Admissions and Applications

Fulfilling the minimum criteria only guarantees consideration for admission to the MBA program. Admission into the MBA program often depends upon both your application and the applications of the other candidates who are applying for the same program. Successful applicants tend to significantly exceed the admissions criteria both quantitatively and qualitatively.

All aspects of your application are important. The admissions committee does not weigh one factor more than another and considers the whole picture. The committee looks at the GPA, years of work experience and also the quality of the statement of intent, references, academic background, work and extra-curricular experiences. Your references support your application by providing us with independent assessments of your academic or work experience, while your statement of intent provides you with the opportunity to highlight your strengths and suitability to the Alberta MBA program.

No, the references may be prior or current instructors, supervisors or employers. In most cases, at least one reference will be professional. The others can be academic or professional, depending on what is most appropriate to your situation. Your references should give the admissions committee a picture of your managerial experience and potential as well as your ability to handle the demands of the program.

On average, we receive approximately 400 applications to the full-time program each year. In addition, we receive approximately 100 applications to the part-time program each year.

Admission decisions are based on the overall quality of each applicant. We typically look for a class of 60 students each for our full-time and part-time programs. The class size will vary each year depending on the applicant pool.

No, it does not. We admit applicants who have a variety of academic backgrounds. Candidates hold degrees from a wide range of areas including arts, business, engineering, sciences, music, nursing, education, and fine arts.

We look for applicants to hold a traditional three or four-year undergraduate degree. We can consider applicants holding an applied undergraduate degree, but we would look for these candidates to have professional experience and test scores above our minimum requirements.

Apply early. It is to your advantage to submit your complete application as early as possible before the deadline, as competition is strong and enrolment is limited. Completed applications are evaluated on a rolling basis. This means once an application is complete, we would make a decision within a few weeks rather than waiting until our application deadline. The admission process is competitive and late applications will be at a disadvantage.

Our application deadline is typically June 1 for Fall admission. Exact deadlines are listed in the online application system. Due to the length of time required to make arrangements to enter Canada, we recommend international applicants to apply as early as possible.

The end of August/beginning of September is the one and only entry point for both the full-and part-time MBA programs. Our FastTrack MBA begins with a one-week long intensive session in mid-August each year. As well, all full-time MBA students are required to take part in our comprehensive orientation program in mid-August.

Since the admissions committee has a "whole package" approach, we do not assess a file until it is complete. For this reason, we encourage you to ensure that all documentation is forwarded to us in a timely manner.

Applications received or completed after the deadline will be given consideration only if positions remain available. It should be noted that late applicants are at a definite disadvantage because of the rolling admissions process.

Requests for transfers from another MBA school is considered on a case-by-case basis. Please contact our office to discuss the specifics of your situation.

No, we require at least two years of post-graduate work experience for entry into the Alberta MBA program. However, our FastTrack MBA would require students to complete 12 courses as opposed to 19.

In general, a minimum of two years of post-graduate work experience is strongly preferred. In exceptional cases, less work experience may be considered.

An applicant should hold a bachelor's degree from a recognized institution with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 out of 4.0, or a B standing, based on courses taken during the last 60 credits or two years of full-time study (see international equivalents). The average GPA for a typical entering class is 3.3/4.0.

The full-time program can be completed in 16 months, although most students will complete the degree in 20 months. The full-time FastTrack program for business graduates can be completed in 10 months.

The average part-time student takes 3.5 to 4 years to complete the degree. The program is flexible and part-time students can speed up the process if desired. All MBA students must complete the degree within 6 years. The part-time FastTrack program for business graduates can be completed in 22 months.