GMAT Score For ISB | What Do You Need To Be Admitted?

As one of India’s top-ranked business schools, the Indian School of Business (ISB) is highly selective when it comes to selecting MBA students. ISB only considers applications from candidates who submit a GMAT (or GRE) score.

ISB’s flagship Postgraduate Program in Management (PGP) is delivered from both its Hyderabad and Mohali campuses. The PGP is equivalent to an MBA, and world-class faculty, notable alumni, and stellar career outcomes make ISB an attractive option that ranks highly among the best programs globally. 

If you want to be admitted, having a strong GMAT score for ISB could help you stand out from the crowd.

What is the average GMAT score for ISB?

ISB looks for well-rounded, academically savvy candidates. Therefore, a strong GMAT score lets the admissions team know that you can keep up in the classroom.

Although there is no ISB GMAT cut-off or minimum GMAT score required for ISB, attaining a strong score is an important component of your wider application. Average GMAT scores for the most competitive MBAs in the world are typically high, and although you won’t be admitted on the strength of your GMAT score alone, a high score will give you a better chance.

For the most recent PGP class, the median GMAT score was 720 under the previous scoring system that was replaced in 2024. This placed candidates in the 95th percentile and is therefore roughly equivalent to a 675 using the scoring scale currently in use when taking the exam today. 

A score within the 95th percentile is in line with scores seen at other leading business schools such as INSEAD, London Business School, and Cornell University.

The majority of successful applicants scored between the 62nd and the 99.9th percentile. Under the new scale, this equates to scores ranging from 555 to 765. Aspiring MBAs applying to ISB in 2025 should therefore set their sights on scores within or near this range. 

If you've already taken the GMAT and have a currently valid score that lies on the old scale, this percentile range means scores between 640 and 780. 

However, this range demonstrates a considerable gap and it's worth remembering this is just the middle 80% of accepted scores, which means 10% of current ISB students scored below the range and were still accepted, while 10% scored above. 

What is a good GMAT score for ISB?

Based on the average GMAT exam score for the current ISB PGP cohort, a good GMAT score would be around 675, using the new GMAT scoring system. This is equivalent to the median score of 720 on the previous scale and places candidates well above the 90th percentile of all test-takers (scoring above 655 places you within the 91st percentile on the new scoring system). 

In general, scoring above 655 on the current GMAT means you’ve outperformed around 90% of candidates globally, which is likely to stand out to competitive schools such as ISB.

Although the highest GMAT score from this year’s cohort was 780 (equivalent to 765 in the current GMAT exam), only around 10% of the class scored that highly—many successful applicants had more moderate scores.

If you’re aiming to assess your score’s competitiveness, it helps to know that around 50% of GMAT test takers score between 205 and 555 on the new scale—equivalent to 200-600 on the previous system. For more context, take a look at this comparison table.

So, while scoring highly on the GMAT will boost your chances of admission to ISB, it’s important to remember that standardized tests aren’t the be-all and end-all.

Your leadership potential, goals, and work experience are also important factors for the admissions team.

So, although a high GMAT score can prove your academic abilities and signal commitment to your studies, ultimately, it’s the unique experience you can bring to the classroom that will make your application to ISB stand out. If you have a lower GMAT score, emphasizing your experience in your application can help you get admitted.