Admissions Requirements
Ours is a personal community. With an incoming class size of about 50 students each year, our Executive MBA program takes business personally.
As we evaluate applicants, we take a wholistic and balanced approach to admissions. The ideal candidate for this program has at least five years of management experience, ranging up to 20 years or more. Our students are looking for a program that offers the opportunity to gain an outstanding education without interrupting their career progression.
Having employer support or endorsement is encouraged so that you can take new ideas and skills learned in class on Saturday back to work and implement them on Monday.
How to Apply
Take the first step toward enhancing your career, developing yourself as a leader and discovering a close-knit community of alumni from all over the world.
Here are your next steps:
- Completed, submitted application, including fee
- Undergraduate transcripts (and graduate transcripts, if applicable)
- GMAT or executive assessment (EA) score
- Career essay
- Two professional recommendations
- Résumé
- Personal interview
More detailed instructions on the application process can be found here. Join our community today by beginning your application. To check the status of your completed application, click here.
Tuition,
Loans & Scholarships
Business school is a significant investment in your personal and professional development. Many Executive MBA students are self-funded, although some receive some level of financial support from their employers. Both students and employers tend to report they see immediate ROI from the Executive MBA program.
Average Executive MBA Class Profile
- 50 Average class size
- 36 Percentage of women
- 15 Percentage of Military
- 56 Percentage of students who are married
- 12 Average years of work experience
- 22 Percentage of students with advanced degrees
and Global Immersion Track class profile
SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINES
To find a listing of our scholarship deadlines for the class entering in 2019, please click here.
PERSONAL CONSULTATION
We encourage you to talk with us before you’ve submitted an application. Schedule a personal consultation now to determine which program will best help you achieve your career goals. The earlier we meet, the more we can help you through the application process. Our goal is to support you through this process and throughout the Executive MBA program.
ADMISSIONS DEADLINES
We encourage you to apply as early as possible.
| IMPORTANT DATES | |
|---|---|
| Priority Application Deadline | March 31, 2020 |
| Round 2 Application Deadline* | May 31, 2020 |
Decisions are typically given to applicants within two weeks of receipt of a complete, submitted application.
*Applications are accepted and reviewed after Round 2 on a rolling basis if seats remain.
Admissions Events
MEET Your TEAM
Connect HereFAQ
Admissions Requirements
Q. What type/amount of work experience is required?
A.
Five years (minimum) of managerial experience is required; this includes either managing people, large projects, budgets and/or processes. Talk to us if you have questions about whether your experience qualifies.
Q. Is an assessment exam required for admission?
A.
Yes, we accept both GMAT and Executive Assessment (EA) scores. Your score will enable us (and you) to determine your relative academic ability within the applicant pool for performing in core MBA classes as well as to decide on your best pre-enrollment preparation. Either our complimentary online math/statistics course and/or complimentary Executive MBA Math Camp, held on Saturdays in July, may be required based on your GMAT score. We are a highly quantitative program; you will find that GMAT preparation enables you to move at the speed of our classroom.
Q. What are the admission requirements?
A.
Applicants typically begin with a personal consultation and then start the online application which requires essays, transcripts for all college-level and graduate work, GMAT or EA score and two letters of recommendation, which can be requested electronically. A face-to-face interview is required for admission and can be completed concurrently with the online application.
Q. Will you waive the GMAT or EA test requirement?
A.
Because of the strong and deep quantitative nature of Vanderbilt's MBA programs, we require the GMAT or the Executive Assessment (EA) as proof of reasonably current proficiency with numbers and as an academic benchmark to compare other prospects who are incredibly diverse in other dimensions (experience). We aim for a calibrated set of academic skills within this otherwise diverse set of executive perspectives for the richest possible learning opportunity.
Q. Can I sit in on a class?
A.
Absolutely, but please call us to schedule in advance. This will allow us to introduce you to a student host and the professor.
Q. Once I have begun the Executive MBA program, can I switch to the Global Immersion track?
A.
No. While the general admission requirements are similar, the limited cohort of up to 15 students from each participating school is required to ensure a rich, balanced experience.
Interview Process
Q. How long is the personal interview?
A.
You will spend about one hour in the interview. We will review your career to date, your academic preparation and your motivation and fit for pursuing the Vanderbilt Executive MBA degree. The interview is also an opportunity to discuss any questions you may have about the program.
Q. Is a personal interview required for admission? If so, is it conducted in person?
A.
Yes, an interview with the Executive Director or the Director of Recruiting is required. It is conducted in person on the Vanderbilt campus or in conjunction with our regional travel, scheduled in advance. Visit the Admissions Events calendar or call 615.322.3120 for an appointment.
How to Apply
Q. Do I have to submit my completed application all at once?
A.
Most application documents are submitted online directly to the Executive MBA Admissions Office. We will accumulate all your admissions materials and you can verify with our office whether your application is complete. The most important first step is to begin the online application. Some candidates will await seeking financial sponsorship until after the interview with the Executive Director.
Q. What do you want to see in the letters of recommendation?
A.
Each of the two letters should address your career to date, intellectual capacity, and current and potential leadership roles. One letter should be from the executive you report to, and the other should be from someone else who has relied on your work. We require that you use the online recommendation system within the application.