Thinking of joining a business school? Great! But here’s something many students skip (and regret later): checking if the school is properly accredited.
You’ve probably seen terms like AACSB, AMBA, or EQUIS on the school websites and brochures. What do they actually mean, though? More importantly, why should you care?
Well, business school accreditation is no longer a Unique Selling Proposition (USP). It is a basic mark that shows that the school satisfies strict requirements for faculty, research, curriculum, teaching, and industry relevance. Above all, it’s what gives your degree weight in the eyes of recruiters and international institutions.
But the catch is that only about 1% of business schools in the world hold all three major accreditations: AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS.
So what makes these three accreditations different, and why do they matter to you as a student? Let’s break it down.
You might be wondering: why all this fuss about accreditation? If the campus looks good with top-notch infrastructure and experienced lecturers, isn’t that enough?
Not really. Here’s why accreditations are indeed a big deal:
Proof of Global Quality
Modern campuses are important, but so is the proper mix of trained faculty, up-to-date curricula, sound research facilities, and practical applications. Accreditation proves that a school meets internationally accepted standards in all these aspects.
Trustworthy To Employers
Some companies have internal policies that automatically filter out candidates from non-accredited programs. You could be the most talented person in the room, but if your school doesn’t have the right letters after its name, you might never get the chance to prove it.
Promotes International Mobility
Planning to work or study abroad? Accreditations guarantee that your degree is respected and acknowledged around the world. It would be much easier to transfer credits, apply for post-graduate programs, or even get visa advantages in some countries.
Protects Your Investment
An MBA isn’t cheap, especially in India. The average cost of a mid-tier two-year MBA program ranges from ₹10 lakh to ₹20 lakh. It can go even higher for globally affiliated or international programs.
That’s a serious investment. And accreditation acts like a quality check to confirm whether the school is worth the price tag. Schools with international accreditation of AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS are more likely to give you the returns and career push you’re paying for.
Alumni Network
Accredited schools don’t just have bigger alumni networks. They have more influential ones. It would be a priceless resource for job referrals, mentorship, business partnerships, and international opportunities.
There are three gold-standard accreditations every serious B-school dreams of. Let’s start with the first one:
It is an accreditation that focuses exclusively on postgraduate management programs, especially the MBA. The AMBA full form is the Association of MBAs, and it’s dedicated to ensuring that business schools meet high international standards in areas like curriculum design, faculty expertise, student quality, and career support.
Background And Scope
AMBA was founded in 1967 in the UK with a basic idea: to promote the value and quality of business education. This British-origin philosophy has now spread globally in over 85 countries.
The organisation is renowned for its rigorous accreditation standards. As of now, the body has accredited only 245 schools. That’s just 2% of the world’s business schools! Thus, AMBA is one of the most prestigious global MBA accreditations right now.
Even though AMBA’s UK roots provide it with serious credibility in Europe and the Commonwealth nations, it’s no longer a regional accreditation. It’s now the world standard for MBA-specific quality. That’s why schools still pursue AMBA accreditation despite the challenging process.
Criteria And Process
AMBA evaluates seven core dimensions:
- Institutional history and development
- Resource support
- Faculty quality and research
- Admissions standards and student diversity
- Curriculum, methodology, and learning outcomes
- Administrative structure and career services
- Alumni engagement
The organisation has super-specific requirements for the evaluation. Check out them:
- 3-Year Rule: AMBA requires students to have at least 3 years of relevant post-bachelor work experience before starting their MBA studies.
- Contact Hours Requirement: A full-time MBA curriculum should contain no less than 500 contact (scheduled faculty-mediated) hours, and a distance-learning MBA program should have no less than 120.
- Faculty Standards: At least half of the faculty in the school must have PhD degrees.
- Program Maturity: The school must have a minimum of three years of experience in offering the program and a proven track record of producing graduates who are capable of advancing in their careers.
The accreditation process is qualitative and consultative, including peer reviews and visits. Schools pay an initial £25,000 and £18,000 for re-accreditation. Annual membership fees also apply.
