LUISS Business School Admissions 2026: Deadlines, Requirements & Acceptance Rate

LUISS Business School Application Deadlines for Indian Students

LUISS Business School operates rolling admissions across specialised Master’s, MBA, and Executive tracks, with fixed admission test windows rather than single hard deadlines. Applicants must submit documents at least five days before their chosen test date, per the official Full-Time MBA how-to-apply page.

LUISS Business School’s primary intake for Indian students is September 2026, when the nine English-taught specialised Master’s programmes open. The MBA follows in October 2026.

Planning note: If you miss the July 22 test, aim for the August 31 to September 1, 2026 window. Book at least five business days ahead so documents reach the admissions team on time.

LUISS Business School Eligibility Requirements for Indian Students

LUISS Business School applies a single institutional entry floor across its English-taught Master’s, MBA, and DBA tracks. The requirements below are drawn from the official Master in International Management application page, cross-checked against the MBA and Corporate Finance pages.

Academic Eligibility for LUISS Master’s and MBA

• Specialised Master’s: Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognised university.
• Full-Time MBA: Bachelor’s in any discipline plus at least 3 years of full-time work experience.
• Executive MBA Milan: Bachelor’s degree plus solid managerial or professional work experience.
• DBA in HELM: Master’s degree plus 5 to 10 years of leadership experience in higher education.

English Proficiency Scores Accepted at LUISS

LUISS Business School accepts the following minimum scores to exempt applicants from its internal English admission test.

LUISS English Test Waiver for Indian Students

Indian applicants without IELTS or TOEFL are not turned away. LUISS Business School runs its own English admission test as part of the entrance session, so a candidate can bypass IELTS by clearing the internal test on-site or remotely. This waiver applies uniformly to Master’s, MBA, and DBA candidates, per the school’s admission test rules.

GMAT and GRE Policy at LUISS Business School

A valid GMAT score exempts you from the Logic Test component. The school states no formal minimum, though it flags that offers below GMAT 550 for Master’s or GMAT 515 for the MBA are "very unusual". Valid GRE 145 or higher is also accepted for Logic Test exemption.

LUISS Business School PG Programs and Fees for Indian Students

LUISS Business School runs nine English-taught specialised Master’s programmes plus the Master in International Management, all one-year full-time formats. Base tuition sits at €20,000 (around INR 21.82 Lakhs) for specialised Master’s, paid in four instalments; the Full-Time MBA sits at €40,000 (around INR 43.64 Lakhs). For living costs, remittance breakdown, and installment schedules, see the course-wise fees breakdown.

Insider note: Enrolling by February 5, 2027 for the next cycle earns a 15 percent early-bird tuition reduction; enrolling by April 17, 2027 earns 10 percent. This is separate from the merit scholarships listed in the funding section.

Note: Program-specific entry requirements, fees, and intake availability may differ from the institution-wide minimums shown above. Always confirm on the official LUISS Business School page for your chosen programme before applying.

LUISS Business School MBA Admissions for Indian Students

The Full-Time MBA at LUISS Business School runs 12 months in Rome from October 12, 2026, priced at €40,000 (around INR 43.64 Lakhs) plus a €100 (around INR 10,909) application fee. The school also runs a Part-Time MBA and Executive MBA in Milan, and a Flex MBA.

Full-Time MBA Rounds and Interview Format

Admission runs on four rounds for the October 2026 intake, drawn from the LUISS Business School how-to-apply page. Rounds close on:

• Round I: January 30, 2026 (Closed)
• Round II: April 15, 2026 (Closed)
• Round III: June 15, 2026 (Closed)
• Additional Round: July 22, 2026 (open, next test July 8, 2026 has passed; document deadline July 17, 2026)

The admission test bundles an English test, a Logic test (inductive, numerical, deductive), and a personal interview. GMAT 515 or GRE 145 waives the Logic test; IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL 100 waives the English test. The interview is a structured motivational conversation assessing career goals, leadership potential, and fit.

MBA Variant Experience Floors at LUISS Business School

• Full-Time MBA (Rome): at least 3 years of full-time work experience.
• Executive MBA Milan: solid managerial experience, weekend format, 18 months from October 23, 2026 to April 7, 2028.
• Part-Time MBA Milan: professionals with mid-career experience, weekend intensive.

Insider note: LUISS Business School allocates up to 8 international MBA scholarships covering up to €24,000 of tuition. Apply by the earlier rounds to maximise scholarship consideration for the next cycle.

LUISS Business School DBA Doctoral Admissions for Indian Students

LUISS Business School runs two Doctor of Business Administration tracks. Both are professional doctorates, not research PhDs, and require significant senior-level work experience.

LUISS DBA Programmes and Tuition

• DBA in Higher Education Leadership and Management (HELM): 36 months, Spring 2027 start in Rome. Total tuition €35,500 (around INR 38.73 Lakhs), payable across three years (€12,500 + €12,500 + €10,500), per the official DBA HELM tuition page.
• DBA in Global Strategic Management on Green and Digital Transition: 36 months, professional doctorate.

DBA Eligibility and Funding

Applicants need a Master’s degree plus five to ten years of senior leadership experience in the relevant field. Selection involves a research proposal, interview, and reference letters. Funding for the 2026 to 2027 cycle includes two scholarships of up to 50 percent of tuition for female candidates and candidates with exceptionally high academic and professional achievements, plus two scholarships of up to 30 percent of tuition.

