What interview questions should I prepare for when applying to the INSEAD MBA?

TL;DR 

• INSEAD’s MBA application includes a mandatory Kira video, followed by selective alumni interviews that confirm motivation, fit, and professional credibility
• Interviewers tailor questions to your background, so you must research alumni interviewers and understand INSEAD’s values 
• INSEAD MBA application questions also focus on your professional path, so you must be ready to share how the program fits with your long-term goals 

Landing a place on the MBA program at INSEAD—one of the world’s most prestigious business schools—is challenging. With one of the highest-ranked MBAs across the globe, according to the Financial Times, it’s no surprise that the INSEAD application process is competitive. 

Applying to study the INSEAD MBA follows the typical application process, however INSEAD also requires all applicants to complete a video interview where they have the chance to reveal more about themselves to the admissions team via a short series of questions.

After the video interview, applications are filtered and successful candidates are invited into a selective in-person interview, marking the next stage of the application process. 

To find out more about how MBA hopefuls can have the best chance of success during their interviews, plus what INSEAD MBA interview questions to expect, here's our interview with Virginie Fougeau, INSEAD's executive director of student engagement who previously worked in admissions for the school for more than two decades. 

INSEAD MBA interview questions: What to know? 

What is the INSEAD MBA interview format?

When applicants have submitted the essay portion, application materials, and any supplementary information, they are all then requested to complete a video exercise on the Kira platform. This complements the information we already gather in a different fashion. 

Applicants answer four questions, plus, there is a typed answer on Kira as well. We realized it’s helpful for people more at ease communicating verbally to have the opportunity to speak, while others prefer to type. So, we offer the best of both worlds—videos and writing—to convey motivation.

The video interview happens systematically on Kira. All applicants are required to do it. Then we have a pre-selection process, and some are then invited to interviews organized with alumni. For the MBA we organize two interviews, alumni interview the candidates and then send a report.

We prefer in-person alumni interviews. We encourage face-to-face interviews because there’s nothing like building relationships with the community by talking to people live. We have alumni in more than 179 countries, so we’re happy to conduct interviews wherever applicants are based.

What is the weight of the interview in the overall INSEAD admissions process?

The interviewers confirm for us the suitability of each candidate for the program. Their opinion matters, but they won’t see the entire pool. We will have already denied applicants prior to the interview stage, so the biggest filter is pre-interview, though there’s still a filter post-interview.

The interviews mostly confirm things that we felt positively about during earlier stages.

What questions should candidates expect in their INSEAD admission interview?

It’s up to the interviewers, though they typically ask traditional questions around motivation and why the applicant is interested in the program. They also assess the professional path of the applicant. 

Since the alumni are often based in the same country as the applicant, the alumni help us understand if the interviewee’s role is indeed challenging, or provide information if they know the company or the local ecosystem. This helps give us a better picture of the professional environment. 

Interviewers aren’t selected randomly—they’re chosen based on the applicant’s profile. For instance, if someone works in real estate in Greece, we make sure the interviewer is familiar with the real estate environment in that region.

What are some key interview tips you would give to INSEAD MBA applicants?

I always encourage applicants to check the LinkedIn profile of their alumni interviewers. 

Applicants should do their due diligence, just like when applying for a job—you’d check if you align with the company’s values. We expect applicants to do the same with INSEAD. 

Knowing what the alumni interviewers do helps. Since they’ve gone through the program and know what it’s like to be a student at INSEAD, they understand the intensity of a one-year program with many different cultures, which is why alumni are instrumental in the selection process.

And since the alumni are volunteers, I recommend being mindful of their time. Asking for feedback from the interviewer immediately after the interview is unlikely to be helpful, as they are only one part of the selection process. Applicants should be mindful that the alumni are donating their time.

What should you NOT do in an INSEAD MBA interview?

One thing I’d like to touch upon is the increasing use of AI, which is perfectly acceptable and understandable. In some cases, I would even recommend it, however, it’s important to use it wisely. 

During their applications and interviews I expect people to treat AI the same way they would treat quoting a book or article. It should be used for inspiration, not for copy and pasting.