London Business School MBA GRE: Average Scores, Ranges, and What You Need to Know

London Business School's MBA program attracts globally competitive applicants with impressive GRE performance, with typical averages around 320 total score. These scores place LBS among the world's most selective MBA programs, requiring strong test performance to demonstrate your academic capability alongside other factors in your profile. The school explicitly prefers GRE scores of 160 or above in both sections, and most admitted candidates cluster around this benchmark or higher, reflecting the academic rigor of the program and the strength of the applicant pool.

When aiming for a competitive GRE score at London Business School, you should target 160 or higher in both Verbal and Quantitative sections to position yourself credibly in the applicant pool. Scores in the 163-165 range on each section represent the typical performance of admitted students and signal that you can handle the analytical demands of the MBA curriculum. However, understand that a GRE score below 160 on either section will likely disadvantage your application, though it does not automatically exclude you if your professional narrative, work experience, and academic background are exceptionally strong. The school has indicated a typical minimum around 555 on the GMAT, which translates to approximately 155-156 on the GRE, but landing at this floor is risky because it requires your other application materials to be truly outstanding.

What truly matters at London Business School is recognizing that a high GRE score alone will not secure your admission to this program. You may achieve a 165 or higher on both sections yet still be rejected if the admissions committee does not see a compelling professional story, clear post-MBA objectives, or evidence that you will contribute meaningfully to the classroom. LBS explicitly states that the GRE score is just one piece of a much larger application puzzle and that many strong test-scorers do not gain admission because their overall profile does not demonstrate sufficient leadership potential or career vision. If your GRE lands below 160 on either section, you should seriously consider whether retaking the exam makes sense for you, but you must also recognize that retaking alone will not improve your chances without strengthening your essays, professional positioning, and recommendations simultaneously.

London Business School is not test optional. You are required to submit either a GMAT or GRE score as part of your MBA application unless you qualify for a rare waiver, which is granted only to candidates with outstanding academic credentials (particularly in quantitative subjects), advanced professional qualifications like CFA Level II or higher, or exceptional professional finance experience. The school treats both GMAT and GRE equally in the admissions review process, so there is no advantage to choosing one over the other. You must have a valid test score submitted by the application deadline of whichever round you are applying to, and the school may ask you to retake the test before offering admission if they feel your initial score is too low.

When the admissions committee at LBS evaluates your GRE score, it is examining you through a holistic lens that weighs everything you bring to the table. Your test score serves as evidence that you possess the quantitative and verbal reasoning skills needed to succeed in a rigorous MBA program, but it is not the primary factor that determines whether you receive an offer. The committee reviews your undergraduate academic performance, your professional trajectory and demonstrated impact, your work experience level (typically 5.5 years on average), the quality of your post-MBA career vision, what your referee says about your capabilities and interpersonal skills, and how compellingly you articulate your motivation for pursuing an MBA at London Business School. If your GRE is solid but your essays lack focus, your reference letter is generic, or your work experience does not show clear progression and leadership, you will not advance far in the process. Conversely, if you have a respectable GRE performance (say, 160-162) paired with a compelling professional story and strong recommendations, you remain very much in contention.

The admissions team at London Business School describes their process as reviewing your application like a jigsaw puzzle where all pieces matter equally and the full picture emerges only when everything is considered together. A high GRE score is a threshold that confirms you can manage the academic intensity of the program, but it does not separate you from other qualified candidates in this highly selective applicant pool. What actually distinguishes admitted students is the combination of adequate academic credentials (including your test score), substantive work experience with concrete examples of leadership and tangible impact, clarity about your career goals and how an MBA helps you achieve them, and professional references that speak to your abilities and potential. You should invest as much effort into crafting your essays, selecting strong recommenders, and articulating your story as you do preparing for the GRE, because the admissions committee will scrutinize all of these elements with equal care in determining your fit for London Business School.

AdmitStudio users who find success at top MBA programs tend to approach their applications as a clear, cohesive professional story, not a checklist of prestigious roles, promotions, or achievements. Rather than trying to impress admissions committees with everything they have done, they focus on explaining why they made key career decisions, what they learned from those experiences, and how those lessons shaped their short- and long-term goals. Their essays help admissions officers quickly understand the applicant’s career trajectory, leadership potential, and sense of purpose within just a few minutes of review.

AdmitStudio users who are successful also use their essays to connect and reinforce the rest of the application, not repeat it. The essays highlight a few core themes, such as leadership, impact, self-awareness, and growth, while the résumé, recommendations, and short answers quietly support those same themes with concrete evidence. By aligning every part of the application around a consistent narrative, these applicants stand out not because they try to appear perfect, but because they are intentional, reflective, and clear about who they are and where they are going. Admissions officers come away with a strong sense of how the applicant will contribute to classroom discussions, team-based learning, and the broader MBA community.