FAQs

An Executive MBA (EMBA) is an MBA designed for experienced professionals, managers, and executives looking to enhance their leadership and management skills without interrupting their careers.

Unlike full-time ‘traditional’ MBAs, EMBA programmes typically cater to mid-to-senior-level professionals with substantial work experience, focusing on practical, real-world applications of business theories. EMBA programmes are often structured with flexible schedules, such as weekend or modular classes, to accommodate busy professionals.

Our full-time MBA and Executive MBA (EMBA) are both prestigious programmes that cover similar core material and lead to the same MBA qualification, but they are designed for professionals at different stages of their careers and have distinctive formats and delivery methods. 

All Executive MBA September streams are offered in-person, in a part-time format in the location of your choice. All Executive MBA January streams are offered in a blended (in-person and online) format, part-time in the location of your choice and virtually. The full-time MBA is, by nature, delivered full-time over a 15,18- or 21-month duration. 

The profile of an EMBA candidate differs from that of a full-time MBA candidate, particularly in terms of career stage and professional experience. Our typical full-time MBA candidate joins the programme with an average of 5 years of work experience, often looking to accelerate their career, pivot industries, or build a foundation for leadership roles. In contrast, our Executive MBA candidates have an average of 15 years of professional experience and are seasoned leaders, often already in senior management or executive roles. These individuals are seeking to refine their strategic thinking, leadership capabilities, and global business insights while balancing work and study. The EMBA is tailored to meet the needs of professionals at a more advanced stage of their careers. 

Both streams offer the same content with the key differences being in the format of the programme and the location. 

All Executive MBA students have access to London Business School's extensive elective portfolio and international elective options. The majority of these are delivered from our London campus, with some running from Dubai.  

We offer a fully aligned curriculum and admission requirements across both streams, so your choice of primary study location is dependent upon your personal preference and circumstances. 

There are no admissions restrictions in terms of geographic location. 

However, as the majority of the Executive MBA programme is delivered in London or Dubai, please think carefully about how you can combine the travel requirements with your full-time employment. 

At least 30% of Executive MBA students live outside the UK and the UAE, and commute to London and/or Dubai for classes.  

Securing company support—whether financial or in terms of time flexibility—is crucial for a successful Executive MBA (EMBA) journey. Here are a few strategic steps to help make your case effectively: 

• Identify key stakeholders: Engage with leaders such as your line manager, HR, Talent Development heads, and even the CFO or CEO if possible. Many executives have experienced or are familiar with MBA programmes and understand their strategic value. 

• Demonstrate immediate and long-term ROI: Highlight how the EMBA will allow you to apply new skills and insights directly to your role, yielding immediate benefits for your team and organisation. Emphasise that this investment has a compounding benefit—beyond your graduation—by preparing you for higher levels of responsibility. 

• Focus on tailored learning and strategic impact: The EMBA is structured so you can tailor electives and projects to your company’s specific needs. This can provide a direct knowledge boost in areas like strategy, leadership, and innovation, benefiting both you and your employer as you bring fresh perspectives and solutions into the business. 

• Expanded network and resources: The EMBA provides access to a global network of professionals, which can unlock potential partnerships, insights into industry best practices and collaborative opportunities. Emphasise that this network benefits not only you but the company as well. 

• Commitment to growth and retention: Present your EMBA commitment as a strategic move aligned with the company’s goals and growth trajectory. Many organizations see value in supporting employees who plan to advance internally, reducing recruitment costs and enhancing retention. 

By positioning the EMBA as a shared investment with mutual benefits, you’re more likely to gain support. 

Once you have explored the EMBA web pages and reviewed the brochure, one of the best ways to learn more about the Executive MBA is to attend one of our online information sessions or an in-person Experience Evening at our campus in London (Regents Park) or Dubai International Financial Centre. You can also get in touch with our recruitment team directly. 

Email us at emba@london.edu for any London related queries or embadubai@london.edu for any Dubai related queries.  

You can attend one of our virtual information events. To find out more, see the information events page.

We can have a telephone conversation with you. Depending on your location, you can either call our London campus on +44 (0)20 7000 7512, or our Dubai centre on +971 (0) 4 401 9343. Either call us at a convenient time for you, or email us at emba@london.edu with the number you would like us to call you on. We will be in touch to answer your questions about the programme and London Business School.

