London Business School MBA Essay Prompts & Writing Guide 2025–2026

Your essay should open with crystal-clear, specific post-MBA goals divided into short-term and long-term horizons. Avoid vague statements like "I want to work in consulting" instead specify the firm type, sector, or geography. For example, if you aim to join a sustainability-focused practice at Bain or BCG, or launch a fintech venture in emerging markets, spell it out with conviction. The admissions committee at LBS wants to see that you know exactly where you are headed and that this direction excites you, not just that you are considering a few options. Give context to your goals by explaining what has motivated this trajectory. This narrative foundation matters because it demonstrates self-awareness and makes your aspirations feel grounded rather than generic.

Connect your past professional experience directly to your post-MBA objectives by showing, not telling, how your previous roles have built the foundation you need. Rather than rehashing your resume, interpret it: highlight the cross-functional projects, leadership moments, and business problems you solved that signal readiness for your next chapter. If you are planning a career pivot (say, from engineering into strategy consulting), explicitly draw the line between your technical expertise and your new direction. Make clear why those earlier experiences matter and what skills you already possess versus what gaps the MBA will fill. LBS values candidates who can demonstrate tangible career progression and intentional decision-making, so show how your history has prepared you for this transition.

Devote roughly 200 words of your 500-word limit specifically to why LBS, and only LBS, will help you succeed. Move beyond generic remarks like "I want to build my network" and instead demonstrate genuine research. Reference specific professors, electives, clubs, or initiatives that align with your goals; mention the flexibility of LBS's curriculum and how you will customize your program to match your ambitions; and acknowledge London's position as a global business hub with unique access to emerging markets, venture capital, and multinational headquarters. If you have spoken with alumni, student ambassadors, or attended events, weave those insights in. The admissions committee will notice if you have done your homework, and this specificity is what transforms a good essay into a compelling one that signals genuine fit and intentionality.

Finally, keep your tone confident but authentic, and anchor your goals in something meaningful beyond money or prestige. LBS seeks globally minded leaders who want to challenge the status quo and create impact, so frame your aspirations around the positive change you hope to drive in your industry or community. Whether you are solving a business problem, advancing sustainability, improving financial inclusion, or scaling innovation, let that larger purpose thread through your narrative. This matters because it separates applicants who simply want an MBA from those who understand why they need one and what they will do with it.

With only 200 words, you need to be selective and answer the question that admissions officers keep hearing: what detail about you adds dimension to the overall picture they already have from your resume, transcript, recommendations, and main essay. Choose something that genuinely reflects your personality or background, such as a passion or hobby that shows how you think, a talent or skill that distinguishes you, or an aspect of your background that shaped who you are. Examples might include your dedication to summiting peaks on every continent, being the first in your family to attend university, leading an orchestra, or building a nonprofit. The key is that whatever you choose should feel authentic and add new information, not rehash something already covered elsewhere in your application.

London Business School values an inquiring mind; they seek applicants who are fascinated by diverse global perspectives, open to personal growth, and able to engage with people from different backgrounds. This means your response should subtly reflect these qualities. For instance, if you discuss a hobby or passion, explain briefly how it connects to intellectual curiosity, resilience, or collaboration. If you highlight a unique aspect of your background, show how it has shaped your worldview or your ability to bridge different communities. The admissions team wants to understand not just what makes you unique, but who you are as a person and how you will enrich the LBS community with your perspective and presence.

Given the tight word count, be concise and vivid in your language; let your authentic voice shine through without trying too hard to impress. Avoid generic statements and resist the urge to make this essay feel like a job application cover letter. Write as you would speak to a friend, focusing on something you genuinely care about. The essay should complement your career goals essay by offering the admissions committee insight into the human being behind the professional ambitions, helping them envision you as a thoughtful, interesting member of a global, intellectually engaged cohort.

The London Business School admissions team has deliberately given you 500 words for this optional essay, which is a subtle signal that they genuinely want to hear more from you if you have something valuable to share. Unlike some business schools that treat optional essays as a mechanism primarily for addressing weaknesses, LBS takes a more expansive view. You should approach this essay strategically: if there is a substantive gap in your application, an unexplained career transition, or a low GMAT or GPA that needs context, this is absolutely the place to address it. But the prompt also invites you to share something else that reveals who you are beyond your resume and application form, whether that's a personal challenge you have overcome, an important leadership experience outside of work, a passion that has shaped your life, or a hobby that demonstrates your character. The key is ensuring that whatever you choose to write is new information that does not simply repeat or rehash what you have already told them in your goals essay or the 200-word uniqueness essay.

