No, but full-time work experience is considered as part of the admission process, and it is generally assumed that students will be working full time while in the program.
We welcome applications from a wide variety of backgrounds and do not look for or favor specific undergraduate majors. Business classes are not required before entering the MBA Program.
No.
You must hold the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree and have 12 months full time work experience (post completion of your undergraduate degree) at the time of your application. Recent graduates are eligible to apply, but applicants with less than 2 years of work experience are very rarely admitted.
Students must have at least 12 months of full time work experience (post-completion of an undergraduate degree) under their belt prior to entering the MBA program, but almost all incoming Ross students have worked for at least 2+ years. The average part-time MBA student enters with 5-7 years of work experience.
That said, we evaluate work experience not in terms of quantity, but in terms of quality. We examine the impact you have had on your organization and the leadership qualities you have demonstrated. We consider the range of stories and experiences you will be able to share with our classmates. If you have limited work experience, you should demonstrate on your application why it is the right time to pursue an MBA, and what you will be able to contribute to the Ross community.
We seek diversity in the professional backgrounds of our admitted students, just as we do in other parts of our applicants' profiles. No one industry or field is favored over another. We are more interested in your contribution to the group or organization.
Yes, we will consider applicants who hold a three-year undergraduate degree from India.
Ross has no prerequisite courses for admission to the MBA program. However, due to the analytical rigor of the program, it is expected that you have a working knowledge of college-level mathematics, including basic calculus. If you have not had this coursework, we recommend that you take a course that emphasizes business mathematics prior to beginning the program. If you have basic math knowledge but need a refresher, you will want to utilize our Quantitative Skills Resources prior to the start of classes.
The non-refundable $200 application fee is waived for:
- Active members and veterans of the U.S Military
- Members of Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Teach for America, Teach for China, Teach for India, or other Teach for All Network Partners who have served within the past five years
- Currently enrolled students in a University of Michigan graduate degree program
- Citizens of a country on the UN's list of least-developed countries - verified at time of application.
- Students who submitted an application to the Ross MBA program within the past five years
- Students who are current Fullbright Scholars
In order to receive an application fee waiver, you must select the above criteria that applies to you on the Getting Started page of the application.
We do not waive application fees for any other reason.
No. You must choose between formats.
No. Applying to a MBA program and another program at Michigan Ross is not possible. You must choose between programs.
Applicants may apply to Part-Time MBA programs whose start dates are at least 6 moths apart.
Example: If you apply to Fall 2023 and get denied, you cannot apply to a Part-Time MBA program with a start date earlier than February 2024.
If you apply for Winter 2024 and get denied, you cannot apply to a Part-Time MBA program with a start date earlier than June 2024.
Unfortunately, there is no appeals process for denied applicants. Denied applicants are encouraged to re-apply for the next eligible program. You are welcome to reuse portions of your prior year's application (such as GMAT/GRE scores or transcripts) for your new application. Please contact the admissions office if you would like us to transfer materials forward from a previous application.
The Admissions Committee looks for the same qualifications for both formats.
Yes. Reapplication procedures are streamlined if you reapply within one year. You are welcome to reuse portions of your prior year's application (such as GMAT/GRE scores or transcripts) for your new application. Please contact the admissions office if you would like us to transfer materials forward from a prior application.
Taking the GMAT, GMAT Focus Edition, or GRE is a required component of our application and candidates are encouraged to submit a test score. Candidates with eight or more years of professional post-collegiate work experience may submit the Executive Assessment (EA) instead of the GMAT or GRE.
There are alternative ways candidates can demonstrate their quantitative readiness in lieu of test scores, including test waivers for select candidates and the Quantitative Readiness Course.
Please read our Application Requirements page to learn more.
We do not have minimum cutoff scores and/or grade point averages. You are, however, always compared to the current pool of applicants. Please note that you must have eight or more years of post-collegiate professional work experience to submit the Executive Assessment (EA) in lieu of the GMAT or GRE.
Average GMAT scores for students admitted to the part-time MBA programs are typically in the range of 660-680 on the GMAT and 158-160 on the GRE. The average GPA is typically 3.3-3.4.
