Indian School of Business (ISB) Admission 2026

The Indian School of Business (ISB) is an independent, not-for-profit business school established in 2001, with campuses in Hyderabad and Mohali. Its flagship management programme is the one-year, full-time, residential Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP), designed for professionals with at least two years of full-time work experience.

The ISB PGP is a management programme comparable in scope to a global MBA, but ISB specifically states that the PGP is not a degree programme. The programme has a 12-month duration and is delivered across the Hyderabad and Mohali campuses under a unified admission and academic framework.

For the current admission cycle, GMAT and GRE are the accepted entrance tests for the flagship PGP. ISB requires a valid test-centre-based GMAT or GRE score and does not prescribe a minimum GMAT or GRE score for application. The school follows a holistic selection process that considers academic background, professional experience, test scores, essays, achievements, recommendations and interview performance.

Candidates applying for the PGP must hold a bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification from a recognised institution. ISB requires at least 24 months of full-time work experience as of March 31 of the year of joining. There is no minimum percentage or CGPA requirement officially prescribed for the PGP.

The PGP provides a broad management education rather than a conventional fixed-specialisation MBA structure. Students can customise their learning through electives and areas of interest including finance, marketing, strategy, business analytics, operations, entrepreneurship and other management disciplines. ISB also provides international exchange opportunities through partner institutions.

ISB holds the international "Triple Crown" of AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS accreditations. In the Financial Times Global MBA Ranking 2026, ISB's PGP was ranked 12th globally, 1st in India and 2nd in Asia.

The latest available placement outcome for the flagship PGP is for the Class of 2026. ISB reported 1,117 job offers for 808 graduating students, with consulting, technology and BFSI among the leading hiring sectors. The average compensation was ₹37.29 LPA, while the highest offer stood at ₹1.56 crore per annum.

ISB operates two campuses. The Hyderabad campus spans 260 acres, while the Mohali campus spans 70 acres. Both campuses provide academic, residential and student-life facilities and operate as part of the same institution.

For students researching ISB fees, admission, GMAT cutoff, PGP courses and placements, the flagship PGP should be used as the primary reference. The 2026–27 PGP fee structure specifies a grand total of ₹38.67 lakh for shared accommodation, including applicable GST and the published admission and commitment components.

ISB PGP Important Dates 2026–27

The application cycle for the ISB PGP Class of 2026–27 is closed. ISB has subsequently opened applications for the next PGP Class of 2028, with three application rounds.

PGP Class of 2028

Round 1 Application Deadline: September 20, 2026

Round 1 Tentative Interview Period: Week 2 of October 2026 to Week 2 of December 2026

Round 1 Final Decision: End of December 2026

Round 2 Application Deadline: December 6, 2026

Round 2 Tentative Interview Period: Week 4 of December 2026 to Week 1 of February 2027

Round 2 Final Decision: Mid-February 2027

Round 3 Application Deadline: January 17, 2027

Round 3 Tentative Interview Period: Week 1 to Week 4 of February 2027

Round 3 Final Decision: Mid-March 2027

Applications submitted after the Round 1 deadline are automatically considered in Round 2, while applications submitted after the Round 2 deadline are shifted to Round 3. ISB does not accept applications for the Class of 2028 after January 17, 2027.

For candidates applying through GMAT or GRE, the test must have been taken on or before the relevant application deadline. ISB allows applicants to submit an unofficial score initially, while the official score must subsequently be sent directly through the relevant testing agency.

The application process does not operate as a sequential three-stage selection process. Each round is a separate application window, and candidates can apply only once during an admission cycle.

The PGP Class of 2026–27 had already enrolled in April 2026, and its application cycle is therefore closed. Students applying during September 2026 onward are applying for the subsequent PGP Class of 2028.

ISB does not publish a separate entrance-examination date for GMAT or GRE because applicants independently schedule the relevant test and must have a valid score by the applicable application deadline.

Candidates should also note that interview dates are described by ISB as tentative periods rather than a single fixed interview date. Final interview scheduling is communicated to shortlisted applicants.

The PGP application process is conducted online through ISB's official application portal. Applicants should monitor the official ISB admissions page for any changes to deadlines or instructions because the school reserves the right to update admission schedules.

