2018 MBA Application Deadlines

Some schools accept applications for their MBA programmes year-round, while others have very specific deadlines for submission. Some schools may have more than one programme start per year (and thus multiple deadlines), while others may have only one. With such variation among programmes, there will be multiple deadlines you must not miss.

Below you will find information about how university and B-school admissions policies may differ as well as specific 2018 MBA application deadlines for some of the top postgraduate programmes in the world.

Types of admission application policies

The 2018 MBA application deadlines will vary from one programme to another, depending on the particular admissions policy that the school has. You may have one or more specific dates to apply by or you may be able to submit your application anytime throughout the year. Typically, a school’s policy will be to establish a single deadline for all applicants, different deadlines for separate admissions rounds or simply to accept applications anytime.

Single deadline

Some schools choose to establish a single deadline by which all applications for a particular session must be received. The batch of applications is reviewed all at once and decisions for all candidates are made at roughly the same time.

In such case, late applications might be accepted by the Admissions department, but that is rarely the case. And it should go without saying that a late application is never recommended.

Admission rounds

A common scenario for some MBA programmes is to accept applications in batches or rounds. For example, for a fall 2018 admission, a university may have three rounds of admissions, during which they accept and consider applications by specific dates in November 2017, January 2018, and March 2018. The school decides how many rounds it will have as well as what the deadlines will be.

If you have a solid application, the early rounds are your best bet. Many universities and B-schools offer “early bird” discounts on tuition for candidates submitting applications in the first or second rounds. In addition, there are a limited number of slots available in the later rounds, so admission is much more competitive. Still, if you think the extra time will allow you to greatly improve your application or test scores, waiting for a later round may be a better decision.

Rolling admission

Rolling admission policies allow you to submit your MBA application anytime throughout the year or within a large window of several months. In these cases, the recommendation is for you to submit your application as early as possible. Typically, once the programme is at capacity, further applications are not considered.

Check out: MBA Application: Round 1, Round 2, or Round 3?

Points to remember

As you research 2018 MBA application deadlines, keep the following points in mind:

International students are strongly encouraged to submit their application as early as possible to allow for sufficient time for the processing of visas.
Early admission rounds are less competitive, but if your application would benefit from more time, you may want to opt for a later deadline.
Tuition discounts are sometimes available for early applications, so check with the school for its individual policy.
Any required standardised test scores must reach the Admissions office before the application deadline. To schedule an early enough testing date, be sure to factor in several months to prepare for the test(s) as well as a month or more for the testing agency to process and submit the scores to your designated school(s).
Thoroughly research the information you find regarding deadlines and confirm it with the school to ensure accuracy. It is possible for you to see a 1 September deadline on a school’s website, only to then find out the information has not been updated from the previous year.

Check out more details about top MBA programmes of different business schools here.