Admissions

Online Application

All prospective students must complete a University of Massachusetts Amherst Graduate School Graduate Admissions Online Application.

Personal Statement

A personal essay should be one to two pages in length, and include information about your past and current academic and professional history, your future goals and reasons for pursuing the MBA, and other pertinent details that will help us evaluate you as a candidate.

Resumé/CV

We prefer our on-campus MBA applicants have at least 3 years of experience in their field. Prior business education is not required to be admitted into the program. 

Graduate School Short Essay 

Please take the time to answer all parts of the following question. 600 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but do not feel obligated to do so. 

At UMass Amherst, no two students are alike. Our communities and groups often define us and shape our individual worlds. Community can refer to various aspects, including shared geography, religion, race/ethnicity, income, ideology, ability, sexuality, gender, and more. 

Please choose one of your communities or groups and describe its significance. Explain how your experience in this community or group would enable you to enrich the following: 
        1. Your department/program/our campus 
        2. Your field/discipline 

Official Transcripts

Please submit your transcripts from all colleges/universities attended, undergraduate and graduate, where nine (9) or more credits were earned. Unofficial transcripts uploaded to the 'Additional Materials' page of your application are acceptable. Upon admittance, official transcripts will need to be submitted, either electronically or in paper format, directly by each institution's Registrar to the Graduate Student Service Center. International transcripts must be submitted in paper format in order to be considered official. Review this page for instructions on submitting official transcripts.

Letters of Recommendation

Your two letters of recommendation should be from individuals who know you on a professional level and well enough to provide specific examples and details regarding your past performance and competencies. Two professional references are encouraged, but one academic and one professional reference is acceptable.

GMAT/GRE Score

Our admissions process is competitive.  A strong GMAT/GRE score will enhance any application.  Candidates, however, can make a case for admission without a GMAT or GRE score by submitting application materials which demonstrate strong professional experience and/or academic accomplishments such as

• Doctorate Degree, including a JD, PhD, PharmD, MD/DO, or international medical graduate with an ECFMG or Fifth Pathway.
• Bachelor’s Degree with a 3.2 or higher cumulative GPA and 5+ years of professional work experience.

Interview

After the admissions committee’s review of a completed application for the On-Campus MBA, selected candidates will be invited to meet with members of the committee to discuss their professional and academic experiences. The interview is part of the admissions process for all candidates to the program.

Information for International Applicants

English Language Proficiency Exam Scores
If your native language is not English, and you are not a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident, you must submit your official scores from a standardized English language proficiency test. Test scores must be submitted directly by the testing agency in order to be considered official. For admission to the MBA, the minimum scores for admission are as follows: the minimum combined TOEFL score is 100; the minimum IELTS Academic combined score is 7; the minimum Duolingo English Test overall score is 120; and the minimum PTE Academic overall score is 68. Please note, when reviewing an application, the UMass Graduate School does not superscore language tests (e.g. we do not accept the ETS MyBest Score set). Please consult the UMass Graduate School international applicants page for additional details. 

Degree Equivalency
A three-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution may be considered sufficient if an official course-by-course credential evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) indicates your education is equivalent to a four-year U.S. baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution. If you are not sure if your degree is equal to a U.S. four-year degree, please use this free online degree equivalency tool prior to submitting your application.

Transcripts and Degree Certificates
If your transcript does not clearly indicate the awarding of your degree, with the degree title and date awarded, we need the diploma and/or degree certificate in addition to the official final transcripts.

English Translation
Transcripts and degree documents that are in a language other than English must be accompanied with an official English translation or an official credential evaluation from a NACES member.