Full-Time MBA Requirements & Deadlines

Complete the application online.

To be considered for admission, you must have a first university degree that is equivalent to a 4-year U.S. bachelor's degree*. 

Unofficial transcripts must include your name and the name of the institution and can be uploaded in the online application or emailed to [email protected] for attachment to your application file. Please do not mail in paper copies of your transcript. 

You will need to submit a transcript from each college or university where you have completed coursework before your application will be considered complete and reviewed by the admissions committee. This includes institutions where you have earned credit that transferred towards degree credit at another college/university. Third Party credential evaluation reports and degree planning audit documents are not accepted as equivalent to a transcript.

If you have previously enrolled at any University of Minnesota campus, you can obtain electronic copies of your transcripts from OneStop Services. 

There is no need for official transcripts or academic records for initial admissions review. Official transcripts will be required if you are admitted to the program.

The University of Minnesota reserves the right to require the submission of official transcripts or credentials any time during the admission review process.

You must submit essay responses to the questions detailed below (approximately 3 pages maximum). You may copy/paste each prompt into your document. The admissions committee will review both the content of your responses and your ability to communicate clearly in writing.

• Why are you choosing to pursue an MBA at this time in your career? What are you hoping to accomplish by doing so? Briefly describe your short-term (upon graduation from the program) and long-term (5-10 years after the program) career goals. Please be as specific as possible with roles, companies and/or industries.
• What excites you about being part of the Carlson School MBA program? Do you have an enterprise program that you are currently interested in and why?
• Carlson MBA programs are looking for diverse voices and experiences to add to classroom discussions. Can you tell us about how you have participated in and/or advocated for building more inclusive communities in your career?

Get tips on crafting your personal statement

• The impromptu video essay is a required component of the application that provides candidates with an opportunity to show the admissions committee the authentic you. Think of this video essay as if you were answering a live interview question with a member of our admissions committee.
• You will need to use a computer with camera and microphone capabilities. You will also need a strong internet connection for uploading the video. You will have the ability to test your technology before starting the video essay and submit a practice video essay.
• You can test your technology and run the practice simulation as many times as you wish to be comfortable with the format and technology. You will be able to review your practice video essay(s) and your recording(s) will not be saved beyond the testing phase and will never be reviewed.
• You can also practice responding to impromptu questions offline with a friend or colleague before completing the video essay portion of your application.
• You will be prompted to click "Ready" once you are prepared to submit an official video essay. You will be asked one impromptu question from a bank of imaginative or behavioral questions selected by our admissions team.
• Two minutes (120 seconds) will be provided to prepare an answer and two minutes (120 seconds) to record an answer. The recording will automatically stop after two minutes. You are not required to use the full two minutes. If you have time remaining once complete with your response, click the "Stop Recording" button to end the recording.
• You will only be provided one attempt to record your official video essay.
• You will need a strong internet connection to upload the video.

Prepare a current resume that includes a detailed education and employment history in no more than 3 pages. 

Resume guidelines 

• List both employer and official position held. 
• Specify both month and year for dates of employment in each role. 
• Detail job responsibilities and accomplishments in approximately 3-5 bullet points. 
• For additional guidance, visit our Carlson Business Career Center resume advice webpage, and feel free to use their resume template to simplify the process. 

Upload your completed resume in the online application where prompted for Resume or CV.

We require two professional recommendations to complete the application to the Full-Time MBA or Management Science MBA program. 

Please note that you do not need to solicit letters of recommendation from your recommenders. We partner with GMAC for the Common Letter of Recommendation, so you simply need to provide contact information for your recommenders, and the form will be automatically routed to them via email for completion. The form does include an optional section to attach a letter of recommendation if your recommender chooses to add that component.

We recommend getting started on your application early so you can enter the recommender's contact information right away before continuing to work on your application. Both recommenders must complete the GMAC form before your submitted application is considered complete. This means all recommendations must be received before the deadline for which you would like to be considered.

The GMAT or GRE General Test is required for admission to the Full-Time MBA and Management Science program and should be less than five years old. Waivers are available, see below for information on how to apply.

For GMAT, arrange for the testing service to send an official score report to code D2N-VJ-15, Carlson MBA. Results arrive 2-3 weeks after the test. For GRE, arrange for the testing service to send an official score report using institution code 8387. Results take 3-4 weeks to arrive.

Please note we don't have a minimum GMAT or GRE required score, but do have average scores in our Full-Time MBA Class Profile.

Proof of English Language Proficiency is required of all applicants and must be demonstrated in one of the following ways. 

• Completed at least the last 2 years of a bachelor's degree or 1 year of graduate school (full-time) in the U.S., U.K., Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Anglophone Africa, or the English-speaking Caribbean and will provide official transcripts.
• Completed education solely in English in a country where English is not the official language and will provide documented proof (Ex: India).
• Will provide the official results of an English Language Test taken within the last two years

The following tests are all accepted:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
• International Language Testing System (IELTS)
• Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE)
• Duolingo 

For further details, visit the International Applicants page.

The application fee is $75 (non-refundable) for U.S. citizens, international applications, and U.S. residents with foreign credentials. Your application fee will be waived if you have been on active duty in the U.S. military within three years of submitting your MBA application.

Interviews for the Full-Time MBA and Management Science MBA program are by invitation only. 

Eligible candidates will be contacted via email after the initial review of their application. 

You may select either an on-campus interview or via Zoom. You should treat the interview as if you were a job interview. Appropriate attire is business professional.