Customer Reference
"The Aalto MBA program expands your thinking and changes you as a leader.”
Pauliina Aalto and Anne Rantanen
Aalto MBA
Shape Your Future
Aalto MBA is a life-changing program for ambitious professionals and managers who want to reach their full potential and become business leaders with an innovative and sustainable mindset. The inspirational two-year journey will help you to widen your professional network and gain new knowledge, tools, and perspectives to prepare you for the next steps in your career.
New lenses are needed to look at the complex problems facing the world, as well as a new mindset and skills to tackle them. In the Aalto MBA program, the dialogue between sustainability, radical creativity, and entrepreneurial thinking – the core of Aalto University’s strategy – is present throughout the program. The creative problem-solving abilities, new knowledge, tools, and perspectives gained during the program will support you in your personal and professional growth and enable you to become a change agent in your own organization.
The Aalto MBA program holds the 'Triple Crown' of accreditations – the three most respected international quality accreditations, granted to only around 1% of the world's business schools: AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS.
The program's diploma is granted by Aalto University School of Business.
Shape Your Future
Aalto MBA is designed for ambitious people who want to accelerate their career. The world-class faculty, immediately applicable assignments, and broad experience of the participants will all play a central role in transforming your future.
Tailor Your Studies
We ensure that the Aalto MBA provides you with globally applicable knowledge and skills that are relevant and current. You can tailor your studies by choosing a mix of different elective modules or by concentrating on finance, entrepreneurship, or global business.
Graduate on Schedule
Our graduation rate is 98%. A flexible yet structured program design, together with the strong support of the MBA program team, enables you to successfully combine career and personal life responsibilities with intensive studies and graduate on time.
The Aalto MBA program is built around the four core business areas: strategy, leadership, finance, and business operations. The program will provide you with new perspectives and strengthen your business and leadership skills. You can dive deeper into finance, entrepreneurship, or global business by choosing one as your area of specialization. The flexible program structure allows you to work full-time during your MBA studies. The flexible program structure allows you to work full-time during your MBA studies. The learning process enables you to immediately apply your newly gained knowledge in your work, and the modular structure allows you to tailor the content to your specific interests and learning targets. You can add flexibility, e.g., by having a three-year study plan or taking some modules in advance.
The Aalto MBA program modules are prepared and presented by world-class faculty from Aalto University and renowned business schools around the world. In addition to their academic qualifications, our instructors are both excellent teachers and have significant business experience in various organizations. Presentations and assignments encourage participants to link the academic input of the latest business and management theories with their professional experience in organizations and to reflect upon their own views and practices.
The Aalto MBA is designed to maximize interaction and participation. You will have modules in your own cohort (of approximately 35–40 highly motivated participants) delivered onsite in Helsinki. The program highlights the Nordic leadership style, which emphasizes trust, equality, responsibility, and togetherness, striving to create a culture in which individuals and teams thrive through mutual respect, transparency, and shared responsibility.
The teaching approach focuses on the integration of theory and practice and takes into account differences in learning styles and preferences. A variety of teaching methods facilitate learning, including lectures, cases, presentations, group discussions and projects, simulations, and encounters with business leaders. Activities draw upon the wide international experience of participants, who represent different industries, functions, and backgrounds. Each module includes assignments designed to help participants immediately apply the learnings in their own work and organization.
Aalto MBA is the most international MBA program in Finland. Each module is taught by a world-class faculty from Aalto University or one of the world’s leading business schools. Serving as great resources and mentors, our faculty has a wide range of experience in both academia and business. International cases and study groups are inspiring and interactive, allowing participants to share their expertise and find ways to apply learning in their own context. Elective study tours abroad and voluntary exchange programs contribute to developing cross-cultural competence.
The Aalto MBA is first and foremost built on and driven by the impact it has – on our participants, their organizations, the academic community, and society at large. You and your organization will benefit from our goal-oriented and comprehensive learning experience with proven impact. Aalto University professors with multidisciplinary approaches, humane teaching styles, and conversational teaching methodologies ensure that content is discussed, learned, and applied.
We help nurture and develop our participants’ knowledge and skills, foster self-confidence, and build individual learning paths that lead to meaningful careers. In the highly international and diverse group of experienced participants, a prestigious peer network and life-long friendships are born. Participants offer a platform to exchange ideas and insights, fostering an environment of openness, curiosity, and mutual respect.
Register for Info Session
Our online info sessions offer a valuable chance to obtain more information on the Aalto MBA program. You will hear about the program in detail, meet the program team, and receive first-hand information from an MBA graduate.
See schedule and registerBenefits
The Aalto MBA program gives you a comprehensive understanding of different key areas of business and improves your personal leadership skills.
Gain new knowledge, tools, confidence, and skills to support your personal and professional development.
Obtain a comprehensive understanding of the key functions of business and management with an emphasis on sustainability.
