ESMT Berlin
The European School of Management and Technology (ESMT) is located in the center of Berlin, Germany. ESMT offers a full-time, 15-month MBA program as well as a Part-Time Blended MBA, Global Online MBA, and part-time modular Executive MBA. The full-time MBA is customizable with specializations in innovation and entrepreneurship, and managerial analytics. It offers optional projects such as the Social Impact Challenge, internship, German language courses and international exchanges. ESMT believes that half of an MBA experience is new learning in the classroom, and half is integrative, personal development. Throughout the program, students work in diverse teams, discover their drives and limits, and question conventional thinking.
FAQ
What is the tuition for ESMT’s MBA program?
The tuition for ESMT’s MBA program is €50,000 per year.
How hard is it to get into ESMT’s MBA program?
The acceptance rate for ESMT is around 30%. It is important to consider the acceptance rate in the context of the student profile of those who are admitted. For example the average GMAT score is 640.
What is the average GMAT score for admission to ESMT’s MBA program?
The average GMAT score for the incoming class at ESMT is 640.
Does the ESMT MBA program accept the GRE?
Yes. The ESMT MBA program has accepted the GRE for a few years now.
What is the average GRE score for admission to ESMT’s MBA program?
The average GRE scores for the ESMT MBA class are 160 Verbal and 160 Quant.
What is the minimum number of years of work experience required for admission to ESMT’s MBA program?
ESMT requires a minimum of 3 years of postgraduate, professional experience.
What is the average number of years of work experience for admission to ESMT’s MBA program? (or, What is the average age of a ESMT student?)
The average number of years of work experience among students in ESMT’s MBA program is 6. The average age of an ESMT MBA student is 30.
What is the average starting salary for graduates of the ESMT MBA program?
The average starting salary for ESMT MBA graduates is 83,902 Euros. The salary will vary by industry, with consulting and finance jobs generally commanding the higher salaries.
How long is ESMT’s full-time MBA program?
ESMT offers a 15-month full-time MBA program.
What are the application deadlines for ESMT’s MBA program?
For the January 2026 intake, the Round 1 deadline is February 28. The Round 2 deadline is April 11. The Round 3 deadline is May 30. The Round 4 deadline is August 22. The Round 5 deadline is November 14.
What percent of ESMT MBA students are women?
The percentage of the class at ESMT that are women is 30%.
What type of interview does ESMT use for MBA admissions?
ESMT invites applicants to a personal interview, either at ESMT’s Berlin campus or online. The interview lasts about an hour, and assesses various aspects of the applicant’s interpersonal competency as well as career goals and aspirations.
Admissions
The Class Profile
The ESMT MBA Class of 2025 is comprised of 100% international students. Thirty percent are women. The class averaged six years of work experience and had an average age of 3o. The average GMAT score landed at 640 while those who took the GRE landed average scores of 160 in each section.
Application Procedures
ESMT has five rounds of admissions deadlines. For consideration for an early application scholarship, applicants must submit their materials within the first three rounds, and each scholarship amount decreases per round. Prospective students must have three years of consecutive postgraduate, professional work experience, as well as an undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification. The application requirements for ESMT include completing the school’s online application and submitting four short essay answers, a CV, two recommendations, and college transcripts. Applicants must also report their GMAT/GMAT Focus/GRE/EA/ESMT Business Admissions Test scores and, when applicable, TOEFL/IELTS scores. TOEFL, including TOEFL iB, (95 minimum score), PTE (64 minimum score), and IELTS (7 minimum score) are the accepted English proficiency tests. If English is your native language or you earned a university degree exclusively taught in English you do not need to take an English proficiency test.
Interviews are required for admission, and ESMT holds interviews by invitation only. ESMT invites applicants to a personal interview, either at ESMT’s Berlin campus or via Zoom. The interview lasts 40-50 minutes, and assesses the applicant’s interpersonal competency as well as career goals and aspirations. Applicants can also ask questions about the school and the program.
Application Checklist
- Online application
- Essay questions
- CV
- Recommendations
- Test scores (GMAT//GMAT Focus/GRE/EA/ESMT Business Admissions Test, TOEFL/PTE/IELTS if applicable)
- Copies of university transcripts
- €100 application fee
ESMT Berlin Q&A's
ESMT Berlin LiveWire and DecisionWire
Academics
Faculty
ESMT has 37 core faculty members. Their research appears in international academic journals, and contributes to managerial publications and case studies.