If you do have a weak spot in your profile, approach it with honesty and self-awareness rather than defensiveness. For example, if you struggled academically in your first year, do not make excuses; instead, briefly explain what was happening in your life and, more importantly, show what you did to turn things around. Demonstrate resilience and growth. LBS wants to understand how you learn from setbacks and improve. If there was a period of unemployment or you left a job quickly, use this space to provide context that the admissions committee would not otherwise have. The tone matters here: be accountable, be clear, and show that you have since taken steps to strengthen your candidacy in whatever way is relevant.

If you do not have a weakness to address, think carefully about what else you could meaningfully contribute. Have you held significant leadership roles in volunteer organizations, professional networks, or community groups that showcase character or commitment? Have you pursued a passion or hobby that says something meaningful about how you think or what you value? Have you navigated a personal challenge that has genuinely shaped who you are today? The admissions team has seen countless applications, so avoid generic stories or vague claims. Instead, be specific, be authentic, and show vulnerability where appropriate. Write in your true voice, not in a formal or stilted tone. LBS values independent thinking and people who challenge the status quo, so your willingness to be open and transparent about what makes you human, not just impressive on paper, can actually strengthen your candidacy.

Finally, remember that this essay should be additive and valuable. Do not write it simply to fill the space or to pad your application. Before you start drafting, ask yourself honestly: does this essay reveal something important that the admissions committee genuinely needs to know to fully evaluate my candidacy? Will it help them see me as a more complete, three-dimensional person? If the answer is yes, then invest time in writing it well. If you feel your application is already strong and complete without it, then you can choose to submit without this essay. LBS respects selective, purposeful use of this opportunity far more than forced or redundant additional content.

On the question of whether this essay is truly optional for competitive applicants, the honest answer is nuanced. Officially, it is optional, and every year, many applicants choose to skip it entirely without penalty. However, LBS's own blog urge candidates to view the optional essay as an opportunity rather than a burden. LBS allocates significant space (500 words) for this essay precisely because they want to hear from you if you have something meaningful to contribute. The admissions team acknowledges that their required essay covers the essential information they need to make an initial decision, but they recognize that many applicants have additional context, experiences, or insights that could strengthen their candidacy. For someone applying to a school with a 20 percent acceptance rate and competing alongside candidates with strong GMAT scores (averaging around 700) and extensive work experience (average of 5.5 years), submitting a thoughtful optional essay can be a meaningful differentiator, particularly if you have genuine gaps to address or an important dimension of your profile to illuminate. If your application is already complete and compelling without it, you can confidently submit without the third essay. But if you have something valuable to add and the time to craft it well, submitting this essay positions you as someone who is serious, thorough, and genuinely engaged with the LBS application process.

With only 300 words, your reapplication essay at London Business School is a focused opportunity to show deliberate growth since your last application, so treat it as evidence of your resilience and forward momentum rather than a comprehensive life update. The admissions team already has your previous submission on file, so they will immediately spot recycled content or rehashed accomplishments. Instead, frame this essay around the concept of "delta": what has concretely changed in your candidacy, your thinking, and your readiness for an MBA? The most compelling reapplication essays don't dwell on rejection; they demonstrate that you have spent the intervening time strategically strengthening specific areas of your profile that the committee flagged or that you, upon reflection, realized needed development.

Your growth should be concrete and verifiable. If you have taken on new project leadership, gained a promotion, or earned certification in quantitative skills, spell this out with specificity rather than vague claims about "increased responsibility." If your previous application suffered from unclear career goals or weak school research, this essay is your chance to prove your thinking has crystallized. Similarly, if you sensed your last attempt underplayed your personal dimensions or failed to communicate what you would contribute to the LBS community, use this essay to add authentic texture around how you have grown as a leader, collaborator, or problem-solver. London Business School values global mindedness, diversity of perspective, and the ability to challenge conventional thinking, so ground your growth narrative in examples that illustrate these values in action.

Avoid the trap of overstating minor changes or inflating professional tweaks into major breakthroughs. Admissions readers respect honesty and self-awareness far more than exaggeration. If your main growth has been deepening your understanding of why an MBA matters to your specific trajectory, or if you have gained meaningful international exposure or volunteer leadership that reshapes your vision, these are perfectly valid focal points. The essay should read as a letter from someone who has genuinely reflected on their previous application, taken concrete action to strengthen it, and is returning with sharper focus, authentic humility, and renewed confidence.