INSEAD Application Essay Tips, 2024-2025
Get ready to write! INSEAD has one of the largest sets of required essays of any top MBA program; the admissions committee definitely demands that you put in the time to prove your interest in the program. Additionally, you’ll need to record four short videos for the video component of the school’s application. So give yourself plenty of time to think about the stories you want to tell and the messages you want to convey, and make a plan so you can be sure to communicate them all.
Free: Download Stratus Admissions’ Guide to Getting into INSEAD
Job Description 1: Briefly summarise your current (or most recent) job, including the nature of work, major responsibilities, and where relevant, employees under your supervision, size of budget, clients/products and results achieved. (200 words maximum)
Job Description 2: What would be your next step in terms of position if you were to remain in the same company instead of going to business school? (200 words maximum)
Job Description 3: Please give a full description of your career since graduating from university. Describe your career path with the rationale behind your choices. (300 words maximum)
Job Description 4: Discuss your short and long term career aspirations with an MBA from INSEAD. (100 words maximum)
INSEAD doesn’t give you a lot of words with which to provide really detailed answers here, so you will need to keep your responses direct and succinct. Focus on providing exactly what the school is asking for with each question. For the first one, you need to describe multiple elements of your current job or most recent one—the kind of work, primary responsibilities, employees, budget, and so on—so take care to cover them all and not overlook any.
The second prompt is pretty plain. Simply explain whether you would like (or expect) to continue moving up in your company along the path you’re already on or whether you would prefer to make a change of some kind and pursue a different role. In either case, offer a simple description of what the next position would be and what responsibilities you would then have.
Your answer to the third question will be the longest, though 300 words is still not a lot. Describe the different phases of your career thus far, and don’t forget to explain “the rationale behind your choices” along the way. INSEAD wants to know what has motivated you professionally.
For the fourth prompt, the school doesn’t want you to just share your goals but also tie them specifically to INSEAD. Be ready to point out whichever courses, clubs, experiences, and other offerings you believe will help prepare you to reach your goals.
Optional Job Essay: If you are currently not working or if you plan to leave your current employer more than 2 months before the programme starts, please explain your activities and occupations between leaving your job and the start of the programme.
INSEAD essentially wants to know that you are genuinely intellectually curious and driven, and that if given a few months of free rein, you will make good use of that time versus going on an extended vacation. This could include taking courses, getting more involved in your community, engaging in a philanthropic venture, or pursuing a personal or self-improvement goal. Spell out for the admissions committee what you see yourself doing and why. Show the school you are ambitious, and explain what you expect to take away from the experience(s) you intend to pursue.
Motivation Essay 1: Give a candid description of yourself (who are you as a person), stressing the personal characteristics you feel to be your strengths and weaknesses and the main factors which have influenced your personal development, giving examples when necessary (maximum 500 words).
Everyone’s answer to this question will (and should) be very different and personal, which makes this a good opportunity for you to stand out to the admissions committee. Focus on the parts of your personality and character that are deeply authentic and most indicative of who you are and how you live. What would make you distinctive and unique from the rest of your incoming class? Keep in mind INSEAD’s mission statement: “We bring together people, cultures and ideas to develop responsible leaders who transform business and society.” INSEAD really values diversity and an international mind-set, so this is also a good place to discuss these aspects of your life. Don’t forget to address what you feel is your most significant weakness, too, and in all cases, be completely honest. Candor regarding a shortcoming shows self-awareness. Admissions committees can easily spot when an applicant is trying to portray themselves as someone they think the school “wants” them to be or attempting to spin a strength as a weakness. And rather than trying to fit too much information into your 500-word response, focus on just two or three primary characteristics, supported by context via anecdotes or examples.
Motivation Essay 2: Consider a situation where you failed to achieve your objective(s). How did you handle failure? What did you learn about yourself and/or your interactions with others from this situation? (maximum 400 words)
To effectively tackle this essay, start by framing failure as a growth opportunity rather than a negative outcome. Select a meaningful instance when you genuinely invested effort but fell short of your objective—ideally, this would be a situation that highlights a mix of professional or personal stakes, such as a project that missed its mark or a pivotal decision that led to unexpected consequences. Introduce the story concisely, providing just enough context to set the stage and allow the reader to understand the stakes and your role. Avoid overloading your essay with background details; instead, focus on what was within your control and where things went off course.
The heart of this essay should lie in your response to failure. Did you adapt by seeking feedback? Rally others to recalibrate? Reflect and commit to skill building? The admissions committee wants to see resilience, self-awareness, and the ability to grow from adversity. Conclude by articulating the insights you gained about yourself and your relationships; aim for sincerity and avoid clichés like “I learned that failure is part of life.” For example, did you uncover a blind spot in your leadership style, realize the importance of collaboration, or find a deeper sense of purpose that now fuels your goals? Ensure that your story ties back to INSEAD’s core values of innovation, collaboration, and global perspective to show alignment with the program.
Optional Motivation Essay: Is there anything else that was not covered in your application that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee? (maximum 300 words)
The optional essay should always be used judiciously, and considering how many opportunities INSEAD already gives you to share your stories and experiences, be especially thoughtful about whether you really need to submit yet another essay at this point. This is not an opportunity to squeeze in an additional story you think is interesting but that will not actually add to the admissions committee’s knowledge or understanding of you in any meaningful way. So, you should probably provide this optional essay only if you feel the need to explain a confusing or problematic issue in your candidacy, such as a poor grade or overall GPA, a low GMAT or GRE score, a gap in your work experience, a disciplinary issue, or why your direct supervisor is not your recommender. And in any case, there’s no need to make your response any longer than necessary—just communicate the critical information.
That said, INSEAD does leave the door open to discuss something that is not a problem, so you have a bit of leeway to share anything you think might be pivotal or particularly compelling. If you have something truly unique to share that you believe would make you stand out or that the admissions committee absolutely needs to know to be able to evaluate you fully and fairly, then this is your chance. But remember that submitting an additional essay means you are asking the admissions committee to do extra work, so make sure that time is warranted, and keep your submission as brief as possible.
Video essay
INSEAD also requires that you complete a four-question video interview within 48 hours of submitting your application. You can record your response to each question as many times as you want, and you can do the questions in separate sessions rather than one right after the other, if you prefer. These videos are not meant to be a test, so don’t stress about them. They’re just to give the admissions committee a more complete view of who you are as an individual—your style, your personality, your individuality, and maybe, to an extent, your language skills, given the school’s international focus. Your goal here is just to be yourself and to respond and act as naturally and authentically as possible. Relax, smile, and be confident!
In Stratus Admissions’ Guide to Getting into INSEAD, you will find information on a variety of the MBA program’s offerings, such as the INSEAD capstone course, the Women in Business Club, and the annual DASH event.