INSEAD MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines [2025-2026], Class Profile
INSEAD’s MBA application might seem extensive with its multiple essays and job descriptions, but that’s actually one of its strengths. The application gives you the chance to showcase your complete background – from your professional journey and career goals to your personal experiences and motivations. INSEAD wants to understand the full picture of who you are, so take this as your opportunity to tell your story in depth.
The job description questions are direct and seek straightforward information. The reflective essays are where you show introspection and self-awareness – critical traits for global leaders. INSEAD also incorporates a video component, so you can demonstrate your communication style in a spoken format. The school places a high value on verbal and interpersonal skills. After all, leading across cultures requires the ability to clearly communicate complex ideas in real time.
Above all, motivation is a theme that runs through INSEAD’s essays. The required essays are explicitly labeled “motivation” essays. Keep this concept front and center as you write. INSEAD doesn’t just want to know what you’ve done, it wants to understand why. What drives your decisions, your goals, and your growth? Think of the application’s written and video components as tools to showcase not only your communication skills but also your emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and purpose.
Ready to dive in? Let’s go.
INSEAD application essay tips
Job Description #1: Provide a summary of your career since graduating from university, explaining the rationale behind your key decisions and career progression. Include a description of your current (or most recent) role, covering the scope of your work, major responsibilities, employees under your supervision, budget size, clients/products, and any notable results achieved. (500 words)
Job Description #2: Describe your short and long-term career aspirations, including your target geography, industry, and function. How do you plan to bridge the gap between your current position and these goals, and how will INSEAD help you achieve them? (300 words)
This part is clear-cut; don’t overthink it. INSEAD is looking for straightforward, concise answers when it asks you to (1) describe your career path and the reasoning behind your choices, (2) summarize your current job, and (3) outline your post-MBA career goals. The word limits are tight, so stick to simple, direct responses. There’s no need for deep introspection or extensive research, just answer the questions clearly.
Motivation Essay #1: Give a candid description of yourself as a person and a leader, emphasising the strengths and weaknesses you recognise in yourself. Explain how you are actively working on your development, sharing key experiences that have shaped you, providing specific examples where relevant. (500 words)
This is INSEAD’s way of asking, “Who are you, really?” Focus less on what you do professionally and more on your personality, values, and growth. This essay is about self-awareness. How well do you understand your own motivations, behaviors, and blind spots?
Note that INSEAD asks for both strengths and weaknesses, plural. Make sure you address both. And don’t fall into the common trap of disguising a strength as a weakness (“I’m too detail-oriented!”). Be honest and authentic. A personal weakness – say, a tendency to avoid conflict – is valid as long as you’re actively working on it and can show growth.
Use brief, real-life examples to back up your points. Think about how a friend or mentor would describe you. What life events or turning points have had a lasting impact on how you view yourself and the world?
Your Essay #1 might overlap with your Essay #2, so think strategically. Review both prompts first, and map out your ideas to avoid repeating content.
Motivation Essay #2: Describe a highly stressful situation you faced and how you managed it. What did this experience teach you about yourself and your interactions with others? (400 words)
This is INSEAD’s version of the failure essay. The school’s adcom is not concerned with the nature of the event itself; instead, they want to know how you think under pressure, interact with others, and most importantly, reflect on and learn from setbacks.
Don’t sugarcoat the situation. Be honest about what went wrong, what you felt, and how you responded. What did this experience teach you about yourself? About teamwork, leadership, or communication?
A strong essay will demonstrate not only resilience but also humility and insight. Show that you’re someone who doesn’t just bounce back – you grow forward.
Motivation Essay #3: Is there anything else that was not covered in your application that you would like to share with the admissions committee? (Maximum 300 words)
This essay gives you the opportunity to share important information that adds depth or context to your application.
You might choose to address a topic such as a gap in your career or academic record, a significant personal or professional challenge, or a life event that has shaped your perspective or ambitions. You could also provide additional context that would help the adcom reader better understand your background or decisions.
Use this space thoughtfully, and avoid repeating content that appears elsewhere in your application. Instead, focus on new insights that help the adcom gain a fuller picture of who you are, how you’ve grown, and what you will bring to INSEAD. There is no expectation that you disclose something dramatic – what matters most is that your response is authentic, relevant, and helps INSEAD understand your candidacy more clearly.
Video: After submitting your online application, you will receive an email from Kira Talent with a unique link to complete a video and written assessment. You must complete this step within 48 hours of your application deadline.
You will be asked four video questions. For each, you will have 45 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to respond. The final question is written, with five minutes to submit your answer. The full assessment takes approximately 15–20 minutes.
The video interview is required; your application won’t be considered complete without it. And because you won’t know the questions in advance, you’ll need to be ready for anything. There are no do-overs.
This component is about more than just content, it’s also about presentation. INSEAD wants to see how you think and speak on your feet. The goal is to present yourself as thoughtful, clear, and confident rather than rehearsed or robotic. Think job interview: polished but authentic.
Practice helps. Try recording yourself answering random questions. Watch the footage and ask yourself these questions: Did I make my point? Did I speak clearly and with energy? Would I want to work with me?
INSEAD application deadlines
| January 2026 intake | Deadline | Interview decision notification |
| Round 1 | March 11, 2025 | April 11, 2025 |
| Round 2 | April 22, 2025 | May 23, 2025 |
| Round 3 | June 17, 2025 | July 18, 2025 |
| Round 4 | August 5, 2025 | September 5, 2025 |
| August 2026 Intake | Deadline | Interview Decision Notification |
| Round 1 | September 16, 2025 | October 17, 2025 |
| Round 2 | November 4, 2025 | December 5, 2025 |
| Round 3 | January 20, 2026 | February 20, 2026 |
| Round 4 | March 10, 2026 | April 10, 2026 |
Source: INSEAD website
**Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with INSEAD directly to verify its essay questions, instructions, and deadlines.***
INSEAD class profile
Here’s a look at a typical INSEAD MBA class (data taken from the INSEAD website).
Admits: approximately 1,000 (two intakes, January and August)
Average age: 29
Age range: 23-35
Range of years of work experience: 3-8
Work or home countries: 75
Different nationalities: 110
Women: 38%
Primary student backgrounds
- Management consulting
- Financial services
- Corporate sectors
- Technology/Media/Telecom
You’ve worked so hard to get to this point in your journey. Now that you’re ready for your next achievement, make sure you know how to present yourself to maximum advantage in your INSEAD application. In a hotly competitive season, you’ll want a member of Team Accepted in your corner, guiding you with expertise tailored specifically for you. Schedule a free consultation today!
Kara Keenan Sweeney has more than 15 years of experience in MBA admissions, having worked for some of the world’s top business school programs, including Columbia Business School, INSEAD, and The Lauder Institute’s joint degree MA/MBA program with The Wharton School and the MA/JD program with Penn Law at the University of Pennsylvania. Kara has guided, coached, and counseled thousands of MBA and EMBA applicants, reviewed innumerable applications, sat on admissions committees, and interviewed countless applicants, including while running Wharton’s Team Based Discussions both virtually and in person. Want Kara to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!
Related Resources
