Admissions FAQs

Each candidate is evaluated both individually and as a member of the entering cohort. The minimum application requirements include:

• Completed graduate application
• Essay
• Current résumé
• Two professional recommendations
• Employer authorization form
• Official transcripts/academic records
• Application fee

For additional details, see How to Apply.

Applications from non-U.S. citizens are accepted if the applicants are in possession of permanent work authorization and are fully employed. F-1 student visas are not offered. The program’s international students are employed by U.S. companies and hold H1-B visas. If you will not be continuing employment with an H1-B visa, this program may not be the best fit for you.

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required for all international students unless the applicant attended four (or two) years and received an undergraduate (or graduate) degree from a U.S. institution. The target TOEFL score is at least 600 (paper-based test) or 106 (computer-based test).

International applicants with undergraduate degrees from U.S. universities—or who can demonstrate extensive knowledge of reading, writing, and speaking skills in English—may request a waiver of the TOEFL. Contact an Executive MBA Program admissions representative to request a waiver.

Absolutely. In fact, we prefer to have a diverse mix of backgrounds in each cohort. The typical cohort is about equally divided into students with business backgrounds, students from engineering/science/technology/healthcare, and students from the nonprofit sector/social sciences/humanities.

Yes, you should submit transcripts/academic records from each educational institution attended since high school. If your degree and date awarded do not appear on your transcripts/academic record, submit an official certificate of the degree awarded. Candidates are able to upload unofficial transcripts with their application. However, official transcripts must be sent directly to the Executive MBA Program Office from the institution(s) at or prior to the admissions interview. For more details about application requirements, see How to Apply.

The target GPA is 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale). Graduate-level academic experience is also considered.

Applicants may be admitted on probation. The University of Wisconsin–Madison Graduate School requires students who are admitted with an undergraduate GPA below 3.0 to be placed on probation for one semester. Individuals in good academic standing at the end of the first semester will be removed from probation.

The target is eight years of full-time professional work experience, with a target of five years of leadership experience. The typical cohort has an average of 16 years of professional work experience, with an average of 10 years of leadership experience.

“Professional work experience” is defined as full-time, post-undergraduate work experience. Individuals who were non-traditional undergraduate students are encouraged to include all professional experience for consideration. Military experience is considered.

Yes. Admissions interviews are by invitation only, with invitations extended after applications have been reviewed. Interviews with one or more members of the admissions committee take place on campus; in rare cases, an interview may be conducted by videoconference.

Yes. An admissions representative can review your résumé and other qualifications before you apply. This informal review of your credentials does not replace a formal application and will have no bearing on application decisions. Contact a member of the admissions team to arrange for a one-on-one admissions meeting.

Applications open beginning in September for the following fall. You are encouraged to apply early. The deadline for completed applications is the first business day of each month, December through May. After the May deadline, applications may be accepted as space permits. Please contact us if you are interested in applying but are unable to complete your application by the May deadline.

The average cohort size is 35–45 students.

Decisions are made within six weeks of each monthly admissions deadline.

The admissions committee will publish your admissions decision—admit, deny, or waitlist—to your online application account. You will also receive an email from the program office indicating that your decision has published. Once you receive an offer of admission, you will have a deadline by which you must accept or decline the offer.

It is not uncommon to be waitlisted for the Wisconsin Executive MBA Program while the admissions committee continues to shape each incoming cohort.

If you are waitlisted, a member of the admissions committee will contact you if additional information is needed. If additional information is requested, the committee will review your application again after you have submitted those pieces. The committee will review all waitlisted applications in the final admissions cycle, which typically takes place in late spring. Applicants may be waitlisted for one cycle or until the final admissions cycle occurs, as it is dependent on each individual applicant file and the date of application.

Yes. Individuals who are denied admission to the program may request a phone appointment to discuss the application once the final admissions cycle has concluded. Appointments are typically offered in July.

The estimated tuition and fees for students starting in the fall of 2016 is $83,000 for the entire two-year program. Exact tuition and fees are set each August by the state legislature. Increases may vary from year to year. These estimates are calculated on a five percent annual increase. The 2015–2016 tuition and fees for the Wisconsin Executive MBA Program are $40,300 per year.

The tuition and fees for the Wisconsin Executive MBA Program include the global learning experience trip (other than a few independent meals and miscellaneous personal expenses), career coaching and student support services, a tablet computer equipped with Wi-Fi, the needed software, and class materials (all course materials other than textbooks), on-site parking during classes, lunches and refreshments during class, networking and social events, all UW–Madison amenities available to students, and telephone and web conferencing services.

Merit scholarships that cover 25 percent of tuition over the 20 months of the Wisconsin Executive MBA Program are awarded to exceptional candidates. A separate scholarship application is required.

A separate scholarship application is required. To get started, simply indicate your interest in applying for a scholarship by checking the appropriate box on the last page of the online application. Funds are limited; applying early is recommended.

Review of scholarship applications will coincide with the admissions review. Scholarship decisions will be made at the time of the admissions decision.

U.S. citizens and permanent residents may apply for federal financial aid available in the form of student loans. The financial aid process begins with the completion of the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) available from Federal Student Aid at the U.S. Department of Education. Student loans are available through the Office of Student Financial Aid at UW–Madison. Fellowships and assistantships are not available to Wisconsin Executive MBA students.

We suggest you start by familiarizing yourself with your employer’s tuition reimbursement policy. Some organizations make exceptions to these policies on a case-by-case basis. If you wish to seek additional financial support, we encourage you to write a funding proposal for your organization that emphasizes the return on learning from your newly acquired knowledge and skills. You can also cite the benefits of your broadened network of professional contacts. Provide specifics as they relate to your role, work projects, and industry.

We offer several opportunities to connect with current students. Information sessions are held regularly on campus in Madison and at various locations in the metro-Milwaukee area or in the region. At these introductory sessions, current students will be on hand to share their perspectives and answer your questions about the Wisconsin MBA experience. You will also meet current students when you sit in on a class or join us for networking at the M. Keith Weikel Leadership Speaker Series.

There are a number of ways you can learn more, including a one-on-one meeting with an admissions professional, a visit to campus, or attendance at an information session on campus or at various locations around the region. You are also welcome to participate in an online chat or join us for networking at the M. Keith Weikel Leadership Speaker Series. We encourage you to review the complete list of admissions events and visits.

No credit transfers or course waivers based on past educational or professional experience are permitted. Due to the lockstep delivery of the curriculum and the importance placed on learning as a cohort, students are required to follow the prescribed curriculum and complete all courses.