Guide to MBA Conferences in 2026

Those considering graduate education in business may benefit from attending an MBA conference or fair. These admissions and networking events are held in dozens of cities across the United States and worldwide, where aspiring MBAs can meet representatives from many business schools in a single location.

MBA fairs are all about personal connections. School gatekeepers travel to these events to meet well-qualified applicants. Moreover, the savviest candidates understand that connecting personally with a school’s admissions team can award those applicants with their most critical advantage in the entire admissions process: a great lasting impression.

Occasionally, impressions gained through these personal connections can guarantee admission to a top school. Consider this anecdote from Emma Bond, a former senior admissions manager at the London Business School and currently a director with the admissions consulting firm Fortuna Admissions:

I was at an MBA fair in Seoul. I met a Japanese-Brazilian working in South Korea with a background in automotive manufacturing. He was professional, engaging, and friendly, and had an interesting international profile that was a good LBS fit, but he didn’t have great stats. So when he later applied, I actually remembered him and the impression he’d made and was able to say, ‘Yes, this guy is great, he’d contribute,’ and he was eventually offered a place.

Encounters like these embody the ultimate aspiration of any prospective MBA applicant. Leaving this lasting, face-to-face impression with an admissions officer can prove invaluable.

“The dialogue that occurs is often much richer if you are present with somebody in person,” says Kelly Wilson, a former executive admissions director at the Carnegie Mellon University Tepper School of Business. “I can get a better sense of who a candidate is in person than I can over the phone or via email.”

About the BSchools Featured MBA Fairs and Events

Below are the major MBA fairs and conferences scheduled in 2026. Only a handful of organizations stage the vast majority of the events, which the sponsors typically organize into multi-city tours with dates following in rapid succession across continents.

The BSchools.org schedule emphasizes those fairs taking place in nations with large English-speaking populations; similar fairs in many other global venues also appear on the tour sponsors’ websites.

Featured MBA Fairs & Events in 2026

Access MBA

• Audience: All MBA aspirants
• Cost: Free upon online registration

Access MBA is a project of Advent Group, an independent media agency established in 2004 that specializes in higher education. The Access MBA Tour is a series of one-to-one events connecting professionals with admissions directors of top business schools through personal, face-to-face meetings. It holds approximately 70 one-to-one events per year in more than 60 countries in Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, North America, Asia, and Africa.

Advent Group has been a worldwide leader in personalised higher education events across the globe for almost 20 years now. With over 150 team members located in three offices in Europe and North America, Advent Group’s mission is to connect prospective international students with the best accredited higher education institutions.

At each event, Access MBA matches selected candidates with top-ranked international business schools. A team of over 15 education experts familiar with the participating MBA programmes screens the profiles of registered attendees and matches them to the most suitable schools for them.

Personal consultations, both over the phone and on-site at the events, ensure that participants meet only representatives of the business schools that fit their individual needs and expectations.

During the 20-minute meetings, professionals can get specific advice directly from MBA representatives, ask questions, and benefit from one-on-one networking.

Locations & Dates (2026)

In-Person MBA One-to-One Events

• Asia
  • Mumbai, India – February 21, 2026
  • New Delhi, India – February 24, 2026
  • Bangalore, India – February 28, 2026
  • SHANGHAI, China – April 9, 2026
  • BEIJING, China – April 11, 2026
  • Manila, Philippines – April 13, 2026
  • Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – April 16, 2026
  • Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – April 18, 2026
  • Singapore / Republic of Singapore – April 21, 2026
  • Jakarta, Indonesia – April 23, 2026
  • Bangkok, Thailand – April 25, 2026
• Africa
  • Cape Town, South Africa – March 21, 2026
  • Johannesburg, South Africa – March 23, 2026
  • Accra, Ghana – March 26, 2026
  • Lagos, Nigeria – March 28, 2026
  • Casablanca, Morocco – April 15, 2026
• Europe
  • Copenhagen, Denmark – January 20, 2026
  • Oslo, Norway – January 22, 2026
  • Geneva, Switzerland – January 24, 2026
  • Zurich, Switzerland – January 27, 2026
  • London, UK – January 29, 2026
  • Milan, Italy – January 31, 2026
  • Brussels, Belgium – February 2, 2026
  • Amsterdam, Netherlands – February 4, 2026
  • Paris, France – February 7, 2026
  • Berlin, Germany – February 10, 2026
  • Munich, Germany – February 12, 2026
  • Istanbul, Türkiye – May 9, 2026
  • Bucharest, Romania – May 12, 2026
  • Budapest, Hungary – May 14, 2026
  • Sofia, Bulgaria – May 16, 2026
  • Prague, Czech Republic – May 18, 2026
• Middle East
  • Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – April 7, 2026
  • Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – April 8, 2026
  • Doha, Qatar – April 13, 2026
  • Dubai, UAE – April 11, 2026
  • Istanbul, Türkiye – May 9, 2026
• North America
  • Atlanta, USA – January 20, 2026
  • Chicago, USA – January 22, 2026
  • San Francisco, USA – January 24, 2026
  • Los Angeles, USA – January 25, 2026
  • San Diego, USA – January 26, 2026
  • San Antonio, USA – January 27, 2026
  • Austin, USA – January 28, 2026
  • Houston, USA – January 29, 2026
  • Fort Worth, USA – January 31, 2026
  • Charlotte, USA – February 2, 2026
  • Miami, USA – February 4, 2026
  • New York City, USA – February 7, 2026
  • Washington DC, USA – February 9, 2026
  • Boston, USA – February 11, 2026
  • Vancouver, Canada – March 9, 2026
  • Calgary, Canada – March 11, 2026
  • Edmonton, Canada – March 12, 2026
  • Toronto, Canada – March 14, 2026
  • Montreal, Canada – March 16, 2026
• Latin America
  • Guadalajara, Mexico – February 19, 2026
  • Mexico City, Mexico – February 21, 2026
  • Bogota, Colombia – February 24, 2026
  • Lima, Peru – February 28, 2026
  • Santiago, Chile – March 4, 2026
  • Buenos Aires, Argentina – March 5, 2026
  • Sao Paulo, Brazil – March 7, 2026

