MBA FAQ

First day of Mod 1 class is Monday, August 17. MBA Orientation (including the International Student Business Program) will be August 3 - 14.

You should plan to start your apartment/house lease on August 1, 2020.

We understand that travel, both domestically and especially globally, has been disrupted. We hope to be able to move forward with global travel later in the fall, but travel and experiential learning happens both globally and locally. Our Turner Family Center and Center for Entrepreneurship are working on local micro-immersion projects to provide a service to our community and to let our students delve into meaningful experiences right here in our backyard.

We will wholeheartedly support our international students as you are an integral part of our incoming class. However, if you are not able to make it to campus for this new start date, we are prepared. Our goal is to offer an option in which you can begin the program online, with your classmates who are on campus, and then join everyone in Nashville as soon as you are able.  

The Employer Relations and Recruiting Team have been in conversations with our employer partners since this spring planning for the fall recruiting season. The continuous threat of COVID-19 means employer travel restrictions, as well as heightened Vanderbilt University policies for campus health and safety. To ensure the same level of meaningful student interaction with employers throughout the large number of fall recruiting events that are already being planned, we are working closely with our employers to create virtual delivery and engagement.

We would envision all fall recruiting events will most likely be in a virtual format.

Vanderbilt is offering GMAT/GRE test waivers to qualified candidates for the 2020-21 MBA application cycle. Waiver requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Applicants who are interested in a GMAT/GRE waiver must start an application, then complete the test waiver request form and upload supporting documentation.

We regret we are unable to offer you an in-person campus visit at this time and are offering the opportunity to connect with us virtually. Virtual Vanderbilt MBA Campus Visits will resume this fall. In addition, we also host “Admissions 101” webinars to offer tips to prospective students who are new to the b-school process. Click here to register for an upcoming webinar.

We offer a two-year, daytime MBA program and a two-year Executive MBA program, which meets every Saturday. We also offer several one-year programs: Master of Science in Finance (MSF), Master of Accountancy (MAcc), MAcc Valuation (MAcc Val), Master of Marketing (MMark), and Master of Management in Health Care (MMHC). At this time, we do not have a one-year MBA program or any part-time, online, or evening MBA programs.

We accept applications for fall entrance only.

Classes typically begin in mid-August. Orientation is required for all incoming students and the dates for Orientation are communicated to admitted candidates in advance. The finalized academic calendar will be available in June for the following year.

Exemptions are available for students with superior competency in accounting, economics, and statistics; however, 62 credit hours still are required to complete the Vanderbilt MBA degree. Exemptions are considered during Orientation by the Assistant Dean of Academic Programs based on previous academic courses.

The Dean's Scholar Award is the highest honor for an incoming student. For more information, please visit the Dean's Scholars Award Program page.

Most students find that life as a Vanderbilt MBA student is very demanding with classes, group work, the career search, student organizations, and social events. As a result, most students do not work while classes are in session. There are a limited number of opportunities to work with professors and administrators during the academic year for an hourly rate. International students may NOT work off campus during the first nine months of their program as governed by the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration. Thereafter, authorization to work off-campus is required for summer internships or during the academic year.

Melinda Nixon is the Owen Financial Aid Officer, and you may reach her by calling her office at 615.322.3591 or by emailing her directly.

All admitted applicants are automatically considered for scholarships awarded by Owen. Selection criteria are based on many of the same factors evaluated for an admissions decision: academic performance, GMAT scores, quality of work experience, leadership potential, and personal characteristics demonstrated through the essays, interviews, and recommendations. There are three diversity scholarships that require a supplemental essay. Scholarship decisions are communicated at the same time as the admissions decisions. More details are available here.

No. At the present time, there is no campus housing for graduate students.

A limited number of graduate student work assignments will be available. These positions range from 10 to 15 hours per week for a professor or one of the school's administrative offices and are selected by the sponsoring professor or office. These opportunities are typically posted at the beginning of the school year. Positions may also become available throughout the year.

A three (3) year degree (B.Com, B.A. or B. Sc) will be accepted when accompanied by a WES evaluation certifying that the degree is equivalent to a four-year U.S. Bachelor's degree. Alternatively, applicants may complete the Chartered Accountancy Designation or the Chartered Financial Analyst Designation OR at least one year of a Master's of Commerce degree program to compliment the three-year degree. If you have questions, please contact Kim Killingsworth, Director of International Recruiting & Relations.

No. Vanderbilt does not admit applicants seeking a second MBA degree or similar graduate management degree, regardless of where the first was obtained. Exempt from this policy are master's degrees that focus on a specific functional area of business (such as accounting, finance, or management information systems) and do not offer a broad general management curriculum typical of the MBA degree.

All kinds. When we evaluate your application, we consider all full-time work, including military experience and volunteer work.

No. We are unable to not accept transfer students or transfer credits. If we do admit an individual who is already enrolled in another full-time MBA program, transfer credits will not be accepted and the student will be expected to complete all 62 credits required for the Vanderbilt MBA degree.

We seek students from a wide variety of backgrounds. Diversity in all forms—academic, professional, cultural, ethnic, gender, geographic, and socioeconomic—is an important component of the Vanderbilt MBA experience.

