GMAT Requirements for MBA Programs

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Business school hopefuls often ask us, Do you have to take GMAT for MBA programs? The answer, you may not be surprised to hear, is not as simple as “yes” or “no.” Rather, there are a few different factors that influence whether an MBA applicant should take the GMAT. In this article, we’ll explore what the GMAT requirements for MBA programs are and answer some common questions about GMAT score requirements, including:

• whether schools require a score minimum on the GMAT for MBA applicants
• full-time MBA GMAT requirements vs. part-time and other program types
• what competitive GMAT scores for top-ranked MBA programs are
• GMAT requirements abroad
• whether GMAT waivers for MBA programs are available (and prudent)

and more.

Here are all the topics we’ll cover:

• Do All MBA Programs Require the GMAT?
  • Is the GMAT Required for a Part-Time MBA?
  • Is the GMAT Necessary for Doing an MBA Abroad?
  • Are Applicants Required to Submit GMAT Scores for Top MBA Schools?
• Is There a GMAT Cutoff for MBA Programs?
  • Good GMAT Scores for MBA Programs
  • Competitive GMAT Scores for Top MBA Schools
    • Recent GMAT Averages at Top Schools
• GMAT Waivers for MBA Programs
• Key Takeaways
• What’s Next?

Let’s start with the simplest question first: do all MBA programs require the GMAT?

Do All MBA Programs Require the GMAT?

The simple answer to the question of whether all MBA programs require the GMAT is no. You can certainly find MBA programs, including full-time ones, that do not require the GMAT. In fact, most full-time MBA programs in the U.S. that require standardized test scores accept either the GMAT or the GRE. So, even if you need to submit test scores with your MBA applications, in many cases, you can still avoid the GMAT.

You can also find MBA programs that have gone completely test-optional, including full-time programs. There is many a list of MBA programs that don’t require the GMAT available online. However, I don’t recommend using any such list as your only source of information about which schools require GMAT scores. School policies can change at any time (we saw as much during the pandemic), and policies at a school may vary depending on the type of MBA program. So, third-party lists are often out-of-date or contain inaccurate or incomplete information.

Thus, your best bet is always to visit the websites of the specific programs you’re interested in to research their current testing policies. Just make sure you’re looking at the exact programs you want to apply to, because full-time MBA GMAT requirements can differ from the requirements of part-time and other types of programs.

Let’s explore that point further next.

Is the GMAT Required for a Part-Time MBA?

Because part-time MBA programs typically have higher acceptance rates than full-time MBA GMAT requirements, students tend to assume that GMAT requirements for part-time programs are more lenient across the board. In other words, students figure that less competitive programs equate to less stringent application requirements.

Here’s the thing: there is no “across the board” when it comes to MBA admission. Sure, there are trends and general rules of thumb. However, it’s a mistake to assume that because you see a certain policy at many programs of a particular type, you can expect that policy to be in place at all programs of that type.

Part-time MBA programs are a good example. It’s true that even at some schools that require test scores from full-time applicants, the part-time MBA program may be test-optional. That said, the opposite also could be true.

For example, the UCLA Anderson School of Business does not require test scores from full-time MBA or Executive MBA applicants. However, for its part-time MBA, GMAT scores (or GRE/Executive Assessment scores) are required. (Note that, depending on the school, Executive MBA GMAT expectations also can differ from regular MBA application requirements.)

So again, the key is to not have any blanket expectations and check the requirements at the specific programs you’re interested in.

Is the GMAT Necessary for Doing an MBA Abroad?

Just as you often need a GMAT score for an MBA in the USA, you often need a GMAT score for an MBA in Canada, Europe, or elsewhere abroad. Particularly at top MBA programs, GMAT scores (or GRE scores) are typically required.

For example, the following top schools outside the U.S. all require GMAT or GRE scores with full-time MBA applications:

• INSEAD
• London Business School
• HEC Paris
• Oxford Saïd
• Cambridge Judge
• HKUST

Those are just a handful of examples. And just as in the U.S., even part-time and other types of MBA programs abroad may have GMAT requirements, particularly at top business schools.