If you would like to speak directly with students or alumni, send your CV to emba@london.edu, so that we can match you with a suitable contact. You can also email us at emba@london.edu with any questions about the Executive MBA programme or London Business School.

Before joining the EMBA, you are expected to be employed as the programme is designed for working professionals.  

Students on both the London and Dubai streams come together in London to start the Executive MBA experience. All shared modules are residential and provide the ideal environment in which to build valuable networks with an extended group of diverse peers.

Following orientation week in London, you will continue your programme in either London or Dubai and study your core courses in your primary study location. The structure in which you study will be determined by the format for which you apply to, for detailed information on the study formats available please visit the programme content page.

In your second year, you can choose between six to nine electives from a portfolio of over 100 courses, allowing you to deepen your expertise in a specific field or broaden your knowledge across various business disciplines. Electives are timetabled in intensive block weeks or spread across a term on weekdays, evenings or weekends. You will also undertake a week-long Global Experience, challenging you to apply your learning in new and unfamiliar contexts, and to have responsible real-world impact on the communities and businesses you encounter.

There are also optional workshops offered throughout the programme that are designed to develop your interpersonal skills, and cover topics such as presenting, negotiating, handling conflict and business writing.

Study groups consist of about five or six people who work together for core course work during the first three terms. When putting the study groups together, we look for a balance of educational background, work background, gender and nationality. 

If you hold professional accounting qualifications, you may request to opt out of the accounting core courses. Waivers are judged on a case-by-case basis. 

In the second year of your programme you can choose between six to nine electives from a portfolio of over 100 courses, allowing you to specialise in a particular area or widen your knowledge of business topics. Electives are timetabled in intensive block weeks or spread across a term on weekdays, evenings or weekends. Subject areas cover accounting, economics, finance, management science and operations, marketing, organisational behaviour and strategy and entrepreneurship.  

You’ll also take part in a Global Experience, challenging you to apply your learning in new and unfamiliar contexts, and to have responsible real-world impact on the communities and businesses you encounter. The range of courses available provide opportunities for you to interact closely with faculty, major corporations, microentrepreneurs, alumni and others in the LBS global community in a range of destinations across the globe.  

The broadest choice of electives is available in London, with a selection of the most popular courses offered in Dubai. A limited number of elective opportunities are also available in New York through our partnership agreement with Columbia Business School. 

London Business School electives are offered in a variety of formats e.g. block weeks, once a week over ten weeks, alternating weeks, Fridays/Saturdays etc. Please note that not all electives are offered in all formats, with Dubai electives currently being offered only in block week format. 

The in-person teaching on your programme is compulsory and takes place on either the London or Dubai campus, dependent on your selected stream.  

Time spent in preparation outside of class will vary according to the course chosen and your background in the subject matter. On average, you can expect to spend approximately 10-20 hours in preparation outside of class for each course undertaken. 

Your choice of study format and elective options will dictate your schedule and therefore the number of days you are required to take out of the office over the duration of the programme. However, in the first three terms, when studying the core courses, your schedule is set. 

During year-one of the London and Dubai in-person format, you will need to attend campus on approximately 21 business working days. 

During year-one of the London and Dubai blended (in-person and online) format, you will need to attend campus on approximately 13 business working days.  

Please note that this does not include any travel time you may need to attend the programme.  

In the second year of the programme you undertake electives and a Global Experience. Your schedule will vary depending upon which courses you choose and in which format these courses are offered.  

The time spent studying outside the classroom varies from student to student. However, most students estimate they spend an average of 20 hours studying each week in addition to time spent in class. You will get more out of the programme the more you put in, so the more time committed outside classroom hours leads to greater gains in learning outcomes. 

The EMBA programme has dedicated Programme Directors, based on both campuses. Hannah Daniels for EMBA London and Zara Kamileen for EMBA Dubai. Professor Ben Hardy, Academic Director for Leadership programmes, leads faculty oversight for the EMBA programme.  

For further detail on current course credits and graduation requirements, please contact a member of the Recruitment and Admissions team for the most up to date information. 