Enhance your strategic thinking and analytical skills by grasping the key management concepts and frameworks and choosing the appropriate ones to be applied in your organization.
Improve your communication, presentation, and negotiation skills to make an impact.
Build the lifelong networks, friendships, and connections that are vital for future business leaders.
Develop a creative, experimental, and entrepreneurial mindset.
Inspire and be inspired by others.
Feel secure with your investment; strong support from a dedicated MBA team ensures your timely graduation.
For
The Aalto MBA is designed for ambitious and experienced professionals and managers who want to take their career to the next level. Some are already in management positions but want to develop their skills further, some wish to become entrepreneurs or make a complete career change.
The program brings together people with diverse backgrounds in terms of work experience, nationality, and previous studies. On average, participants have 12 years of relevant work experience, ranging from 6 to 20 years.
Profile of Aalto MBA 2023-2025 Participants
Education background
39 pax
Average cohort size
37 years
Average age
12 years
Average work experience
25
Different nationalities
Contents and Schedule
To fulfill the requirements for the Aalto MBA diploma, participants must successfully complete studies worth 90 ECTS credits. Studies include 12 core modules, 3 compulsory projects (Business Project, Sustainability Process, and Personal and Professional Development Process), and at least 5 elective modules. Typically, one module is worth 4.5 ECTS credits.
The Aalto MBA is a two-year program starting in January. The program has a modular structure and follows a six-week learning cycle. One study module typically includes two evenings (Wed and Thu) and two full days (Fri and Sat) with a total of 28 contact hours. Each module contains a pre-assignment and a take-home assignment.
Program Structure
Pre-module period of three weeks
Individual preparation and pre-assignment
Four-day module
Contact learning with instructor and peers
Post-module period of three weeks
Individual take-home assignment
Year 1: Core Modules
The first year of studies is dedicated to core modules. The core modules are designed to provide participants with a wide understanding of the different key areas of business, and participants acquire skills that are essential for any business leader. These modules are the building blocks of management education and help participants to integrate knowledge in the various management disciplines with hands-on practice. All these topics are approached and discussed at a managerial level.
- Communications
- Strategic Management
- People Management
- Financial Accounting and Analysis
- Managerial Accounting and Control
- Finance
- Economics
- Business Processes
- Marketing
- Data and AI in Business
- Aalto Executive Summit
- Capstone
Year 2: Elective Modules
The second year of the MBA studies focuses on the elective modules and finalizing the three projects. The Aalto MBA program includes a range of highly topical elective modules. Elective studies allow participants to acquire and deepen knowledge and skills that match their individual interests and future career needs. If you complete at least three elective modules in Finance, Entrepreneurship, or Global Business you will be entitled to a specialization in your diploma.
Specialization: Entrepreneurship
The Entrepreneurship specialization develops a future looking, experimental, and entrepreneurial mindset. It exposes participants to creative thinking and an environment of entrepreneurial activity and spirit in both start-up and corporate contexts, and strengthens participants’ skills in creating strategic advantage. The modules offer tangible tools and knowledge as well as inspiration for people aspiring to start their own business.
Specialization: Finance
The Finance specialization focuses on financial decision-making. The modules provide participants with the deep skills, latest knowledge, tools, and best practices vital for understanding the interaction between strategy and finance and mastering transition in a constantly changing business environment. Electives focusing on finance will introduce participants to the central concepts and questions in managing an investment portfolio. Participants will also gain knowledge on corporate financial policy, valuation, and structured understanding of the M&A process.
Specialization: Global Business
The Global Business specialization offers an immersive international experience and an opportunity to study elective modules in our partner schools, such as Esade (Spain) and KEDGE Business School (France). Participants will explore interesting topics, gain perspectives on different markets, and build their network globally when attending our partner universities’ MBA programs. Global Business participants are also entitled to take two additional elective modules. This specialization has an additional fee. The travel and accommodation costs for elective modules abroad are not included in the fee.
Read more about the MBA program contents
During the second year of studies, we also come together for the Aalto Executive Summit and the final Capstone module. Aalto, as a research university, ensures access to the latest state-of-the-art knowledge and insights. During the Aalto Executive Summit, you will learn about cutting-edge Aalto University research and innovations on current topics while enjoying the atmosphere of the Aalto University main campus together with Aalto EMBA and MBA participants.
Take Part in Memorable Study Tours and International Exchange
Participants can join optional study tours as part of the program. Designed to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the international business environment, a study tour typically involves around a five-day study period abroad. World-class faculty from, for example, Harvard and Yale, are guaranteed to provide interesting academic instruction. Study tours count as one elective module and have an additional fee.
Participants can also attend an exchange program at one of the Aalto MBA program's partner universities around the world. The exchange program length can vary from one module to four months. This option is tailored individually. Travel and accommodation costs for the exchange program are not included in the Aalto MBA tuition fee.
