ISB’s Young Leaders Programme (YLP)

What is YLP?

YLP is a foundation programme that leads to the PGP at ISB. The programme offers deferred admission to high potential candidates pursuing their bachelor’s or master’s education. Students pursuing integrated programmes (Bachelor's + Master's) of any duration are also eligible to apply.

The programme is a mix of on-campus and online learning modules that eventually lead to integration with the flagship ISB PGP. The learning & mentorship sessions guide candidates in navigating their careers with constant inputs & feedback from the ISB faculty.

How to get in?

To apply for the YLP, the candidate must be in the pre-final or final year of undergraduate or post graduate education. Admission to the Young Leaders Programme is a three-stage process.

• Stage 1 (Detailed application form and an essay) to be submitted in March
• Stage 2 (GMAT / GRE score, two essays & One Evaluation) to be submitted in August
• Stage 3 (Personal interview) in Sep-Oct (followed by final results mostly in October)

The selected students must attend learning weekends at ISB that give them a holistic view of the ISB experience. The sessions focus on enhancing leadership abilities, exposing the candidate to diverse career options, personality and career assessment, developing communication, relationship management and presentation skills.

Benefits of YLP

• Treatment on par with other PGP candidates: Once admitted to the PGP, YLP candidates are treated on par with other candidates in all respects. All opportunities, academic or career-related, are offered to all PGP students and YLP students get the benefit of getting such opportunities early in their careers. In a nutshell, one need not wait longer to get that dream job one has always aspired for!
• Networking: Frequent visits to the campus during the two-year period allow YLP students to connect with the current PGP class. Networking sessions with Club Presidents and the GSB help them gain insights into the opportunities the one year at ISB offers, how it shapes them as a person and transforms them into a better professional.
• Learning and mentorship: The learning and mentorship weekends allow YLP candidates to interact with the faculty at ISB, PGP students and other YLP candidates.
• Exclusive YLP-PGP scholarships: ISB offers exclusive YLP scholarships – another positive for YLP candidates!

How the two years help?

The two years between the YLP offer and admission to the PGP provide candidates tremendous opportunities. With the MBA admission out of their way, they can focus their efforts on things they always wanted to do - which would help them in their careers going forward. For instance, they may try their hands at a start-up or may take a sabbatical from their pre-ISB employers to attend the PGP and come back, if they wish to do so.

The continuous engagement with the ISB faculty, staff and students during these two years also helps YLP candidates with tremendous opportunities to expand their horizons and gain exposure to various facets of professional life.  

To sum up, the YLP is a win-win for both the school and the candidates. While ISB is able to “catch them young”, the candidates get to take up the ISB MBA pretty early in the career – the class average being 4-5yrs.

* All the Student Diaries have been written by ISB Alumni. ISBmantra holds no responsibility on the completeness and accuracy of this information. However, we endeavour to obtain all the content from reliable sources and keep the information up-to-date.