Some of our most experienced faculty teach across the EMBA programme, although the list changes from year to year.

London Business School is proud to be recognised and validated by independent organisations for the quality of our programmes. The Executive MBA programme holds AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA accreditation. The Executive MBA Dubai is also accredited by the United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Education through the office of its Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA). 

For further information, please visit Rankings and Accreditation. 

What is the typical Executive MBA student like? 

Our Executive MBA students have an average of 15 years of professional experience and are seasoned leaders, often already in senior management or executive roles. Successful candidates are able to demonstrate experience in the management of projects, budgets, processes or people over a sustained period. EMBA students are typically seeking to refine their strategic thinking, leadership capabilities, and global business insights while balancing work and study. 

Our September 2026 cohort comprised:  

• 93 students  

• 39 nationalities  

• 15 years’ work experience on average  

• 40% women  

Career Centre provides support in four ways: 

• Career development – you will develop the skills necessary to manage your individual career strategy, whether that is conducting an effective job search, accelerating in your organisation or setting up your own entrepreneurial venture 

• Career coaching – one-to-one tailored support to give you a better understanding of who you are, what you have to offer and ideate career options and stepping stones to achieve your objectives  

• Career and networking opportunities – you will have the opportunity to explore and examine different sectors, companies and roles through meeting practitioners and professionals 

• Career insights – you will build on your own research by accessing up to date information on employment trends and hiring practices, as well as geographic, sector and company insights. 

All EMBA students have access to all that the Career Centre has to offer. Most of the workshops and resources apply whether you are looking for new roles or wishing to enhance your progress within your own organisation. For students wanting to move onwards and upwards in their own organisation, our career acceleration tools and techniques are particularly relevant. 

Students choosing to enrol onto the LBS EMBA are experienced executives with a unique profile and career objectives. 

Working with a dedicated career coach, students can plan their individual career strategy. Some will hope to change their career path; others will want to move industry; some may experiment with entrepreneurship, while some will leverage the programme learning to accelerate their career within their current organisation. 

At executive level you have already attained significant experience and career capital and we support students to plan their own individual career progression strategy, working with you to craft your personal story, identify stepping stones assist you in targeting organisations where you could add value.  

When companies recruit at executive level, they usually seek a specific profile of experience, personality and fit for their organisation. Only a handful of candidates from the broader market will meet their criteria and they tend not to use “structured hiring” processes that are typical of MBA hiring in business schools. Therefore, recruiters do not limit their search to business schools for executive hiring. 

Career Centre focuses attention on helping individual students develop a strong personal brand, effective self-marketing tools, and a clear job search strategy to enable them to secure conversations with organisations who will value their particular profile. 

Your career goals are unique and you are in the driving seat when it comes to planning your career journey. Whether your aim is to accelerate your career within your existing organisation, by identifying new or nascent roles, or global responsibilities, make an external career transition, or pursue an entrepreneurial venture, the Executive MBA can equip you with the knowledge and networking opportunities to take ownership of your career with confidence. 

As a member of our alumni community we hope that you continue to engage with us for your career development needs. 

We run an annual programme of webinars, events and workshops to support you in your career and professional development. These cover a range of topics, from developing your personal brand, becoming a Non-Executive Director, to the challenges and opportunities of working in a large family-owned business. 

We provide access to a range of resources and also offer alumni the opportunity to work with a career coach. 

Executive MBA students normally have an undergraduate degree from a recognised university; however, we do occasionally consider non-graduate candidates. We would expect such candidates to have alternative professional qualifications and/or outstanding work experience. We would also look at the GMAT or Executive Assessment more closely as an indicator of academic ability.  

There is no minimum score requirement. The test is just one of several pieces of information used by the School to assess a candidate's suitability, and just as a high score does not guarantee admission, a lower score does not eliminate a candidate. 

In making an admissions decision, we consider all aspects of a candidate's background, knowledge and experience as demonstrated throughout the application process.  

If you are concerned about your test score, please contact a member of the admissions team at emba@london.edu or telephone +44 (0)20 7000 7512 (UK) or +971 440 193 01 (Dubai). 

