University of Cambridge Judge Business School has started the admission process for the MBA Class of 2018-19. The school says it is looking to recruit candidates with good academic credentials, highly motivated and ambitious and who have exhibited clear progression within their career.
Ranked 5th in the FT Global MBA ranking 2017 five points up from the previous year, Cambridge Judge stands first in value for money rank. The average alumni salary (three years after graduation) was US$ 164,714. The 1-year program focuses on experiential learning, with two live client projects.
A minimum of three years’ work experience by the start of the intake you are applying for. The current class average is six years’ of work experience.
The application form is to be completed and submitted online. Round 1 application deadline is September 8 with interviews on October 22-23. Round 2 application deadline is October 27 with interviews on December 10-11. Round three deadline is January 5, 2018, and interviews on February 25-26, also on March 4-5. Round 4 deadline is March 9 with interviews on April 29-30.
You should possess an Undergraduate degree with 2:1 or above (typically 60–69%) scores from a recognised university.
A minimum of three years’ work experience by the start of the intake you are applying for. The current class average is six years’ of work experience.
A GMAT/GRE score. While there is no specific score range, the average GMAT score in each cohort is 690.
A reference from a supervisor is needed. The school would not accept an academic reference or a reference from a relative. An automated reference request will be sent to your referee once you have entered their contact details into the online application system.
If you are a non-EU national, you will have to apply for a student visa in order to study in the UK. Refer to the UK Visas & Immigration website for the latest information regarding student visas to ascertain if you require a visa and the criteria that you will have to fulfil.
The completed application form is to be submitted via the schools online application system by 17:00 GMT on the day of your chosen deadline.
The Essay questions on the form comprise a personal statement not exceeding 500 words. It should have your short and long term career objectives and the skills/characteristics you already have to help you achieve them. You also have to state the actions you will take before and during the MBA to contribute to your career outcome. Another question is how would an MBA equip you for the future if you are unsure of your post-MBA career path.
You will also have to describe, in 200 words, what you learnt from your most spectacular failure. You also have to describe a situation where you had to work jointly with others to achieve a common goal and the learnings from the experience(up to 200 words).
If you are a non-English language speaker, you must have a TOEFL score of at least 110, or an IELTS score of at least 7.5.
An online payment of £150 will be charged for the submission of your completed application. Once the application is reviewed by the Cambridge MBA Admissions Committee, a decision will be taken on shortlisting you for an interview.
In exceptional circumstances (for example if it is difficult for you to get a visa at short notice to visit the UK) the school may sometimes able to offer interviews in your own country or occasionally by Skype. However, it is better to be personally present at the interview.
After the interview, you may get a ‘conditional offer’. While applicants are informed within two weeks of their interview date, it can take up to three weeks for the Admissions Committee to make a decision.
The initial offer is called a conditional offer. You will be asked to inform us of your decision within three weeks. If you accept your offer, a commitment fee of 15% of the program fee, and financial guarantees that you can meet the costs of the programme are to be given. Once this stage is over, an Unconditional offer is made through a letter confirming that you have reached this stage. This letter can also be used for visa applications where applicable.