In this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A series, we meet Ali Elyassari, Recruitment Manager for the International MBA at emlyon business school. While emlyon hosts six campuses, including Lyon, Saint-Étienne, Paris, Shanghai, Bhubaneswar and Mumbai, the business school is located in Lyon, France.
Read on for Ali’s insight into the admissions process and highlights of the emlyon MBA program.
Clear Admit: What is the one aspect of your program that you wish applicants knew more about?
Ali Elyassari: What truly defines the MBA is not only its academic content, but the intensity of the collective experience it creates. With a deliberately small cohort, the program fosters a level of interaction that goes far beyond classroom exchanges. Discussions become deeper, more challenging, and often continue well beyond formal sessions.
Each year, we bring together around 40 participants representing more than 18 nationalities. This diversity is not incidental; it is central to the way learning happens and perspectives are confronted.
The program is also designed as a compressed 11-month journey. Rather than spreading learning over time, it concentrates it into a highly immersive format aimed at accelerating professional transformation and reshaping how participants approach leadership and general management.
CA: Walk us through the life of an application in your office from an operational standpoint. What happens between the time an applicant clicks “submit” and the time the committee offers a final decision?
AE: An application is not treated as a static file, but as a sequence of signals that gradually build a full picture of the candidate. It starts with the submitted application, where we look beyond formal criteria to understand the coherence and intent behind the journey.
A minimum of three years of full-time professional experience after graduation is required for eligibility. However, the application should not be reduced to professional milestones alone. Extracurricular activities, personal interests, and commitments outside of work often provide valuable insight into a candidate’s profile. These elements help us understand how individuals engage with others, manage time, and develop outside of structured professional environments.
Shortlisted candidates are then invited to a 30-minute online interview. This stage allows us to explore motivation, clarity of purpose, and overall alignment with the program. If successful, candidates proceed to an online assessment designed to complement the evaluation with a structured view of analytical and cognitive skills.
The final decision is made collectively by the admissions committee, based on a holistic review of all components. Each element carries weight, but none is considered in isolation.
CA: How does your team approach the essay portion of the application specifically? What are you looking for as you read an essay? Are there common mistakes applicants should try to avoid? What is one key thing candidates should keep in mind as they sit down to write?
AE: Essays are a critical part of the evaluation because they reveal dimensions that cannot be captured through CVs or test results. We are primarily looking for clarity of narrative: the ability to structure experiences into a coherent story, and to demonstrate reflection rather than simple description. Strong essays tend to show authenticity, not polish. They reflect real situations, real decisions, and a clear sense of learning and evolution. Common weaknesses are usually straightforward: lack of structure, overly generic statements, or insufficient attention to form. What makes a difference is specificity, grounding ideas in concrete professional or personal examples that give substance to the narrative.
CA: Could you tell us about your interview process? Approximately what percentage of applicants are invited to interview, who typically conducts interviews, and what should candidates expect in terms of interview style and format?
AE: The interview is designed as a structured but open conversation, aimed at understanding the candidate beyond the written application.
It is conducted online, lasts approximately 30 minutes, and covers three main dimensions: academic and professional background, motivation for pursuing an MBA, and behavioral questions that help assess personality, mindset, and leadership potential. Rather than focusing on rehearsed answers, the objective is to evaluate consistency between experience, ambition, and communication.
Each year, our recruitment team conducts several hundred interviews to ensure a rigorous and consistent evaluation standard.
CA: If your admissions process includes any video-based components, such as video essays or recorded interview responses, what advice would you offer applicants preparing for this part of the process?
AE: At emlyon, we use every interaction in the admissions process as an opportunity to understand the person behind the application. For video-based assessments, my main advice is to focus on authenticity rather than trying to deliver a perfectly rehearsed performance. We are interested in understanding your motivations, your leadership potential, and your ability to communicate clearly and thoughtfully. Our MBA brings together professionals from diverse industries, cultures, and backgrounds. We therefore value candidates who can express their unique perspectives and demonstrate openness to learning from others. A genuine answer that reflects who you are will always be more impactful than a scripted response.
CA: Is there anything in particular international students should keep in mind during the admissions process?
AE: International candidates represent a significant part of the emlyon MBA experience, with participants coming from across the world each year. When applying, I encourage candidates to think beyond admission requirements and reflect on how they will contribute to and benefit from such an international environment. At emlyon, collaboration across cultures is embedded in the learning experience, and diversity of perspectives is one of our greatest strengths.
Applicants should also start their preparations early, particularly regarding visas, financing, and career planning. Our team supports candidates throughout the process, but proactive planning allows students to focus on making the most of the MBA experience from day one.
CA: Conversations about MBA value often center on jobs, salaries, and ROI. What are some of the other ways students benefit from the MBA experience that may be harder to quantify upfront?
AE: Career outcomes and salary progression are certainly important considerations when evaluating an MBA. In fact, the Financial Times 2026 ranking places emlyon’s International MBA 3rd worldwide and 1st in Europe for “Value for Money,” a measure that evaluates return on investment by considering tuition fees, programme duration, opportunity cost, and post-MBA salary outcomes.
However, some of the most meaningful benefits of the MBA experience are much harder to quantify. At emlyon, we often see profound personal and professional transformations. Through our “early makers” philosophy, participants develop an entrepreneurial mindset, learning not only how to analyse opportunities but also how to turn ideas into action in complex and uncertain environments.
Another key benefit is the strength of the network. Our International MBA brings together experienced professionals from a wide range of industries, functions, and nationalities. The relationships built within the cohort, as well as with alumni and corporate partners, often continue to generate opportunities years after graduation.
Many participants tell us that the greatest impact of the MBA is the confidence they gain. Whether they are changing industries, pursuing leadership positions, launching a venture, or relocating internationally, they leave with a broader perspective, stronger leadership capabilities, and a clearer sense of their long-term direction.
CA: What is your testing policy?
AE: Our assessment framework includes both aptitude evaluation and language proficiency requirements to ensure candidates are prepared for the academic intensity of the program. Certain exemptions may apply, particularly for candidates who have completed prior studies in English or meet specific academic criteria.
Since the MBA is fully delivered in English, language proficiency remains essential, as it directly impacts classroom participation and overall learning experience.
CA: Are there any trends in the applicant pool, admissions process, or MBA experience that you are particularly focused on right now?
AE: Artificial intelligence is certainly one of the most prominent topics we discuss with candidates today. Future leaders need to understand not only the technology itself but also its strategic and ethical implications for business.
We are also seeing growing interest in career agility. Rather than preparing for a single career path, many candidates are looking to build skills that will help them navigate multiple transitions throughout their professional lives. This aligns closely with emlyon’s approach, which emphasizes adaptability, entrepreneurial thinking, and lifelong learning.
Candidates increasingly expect highly personalized MBA experiences. They want flexibility, international exposure, meaningful connections with companies, and opportunities to work on real business challenges. Through consulting projects, leadership development initiatives, and close engagement with our international network, we continuously adapt the MBA experience to meet these expectations.
CA: Is there anything else you’d like to highlight about your MBA program or admissions process?
AE: Sustainability is embedded throughout the entire program rather than treated as a standalone topic. It is integrated into core disciplines such as finance, strategy, and marketing, shaping the way each subject is approached and analyzed.
The objective is to prepare graduates for a business environment where long-term impact and responsibility are no longer optional considerations, but essential components of decision-making.
