For years, Europe has hung on to the crown of place-to-be for Master in Management (MiM) degree programs. In fact, some European business schools have been running their MiM program for over 100 years. Their success is well documented, with European MiM programs ranking higher than U.S. ones.
The late 2010s saw a continuous gathering of pace for the MiM in Europe, with business schools reporting steady growth in applications. Since 2019, however, the landscape has begun to shift as European business schools face increased competition from new MiM programs in the U.S. and in Asia.
Even with this global expansion, Europe remains a leader in the field. Eighty-five percent of all worldwide Masters in Management are offered there, and European schools continue to rank particularly well, claiming 19 spots of the top 20 programs in the Financial Times Master in Management Ranking 2023.
With this in mind, let’s take a look at the best Masters in Management Programs that Europe has to offer.
The Leading MiM Programs in Europe
An MiM is a graduate business degree designed for individuals at the start of their careers. It provides a comprehensive education in business and management, equipping students with the skills and knowledge needed to enter the business world and take on managerial roles. The MiM is particularly suitable for recent graduates looking to gain a competitive edge in the job market and build a foundation for a successful career in business.
Edhec
Edhec’s Master in Management is run in English, lasts two years and launches every September. Like other European MiMs, its focus is international – only this time, it makes this global with an extra year of foreign academic exchange sandwiched in the middle of the two years of study. Alternatively, students can use this year to gain professional experience. While on the course, students can specialize in finance, business management, even data science and AI. After graduation, 93% of Edhec students found a job.
Application requirements
Applicants will need to have completed/provide proof of:
- A three-year bachelor’s degree
- A strong GMAT or GRE score
- An English proficiency test
- Their CV
- An academic transcript
- Two recommendation letters
- A letter of motivation
Esade
Esade’s MiM is only one year long, kicking off in September each year and running predominantly in English (with some elective courses in Spanish). It offers specializations that promise to prepare its students for the changing world in business (such as AI and Finance) and cultivates an international focus by offering courses in French, German and Mandarin. The internationalism is reflected in its employment statistics, with 44% of Esade grads finding a job outside their home country. The average age of incoming students is 23, and in 2023 the Financial Times ranked the program #8 in the world, #7 in Europe and #1 in Spain.
Application requirements
Applicants will need to provide proof of:
- Bachelor’s degree certificate and accompanying transcripts
- A score from the GMAT/GRE/TAE
- Fluency in English, proven via a C1 test, a Bachelor Degree in English, or a TOEFL, TOEIC, or an IELTS
Emlyon
emlyon’s MiM, taught in French and English and lasting two years, is ranked highly. It hit second place spot for French business school for employability (Times Higher Education 2024) and was ranked #7 by the Financial Times review of worldwide Masters in Management, 2023. The emlyon course is internationally focused, with experiences for its students across the world, and an impressive 87% of its students bagged jobs even before graduating.
Application requirements
Applicants will need to provide the following documents/ proof of the following:
- English proficiency, as demonstrated by the TOEFL iBT, IELTS or Cambridge test (less than 2 years old) OR a completed bachelor’s degree in English OR evidence of being a native English speaker
- Their academic transcript
- A certified copy of your degree, if already obtained), or a “progress report” if not
- A management test score, from either the GMAT, the GRE, the TAGE MAGE or the CAT2
ESCP
ESCPs two-year Master in Management boasts study-abroad opportunities, hands-on experience and a promise of training comprehensive enough to launch an international business career. Its statistics back up its claims, with 100% of its students landing a job within six months of graduation. Incoming students to the program have an average age of 22 (and, accordingly, not a whole lot of work experience). They have the chance to choose from over 70 specializations during their degree and to gain nine months work and internship experience along the way. The course is taught in English, starts every September and was ranked #4 worldwide by the Financial Times in 2023.
Application requirements
Applicants will need to have completed and/or provide proof of:
- A bachelor’s or master’s degree (in any discipline)
- University transcripts
- Their English proficiency, which should sit at least at a B2 level
- An excellent academic record
- A personal statement, which should detail an international mindset and outlook
- Their CV
- A GMAT, GRE, CAT, TAGE-MAGE or SHL score
ESSEC
ESSEC’s MiM was launched in 1907. Over 100 years of run time has shaped it into a highly ranked, highly personalized course; it has flexible academic tracks for students to choose from, an international curriculum and cohorts hailing from all over the world. The program is taught in both English and French and has an average incoming student age of 23. It was ranked #5 by the Financial Times in 2023.