We recommend taking the GMAT/GRE/EA test 30 days before the application deadline to provide ample time for you to receive your unofficial score from the testing agency and provide it to Ross. Unofficial scores are accepted for the application. If admitted, official scores must be sent to Ross from the testing agency.
Unofficial scores are accepted for the application. We ask that you provide unofficial scores via the online application (input your scores or upload a copy of your unofficial score report). If admitted, official scores must be sent to Ross from the testing agency.
Ross will keep GMAT/GRE/EA scores on file for two years. Test scores are valid for five years from the date you took the test to the deadline date when you apply; scores more than five years old are not acceptable. We encourage you to take the GMAT/GRE/EA no later than one month prior to the application deadline, and preferably earlier. You can self-report test scores on the application.
Non- native English speakers are required to submit a TOEFL, IELTS, or Pearson Test of English (PTE) score as part of the application. Exemptions from submitting a language proficiency score are given if you earned your undergraduate degree at an accredited institution where the sole language of instruction was English or if you have been living, working, and conducting daily business in an English speaking country for two or more years.
TOEFL/IELTS/PTE scores taken within two years of the application deadline are valid.
Yes, an interview is required for admission, and is by invitation only. If the Admissions Committee invites you to interview, you will receive the invitation and scheduling information via email. The interview provides the Admissions Committee with more information about you. It is not an indication of the outcome of your application. Interviews are typically conducted by the Managing Director and Director of Admissions.
Admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis and will be provided six to eight weeks from the time a completed application is received. Please time your application to the program accordingly.
If you are in a unique situation, please contact our office.
The Office of Admissions can use unofficial transcripts for evaluation purposes. If admitted, your admission would be conditional upon receipt of your official transcripts. These would need to be received by the Office of Admissions prior to the start of classes.
You should choose a recommender who can comment in depth on your professional performance and work product and provide relevant examples -- preferably your direct supervisor.
We recognize that you may not wish to inform your current supervisor about your plans to pursue an MBA. If that is the case, you should choose an alternative recommender such as a former manager, client, or a supervisor from an extracurricular organization. If you do not choose your current supervisor as a recommender, you should explain the reasons for your alternate choice in the optional essay.
Since we use the recommendation to learn about you as a working professional, recommendations from former professors do not tend to be effective.
This tends to be a problem with a recommender's email account spam or junk email filter settings. The emailed invitation is either blocked or automatically filtered into a junk mail folder. You can check the status of your recommendations, resend a recommendation request, and even update a recommender if the recommendation is not yet started via the Personal Activity page. You can access this under the "Apply Online" section of your online application homepage by clicking on the Review Your Submitted Application/Manage Your Recommendations link.
If there was a problem submitting transcripts or a recommendation via the online application, you can scan these items and attach them to a support ticket. Please include your name and date of birth in the email, and let us know that supplemental information is being sent because it could not be submitted online.
Deferral requests are considered on a case-by-case basis. Requests to defer admission should be submitted in writing to Rossptmba@umich.edu. A detailed explanation of the request and appropriate documentation are required.
Prospective part-time MBA students can schedule a phone consultation with an admissions representative. Please visit our Events Page and look for the events titled Phone Consultations to schedule an appointment.
As much as possible, course material and other content are similar between all Ross MBA programs. Students will take the same required core courses and complete the same number of credit hours (57). The underlying difference is the format/timing in which the course material is delivered.
The Online format is self paced, but was designed to be completed in three to four years. It is possible to accelerate or slow down the pace to fit your schedule and timeline. It would be very unlikely you could finish in less than two and a half years.
Masters in Business Administration, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
No, these campuses, which also have business schools, are completely separate.
No, we do not accept transfer credits.
We operate on a semester schedule : Fall = September through December, Winter = January through April, Spring/Summer = May through August. Each 2.25 credit hour course will run for a “half semester” of 6 or 7 weeks. Therefore you could take two course in a full semester, but focus on one course at a time.
Fall A: September through the end of October
Fall B: End of October through the end of December
Winter A: January through the end of February
Winter B: March through the end of April
Spring: May through the end of June
Summer: July through the end of August.
As an Online MBA student, your maximum credit load is 12 credits in the first full term. If you are in good academic standing (3.0 or higher), you may increase your limit to 18 credits in subsequent terms if approved by the Ross Registrar's Office. However, it is important to remember that this program is very rigorous and we strongly discourage students from taking a full load of classes while working full time. The typical Online MBA students take between 4.5-7.5 credit hours per term.
