My experience of applying for the Accelerator MBA

19 December 2025

Accelerator MBA participant Viktor Didenchuk shares his tips for successfully applying to the Accelerator MBA programme.

I was considering doing an MBA for a long time. I come from a technical background and never really had the opportunity to learn about business. The Accelerator MBA at Warwick Business School (WBS) looked like a good option – to immerse myself in learning and set a specific timeframe during which I would have exposure to all the key areas that are required in the modern VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) world.

I’d reached a point of my career where I had a stable job, some savings, and felt that this was the perfect opportunity to finally go for that MBA. My search wasn’t easy. I am the type of person who, when making a major life decision, has to do lots of research, but I would definitely recommend doing this as it was really important in helping me make my decision.

I attended almost a dozen online and offline open days in business schools in London, elsewhere in the UK, and around the world. Some of them were really appealing due to the atmosphere, invited panellists, and the information they covered. Although, there were a couple that weren’t as good – yes, the canapés and champagne were exceptional, but they just ran through a PDF that you could find online. This really showcased why it was so important to do my research and attend several open events.

WBS was different – they assigned a person to have a 1-2-1 chat with me, invited me for the open day with a demo lecture, and provided me with a remarkably responsive person who guided me through the process.

I think I contributed about 30 hours to my application, so be sure to give yourself ample time to do this. I had never really had the opportunity to write essays before, so I had to dig up some examples and watch tutorials. Although, this came from the top of my head, as I understood my goals back then, so it was the format rather than the context that I struggled with.

The interview was fun - we started with a bit of small talk, and the interviewer set up a nice atmosphere where I felt confident and committed to sharing my best strengths. It was almost like a coaching conversation, rather than an interview.

I decided to apply for a scholarship, which is done via an essay – the format is great, considering you need to write three or four as part of the application anyway. That was just an additional couple of hours to think through the positioning, so if you are hesitant – I would recommend doing it. You don’t need to play a game, just explain what you value and what your profile will bring to the school.

To summarise, after nine months on the programme – this was one of the best major life decisions I have ever made, and I never hesitated about my choice. I have learnt a lot, and made new friends, and you know – those friends from university stay forever.