So, if you’re looking at highly ranked business schools abroad, taking the GMAT or GRE is probably necessary.

With that in mind, you may be wondering, do top schools always require MBA applicants to submit GMAT scores?

Are Applicants Required to Submit GMAT Scores for Top MBA Schools?

Of the top 100 full-time MBA programs in the U.S., approximately 70 are test-optional. Great news for those of us who don’t want to take the GMAT, right?

Not so fast. The vast majority of the 30 top-ranked programs that are not test-optional fall at the top end of that list of 100. Case in point: only about half of the top 25 business schools are test-optional, and no M7 schools are test-optional.

The good news, however, is that like most other full-time MBA programs nowadays, all of the M7 schools accept both GMAT and GRE scores. So, you will at least have your choice of test. 

Is There a GMAT Cutoff for MBA Programs?

As you may expect by now, MBA GMAT score criteria vary from program to program. That said, the majority of schools do not have an MBA admission GMAT score minimum—at least not a stated one. For example, none of the M7 schools state that a minimum GMAT score is required with MBA applications or for acceptance to the MBA program. So, even at top MBA programs, GMAT scores of all levels fulfill the test score requirement for a candidate’s application.

That said, having no required minimum is not the same as having no expectations for the kinds of scores that MBA applicants should submit. In reality, the lack of stated GMAT minimums at many MBA programs is somewhat of a technicality. It’s not in business schools’ best interests to restrict their applicant pools by stating minimum GMAT score requirements. However, if your score falls below a certain threshold, your chances of acceptance are also likely to decrease.

For example, Stanford MBA GMAT scores in its class of 2025 cover a range. However, the bottom of that range is pretty high—630. Now, does that floor indicate that no one with a GMAT score below 630 can get into Stanford? Certainly not. In fact, it could be that some people with sub-630 scores were accepted to the class of 2025 but chose not to matriculate. (Thus, their scores are not included in the published Stanford business school GMAT score profile.) All that floor tells us is that it just so happens that, in Stanford’s class of 2025, no one has a GMAT score below 630.

So, is there an “unspoken” minimum GMAT score for Stanford or for any other business school? How do you know what competitive GMAT scores are for different MBA programs?

Good GMAT Scores for MBA Programs

There are several factors that determine what are considered good GMAT scores for MBA programs at different schools. The main factors are:

• the general competitiveness/ranking of the program
• the strengths and weaknesses of your application
• the quality of the applicant pool when you apply
• the GMAT scores of the previous incoming class

If you’re interested in delving further into these factors, check out our article on what a good GMAT score is.

For now, there are a couple of rules of thumb to note. First, there will always be an MBA GMAT score range among admitted students at any program. In other words, you’re going to see a spectrum of scores, not a single score that all admitted students hit.

Second, generally speaking, MBA GMAT score ranges tend to be relatively broad. So, you’re very unlikely to find that the scores of admitted students all fall within, say, a 50-point range, even at top programs.

For example, the GMAT score range for MBA students in HBS’s class of 2025 is 500 to 790—a nearly 300-point swing. Admittedly, not all top B-schools have ranges that wide. The aforementioned Stanford class of 2025 has a score range of 630 to 790, nearly half that of HBS. Nevertheless, we’re still looking at a 160-point swing.

Of course, the fact that someone got into HBS with a 500 on the GMAT doesn’t mean that a 500 will get your foot in the door. You have to consider the other factors mentioned above as well.

That said, based on the data that most MBA programs publish, we can get a solid sense of what different schools consider competitive GMAT scores. To illustrate, let’s take a closer look at the top-ranked programs.

Competitive GMAT Scores for Top MBA Schools

We know that top MBA programs’ GMAT scores fall within a range, just like scores at lower-ranked schools. We also know that applicants can’t simply aim for any score in a school’s range and expect to be competitive. For example, say you have a somewhat weak quantitative background. In that case, applying to a top school with a GMAT score at the bottom of the school’s range would be a misstep.

Will your score automatically disqualify you from acceptance? I wouldn’t go that far. Schools weigh a combination of factors when deciding which applicants to admit. Everything from application essays to work history and recommendations is taken into account, along with academic history and test scores.