Application requirements
Applicants will need to provide the following items/proof of the following items:
- Photo and ID
- Previous employment (for intensive track only)
- English results
- Management test results (such as the GMAT)
- Two recommendation letters
- Degree certificates
- Degree transcripts
- CV
- High school diploma
HEC Paris
HEC Paris offers a two-year Master in Management program. Applicants are required to have completed an undergraduate degree upon matriculation to the MiM program. HEC Paris is open to applicants with a range of undergraduate majors – engineers, arts, social sciences – as long as the degree lasted at least three years and was worth 180 credits. Intake for the HEC MiM occurs in September, and applicants can apply in the last year of their degree. Little to no work experience is required. The course is taught in English, though there is the chance to take some electives in French should you happen to speak it.
For over a decade, HEC hovered in the runner-up spot on the Financial Times’ rankings, finally claiming first place in 2023. Its prestige is reflected in its admissions, with the median GMAT for last year’s intake coming in at 710.
Application requirements
Applicants will need to have completed and/or provide proof of:
- Either the GRE, the GMAT or the TAGE MAGE test
- An undergraduate degree and accompanying academic transcripts
- A CV
- An English Language Proficiency Test – TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS or Cambridge are accepted
- Two online reference forms
- A passport style photo
INSEAD
INSEAD’s MiM program runs for between 14 and 16 months, starts every August, and has an average incoming student age of 23. On average, its students have gained 11 months of work or internship experience before they apply (though the program requires none), and 94% of its students received a job offer in 2024. As with other MiMs, the INSEAD program has a strong international focus, attracting candidates who demonstrate the same and offering global field trips and language modules throughout the course.
Application requirements
- Applicants will need to have completed or provide proof of the following:
- The GMAT Exam or GRE
- An undergraduate degree
- English proficiency, shown either through a bachelor degree in English or a TOEFL, IELTS, or the Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic
- An INSEAD application form
- Two letters of recommendation
London Business School
Just like HEC, London Business School seeks recent college graduates with less than two years of work experience. In addition, LBS’ MiM program has a great career placement track record with a post-graduation employment rate of 91%. Incoming students can choose to specialize in finance or analytics should they opt for the one-year MiM track, or a global masters with time in Shanghai should they opt for the two-year. According to the Financial Times, the program ranks at #3 in the world for MiM programs and #1 in the UK.
Application requirements
Applicants will need to have completed and/or provide proof of:
- An application form
- An application essay
- GMAT/GMAT Focus/GRE exam (the school recommends that you only apply if you have a score above 600)
- A CV (no more than a page long)
- English language ability
- University transcripts
- Name and details of referee
Rotterdam School of Management
For Rotterdam, diversity and variety drive their Master in Management program. A range of concentrations and specializations are available to students (from entrepreneurship to finance to human resources) and graduates enter job markets as varied as project management, business analysts, consultants and manufacturing services. The program lasts a year, starts in September and attracts an international cohort. Seventy percent of graduates from the Rotterdam program were employed within six months of their graduation date.
Application requirements
Applicants must have completed/provide proof of:
- A bachelor’s degree (in any field)
- A GMAT with a minimum score of 605
- English language proficiency – demonstrated via a bachelor degree in English, proof of being a native english speaker or a TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS or Cambridge (any of which must be from last the 2 years)
SDA Bocconi
SDA Boccini’s Master in Management has a truly global focus. Its partner universities are widespread and varied, and the program – delivered across all of them – is designed by leaders in both academia and business across the world. The course is taught completely in English and boasts an impressive 97.8% employment rate one year after graduation. In 2023, it was ranked 8th worldwide for the MSc in International Management by the Financial Times.
Application requirements
Applicants will need to have completed/provide proof of:
- A university degree in any discipline
- Fluency in English – if not a native speaker, then this should be proven via TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic or CPE
- A GMAT/GRE or SDA test
- Two references
- Roughly 1-3 years’ working experience
University of St. Gallen
The Master in Management at St. Gallen lasts three semesters, is taught in English and has an average incoming student age of 23. What sets it apart from the crowd is its positioning as a Master of Arts, which allows it to combine the research-based, academic rigor of a Master of Arts with the practice-oriented approach of leading MBA programmes. The program’s commitment to academic excellence is echoed by the decade long hold it had on the Financial Times’ top spot, ranked as the #1 Masters in Management worldwide from 2011-2022.
Admissions requirements
Applicants must have completed or provide proof of the following:
- Proficiency in English to a C1 Level
- A bachelor’s degree and accompanying academic transcripts
- An application essay
- A score from the GMAT or GRE
- Evidence of sufficient accounting knowledge, proven either through previous studies or through a St Gallen-provided examination