Curriculum
Full-time MBA students enroll at ESMT in January and complete their degree by March of the following year, with graduation in April. The curriculum structure and cadence are designed to focus on the intersection of theory and practice, with a significant portion spent on experiences outside the classroom. Throughout the program, students attend a series of personal development workshops and seminars. The curriculum is broken down into five Modules, each building on the previous one. In the first Module from January to June, MBA students build their business fundamentals and develop a holistic perspective. Core competency areas include managing organizations, assessing economic impact, making decisions and more. In the latter half of Module One, students have the option to take a 10-week program of twice weekly German language evening classes. In the summer during the second module, students can choose to participate in one of three options to support personal and professional development: an internship, a six-week intensive German language school, or a social impact challenge. For the latter, students team up for six to eight weeks to solve a corporate or social challenge while also developing skills in economic and management consulting.
Beginning in September, Modules 3 and 4 consist of choosing one of two specialization tracks; innovation and entrepreneurship, and managerial analytics. Regardless of the track chosen, the courses in the module stress the areas where future leaders must excel, and where they must have specific awareness. Tracks focus on:
- Managerial Analytics
- Customer analytics
- Advanced decision modeling
- Machine learning
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship
- Entrepreneurial finance & valuation
- Human factor of innovation
- Creating and capturing value
Module 4 includes electives. Students can choose from a suite of themes, including digital transformation, sustainability, entrepreneurship, leadership and personal mastery, and more. In addition, students have the option to join a one-week exchange abroad through the Global Network for Advanced Management. Fellow Global Network for Advanced Management partner schools include Yale, EGADE, HEC Paris, Fudan and many more. Students may also opt for a full term exchange.
Finally, from January to March, MBA students complete their capstone, which is either a real-life consulting project, or entrepreneurs working on their companies. The real-life consulting projects allow students to apply what they have learned during the program and build their skills portfolio while working in teams. Capstone projects are secured by the Career Development Center from corporate partners and contacts. Vali Venture Club members can choose to work on an innovation project from local start-ups. Students will use this experience to write a final analytical paper.
Other MBA Degree Options
The ESMT Berlin Part-time MBA allows students to continue working full-time while earning their MBA. Seventy-five percent of the program takes place online, with the remaining 25% is conducted in-person during 14 residencies, with 13 in Berlin and one international residency A week-long in-person residency begins the program in September, with the next 12 in-person residencies taking place over the course of two and a half days (Thursday afternoon through Saturday evening) approximately once a month beginning in October and ending 19 months later in May. The program concludes with the final residency, a one-week international study tour, and Graduation Week following in November.
ESMT Berlin also offers a Global Online MBA, a completely online program that also allows students to continue to work full-time. The Global Online MBA has two intake dates: June or October. The program is flexible, lasting two to five years depending on candidates’ needs and pace. Each course has three hours of live sessions, plus live office hour sessions. Courses cover topics such as data-driven decision making, agile decision making, and marketing and sales in a digital world.
The ESMT Berlin Executive MBA curriculum integrates academic training with peer-to-peer and individual coaching, applied and evidence-based learning. The ESMT EMBA begins in October each year and runs for 18 months. It consists of 10 modules, each comprising a week. Six modules take place on ESMT’s Berlin campus, while the other four take place outside of Germany. Between modules students study independently, which includes pre-and post-module reading, assignments, case studies, group work, and the final report.
Degree Options at ESMT
Full-Time MBA
https://esmt.berlin/mba-programs/full-time-mba
Part-Time Blended MBA in Business Innovation
https://esmt.berlin/mba-programs/part-time-mba
Executive MBA
https://esmt.berlin/mba-programs/executive-mba
Global Online MBA
https://esmt.berlin/mba-programs/global-online-mba/
Campus Life
Clubs & Events
ESMT students have a variety of opportunities to get involved with the school community. They have a choice of 13 student-founded clubs to join: consulting, venture consulting, innovation & technology, international affairs, investment & fintech, marketing, Net Impact, Pride Impact, women in leadership, Meraki, culture, sports, and football. Most of these have a professional focus. For instance, the Pride Impact Club looks to create a vibrant and inclusive environment for LGBTQIA+ students and their allies, and the Women in Leadership club members seek to develop and empower women in future leadership roles.
The DigitalFuture Summit is an annual event run by ESMT Masters in Management students that connects student talent with the future of digitalization. It offers a unique learning experience by providing a space for exchanging ideas and information with keynote speakers and dedicated focus streams with hands-on workshops and masterclasses.
