MBA Programs Without a GMAT: Waivers, Test-Optional Options & Alternative Tests
MBA admissions testing policies are program-specific and change by application cycle. A school may require a GMAT or GRE, offer a case-by-case waiver, make scores optional, or accept an alternative assessment. Those are different policies: a waiver is not automatic, and an alternative test is not the same as a GMAT waiver.
This guide identifies selected current policies and links directly to each program’s official admissions page. Before applying, confirm eligibility, deadlines, and supporting evidence with the school. For help choosing between the GMAT and GRE, see our GMAT vs. GRE guide.
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Selected Full-Time MBA Policies
Last verified: September 7, 2026. Policies below are categorized by the program’s current public admissions information.
| Program | Current policy category | What to know | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rice Jones | Case-by-case waiver | Applicants may request a waiver through the application; approval is not automatic. | Rice waiver policy |
| UVA Darden | Case-by-case waiver | Applicants can request consideration under Darden’s current waiver process. | Darden admissions FAQ |
| Georgetown McDonough | Case-by-case waiver | A waiver request is reviewed with the application; eligibility and evidence matter. | Georgetown waiver policy |
| Texas McCombs | Case-by-case waiver | Applicants request a waiver and should follow the school’s stated process. | McCombs waiver policy |
| Emory Goizueta | Case-by-case waiver | Test-waiver eligibility is evaluated under the current application policy. | Goizueta application requirements |
| Ohio State Fisher | Case-by-case waiver | Applicants can use the program’s current waiver-request route. | Fisher waiver policy |
| Rutgers Business School | Case-by-case waiver | Review the program’s current application checklist and waiver conditions. | Rutgers application checklist |
| University of Washington Foster | Test optional | Scores are optional; decide whether a score strengthens your individual profile. | Foster admissions |
| UCLA Anderson | Test optional | GMAT, GRE, and EA submissions are optional under the program’s published requirements. | UCLA requirements |
| Georgia Tech Scheller | Test optional | The full-time MBA application has a test-optional pathway. | Scheller test-optional information |
| Babson F.W. Olin | Test optional | The full-time MBA is test optional; consult the program’s current application guidance. | Babson MBA admissions |
| Dartmouth Tuck | Case-by-case waiver | Applicants can request a test waiver by submitting a formal request form detailing professional and academic quantitative evidence. | Tuck requirements |
| Michigan Ross | Case-by-case waiver | Full-time MBA applicants may request a test waiver if they can demonstrate strong academic or quantitative readiness. | Ross requirements |
| Cornell Johnson | Case-by-case waiver | Test waivers are considered on a case-by-case basis for candidates who show substantial professional or academic quantitative proof. | Cornell requirements |
| NYU Stern | Case-by-case waiver | Full-time MBA applicants can submit a test waiver request outlining their academic track record and analytical experience. | Stern requirements |
| CMU Tepper | Case-by-case waiver | Applicants can request a test waiver by demonstrating quantitative and professional readiness through their application file. | Tepper requirements |
| UNC Kenan-Flagler | Case-by-case waiver | Full-time MBA applicants may submit a waiver request outlining their professional achievements, academic background, and analytical skill. | Kenan Flagler requirements |
| Indiana Kelley | Case-by-case waiver | Waiver requests are reviewed individually for candidates who present strong prior academic, certification, or quantitative evidence. | Kelley requirements |
| Vanderbilt Owen | Case-by-case waiver | Applicants can request a test waiver during the application cycle by providing documentation of strong quantitative or academic performance. | Owen requirements |
MBA Programs with an Alternative “Internal Test” or Assessment
Some leading business schools do not waive GMAT/GRE altogether but instead offer or require their own internal admissions test.
| Program | Policy / Alternative Test Type | What to know | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| IE Business School (Madrid) | IE Global Admissions Test (ieGAT) | IE administers its own proprietary online admissions test (ieGAT) evaluating critical, verbal, and logical reasoning skills for candidates who do not submit GMAT/GRE. | IE Admissions FAQ |
| ESADE Business School (Barcelona) | ESADE Admissions Test (TAE) | Candidates can choose to take ESADE’s internal online admission test in place of submitting a GMAT or GRE score. | ESADE Admissions Guide |
| Warwick Business School | WBS Test | WBS offers candidates who lack a GMAT or GRE the option to take the school’s online internal assessment test to prove quantitative and verbal capability. | Warwick MBA Requirements |
| SDA Bocconi School of Management | SDA Test | As an exception, and for very specific reasons, candidates can ask the Admission team for authorization to take the online SDA test as an alternative to the GMAT/ GRE. | Bocconi Admissions Process |
| ESMT (Berlin) | ESMT Admissions Test (BAT) | ESMT offers its own in-house admission test as an institutional alternative to evaluate analytical and quantitative aptitude for candidates without a GMAT or GRE score. | ESMT Admissions Process |
| WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management (Germany) | WHU Admissions Test (BAT) | WHU provides an institutional online admissions test as an alternative assessment route for applicants applying to its MBA program. | WHU Admissions Process |
| EDHEC Business School (France) | EDHEC In-House Admissions Test | EDHEC administers its own internal admission test for selected MBA candidates seeking an alternative to standard standardized exams. | EDHEC Admissions Process |
Do You Need a GMAT for an Executive MBA?
Not necessarily. Executive MBA testing policies vary by program and application cycle. Some programs require applicants to demonstrate academic readiness through an automatic or case-by-case test waiver, an alternative assessment such as the Executive Assessment, or a GMAT/GRE score. Other programs make GMAT/GRE/EA scores optional, but may still review quantitative readiness or request additional support.
Use the policy categories and official admissions links in the table below to check each program’s current requirements. For personalized advice on whether to request a waiver, submit a score, or consider an alternative assessment, get a free MBA consultation.
Selected Executive MBA Policies
| Program | Current policy category | What to know | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Booth Executive MBA | Assessment/waiver pathway | Testing treatment depends on the candidate’s background and the program’s current process. | Booth Executive Assessment |
| Kellogg Executive MBA | Generally not required | Scores are generally not required, though the committee can request more evidence where needed. | Kellogg EMBA application |
| USC Marshall Executive MBA | Test optional | Review the current program admissions requirements before applying. | USC Marshall EMBA admissions |
| UCLA Anderson Executive MBA | Test optional | The program lists standardized tests as optional for its executive MBA application. | UCLA EMBA requirements |
| UW Foster Global Executive MBA | Test optional | Review the program’s admissions page for current testing and eligibility details. | Foster GEMBA admissions |
Do Not Treat Alternative Tests as a GMAT Waiver
Some programs accept the Executive Assessment or another approved exam in place of the GMAT or GRE. That is an alternative-assessment route, not a no-test policy. Programs that currently require approved testing are intentionally not listed as GMAT-waiver options here.
Need a decision based on your academic record, work experience, target schools, and deadlines? Explore ARINGO’s MBA admissions consulting packages.