The 2024 Kellogg Future Leaders program is available to college or graduate school students from the US or abroad who graduate between October 2024 and September 2025. Graduate students must have entered their program of study straight out of college. Students can major in any discipline (though PhDs, medical, and law degrees are considered professional experience; people with those degrees must apply through the regular MBA application funnel).
During the deferment period, Kellogg’s Future Leaders gain experience in a professional field of their choice, and when the deferment period ends, they step into an MBA program already partially integrated in the Kellogg community. In fact, during the two-to-five-year deferral period, admitted applicants have a number of resources available at Kellogg to stay engaged and on track until they decide to enroll, including a network of fellow deferred students as well as professors and a dedicated admissions officer.
The Kellogg Future Leaders Application Process
Applicants to the deferred program follow the same application process as the Kellogg full-time MBA applicants. For Personal MBA Coach’s tips on how to approach Kellogg Future Leaders essay questions, check out this blog.
If you are looking for deferred MBA program consulting, Personal MBA Coach is here to guide you via our Deferred MBA Packages.

I worked with Scott and his team for my MBA applications this year. I had a great experience and have received offers from the Kellogg MBAi program, and full-time MBA programs at Haas, Ross, and Tepper (with $40K).
It was great working with the team. I felt that their understanding of what different schools are looking for is extremely thorough. We started out by shortlisting the schools that would be best aligned with my goals and experience. We then worked on my goal statement and CV, before moving on to the recommendations and essays.
The process was very detailed yet we moved fast. We did several iterations on each element till we were satisfied. The platform used to collaborate on these materials was very streamlined. I would always receive feedback within a day. In fact with the time difference, I would put in my drafts late-night IST and receive feedback by the time I woke up!
Overall, I had a great experience and would highly recommend Personal MBA Coach.