Planning note: LUISS Guido Carli graduates receive a 10 percent tuition reduction on DBA fees. Early-bird enrolment 60 days before the start also earns 10 percent, and 30 days before earns 5 percent, per the DBA HELM funding page.

LUISS Business School Application Process for Indian Students

The application flow is identical across Master’s, MBA, and DBA tracks and is submitted through a single online portal. Steps are drawn from the LUISS Business School how-to-apply pages, applicable to Indian applicants planning a September or October 2026 arrival.

1. Create an account on the LUISS Business School online application portal and select your target programme.
2. Upload your Bachelor’s degree certificate copy, official transcripts, curriculum vitae, digital ID photo, and passport bio-page.
3. Upload IELTS or TOEFL score report if you hold one; otherwise register for the LUISS English admission test.
4. Pay the application fee of €100 (around INR 10,909) via the portal payment gateway.
5. Book an admission test window at least five business days ahead of the chosen date.
6. Sit the admission test on-site at Villa Blanc, Rome, or remotely via the LUISS proctored platform.
7. Attend the personal motivational interview, scheduled after the written test.
8. Await the admission committee outcome and, if admitted, sign the offer letter and pay the enrolment deposit.

Applicants applying with international transcripts must submit an English translation. LUISS Business School accepts scanned copies at the application stage, with originals verified before enrolment.

LUISS Business School Admission Decisions Timeline

The admission committee typically issues a decision within two to three weeks of the test and interview date. Timelines below are drawn from the LUISS Business School how-to-apply pages.

• Offer letter timing: 2 to 3 weeks after your admission test date.
• Acceptance window: candidates typically have 10 to 15 days to accept the offer and pay the enrolment deposit.
• Deposit: non-refundable enrolment deposit confirmed via portal, then adjusted against the first tuition instalment.
• Conditional offers: issued when Bachelor’s is pending; final transcripts required before the programme start date.
• Deferral policy: requests handled case-by-case, usually for one intake cycle only.

Indian applicants should factor an additional 4 to 6 weeks for the Italy Type D visa process after receiving the offer letter, so plan for offer acceptance no later than early August 2026 for a September arrival.

LUISS Business School Documents Required for Indian Students

Documents are uploaded to the LUISS Business School online application portal in scanned PDF format. Originals are verified during enrolment on campus. The checklist below is paperwork only, drawn from the LUISS how-to-apply pages.

Core Application Documents at LUISS Business School

• Passport: bio-page copy, valid for at least 6 months beyond the programme end date.
• Bachelor’s degree certificate: scanned copy plus notarised English translation if issued in Hindi or a regional language.
• Academic transcripts: official mark sheets for all semesters, translated to English if applicable.
• Curriculum vitae: European or standard format, one to two pages.
• Digital ID photo: passport-style, recent.
• Application fee receipt: confirming €100 (around INR 10,909) payment.

Supporting Documents for Indian Applicants

• IELTS or TOEFL score report (optional if taking the LUISS English test).
• GMAT or GRE score report (optional, waives the Logic test).
• Work experience letters on company letterhead, mandatory for MBA and Executive tracks.
• Motivational letter or statement of purpose (mandatory for scholarship applicants).
• Two letters of recommendation, one academic and one professional, for MBA and DBA applicants.

DBA applicants must additionally submit a preliminary research proposal outlining the intended thesis focus and methodology.

LUISS Business School Acceptance Rate for Indian Students

LUISS Business School does not publish an official institutional acceptance rate. Third-party sources place the Full-Time MBA acceptance rate at an estimated 30 to 40 percent, based on selective cohort-intake patterns and the small class size cited by the school. Its ranking position in the QS Global Full-Time MBA 2026 table reinforces this competitive positioning.

What Drives LUISS Acceptance Odds

The admission committee weighs three signals heavily: academic record from the Bachelor’s degree, admission test performance across the English and Logic sections, and the interview conversation about goals and leadership potential. GMAT scores above 600, IELTS 7.0 or higher, and clearly articulated career progression strengthen an Indian candidate’s profile.

Who Gets Rejected at LUISS Business School

Weak signals that reduce acceptance odds include Bachelor’s percentages below 55 percent without offsetting work experience, motivational letters that read as generic, and MBA applications with less than the required three years of full-time work experience.

Insider note: Indian applicants with less than 3 years of work experience should apply to the Master in International Management or Master in Corporate Finance rather than the MBA, both of which admit fresh graduates.

Italy Student Visa for LUISS Business School Applicants

Indian students admitted to LUISS Business School require the Italy Type D National Long-Stay Visa, which covers study programmes longer than 90 days. The application is submitted to the Italian embassy in New Delhi or the consulates in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad through the VFS Italy centres.

Documents required include the LUISS Business School acceptance letter, pre-enrolment confirmation via the Universitaly portal, proof of accommodation in Rome or Milan, proof of financial means showing at least €6,500 (around INR 7.09 Lakhs) per academic year for living expenses beyond tuition, travel and medical insurance covering the full stay, and a stamped bank statement signed by the branch manager on every page. Processing typically takes 4 to 6 weeks, so submit at least 8 weeks before your programme start date.

2026 update: Within 8 days of arriving in Italy, apply for the Permesso di Soggiorno (permit of stay) at the local Questura. LUISS Business School’s student services team assists with the paperwork during orientation week.