QS World MBA Tour

• Audience: Prospective MBA students and applicants
• Cost: Free upon registration

The QS World MBA Tour connects aspiring MBA candidates with admissions teams from top-ranked global business schools through in-person fairs in major cities worldwide. These events offer presentations by deans, expert panels on applications and careers, one-on-one advising sessions, and networking opportunities to help candidates explore programs and stand out to recruiters.

Attendees learn about full-time, executive, and specialized MBAs, including financing options, scholarships, and alumni insights. Many fairs include resume reviews, professional headshots, and exclusive scholarship awards totaling millions in value. Virtual options expand access for those unable to attend in person.

Locations & Dates (2026):

• Europe
  • Athens, Greece – March 04, 2026
  • Milan, Italy – March 09, 2026
  • London, UK – March 12, 2026
  • Amsterdam, Netherlands – March 16, 2026
  • Brussels, Belgium – March 17, 2026
  • Paris, France – March 19, 2026
  • Frankfurt, Germany – March 21, 2026
  • Dusseldorf, Germany – March 23, 2026
  • Berlin, Germany – March 25, 2026
  • Hamburg, Germany – March 26, 2026
• Middle East & Africa
  • Dubai, UAE – May 06, 2026
  • Abu Dhabi, UAE – May 07, 2026
• North America
  • Washington DC, USA – February 19, 2026
  • New York City, New York, USA – February 21, 2026
  • Boston, Massachusetts, USA – February 24, 2026
  • Chicago, Illinois, USA – February 26, 2026
  • Toronto, Canada – February 28, 2026
  • Montreal, Canada – March 03, 2026
  • Vancouver, Canada – March 05, 2026
  • Salt Lake City, Utah, USA – March 07, 2026
  • Silicon Valley, California, USA – March 10, 2026
  • Dallas, Texas, USA – March 12, 2026
  • Atlanta, Georgia, USA – March 14, 2026
• Latin America
  • São Paulo, Brazil – January 31, 2026
  • Lima, Peru – February 02, 2026
  • Cali, Colombia – February 05, 2026
  • Bogota, Colombia – February 07, 2026
  • San Jose, Costa Rica – February 09, 2026
  • Mexico City, Mexico – February 11, 2026
  • Guadalajara, Mexico – February 12, 2026

Global Conference on Business Management and Economics (GCBME)

• Audience: A wide audience spanning from seasoned academics and business leaders to emerging researchers and industry newcomers
• Cost: Author (Early Bird) – $500; Author (Regular) – $600; Listener – $500

Connecting professionals from industry, academia, practice, and policy-making, this conference is dedicated to promoting the exchange of innovative methodologies, research findings, and ideas in business management and economics. This conference will not only help attendees enhance their understanding of current trends and research but also connect them with pioneers and thought leaders in the field.

This conference covers topics such as business management, innovation management, human resource management, entrepreneurship, business strategy, marketing, strategic management, international business, business statistics, financial institution management, project management, transportation management, and organizational behavior.

Locations & Dates (2026):

• Honolulu, USA – January 23-25, 2026
• Houston, USA – February 13-15, 2026
• Miami, USA – March 27-29, 2026
• Seattle, USA – March 06-08, 2026
• Washington, DC, USA – April 24-26, 2026
• Denver, USA – May 01-03, 2026

Forte MBA Leadership Conference

• Audience: Admitted MBA students enrolling at Forte member schools in 2026
• Costs: Registration details available early 2026

The Forte MBA Leadership Conference helps incoming MBA students build leadership skills, explore career paths, and network early with top employers. Held over two days, it features keynotes from business leaders, interactive workshops on negotiation and interviews, career panels in finance, consulting, tech, and more, plus a career expo with Fortune 100 recruiters.

Attendees connect with over 600 peers from Forte member schools, gain advice from alumni, and access one-on-one employer meetings for internships and jobs. Past agendas included sessions on entrepreneurial mindsets, networking strategies, and global careers, fostering authentic leadership before classes start.