Courses Offered at Indian School of Business

The flagship management programme at the Indian School of Business is the Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP). It is a one-year, full-time and residential management programme conducted at ISB's Hyderabad and Mohali campuses.

Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP)

Duration: 12 months

Mode: Full-time, residential

Work Experience: Minimum 24 months of full-time work experience

Eligibility: Bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification

Entrance Test: GMAT or GRE

The PGP is designed as a broad management programme rather than a conventional two-year MBA with a mandatory major structure. Students build a core foundation in management and can customise their academic journey through electives and specialised learning opportunities.

ISB's PGP academic ecosystem covers areas such as finance, marketing, strategy, business analytics, operations, entrepreneurship and other business disciplines. Students can use elective choices to develop deeper expertise according to their career goals.

Academic Areas

Major academic areas represented within the PGP ecosystem include:

• Finance

• Marketing

• Strategy

• Business Analytics

• Operations Management

• Entrepreneurship & Venture Capital

• Information Management

• Public Policy

• Healthcare

• Manufacturing and Operations

These areas should not be interpreted as a fixed list of mandatory PGP specialisations. ISB's PGP is designed to provide flexibility through its curriculum and elective structure.

International Exposure

ISB provides international exchange opportunities through partner business schools around the world. The international exchange programme allows eligible students to gain exposure to different business environments and academic perspectives.

Other Management Programmes

Apart from the flagship PGP, ISB offers other postgraduate and advanced management programmes, including PGP for Young Leaders, PGP for Working Professionals, PGP for Senior Executives, PGP for Family Business and several Advanced Management Programmes.

These programmes have separate eligibility requirements, fees and admission processes and should not be combined with the flagship PGP when comparing ISB admission or placement information.

GMAT Relevance

GMAT is one of the two accepted entrance examinations for the flagship PGP. ISB requires a valid test-centre-based GMAT or GRE score. There is no officially prescribed minimum GMAT score.

The PGP is therefore particularly relevant for experienced professionals seeking an intensive one-year management education rather than a conventional two-year MBA programme.

ISB PGP Admission Process 2026

The Indian School of Business follows a holistic admission process for its flagship Post Graduate Programme in Management. Admission to the PGP is conducted through a unified process for the Hyderabad and Mohali campuses.

1. Check Eligibility

Candidates must hold a bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification from a recognised institution. ISB does not prescribe a minimum percentage or CGPA requirement for PGP eligibility.

Candidates must also have at least 24 months of full-time work experience as of March 31 of the year they intend to join.

2. Take the GMAT or GRE

A valid GMAT or GRE score is mandatory for the PGP. ISB accepts test-centre-based scores and does not accept online or home-based GMAT/GRE scores for the PGP.

There is no minimum GMAT or GRE score officially required to apply.

3. Submit the Application

Candidates complete the online ISB application and provide academic information, professional experience, test scores, achievements, essays and recommendations.

The application also requires applicants to provide supporting documentation.

4. Application Verification

ISB verifies submitted applications for completeness and accuracy. The school states that verification is generally completed within 20 days of submission. Missing or inconsistent information may need to be corrected before the application proceeds.

5. Interview Shortlisting

Verified applications are evaluated holistically. ISB considers academics, GMAT/GRE scores, professional experience, extracurricular activities, essays, awards, recommendations and other achievements.

ISB does not publish a fixed GMAT percentile cutoff for shortlisting.

6. Personal Interview

Shortlisted applicants are invited for an interview. Interviews may be conducted virtually or in person depending on scheduling and applicant preference.

The interview lasts approximately 30 minutes and is conducted by a panel comprising ISB faculty, alumni and senior staff. Candidates also complete two on-the-spot essays during the interview process.

7. Admissions Committee Review

Following the interview, applications are reviewed by the Admissions Committee, which includes faculty and alumni members.

8. Final Decision

ISB communicates final admission decisions according to the published timeline for the relevant application round.

9. Scholarship Decision

Eligible shortlisted applicants may separately be considered for scholarships. Scholarship decisions are communicated through the applicable scholarship process.

GMAT Cutoff

Official GMAT cutoff: No minimum GMAT score officially required.

ISB states that there is no specific minimum GMAT or GRE score for the PGP. Therefore, a fixed GMAT percentile such as 700 or 720 should not be presented as an official ISB cutoff.