Only applicants with exceptional work experience or a quantitative background will be considered for a waiver and all requests will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Some eligibility criteria include: 

• Candidates with C-level experience in a heavily quantitative role from a medium/large organisation 

• An academic qualification in a quantitative field 

• Relevant professional qualifications i.e. CFA, ACCA, CIMA, ACA 

Please note that decisions will be made using a holistic approach. If you feel you are suitable for a waiver, please email the EMBA London or EMBA Dubai recruitment team with a copy of your CV and the reason why you feel you meet the waiver eligibility criteria. Applicants who meet the eligibility requirements will be reviewed by the admissions team. 

Our GMAT reporting codes are Z11-J7-23 for London and Z11-J7-36 for Dubai. 

We would advise you to wait for the committee’s feedback, on whether or not you need to take an English language proficiency test. 

You cannot apply to more than one programme at London Business School or our partner schools at the same time, or in the same academic year. You cannot re-apply to the same programme within the same academic year. 

Brought to you by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), creators of the GMAT® exam, the EA has been developed for time sensitive executives - the assessment is easy to schedule, short in duration, and requires only modest preparation. 

Our admissions process is structured around published deadlines. Competition can be fierce in later rounds, so we strongly encourage you to apply as early as possible, especially if you are looking to apply for a scholarship. For further information on deadlines, please visit our how to apply pages.

The application fee is £180. You can pay the fee online as part of your online application or by downloading the application fee payment form.

For graduates of University of London, the application fee will be waived. This must be requested when you apply, and you must provide a copy of your college transcript.  

Candidates recommended by London Business School alumni may also be exempt from the application fee. Alumni wishing to recommend a candidate should email emba@london.edu (London) or embadubai@london.edu (Dubai) stating their relationship with the candidate and their reasons for the recommendation. Recommendations must be received before the application is submitted. 

Your reference should be from your immediate line manager. This will also give us an indication of their awareness of your time commitment to the programme. 

Candidates are required to submit academic transcripts from their undergraduate or graduate educational institutions. If the original transcripts are not in English, you must also provide certified translated copies. 

Our preferred format for receiving applications is via our online portal. 

We review applications within two weeks of receiving them. If you are successful, you will be invited to interview. Prior to the interview, you will be requested to take the Kira video assessment as part of our holistic evaluation process. The Kira video assessment evaluates key traits like leadership, critical thinking and communication skills – which we can then discuss further with you in your interview 

Interviews are conducted by a member of the Executive MBA admissions team or our alumni. You will receive a final decision within six to eight weeks of submitting a complete application. 

If your application is not successful, please review the admissions criteria against your application and ensure that your experience and objectives are aligned with the admissions criteria. 

Remember that competition for places is high, and consequently we are not able to offer places to a number of entirely suitable candidates. 

The School does not have any arrangements for students to transfer between its programmes or to/from a programme at another institution. 

Most of our students use a visitor visa, which has to be arranged well in advance. Please contact the Recruitment team for further guidance. 

The Recruitment and Admissions Team and alumni utilise the same interview process – who you interview with will not have any impact on the outcome of your application. The Admissions Committee employs the same assessment criteria regardless of the interviewer (staff or alumni). 

If shortlisted for an admissions interview, you will be requested to take the Kira video assessment as part of our holistic evaluation process and you will be informed of when your interview will be conducted. 

Executive MBA tuition fees for the programmes commencing September 2025 will differ depending on the choice of primary study location. The programme fee for the Executive MBA (London) class is £129,950. The programme fee for the Executive MBA (Dubai) class is US$ 155,500*. 

*All fees quoted exclude the mandatory 5% tax (VAT) that is applicable in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the consumption or use of goods and services with the UAE. 

Fees include tuition, e-copies of core courses textbooks and hotel accommodation for orientation week and the global experience. 

You must be sponsored by your organisation in terms of time, but you are not required to secure financial support. 

You will be sent a scholarship application link alongside your interview information. 

Yes, you can apply for more than one scholarship depending on the eligibility criteria, but if successful, you will only receive one type of award. 

You will receive scholarship guidance through the Scholarship application link. It will contain all the detailed information about each award and eligibility. 

Scholarships are split across 5 instalments. Please note that the scholarship cannot be used for your commitment fee payment.