Dive Deep with Insightful Processes
The Personal and Professional Development Process supports your learning and development as a leader throughout your studies and beyond. The process supports you in building a sustainable base for continuous self-development.
The Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility Process is integrated across the curriculum. The topic is covered throughout modules and in the form of a learning diary. The process supports participants’ understanding of sustainability in business and reflection on how these issues impact strategies, decision making, and value creation.
Participant Experiences
Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility Process
“Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility has been a very impactful module for me and has led to concrete initiatives in our organization. We have initiated a task force for sustainability, written a research plan, and received a grant for sustainability research. We aim to benchmark against other units and learn to optimize disposable equipment use without compromising safety and infection control.”
Johanna Kaartinen, Head of Division of Emergency Medicine, HUS
“I feel like I’ve come a long way from when I first started learning about sustainability in the modern business environment. If I look at myself now, I actively engage in sustainability conversations with other people, and it has opened completely new business opportunities for me, e.g., yielding a strategically important project for our company.”
Fama Doumbouya, Sales Director
Personal and Professional Development Process
“My personal and professional development journey has taught me the value of continuous improvement, self-confidence, aligning with values, the power of "no", the significance of relationships, and the importance of stewardship in leadership. These insights will shape my future leadership endeavors as I work to make a positive impact on the world.”
Liene Krumina, Partner, LKOS Law Office Oy
“In essence, the learnings have helped me understand myself more and get a profound sense of myself in relation to my peers, colleagues, and competitors.”
Juha Salminen, Director, Concept & Strategy
"My learning journey has been a transformational experience. I've discovered more about myself, honed my leadership skills, and learned to foster collaboration and trust in relationships. The books I've read, coaching sessions, and peer discussions have been invaluable in this process. This journey has not only improved my professional capabilities but also enriched my personal life. I look forward to continuing this journey of growth and self-discovery."
Natalia Vyslovska , Sales Manager, Liquid Measurements, Vaisala Oy
Turn Insight into Action during the MBA Business Project
The Aalto MBA program includes a Business Project, a consultancy project carried out in a small team with the final aim of developing an analytical solution or tool for a concrete strategic business challenge faced by an organization. The project aims to use the insights gained during the program, with project groups organized to maximize the use of their individual competencies and supported by skilled academic tutors from Aalto University.
Gain Access to the Alumni Network
All graduates automatically become members of the Aalto EE and Aalto University alumni community. Aalto EE and Aalto University continuously arrange events, company visits, and networking opportunities with fellow alumni. With around 20,000 alumni worldwide, we offer you access to the latest knowledge and an extensive global business network.
Flexible MBA or Global Leader as a Pathway to MBA Studies
Before formally starting your Aalto MBA studies, you can take up to four MBA modules as a visitor together with the current MBA participants.
Global Leader is a compact and flexible program that can help you strengthen your strategic skills to manage interlinked functions in a multinational environment. Global Leader provides an ideal springboard towards studying for an Aalto MBA.
Admission Requirements and Fee
Admission Requirements
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent
- Minimum three years of relevant postgraduate work experience in manager/senior specialist/specialist position
- Good command of written and spoken English
The application process includes:
- Submission of the required application documents
- A personal meeting
If you are not sure if you meet some of the requirements, please contact the Aalto MBA admissions team.
Tuition Fee
Application
Application Deadlines
Start Your Application Process
Start your application process by completing the preliminary application. Please note that submitting this form is the first step in the actual application process. After submitting the form, our admissions team will contact you and guide you in the application process.
Further Application Stages
Scholarships
Saastamoinen Foundation scholarships are awarded to the most promising MBA participants. Scholarships are awarded based on the applicant’s previous academic record, track record of career progress, and the potential for leadership and career advancement.
We especially encourage participants who are funding their MBA studies privately, either partly or entirely, to apply for the scholarship.
Please include an informal justification in your application documents describing why you should be considered for a scholarship (max. length 500 words).
All participants receiving scholarships are required to report on progress in their studies.
The global business environment requires thinkers who are more skilled, innovative, and courageous than ever before. The Saastamoinen Foundation supports the ongoing development of Finnish working life and individuals, along with internationalism, in cooperation with Aalto EE, we are aiming for a better world through better leadership.
Eevi and Eemil Tanninen Foundation scholarships are awarded to the most promising participants from the Karelian and Savo regions.
Scholarships are awarded based on the impact on the Karelian and Savo regions, especially on economic and cultural activities.
Please include an informal justification in your application documents describing why you should be considered for a scholarship and what impact the scholarship would have regionally (max. 500 words).
All participants receiving scholarships are required to report on progress in their studies.
Eevi and Eemil Tanninen Foundation's focus is on Karelia and Savo. It promotes and supports economic studies and other activities that support economic and cultural activities, as well as other international activities aimed at developing this area that take into account the historical significance of the area.