Campus Spaces
The central campus of ESMT Berlin is located on Museum Island, and a short walk from Alexanderplatz and the Brandenburg Gate. The main building, Schlossplatz 1, once housed the East German State Council headquarters. ESMT officially opened its Berlin campus in 2006 after extensive renovation. The campus frequently hosts renowned events and conferences, such as the Berlin Global Dialogue and ESMT Open Lectures. The school also has a satellite campus in Berlin-Schöneberg and a branch office in Shanghai.
Each MBA student has access to an assigned study room and lecture rooms for the duration of their studies. Students also have access to Space Shack, an entrepreneurial hub and co-working space also open to some of Berlin’s best start-ups, at the Berlin-Schöneberg satellite campus.
The overwhelming majority of full-time MBA students live off campus in a variety of private accommodations. The school recently began to offer student accommodations for full-time ESMT students in the form of seven shared flats, with one flat exclusively reserved for women; students must apply to be considered. As for off campus housing, ESMT has partnerships with a number of public and private housing providers.
Pre-MBA Opportunities
- Full access to ESMT campus facilities
- Scheduled meeting with ESMT Career Services Advisor
- Ability to participate in ESMT Open Lectures
- Integration into ESMT MBA Club activities
- Networking opportunities with current MBA class
MBA Careers
Career Services
ESMT’s Career Development Center plays an active role in supporting, advising, and guiding students as they consider their futures after their MBA. A series of career development workshops and personal coaching sessions are integrated into the MBA course schedule. Students can also attend on-campus recruiting events and company visits throughout Germany.
Throughout the MBA program, students work individually with coaches, mentors, and advisors who give professional feedback and advice on career goals and opportunities. The annual career fair at ESMT campus boasts over 30 participating companies and takes place in February each year. This career fair is open to Masters and MBA ESMT students and alumni. Companies also host one-on-one speed interviews with pre-selected candidates. In the fall, students can participate in the MBA Talent Forum and interact with MBA students at Germany’s two other top business schools. During the year, ESMT MBA students have opportunities to interact with companies from a wide number of industries.
Many corporate guests participate in class to discuss leading cases with professors, as well as dedicated information sessions about their companies. Career Services also organizes two career treks throughout Germany during the year. Students are able to visit company offices and ask questions about the industry or specific company culture. Recent company visits include: Allianz, Amazon, BMW, DeliveryHero, Earlybird, Google, HelloFresh, HERE, McKinsey, Microsoft, SAP, Signavio, Wayfair, Zalando, and many more.
Career Statistics
Graduates of ESMT Berlin automatically qualify for an 18-month work visa in Germany for which no employer support is needed.
Within 3 months of graduation, 74% of the Full-Time MBA Class of 2023 seeking employment had received job offers. Four graduates became entrepreneurs and started their own business. Thirty-three percent of graduates joined the consulting industry. Twenty-three percent joined the tech industry, while 13% joined the financial services industry. Consumer goods, energy, healthcare, media and entertainment, nonprofit, and retail industries each received 3% of graduates. Ten percent joined an industry not listed above.
ESMT keeps with the general business school trend of placing a considerable percentage of its graduates in the region where the school is located. In this case, 72% of the Class of 2023 found work in Germany. Fourteen percent settled in other parts of Europe, and 4% moved to Asia.
Financing
ESMT’s tuition and fees total €50,000. These fees include the cost of books, study materials, and a Smart Certificate. They do not include travel costs for study trips or exchanges. In addition to tuition, students should budget enough money for relocation and living expenses. The school recommends that students budget €815 to €1,465 a month for living expenses.
Most students cover the costs of their studies with a mix of awards and scholarships, loans and personal savings. Awards and scholarships can only apply to tuition fees. Awards are automatically granted if a student meets the criteria, and students can receive more than one. A separate scholarship essay is required in the application form to apply for a full or partial scholarship. Students may apply to up to three scholarships and can only be awarded one. Scholarships are awarded based on merit, and other attributes depending on the specific scholarship. Besides scholarships, admitted students may be eligible to borrow the program’s full tuition costs through Prodigy Finance, Brain Capital, Juno or Deutsche Bildung. Other potential funding options include scholarships and loans offered by the student’s home country/region. In addition, many countries allow students to count tuition and related costs as tax-deductible expenses; ESMT recommends anyone considering this option to speak with their tax advisor.
Recent News
Contact
Address of main campus:
Schloßpl. 1, 10178 Berlin
Phone: 030 212310
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.esmt.berlin
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/esmt
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/esmtberlin