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...for what may lead to a life altering association!
The full-time MBA at CEIBS in Shanghai is a 16-month programme (with a 12-month accelerated track available) taught entirely in English and rooted in the school’s founding in 1994 by the Chinese government and the European Union in partnership with Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The design emphasises “China depth, global breadth,” offering students an immersion into China’s fast-moving economy alongside electives and an international exchange. The class size is limited (approximately 120 per intake) and admits candidates with at least two years’ full-time work experience, a valid GMAT/GRE or the CEIBS admission test, and English proficiency. The programme blends core modules, elective concentrations (such as Finance, Marketing, Digital Business, Entrepreneurship) and a capstone applied project. Students enter in August, and thanks to Shanghai’s global business hub status the MBA provides access to both Asia-Pacific networks and multinational companies operating in China. The curriculum, small cohort, and strong China-global positioning make the CEIBS MBA a distinctive choice for professionals who wish to build business leadership with a China-focus and global outreach.
Experts Global has, since 2008, operated as a boutique MBA admission consulting firm, supporting students worldwide to secure admissions to the world’s most prominent MBA programs. If you seek authentic, result-oriented professional help, inquire with us for our MBA admission consulting; we will contact you for a free strategy session. Before that, we conduct a thorough profile evaluation and share a guarantee statement with 100% feedback. This guarantee statement in our MBA admission consulting includes assured admits and, often, scholarships within a defined range of schools, concluded after the evaluation.
| CEIBS MBA Class Profile | |
|---|---|
| Average Work Experience | 5.4 Years |
| Average GMAT Score | 680 |
| Average GRE Score | 326 |
| Class Size | 115 |
| Women | 49.8% |
| Internationl | 21.6% |
| Tuition Fee | RMB 488,000 (approx. USD 68,000) |
| CEIBS MBA Placements | |
|---|---|
| Employment on Graduation | 93.2% |
| Employment by Industry | Manufacturing: 17.6% Financial services: 16.5% Healthcare: 15.4% Technology: 15.4% Consumer packaged goods: 7.7% Consulting: 6.6% Energy: 6.6% Education: 3.3% Media / entertainment: 3.3% Transportation and logistics: 3.3% Others: 4.3% |
| Employment by Function | Marketing & Sales: 30.1% General Management: 27.7% Consulting: 18.1% Leadership Development Programmes (LDPs): 15.2% |
Accenture, Amazon, Apple, AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, Bosch, ByteDance, Deloitte, Google, L’Oréal, LVMH, McKinsey & Company, PepsiCo, Tencent, Xiaomi.
The employment data above is for the class of 2023.
CEIBS MBA application details, essay questions, deadlines, and more…
CEIBS MBA admission consulting by Experts’ Global
Before you step into the CEIBS classroom, spend time identifying whether you wish to deepen expertise in China’s fast-evolving market or use China as a bridge to a global role. CEIBS emphasises China as core to its identity: the school was formally established in 1994 in Shanghai in partnership with the Chinese government and the European Commission. When you arrive, use the language modules, company visits and faculty dialogue to connect your prior experience with your future aims. A clear purpose will help you pick electives, approach your consulting project and target internships aligned with the school’s strategic strengths.
A defining feature of the CEIBS MBA is the “Integrated China Strategy Project” (or equivalent team consulting project) in which students advise a real company on a strategic challenge in China. Treat this not just as coursework but as a bridge into China’s business ecosystem. Choose a project with a company aligned to your target industry. Make early contact with alumni or firm contacts, go on-site if possible, and aim to leave a meaningful deliverable. The relationships and experience you build here often open doors—for internships, job offers or meaningful global-China hybrid roles.
CEIBS offers optional terms abroad at partner schools including INSEAD, LBS, Wharton and others. Use this exchange to diversify your network and deepen non-China exposure. To maximise value, map out which partner school best complements your goals (industry, geography) and schedule your exchange term with intention. Secure meaningful research or extracurricular engagements during that term so you return to Shanghai with global exposure and unique insights.
Although the programme is delivered in English, fluency in Mandarin or at least basic proficiency is a major differentiator. Sources note that international students who engage with Mandarin and China-specific business practices gain a competitive edge when seeking roles in China or with Chinese-global firms. So allocate time outside class for Mandarin study, join language groups, attend cultural immersion activities and apply the language during company visits or with fellow students.
Career services at CEIBS emphasise both China-domestic and global destinations. The school reports high job placement rates and strong salary uplift when aligned with its strengths. To benefit fully, start working with your career advisor from day one: clarify your short-term role, target companies, geography, sector and skill gap. Attend on-campus recruiting sessions with Chinese MNCs (e.g., Tencent, Alibaba, ByteDance) and global multinationals with China ties. For non-China destinations, emphasise how your China expertise differentiates you in Europe, Africa or Southeast Asia.
CEIBS offers an alumni network of over 20,000 globally. To maximise your time, pick 2-3 alumni you admire before you join the programme, and connect early. Use visits to Beijing, Shenzhen or Zurich campuses as occasions to deepen ties. Attend club events, international modules and industry dinners—and aim to contribute meaningfully (for example by organising a session or presenting a China-global panel). Your network will become your multiplier long after graduation.
Because the curriculum offers breadth (finance, strategy, entrepreneurship, technology) and China-specific electives, choose modules that support your career narrative. If your aim is cross-border tech, pick “China tech ecosystems”, “digital business in China”, “global scaling strategy” or equivalent electives. Craft your narrative around how you learned from China but apply globally—this specificity will make your CV stand out.
Shanghai is more than a backdrop—it is part of your education. From the beautiful architectural campus to the city’s hub of finance, manufacturing and innovation, this city gives you on-the-ground access. Attend company visits, pitch sides in Mandarin or English, and treat weekend field trips to Shenzhen, Hangzhou or nearby industrial clusters as live case studies. The more you immerse, the more you gain.
Whether you wish to stay in China, move out, or launch a start-up, build your impact story during the MBA. Use the consulting project, international exchange, internship and networking to weave a coherent storyline about the transformation you offer: global leadership with China-market depth. Practice articulating that narrative in alumni chats, recruiting sessions and your LinkedIn summary by graduation.
CEIBS’ 16-month format is condensed and intense compared with many Western two-year MBAs. To manage this, build your time-management routines early, schedule teams, communicate early about deliverables, and adopt peer-study groups. Your ability to deliver ambitiously under pressure will be one of the qualities recruiters value most.
Your full-time MBA at CEIBS can become far more than a credential—it can be a platform into Asia-Pacific and global leadership. By clarifying your China-global position, engaging deeply with the consulting project, leveraging Mandarin, and constructing a purposeful network and career strategy, you will not leave the programme as a passive participant—you will leave as someone who has lived the China-global experience and is ready to lead.