Benefits
- AMBA accreditation is widely recognized by employers in Europe, Asia, and emerging markets.
- In fact, AMBA creates a global network. You will have access to special events, networking, and career tools.
- You will have the opportunity to collaborate with a set of experienced individuals in the field. That’s really helpful in expanding your industry insights.
- AMBA is likely to remain one of the most trusted global MBA accreditations in the long-term also, as the organisation caps total schools at 300 to keep quality high.
In short, AMBA is a gold-level accreditation standard that is specifically designed for experienced professionals who want an MBA education that matches their career level.
AACSB stands for Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. It is one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious accreditation bodies that evaluates entire business schools rather than programs.
Background And Scope
AACSB started in the United States over a century ago, in 1916, with a mission to uplift business education standards. It was then called the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business.
The US was indeed the primary focus of the Florida-based organisation. However, AACSB accredited the first non-North American school in 1968. Soon, it went global in the mid-1990s. Now, it stands high with over 1053 globally accredited educational institutions.
And unlike AMBA (which focuses only on MBA programs) or EQUIS (which looks at whole business schools), AACSB’s scope covers all business and accounting programs offered by the accredited entity. Thus, every program under that school’s umbrella gets a credibility boost.
Criteria And Process
AACSB assesses schools in three general areas, each with detailed standards:
- Strategic Management And Innovation: The schools should have a well-defined mission and demonstration of strategic planning, along with innovation.
- Learner Success: Schools need to provide an assurance of student progress and teaching effectiveness. In addition to that, institutions may also have to prove that they are producing graduates who succeed in the business world.
- Thought Leadership, Engagement, and Social Impact: Business schools are required to show the faculty research impact and the institution’s engagement with industry as well.
The accreditation process is pretty complex. First of all, schools are required to submit an eligibility application and become AACSB members.
Then, the institution must prepare a comprehensive Self-Evaluation Report (SER). Soon, they will go through a mentor-guided process and receive a peer-review visit. It would take about 2 to 7 years to gain the accreditation.
And even if the school gets accredited, peer-review checks are conducted every five years to maintain the status.
Benefits
- AACSB’s long history and stringently evaluated process make it the benchmark standard of quality in business school accreditation.
- AACSB graduates are considered well-prepared and strategically trained. Recruiters often target candidates from these schools.
- AACSB-accredited schools are renowned for the research facilities they provide. And graduates with strong research skills always have a steady demand in the job market.
- Other schools readily accept credit transfers from AACSB-accredited institutions.
AACSB is a solid accreditation for those who prefer a research-oriented education with global recognition. And it’s especially worth it if you’re eyeing US markets.
EQUIS is a premium accreditation run by the EFMD (European Foundation for Management Development) that evaluates the entire business school through a global perspective.
Background And Scope
Established by EFMD in 1997 and based in Brussels, EQUIS is a global accreditation that schools from all around the world seek. Its scope is much more broad. It doesn’t just look at MBA programs like some other business school accreditations. Rather, it follows a holistic approach that checks all degree programs offered.
As of now, there are approximately 250 EQUIS-accredited business schools across 45 countries, with around 46 in Asia. India has 8 EQUIS accredited schools, including IIM Ahmedabad and ISB.
Criteria And Process
The organisation assesses 10 critical dimensions to provide accreditations:
- Context and Strategy
- Internationalisation
- Ethics, Responsibility, and Sustainability
- Connection with Practice
- Research And Development
- Programmes
- Faculty
- Student Body
- Resources And Administration
- Continuous Improvement
The accreditation process involves a self-assessment and peer-review visit. It could take up to 2-3 years to complete the process. And the accreditation must be renewed every 3-5 years.
Benefits
- EQUIS schools are popular for their high teaching standards. The accreditation ensures faculty are well-qualified and curricula are updated. The learning outcomes will also be more measurable.
- EQUIS accredited schools have greater visibility among students, faculty, and industry stakeholders across the world due to their global reputation.
