Sponsored student? INSEAD is almost a no-brainer!
INSEAD attracts many types of students. Amongst them, a good number of admitted students (about 10-15%) are ‘sponsored’ students. These are students whose MBA is funded by their employers with the understanding that they would return back to the sponsoring companies.
As someone who was sponsored and just completed his MBA, I would like to share why I think INSEAD is a fantastic choice for sponsored MBA students:
1. Unmatched international exposure – Deep personal enrichment
If you are a sponsored student for whom job search is not a priority, you are looking for personal enrichment and a unique and fulfilling experience in your MBA. The INSEAD MBA is the most diverse program in the world, with students from more than 70 nationalities. There is no dominant culture. In the short span of 10-12 months, students can get to live, study and enjoy themselves in 3 different regions - Europe, Asia and the Middle East. With ample opportunities to travel with peers from across the globe, INSEAD provides for a deep cultural immersion, unmatched by any other MBA. Lest I forget to mention - the exchange program with Wharton and Kellogg allows you to spend 2-4 months in a US B-School campus (get US exposure and another school on your resume!). INSEAD is thus a truly enriching experience with immense personal learning!
3 distinct locations. 3 distinct cultures. 1 INSEAD MBA.
2. A 1 year MBA – Significantly lower cost
Post the MBA, you know you are going back to your sponsor. Hence you want to get your MBA degree without wasting excessive time and money. A 1-year MBA (10 months actually!) allows for just this. In my estimate, this saves you at least $200,000 compared to a 2-year US MBA program (100K in tuition and living + a $100K opportunity cost of lost income). At INSEAD, you learn about 80% of the content of a 2-year MBA.
Was it Benjamin Franklin who said, “Time is Money”?
3. Strong brand and global alumni network – Deep roots for a long-term career
Even if you are going back to your prior employer, you are unlikely to stay there till you retire. Hence, you want your MBA institution to have a strong brand and a well-established alumni network that you can leverage in future. INSEAD currently ranks as the #1 MBA in the world and its strong reputation is rapidly spreading. With its broad and well-connected alumni network (50,000+ alumni from 157 nationalities living in 174 countries), you are pretty much guaranteed to find an INSEADer just about everywhere to help you when you need it.
A top-ranked MBA with a global alumni network
For any applicant, opting to do an MBA is both a career and a life decision. Personal circumstances, geographical restrictions, etc. often impose constraints on the choice of institutions one can apply to. Which is why I say, for sponsored students, INSEAD is ‘almost’ a no-brainer and not a blanket ‘the best choice’. So go ahead – understand the facts, talk to people, and make the choice that is best for you. All the best! :-)