Locations & Dates (2026):

• Atlanta, Georgia – June 26-27, 2026

The WEI International Academic Conference on Business, Economics, Management, and Finance (WEI-BEFM-2026)

• Audience: All MBA aspirants
• Costs: Early Registration Fee: $475 by 15 January 2026; Regular Registration Fee: $595 between 15 January 2026 and 15 March 2026; Late Payment: $695 after 15 March 2026; Payment Per Additional Paper: $150

The WEI International Academic Conference on Business, Economics, Management, and Finance (WEI-BEFM-2026) is hosted by the West East Institute, a global scientific and academic learned society founded in 2012 for the purpose of disseminating the latest academic research on various education, humanities, and social sciences, business, and economics-related topics.

This conference will cover topics such as strategic management, diversity management, business teaching methods, business law, business information systems, energy economics, engineering, human resources, public relations for business, supply chain management, and organizational behavior.

Locations & Dates (2026):

• University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA – April 14-16, 2026

International Conference on Economics and Business Administration (ICEBA)

• Audience: Anyone associated with or interested in management, economics, and business administration
• Cost: Non-student oral/poster presenter (early: €450 and normal: €500); student oral/poster presenter (early: €350 and normal: €400); listener (early: €250 and normal: €300); additional paper publication (€100)

The International Conference on Economics and Business Administration is the premier interdisciplinary forum for exchanging and sharing experiences and research results on all aspects of economics and business administration. The conference is aimed at bringing together leading academic scientists, researchers, and research scholars, providing an opportunity to present and discuss the most recent innovations, trends, and concerns, as well as practical challenges encountered and solutions adopted in the fields of economics and business administration.

This conference covers topics such as business and industrial marketing, economics, innovation, and business administration, computational economics and finance, business process management, economic development, prices, business fluctuations, and cycles, business development, household behavior and family economics, strategic management, and risk and security management.

Locations & Dates (2026):

• Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – February 12-13, 2026
• Istanbul, Türkiye – March 16-17, 2026
• Algiers, Algeria – March 30-31, 2026
• San Francisco, USA – June 1-2, 2026
• Montreal, Canada – June 15-16, 2026
• Vancouver, Canada – August 3-4, 2026
• Istanbul, Türkiye – August 17-18, 2026
• Budapest, Hungary – August 24-25, 2026
• Moscow, Russia – August 27-28, 2026
• Rome, Italy – September 7-8
• San Francisco, USA – November 02-03, 2026
• Dubai, UAE – December 30-31, 2026

GMAC Leadership Conference 2026

• Audience: All Business School Professionals
• Costs: Registration information not available

Designed for graduate school administrative and academic program-level directors and deans, the GMAC/GBC Roundtable Leadership Conference is a unique opportunity for attendees to join strategic conversations and explore new ideas in leadership instruction and practice; learn from the world’s preeminent thought leaders in management and education; and solve current challenges through informal and formal networking opportunities. The objective of each session at this conference is to present innovative approaches to existing or new challenges so that session attendees can get ideas and inspiration for ways to approach similar situations at their home institutions.

Session topics have traditionally focused on program delivery and development, resource administration and allocation, portfolio management, and much more.

Locations & Dates (2026):

• Carlsbad, California – January 13-16, 2026

International Conference on Economics, Innovation and Business Administration (ICEIBA)

• Audience: Students, academicians, industry researchers, leading academic scientists, researchers, and research scholars
• Cost: Non-student oral/poster presenter (early: €450 and normal: €500); student oral/poster presenter (early: €350 and normal: €400); listener (early: €250 and normal: €300); additional paper publication (€100)

The International Conference on Economics, Innovation, and Business Administration aims to bring together researchers, research scholars, and leading academic scientists to share and exchange their research results and experiences on all aspects of economics, innovation, and business administration. The conference also provides a premier interdisciplinary platform for practitioners, educators, and researchers to discuss and present the most recent trends, concerns, and innovations, as well as practical challenges encountered and solutions adopted in the fields of economics, innovation, and business administration.

Topics covered at the conference include banking and finance; business ethics and anti-corruption; development planning and policy; crisis management; information management; innovation for sustainable development; regulatory economics; welfare economics; logistics and scheduling; and knowledge management, among others.

Locations & Dates (2026):

• Zurich, Switzerland – January 12-13, 2026
• Istanbul, Türkiye – January 26-27, 2026
• New Delhi, India – February 23-24, 2026
• London, UK – March 09-10, 2026
• Singapore, Singapore – April 27-28, 2026
• Singapore, Singapore – May 4-5, 2026
• Istanbul, Türkiye – June 29-30, 2026
• Istanbul, Türkiye – July 30-31, 2026
• Paris, France – September 21-22, 2026
• San Francisco, USA – September 28-29, 2026
• Dubai, UAE – November 9-10, 2026
• Paris, France – November 23-24, 2026
• Cairo, Egypt – December 17-18, 2026

Closing Thoughts on MBA Fairs and Events

Irrespective of which MBA fairs aspirants attend, all these events offer opportunities for personal connections and lasting impressions with admissions officers. It’s never wise to underestimate the value of those connections because, in some cases, like the London Business School example above, lasting impressions can pave the way to admission to a top school.