- The organisation’s focus on ethics and sustainability attracts the eyes of more NGOs to EQUIS school graduates.
- EQUIS schools generally have robust alumni networks and business contacts that would be really helpful in your job hunting.
Now that you’ve got a clear idea of all three accreditations, here’s a quick comparison to help you see how they stack up side by side.
| Point of Difference |
AACSB |
AMBA |
EQUIS |
| What it Accredits |
Entire business school (UG to PhD) |
Only postgraduate programs (MBA, MBM, DBA) |
Entire business school (UG to PhD) |
| Main Focus |
Teaching quality and strategy |
MBA program quality |
Global outlook, ethics, and corporate connections |
| Who Grants It |
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (USA) |
Association of MBAs (UK) |
European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) |
| Duration to Earn It |
2–7 years |
1–2 years |
2–3 years |
| Scope |
Very strong in the USA and Asia |
Strong in Europe and the Commonwealth |
Strong in Europe |
| Who Should Care Most |
Students looking for solid all-round schools |
MBA applicants wanting elite programs |
Students who wish to have international exposure and practical industry links |
Triple Crown accreditation means a business school holds the three most prestigious global accreditations: AACSB, AMBA (Association of MBAs), and EQUIS. When combined, they denote excellence in research, internationalisation, pedagogy, strategy, faculty calibre, and practical impact.
Only about 120 schools (fewer than 1% of business schools worldwide) have achieved this elite status.
Below is a table featuring some of the best international universities with Triple Crown accreditation, along with their most recent QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) and THE (Times Higher Education) rankings:
India’s representation in the Triple Crown club is also quite impressive, considering the relatively recent emergence of these international accreditations in the country. Currently, there are four AACSB AMBA EQUIS accredited educational institutes in India:
- IIM Calcutta: First in India to earn the status.
- IIM Indore: Became the second in late 2019.
- Indian School of Business (ISB): Celebrated as the world’s 100th triple-crown school in May 2020.
- SPJIMR Mumbai: Joined this elite club in December 2024
Achieving this status is no small feat. Most schools start with one accreditation, usually AACSB or EQUIS. Then, they spend years adjusting their governance, faculty quality, curriculum, and procedures to meet the strict requirements of the other accreditations.
Each accreditation body considers distinct elements. To be awarded all three, a school must demonstrate consistent excellence across all dimensions.
It’s a long and challenging process that can take 5 to 10 years or more. Schools may have to redesign programs, bring in top faculty, upgrade infrastructure, build international collaborations, and, at the same time, maintain the aspects to renew the gained accreditations.
But the best part is that the efforts are truly worth it. A school with triple crown accreditation has proven itself to global experts.
1. Are there other global accreditations besides AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS?
Yes! There are others like ACBSP and IACBE. But they’re considered less rigorous than the big three that make up the Triple Crown accreditation.
2. Do accreditations expire?
Yes. To maintain their status, schools must re-accredit, usually every three to five years.
3. Are online MBA programs accredited by AMBA?
Yes, but they have to adhere to certain standards, such as synchronous live interaction, sufficient contact hours, and strong student support. Similarly, distance MBAs are also eligible for AMBA accreditation, but only if quality is upheld.
4. How do I find out if a school is truly accredited?
You can directly check the official websites of AACSB, AMBA, or EQUIS. Never rely only on what the school claims in brochures.
It’s simple to get lost in the glitzy campus images and lofty promises when selecting a business school. However, the foundation—the way the school is constructed, how it functions, and how the outside world perceives it—is what really counts.
Yes, business school accreditations are serious signals of them. They demonstrate a school’s commitment to providing up-to-date and global education.
But even then, not every accredited school is right for you. Your background, career goals, preferred location, budget, learning style, and all matter as much in picking the right institution. And if you’re unsure where to begin, we can help.
At The Chopras (TC Global), we simplify the process. We have a dedicated team of experts to guide you to find programs that match your goals. Book a free session with us now!
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