GMAT is a very crucial part of the application process of top business schools offering MBAs across the world. It is important to get high scores in this exam to secure admission at prestigious universities abroad which requires a lot of effort and dedication. Hence, applicants having a substantial amount of work experience looking for business schools offering MBAs without GMAT.

Some business schools abroad offer GMAT waivers for MBA to experienced candidates. They focus on other aspects like relevant work experience, essays, interviews, and letters of recommendation. Some schools also accept GRE as a replacement for GMAT but it is equally difficult to crack. Thus, it makes more sense to look for universities that accept applicants to MBA without GMAT or GRE.

There are various business schools in top abroad destinations like the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, that offer admissions with GMAT waiver for MBA or completely without a GMAT requirement.

Also read about MBA without GMAT at Popular Study Abroad Destinations:

Admission to MBA without GMAT: Course-types

Apart from the full-time MBA, there are certainly other types of MBA programs that do not require a GMAT score, irrespective of the choice of university or country. These are;

• Executive MBA: MBA programs designed for professionals with 5 or more years of experience. Business schools abroad offering EMBA courses do not ask for GMAT scores as a part of their admission applications.
• Accelerated MBA: Fast-track MBA courses at many universities do not require students to have a GMAT score when applying for the program.
• Part-time MBA: Many part-time MBA courses offer GMAT waivers or do not have enough weightage of GMAT score in their application process. This makes it easier for students without GMAT to get admissions to MBA programs.

MBA without GMAT amidst COVID-19

There are various changes observed in MBA admissions at business schools in USA and other countries. One of the major changes observed GMAT waiver for MBA. Many business schools waived off their GMAT requirements due to the coronavirus pandemic and chose to offer admissions to students in MBA without GMAT scores.

Some of the popular b-schools that accepted students GMAT waiver for MBA during COVID-19 are University of Wisconsin, University of Iowa, Babson College, Kellogg School of Business, and more.

Watch the video below to find out about universities offering MBA without GMAT due to COVID-19:

MBA without GMAT in USA

GMAT waivers are offered by several popular universities in USA, where an applicant with a suitable profile is accepted for MBA programs, even if they have old (more than 5 years old) GMAT scores. In such cases, an applicant's profile is assessed on the basis of their previous scores and their current academic standing. Work experience and skills are also assessed while offering admissions to such MBA in the USA. Some of the popular business schools in USA offering GMAT waivers are:

Executive MBA without GMAT in USA

Some of the top-ranking business schools offering Executive MBA courses in USA without GMAT requirements are:

• Anderson School of Business, University of California: EMBA candidates may present their GMAT scores, but it is not mandatory.
• NYU Stern: EMBA at NYU Stern is a 22 months long program wavering off GMAT for qualifying candidates.
• Robert H. Smith School of Business: EMBA at University of Maryland’s business school offers GMAT waivers. However, the average work experience of a professional applying is around 15 years.
• MIT Sloan: EMBA at MIT Sloan waives off GMAT requirements for students with 10+ years of experience.
• Ross School of Business, University of Michigan: GMAT scores are not required for an Executive MBA course unless you have poor analytical skills or academic background.
• USC Marshall School of Business: GMAT scores are optional for EMBA courses at Marshall School of Business.
• Georgetown University: Apply for EMBA with eight years of experience and you will not have to submit your GMAT scores.

MBA without GMAT in Canada

Studying MBA in Canada without GMAT is not as difficult as it may seem. There are various business schools in Canada that offer GMAT waivers for MBA in Canada or do not require the scores at all. Some of these are listed below:

Executive MBA without GMAT in Canada

Top Business schools in Canada considering EMBA applications with GMAT waivers are listed below:

• Ivey Business School: GMAT is waived off based on your prior work experience and academic scores.
• Rotman School of Business: The GMAT is optional may be based on the decision made by the admissions committee.
• McMaster University: Executive MBA program at McMaster does not require you to have a GMAT. However, if felt necessary the admissions committee may ask for GMAT scores.
• University of Ottawa: GMAT scores are optional for the uOttawa EMBA course.

MBA without GMAT in UK

There are certain top-tier business schools in UK that offer waivers or an option to study MBA without GMAT requirements. Some of these are given below:

• University of Central Lancashire: For the 12-month MBA program at University of Lancashire, GMAT is optional.
• Birmingham City Business School: GMAT scores are optional for MBA at Birmingham City University.
• Lancaster University: Offers MBA without GMAT. It is optional for a student to send their scores.
• University of Reading: Having work experience of more than three years can gain you GMAT waiver for MBA with Henley Business School.
• Durham University: GMAT is not required for admission to Durham’s MBA program.
• Warwick School of Business: GMAT is an optional admission requirement at Warwick Business School.
• Cranfield School of Management: You can take the Schools two admission tests that help in the evaluation of your problem solving and numeracy skills.

MBA without GMAT in Australia

To get admissions in an MBA in Australia, you are often asked for GMAT test scores. However, there are certain top colleges that offer admissions without these scores. Top business schools in Australia that offer MBA without GMAT are listed below:

MBA without GMAT Abroad

Top business schools from around the world, apart from US. UK, Canada, Australia that offer GMAT waiver for MBA are:

Online-MBA without GMAT

Aside from the above-mentioned MBA programs abroad, you can also choose for pursuing online-MBA courses. Though there are a number of online-MBA programs that do not require GMAT scores.

• Norwich University: You can apply for MBA at Norwich with UG scores and IELTS/TOEFL scores.
• Florida International University: For applicants with 4 or more years of experience, GMAT is not required.
• University of Maryland: GMAT is waived for online-MBA applicants with 2 years of experience.
• University of Liverpool: You will be required to have 3 years of experience and IELTS/TOEFL scores to apply for an online MBA at University of Liverpool.
• Ohio University: Apply for Online MBA at Ohio University with 3-5 years of experience and 3 LORs for MBA, and GMAT scores will not be required in this case.
• Rochester Institute of Technology: Having a prior graduate degree or extensive experience can help you get into their online-MBA program without GMAT test results.

Alternatives to getting admission to MBA without GMAT

If you have not taken the GMAT test and are not interested in taking one, there are few alternatives you can go for.

Take GRE Test

Accepted in over 61% of the business school, GRE is a cheaper alternative to GMAT test. Not only does it cost cheaper, but the test is found to be more flexible and slightly easier. In the GMAT vs GRE race, the GRE is increasingly becoming popular among students. Top Business schools like MIT Sloan, Harvard, etc all accept GRE, which makes it a popular choice.

Consider Online-MBA

Many online-MBA courses do not ask for GMAT test results from students. Pursuing Online-MBA is also beneficial for students planning to study abroad in the comfort of their home or while gaining work experience.

Consider Executive MBA

If you have experience of 5-8 years at least, you can consider pursuing an executive MBA in colleges abroad.Executive MBA programs are specifically designed for professionals with extensive experience looking forward to expanding their opportunities through education.

Finding GMAT waivers, opting for alternate MBA courses instead of full-time, etc. There are plenty of options available for students who choose not to take the GMAT test, it has its drawbacks. When you plan to get into industries like finance, that ask for GMAT scores, not having one can be a problem. You should hence, be making a choice by considering not only the immediate outcomes but the future aspects of not taking the GMAT test.

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