Recently, we have had many inquiries regarding how the Coronavirus will affect MBA admission requirements. With testing centers closing, we have compiled the following list of programs that offer GMAT waivers for applications in April 2020:

Chicago Booth will continue to accept test scores (GMAT, GRE, TOEFL) through July 1, 2020. The Admissions Committee will start an initial review of applications submitted without test scores, but will not make any decisions until the required score(s) are received.

Stanford encourages applicants to apply without the required test scores, and submit them later. The school will also accept recommendations after the deadline.

Kellogg is waiving the GMAT/GRE/TOEFL/IELTS requirement for those applying to Round 3 for the Full-Time MBA Programs.

At NYU Stern applicants to the part-time MBA can have their GMAT/GRE/Executive Assessment scores waived if they meet the following criteria:

  • Have an undergraduate degree conferred by New York University
  • Hold a GPA of 3.20 or higher

Or

  • Have earned a four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in the U.S.
  • Hold a GPA of 3.40
  • Have majored in business (for a full list of qualifying business majors, click here)

Duke Fuqua added a new Round 4 application deadline (May 19), and will allow round 4 candidates to submit the Executive Assessment (EA) without prior approval, instead of GMAT/GRE.

INSEAD and LBS will accept applications with no GMAT score.

Cass, Warwick and Imperial will allow candidates to apply without GMAT scores and report these scores later.

UCLA will allow candidates to apply without GMAT scores and report these scores until July 1st.

The Foster GEMBA at the University of Washington waives the GMAT for applicants whose employers will sponsor their application and attendance (if admitted). Applicants who will fund the cost themselves must apply with a GMAT score.

University of Toronto’s Rotman full-time MBA program accepts both the GMAT or the GRE. There is no minimum GMAT requirement. They have a GMAT waiver policy to any applicant who has passed all three levels of the CFA program. This is the same for their part-time MBA program.

Rutgers’ MBA program grants waivers on a case-by-case basis, to applicants they deem sufficiently experienced. Waivers are considered to applicants who meet one of the following criteria:

  • Hold an advanced terminal degree such as a Ph.D., JD, or MD
  • Have a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) qualification
  • Have received a master’s degree from an institution in the USA with a GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Have eight or more years of progressive management/professional work experience and have taken two undergraduate quantitative courses (math or statistics) and received a grade of a B or higher
  • Have eight or more years of progressive management/professional work experience

DePaul University’s Full-time Day MBA, Evening MBA, and Weekend MBA programs grant waivers on a case-by-case basis, as long as applicants meet one of the following criteria:

  • Have five years of work experience, showing both management and quantitative responsibilities, following completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university
  • Have completed a JD, MD, or Ph.D. from a higher education institution in the US, or another or a quantitative skills-based master’s degree, such as a master’s degree in finance, and an undergraduate degree from an accredited university
  • Hold an LSAT score of 160 or higher and an undergraduate degree from an accredited university
  • Have a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) credential and an undergraduate degree from an accredited university
  • Have successfully completed all parts of the PE exam and an undergraduate degree from an accredited university
  • Any DePaul alumni with a GPA of 3.2 or higher and two years of professional work experience
  • MS in Economics and Policy Analysis applicants who have earned a DePaul University undergraduate economics degree

HULT’s International Business School MBA does not require GMAT for MBA candidates with three year’s work experience.

Suffolk University does not require GMAT/GRE scores as part of their admission requirements. They do however state that submitting a score could strengthen an applicant’s application.

The above list is not exhaustive, and many offer other exams, such as the GRE or an Executive Assessment (an exam which is usually specific to each school). Most top programs accept the GRE instead of GMAT. These schools include but are not limited to, Harvard Business School, Chicago Booth, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Wharton, Northwestern Kellogg, MIT Sloan, Columbia Business School, Cornell Johnson, and NYU Stern. For more details on GMAT substitutions at Top MBA programs, click here.

Many EMBA programs waive GMAT scores, usually on a case-by-case basis, providing the applicant has sufficient experience. Some examples of EMBA programs that do not require a GMAT are Northwestern Kellogg, MIT Sloan, Duke Fuqua, and NYU Stern.

Several online MBA courses waive GMAT scores, such as the University of Illinois, George Washington University, University of Maryland and University of North Carolina.

We will be keeping up with this information as changes emerge. If you’re interested in learning more about GMAT scores and how they factor into your application to Top MBA programs, please feel free to contact us for a complimentary profile review.

For updated info on top MBA programs with GMAT waivers for 2020-2021 applications, visit this post.