In exceptional situations beyond the candidate's control, the Admissions Committee may offer a deferral. Deferrals are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

To reapply, you must submit a new application for the current year. Some of your former application data will transfer into your new application Please provide us with an updated resume, statements, recommendation, and new test scores, if applicable. You are encouraged to use the explanatory statement to describe how you have improved your candidacy. Please email mbaappstatus@vanderbilt.edu if you have questions regarding reapplication.

Traditionally, Vanderbilt has required a GMAT or a GRE score as a part of your application. Recognizing the extraordinary challenges faced by many applicants, Vanderbilt is offering GMAT/GRE test waivers to qualified candidates for the 2020-21 MBA application cycle. Waiver requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Applicants who are interested in a GMAT/GRE waiver must start an application, complete the test waiver request form, and upload supporting documentation. Test waiver request form coming soon.

The GMAT testing center does not require a school code. You will only be asked to provide the school name to the GMAT testing center. Our institution code is 1871 for the GRE, IELTS, and TOEFL. When choosing the department please proceed as follows to ensure your scores are reported to Vanderbilt. You are given a choice of "Undergraduate" or "Graduate" as the kind of test you are taking. Please select "Graduate". A drop down box will then ask you to choose the "department". Choose the last option in the drop down menu and click on "Any Department Not Listed".

You can view the Department of Education's website for complete information regarding student loans. Financial aid is handled by the Vanderbilt Financial Aid Office.

The DuoLingo English test does not replace the TOEFL or IELTS exam. However, you are welcome to submit DuoLingo results as a way to strengthen your application.

We recommend that you take the GMAT or GRE and request your official score report before submitting your application. Applications will be evaluated with the test score(s) indicated at the time of submission. If you choose to take a test again, it is your responsibility to update the Admissions Office via email at mbaappstatus@vanderbilt.edu of any new test score(s) you wish to be included in the application evaluation. In addition you will need to request the new official test score(s) be sent to Vanderbilt.

Yes. If you submit different test results, we will consider and report your best overall performance based on the total score.

Although the GMAT or GRE and GPA are important indicators of your academic ability, they are only one piece of the application. Your overall academic record and the consistency of your performance are also good indicators of your potential for success. Candidates who are weak in one area of the application (low GMAT or GRE, weak academic record, or limited experience) may balance that with strengths in other areas (above-average GPA, outstanding test scores, or exceptional work experience).

All International applicants are required to submit a test of English language unless you qualify for a waiver. You may qualify for an English Test Waiver for the following reasons: 1. You have earned an undergraduate degree in a country where English is an official language (not just an English-speaking institution or just a country where English is spoken.) 2. You have lived and worked, for the past two or more years, in a country where English is an official language (not just a country where English is spoken). 3. You have scored in the 90th percentile or higher on the verbal component of the GMAT or GRE

It is not recommended to submit more than one letter of reference unless a second recommendation will shed light on another aspect of your profile.

Please visit the Vanderbilt MBA Class Profile on our website for current information.

Most students in our program have more than 2 years of work experience, with the majority of students having an average of 4-6 years of full time post-baccalaureate experience. While we have found that several years of work experience really makes a difference in both classroom learning experience and career opportunities upon graduation, we recognize each candidate is unique and evaluate each application thoughtfully.

Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, on campus visits are currently suspended. However, we are offering virtual campus visits that includes lunch with current students, a Career Management Center Small Group Session, a session with our Recruiting & Admissions Team, and the opportunity to attend our Vanderbilt Insider events.

Our interviews are 30 minutes long and are conducted by our Recruiting & Admissions Fellows or members of our Recruiting & Admissions Team.

We conduct a structured, conversational interview. We are interested in evaluating all candidates on a common set of criteria, but we also want to discover your individual story, unique talents, and personal ambitions. Your interpersonal skills, communication abilities, and professional presence are at least as important as the specific content of the interview. We expect that you will wear professional attire.

The interview provides you an opportunity to share your story. Through the interview, we hope to hear more examples of the types of experiences you have had in both your personal and your professional life and to get a sense of your demonstrated record of achievement, your interpersonal and communication skills and your motivation for seeking an MBA degree.

Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, all of our interviews are currently being conducted virtually through our application system. Candidates that are approved to interview will have the opportunity to sign up for a time to interview. Once you have selected a time, your confirmation email will contain a link to log on for your interview. Candidates will receive a reminder email the day of the interview with information about their interviewer and the link to log on for the interview. Instructions on who to contact should technical difficulties arise are included in the reminder email.

The Admissions Committee reserves the right to rescind any offers of admission or financial aid from candidates who have not responded by the specified deposit date, not completed their courses or pre-MBA programs required as a condition of their admission, not sent us official transcripts or test scores prior to matriculation, or been found to have falsified information in their application.

Applicants may be placed on the waiting list if the Admissions Committee wants to defer its final decision to a later date. In recent years, the Admissions Committee has admitted a number of candidates from the waiting list to help manage the size of the incoming class. We will keep candidates on the wait list as long as they remain interested and as long as there is still a reasonable chance of admission.

Your admission decision will be communicated by the decision deadline for the round in which you apply. Once your application is submitted, we will update your application status as supplemental items arrive. You can check your status by accessing the application checklist. Please allow sufficient time for the delivery and processing of all materials; we appreciate your patience and understanding.

In general, we will notify candidates of the admissions decision on the posted decision deadline.