditya Shembekar Scholarship -Jagannath Arora Scholarship

MUSB vs ISB: Student Life 

Both MUSB and ISB provide extensive educational as well as professional opportunities to gear up students for the real business world. At MUSB, students are encouraged to take part in varied competitions like Online Hackathons, a student-managed Investment Fund with a Rs.5cr corpus, and Business Competitions. The MUSB campus encompasses a vibrant student community that comprises student-led business clubs that organize a plethora of business-focused networking and conference events on campus. Also, there are several art & culture, and fitness clubs that one can explore. ISB conducts a wide range of exciting competitions throughout the year like the Amazon Ace Challenge, Gartner Insight Career Case Competition, the 2017 Private Equity Competition, etc. The student life at ISB is popular for its interesting extracurricular activities and student clubs like Healthcare Club, Business Technology Club, and Marketing Club, among others.

Hence, this was an unbiased comparison between MUSB vs ISB. We hope you found this blog useful. Still, confused about which one to choose? Get in touch with Leverage Edu experts and let us help you find the right program and business school that fits your interests and aspirations!