MBA FAQ

GMAT or GRE scores are typically required. However, in response to the pandemic, MBA applicants now have the option to submit an MBA Math transcript in lieu of GMAT or GRE test scores. For more information, contact mba@sandiego.edu.

In addition, GMAT waivers are being offered for the 2022 application cycle. See if you qualify by reviewing the information below.

If you submit GMAT or GRE scores, the exam must be taken within the last 5 years. If you plan to submit a GRE score, leave the GMAT information blank on the application and request that ETS submit your official score report to USD.

• GMAT School Code: 29B-Q2-68
• GRE School Code: 4849

If you have not yet taken the GMAT or GRE but plan to do so, you can still submit your application. On your application, indicate the date that you are scheduled to take the exam. Note that the admissions committee will hold off on a final review of your application until your GMAT or GRE test score has arrived.

MBA applicants: 

• In response to the pandemic, MBA applicants have the option to submit an MBA Math transcript in lieu of GMAT or GRE test scores. For more information, contact mba@sandiego.edu.

• You can request a GMAT or GRE waiver if you have completed an MD or PhD in an approved field of study.

• In addition to the waiver opportunities indicated above, waivers will be considered for those who meet the following criteria: 1) A master's degree with a 3.0 GPA in an approved field of study or a bachelor's degree with a 3.2 GPA in an approved field of study and 2) five years of relevant full-time work experience.

• Some Part-Time MBA candidates may also be eligible to take the Executive Assessment instead of the GMAT. This 90-minute exam is also administered by the makers of GMAT and is designed for experienced business professionals. This opportunity will be considered for those who have over 7 years of relevant work experience or have already completed a master's degree. Please complete this form to see if you are eligible to take the Executive Assessment. Learn more about the Executive Assessment.

• Students educated outside of the United States must submit a course-by-course degree evaluation conducted by World Education Services.

Approved fields of study: Accounting, Biological Sciences, Economics, Engineering, Finance, Information and Computer Sciences, Health Sciences, Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Statistics

To request a GMAT waiver, please complete this waiver form. It should be submitted early in the application process to ensure appropriate requirements are met.

A competitive GMAT score is generally within 50 points of the average score for the most recent incoming MBA class (2020 Full-Time MBA average score: 589; Part-Time MBA average score: 605). Please note that averages vary each year and that other factors are also considered when reviewing applications of MBA candidates.

All applications are reviewed by the admissions committee. However, applicants with a GMAT score below 500 are rarely offered admission. Additionally, a quantitative section score at or above the 35th percentile is highly preferred.

Unfortunately, we do not. To be considered for admission to the Knauss School of Business MBA program, your application must be complete, including all supporting documents and required test scores.

Tuition for the MBA program is based on a per unit fee. There are no additional fees for international students or non-California residents, since we are a private, tuition-based institution. USD offers many different opportunities to subsidize or offset the costs. These include low-interest loans to admitted students, thanks to agreements with our partner, Prodigy Finance. You can visit our tuition page for the estimated cost of this school year and to find additional information on financial support.

We seek candidates who have a minimum of two years of full-time, post-undergraduate work experience. Exceptions are made for military and non-traditional students.

A minimum of two years’ work experience is preferred for the following reasons:

1. Students learn more effectively in the MBA program if they have prior work experience for a frame of reference and experiences from which to draw examples.
2. Students expect to learn from the prior professional experiences of their classmates.
3. Potential employers of MBA graduates consider pre-MBA work experience alongside MBA degree accomplishments.

No, the Knauss School of Business does not currently offer this type of program.

While we do not have specific quantitative or business-related prerequisites, the admissions committee strongly prefers a GMAT quantitative section score at or above the 35th percentile. Admitted students who score below this range may be required to complete additional quantitative prep work prior to beginning the program.

If you are already enrolled in an MBA program at another AACSB accredited business school, you may be able to transfer a maximum of six credits of MBA coursework if admitted to the Knauss School of Business MBA program. Transfer requests are handled on a case-by-case basis, and applicants must complete the Knauss School of Business MBA application.

Students currently enrolled in a fellow Jesuit MBA Network program are able to transfer all units as long as they are in good standing within their current MBA program. Please work with your current academic advisor in order to complete the Jesuit MBA transfer paperwork, and contact the Knauss School of Business MBA Programs office for further guidance.

If you earned a degree from an institution outside of the United States, you are required to submit an official international transcript evaluation (also called a foreign credential evaluation) as part of your application. Please note that the evaluation must be a course-by-course evaluation. You must order your official evaluation from one of the following evaluation services:

World Education Services, Inc. (WES)
Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE)
International Education Research Foundation, Inc. (IERF)
Josef Silny & Associates, Inc. (JSA)
SpanTran: The Evaluation Company (SpanTran)
Foreign Academic Credential Service (FACS)

Applicants educated in India: Typically, three-year bachelor's degrees earned in Division I and II at institutions accredited by the NAAC with a minimum grade of A are viewed by WES as equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree. Applicants with a three-year degree from India that does not meet the requirements above can complete a one-year post-graduate certificate program or a master's program in India to meet the MBA academic entrance requirements.

No, if you were educated outside of the United States, you will need to complete the degree evaluation process as part of your admission to the MBA program.

Students cannot switch between programs due to the cohort nature of the Knauss School of Business MBA program — meaning that you will begin the program and take the majority of your core classes with the same cohort of students. However, during elective coursework, the program uses a mixed cohort format, meaning that students from different cohorts take classes together in the evenings.

The Part-Time MBA program schedule is very flexible and students have the option to take nine or more credits per semester, which would qualify them for "full-time" student status by the university.

We prefer that full-time MBA students do not work off campus during the first year of the program. The first year consists mostly of core classes, which are offered during daytime hours. In addition, the program utilizes learning teams and group work/projects; full-time students are expected to be available during daytime hours to conduct this group work. You can apply for on-campus jobs or graduate assistantships to help fund your graduate studies. These jobs can have flexible schedules and are easily balanced with schoolwork.

As full-time MBA students move into the second year of the program and enroll in electives, primarily offered in the evenings, they have the opportunity to pursue daytime internships or part-time employment off campus.

Interviews are only scheduled at the request of the admissions committee after the completed review of an application. We prefer you visit campus for an interview, but can arrange a video interview using Zoom if you live outside of Southern California.

You can request to defer admission to the MBA program for one year (Full-Time MBA) or one semester (Part-Time MBA). Requests must be made in writing, and are granted on a case-by-case basis by the admissions committee. If the deferment request is granted, you will submit the $1,500 non-refundable enrollment fee in order to secure your place in the next cohort. Scholarship recipients who defer admission will be guaranteed a scholarship for the following academic year, but the actual amount of the scholarship may change depending on the scholarship allocations for that academic year.

You are welcome to reapply for the following semester if applying to the Part-Time MBA or the following academic year if applying to the Full-Time MBA. Being denied for one cohort does not impact potential admissions decisions for the future. Please contact the MBA Admissions Office for a re-application fee waiver. You can also request feedback on your application by contacting the admissions office. Due to the volume of applications, please contact the office via email at the end of the application cycle.

The TOEFL or IELTS is required if the language of your undergraduate education was not in English.

TOEFL internet-based test (must be taken within the last two years)

- minimum score = 92

- minimum preferred speaking score = 20

IELTS 

- minimum score = 7.0

- minimum preferred speaking score = 7

USD college code = 4849. For a testing center in your country, visit TOEFL or IELTS