The GMAT/GRE score is one component of ISB's holistic evaluation rather than a standalone admission guarantee.

ISB PGP Fees 2026–27

The official ISB fee document for the PGP Class of 2026–27 applies to the cohort that enrolled in April 2026.

For shared accommodation, the published grand total including GST is ₹38,67,160, which is approximately ₹38.67 lakh for the one-year programme.

Because the PGP has a 12-month duration, this represents approximately ₹38.67 LPA on the published total-payable basis. This is a programme-level total and should not be confused with tuition alone.

Published Fee Components

Admission Fee: ₹3,00,000 + 18% GST = ₹3,54,000

Commitment Fee: ₹2,00,000 + 18% GST = ₹2,36,000

Tuition Fee: ₹25,62,000

Accommodation Fee: Applicable according to the selected accommodation type

Security Deposit: ₹20,000, refundable subject to applicable recoveries

Grand Total — Shared Accommodation: ₹38,67,160 including GST

For students selecting studio accommodation, the published grand total is ₹42,42,040 including GST.

The official fee document also lists estimated additional annual expenses such as books, laptop, meal plans, international programme costs and other expenses. These are separate from the grand total shown for the programme fee structure and should therefore be considered when calculating the overall personal budget.

The indicative additional expenses listed by ISB include ₹20,000 for books, ₹50,000 for laptop, ₹75,000 for meal plans and ₹4,50,000 for the international programme, along with other estimated expenses of ₹50,000. These amounts are identified by ISB as indicative and may vary.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

ISB states that approximately 25% of PGP students receive financial support each year. Scholarships cover different categories, including merit, need-cum-merit and diversity-related support.

The school also provides education-loan options through partner financial institutions.

Important Fee Note

The ₹38.67 lakh figure applies specifically to the PGP Class of 2026–27 and shared accommodation. ISB's official fee document states that the fee structure for the PGP Class of 2027–28 will be announced separately.

Therefore, students applying for the next PGP intake should verify the new official fee document rather than assuming that the 2026–27 fee will remain unchanged.

ISB PGP Placements 2026

The latest official placement outcome available for the Indian School of Business is for the PGP Class of 2026.

ISB reported that 808 students graduated from the PGP Class of 2026 across its Hyderabad and Mohali campuses. The graduating cohort secured 1,117 job offers.

Key Placement Figures

Average Compensation: ₹37.29 LPA

Highest Offer: ₹1.56 crore per annum

The highest offer was therefore approximately ₹156 LPA.

The Class of 2026 placement outcomes show hiring across multiple sectors. ISB identifies Consulting, Technology and BFSI as leading areas of recruitment.

The placement process also involved a broad range of organisations hiring ISB graduates for management and leadership roles. The school continues to provide career support through its Career Advancement Services, which assists students with career planning, coaching, recruitment preparation and industry engagement.

The PGP's one-year structure is designed for experienced professionals and allows students to pursue career transitions as well as advancement within their existing industries. ISB states that its PGP supports professionals seeking to transition across industries or accelerate their growth in their chosen domain.

The placement figures should be interpreted specifically for the PGP Class of 2026. They should not be mixed with earlier placement reports, such as the PGP Class of 2025.

Placement Interpretation

The ₹1.56 crore figure represents the highest offer, not the average compensation received by the batch.

The average compensation of ₹37.29 LPA represents the latest officially reported average for the graduating PGP Class of 2026.

ISB reported 1,117 job offers for 808 graduates. The number of offers should not automatically be interpreted as the number of students placed because one graduate can receive multiple offers.

The latest official placement information therefore provides a clear distinction between the average compensation and the highest offer.

For students researching ISB placements, the latest verified PGP Class of 2026 figures are ₹37.29 LPA average compensation and ₹1.56 crore per annum highest offer.

The placement report also identifies Consulting, Technology and BFSI as the leading hiring sectors for the Class of 2026. The school continues to maintain a large recruiter ecosystem spanning consulting firms, technology companies, financial institutions and other sectors.

Because ISB's flagship PGP is a one-year programme for experienced professionals, its placement outcomes should be compared with other experienced-professional management programmes using the relevant graduating cohort and programme structure rather than undergraduate or two-year MBA placement figures.