In fact, it’s because schools weigh a combination of factors that we see a range of GMAT scores in any MBA class. Essentially, one person’s 645 is another person’s 695, and so on. For that reason, the average GMAT score in an incoming class is a good place to start when determining what score you should aim for to be competitive.

Keep in mind, even among the M7, there is some variation in the average GMAT score from school to school. So, you’ll always want to research the average scores of the specific programs you’re interested in. You can find that information, along with GMAT score ranges, in the most recent incoming class profile on a program’s website. In some cases, you’ll also find test score data for previous class years, which can provide additional context. (Use score percentiles to compare legacy GMAT and GMAT Focus scores.)

Recent GMAT Averages at Top Schools

If you’re looking at top 10 schools, you’ll notice that while MBA GMAT score ranges vary more widely from school to school, the average GMAT scores have stayed roughly within the 720 to 730 range in recent years (equivalent to 665 to 685 on the GMAT Focus). So, as far as GMAT percentiles for MBA admissions at top schools, you’re looking at scores in the 93rd percentile and above.

Now, if you have weaknesses in other areas of your profile that you need to make up for, you’ll probably want to aim above a program’s GMAT average. On the other hand, if your application is very strong overall, you may be competitive with a score below a program’s average. Determining what your GMAT score goal should be is never an exact science. Of course, to be on the safe side, the higher the better!

Determining what your GMAT score goal should be is never an exact science.

Now that we’ve covered GMAT requirements, minimums, ranges, and averages at MBA programs, let’s discuss the popular topic of GMAT waivers.

GMAT Waivers for MBA Programs

GMAT waivers are a popular topic among MBA hopefuls because—surprise, surprise—people want to get out of taking the GMAT!

Look, I get it. The MBA admission process is stressful enough without adding GMAT preparation to it. And, frankly, many of us don’t particularly like taking standardized tests. Unfortunately, GMAT waivers for MBA programs that require test scores are not particularly common. And if you’re looking at top-ranked programs, GMAT waivers are decidedly uncommon.

For example, although MIT Sloan technically offers GMAT waivers, the school is very reserved in granting them. In fact, Sloan pretty much discourages applicants from even asking for a waiver unless they really have no way of taking the test. (See MIT’s statement on the matter here.)

Similarly, at Booth, the only way to get a GMAT or GRE waiver as a full-time MBA applicant is if you’re a University of Chicago student or alum with a cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher. And even then, a waiver is not guaranteed.

You can expect similar reservations about granting waivers at top international schools. Take HKUST, for example, which may grant waivers only to part-time MBA applicants and only those with more than 7 years of full-time work experience.

The main takeaway is that schools require test scores because they want you to submit scores. Of course, they don’t want to punish you if something really has prevented you from being able to submit scores. But outside of certain rare and special circumstances, MBA programs expect you to adhere to their application requirements, in full. And even in those special cases, a GMAT waiver is never guaranteed.

Key Takeaways

In this article, we’ve learned that many MBA programs require test scores, including about half of the programs ranked in the top 25 and all M7 programs. We’ve also learned that schools requiring test scores don’t readily dole out GMAT waivers. That said, if you’ve been reading this article because you’re thinking of selecting an MBA program based on whether it requires test scores, I want to discourage you from going down that path.

If you’re going through all the stress and effort of pursuing an MBA, then earning that degree is probably pretty important for your career and your future. So, you want to land at the program that best fits your goals and can offer you the greatest opportunities. You don’t want to limit your options. So, don’t make the shortsighted decision of discounting certain programs you might otherwise pursue just because they require the GMAT.

On the bright side, GMAT preparation for MBA admissions doesn’t have to be a terrible ordeal. With the right preparation resource and a realistic timeline for your test prep, you can earn a great score on test day without totally stressing yourself out along the way. (Psst—the Target Test Prep course was expertly designed to make studying for the GMAT simple and fun for test-takers of all levels. Try our GMAT Focus course for yourself for free!)

What’s Next?

Check out this article on GPA requirements for top MBA programs and this one on GMAT score requirements for scholarships.

Wondering whether MBA admission consultants are worth it? We’ve got answers here!