Our faculty teach across all programs.
Core courses must be taken in the online format. Students may choose to take elective courses on campus if they wish.
It is not possible for students in the Online program to transfer into the Full Time MBA, Weekend MBA, or Executive MBA programs. We recommend you apply to the Ross MBA program format that best suits your goals, needs, and schedule.
Most importantly, your three residential experiences will allow you to engage with both your colleagues in the Online MBA program, as well as students in our other MBA formats. In the leadership development residency, for example, you will be partnered with students from our other MBA programs, as well as graduate students from around the university. You may also decide to take advantage of other opportunities on your own time. Throughout the year we host many student-led conferences and case competitions that would give you the opportunity to further engage with Ross students if you are interested in a deeper in-person engagement. However, we are also very aware of the need for you to mingle with your peers where you are. Our digital platform will give you the chance to get to know your classmates online outside of the academic experience.
Yes, the Ross School of Business offers an Executive MBA Program structured to meet the needs of individuals in senior management roles, focusing on leadership skills needed to be successful at the executive level. Specifically, the program targets participants who have had generally 15-20 years of work experience, with significant experience in a managerial/supervisory capacity. The collective professional experience of EMBA participants enriches the learning experience both in and outside the classroom.
The University requires that students stay actively registered. Should you not register for a course within any 12-month time frame, you would have to go through a reapplication process, including paying the application fee. In rare instances where a student has stepped out because of engagement with a program that is in direct support of the school's mission, this fee may be waived. For Part Time students, whose work assignments may necessitate breaks in enrollment, it is critical to pay attention to this university requirement.
Yes, all domestic MBA students (U.S. Citizens/P.R./Valid employment visa holders) can attend recruiting presentations, Career Services workshops, access iMpact, and use Career Services handouts, seminar videotapes, mock interviews, career consulting, on campus recruitment, and other services. International students are not eligible to participate in on campus recruitment.
Yes. The Multidisciplinary Action Project (MAP) course is a core requirement.
While our list of MAP projects for the Online MBA program is not finalized, many of our MAP projects do traditionally involve non-U.S.-based companies.
Yes, Part-Time MBA students may join student clubs.
The QRC is free. You are under no obligation to apply to the program if you take the course.
- The QRC consists of six learning modules with 4-6 topics per module. Each module has practice questions as well as a practice quiz at the end. The quizzes do not count towards the final assessment of your performance in the course.
- There is a final exam consisting of approximately 25 questions that serves as the final assessment of your performance in the course. The exam takes three hours and you may use notes you have taken during the course.
No. The modules are designed to prepare you for the topics covered in the final exam without additional material. If you understand the information in the modules it is possible to achieve an 80% or higher on the final exam.
We estimate that the average student will need to put in 20-30 hours of work in order to score well on the final exam.
To enroll in the QRC, complete this form. Within seven days, you will receive an email from 4help@umich.edu with a link to the University of Michigan Guest Invitation page.
You have 60 days to complete the course once you have been given access to the course site. After that date, your name will be removed from the list.
To qualify for a GMAT or GRE waiver, you must receive an absolute score of 80% or better on the final exam.
You will receive your score immediately after taking the final exam.
You will receive an email within three business days of taking the final exam from RossPTMBA@umich.edu with your score. The email will also include next steps if you choose to proceed with an application.
If you fail the course (receive less than 80% on the 2 exam test chances) or do not complete it within 60 days, you must wait 60 days before repeating the course. Repeating the course would allow you 2 more chances to pass the final exam.
No. This is just one way for you to complete your application. If you start the class and feel that the GRE/GMAT test is a better option for you, you are welcome to submit a score instead.
The QRC course is a great refresher/preparation tool as you get ready to begin your MBA studies. Taking both the QRC and a standardized test for your application would provide the committee with the most comprehensive view of your candidacy, and potentially ease your transition into the start of school, but it is certainly not required.
Scores are valid for 18 months from completion date of the exam.
No. The QRC is not a credit-bearing course and you will not earn any academic credit toward your degree by completing it.
You may email RossPTMBA@umich.edu. We will answer you within three business days.
