Application Process

• Applying to the Oregon State MBA program requires the following documentation, along with an application fee ($75 domestic, $85 international), payable by credit card.
• If you are a US Citizen: Domestic Applicant, you can apply for the MBA program using the Oregon State University Graduate School’s online application form here. Note: Portland and Bend hybrid applicants should select “Ecampus Distance Education (Online Degrees)” as their campus when starting a new application.
• If you are a non-US Citizen: International Applicant, you can apply for the MBA program through the Office of International Admissions online application form here.

• Please provide academic records from each institution attended, showing graded course work for all academic work attempted or completed.
• For institutions outside the United States, both an original-language version and a certified English translation of all academic records and degree statements are required. Please include certificates/diplomas for all degrees earned.
• Unofficial transcripts may be scanned and uploaded to your online application. An unofficial transcript is a copy of the front and back of an official transcript. Grade slips and/or webgenerated transcripts are not accepted. Applications will be reviewed with unofficial transcripts; however, admitted students will be required to submit official documents at the time of admission.
• If you are admitted while finishing your undergraduate degree, please submit your most up-to-date transcript at the time of your application. You will be required to submit an official final transcript showing degrees awarded and dates earned before you will be permitted to register for your first term of MBA studies.
• You may be able to submit your official transcripts electronically from the website of your academic institutions. Please select “Oregon State University – Graduate Admissions” as the recipient.
• Official transcripts may also be mailed to:

Graduate School
Oregon State University
Heckart Lodge
2900 SW Jefferson Ave.
Corvallis, OR 97331 USA

• The MBA application requires two professional (or academic) references. If you have completed your undergraduate studies within the last two years of applying to the MBA program, at least one of your references should be academic. Otherwise, professional references are required.
• References can be managed through the online application’s reference system. By including the names and email addresses of your reference providers on your application form, your providers will automatically receive an email with an electronic reference form once you submit your application. Electronic references are typically added to your application file within one business day of receipt.
• Reference providers who prefer to write letters may email their references directly to OSUMBA@oregonstate.edu or send them as hard copy through the mail in sealed envelopes with the reference provider’s signature written across the envelope flap (refer to mailing address in Transcripts section above). Reference letters received via email should be sent by the reference provider and emailed as attachments on professional letterhead.

NOTE: We will not accept letters uploaded by applicants to the document-upload section of the online application form, emailed by applicants, or submitted as hard copy by applicants unless still in a sealed envelope with the reference provider’s signature across the envelope flap.

GMAT, GRE, or Executive Assessment (EA) Test Requirement

• Scores from either the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Executive Assessment (EA) are required.
• Test scores are valid for five years. If you take the GMAT, GRE, or EA multiple times, we will consider the most recent test score during admission review.
• Score reports should be sent electronically by the testing agency using OSU’s institution code:
  • GMAT: PW4-DR-05
  • GRE: 4586

For information about GMAT/GRE waivers go here.

What is the Executive Assessment (EA)?

• The Executive Assessment (EA) is an alternative to the GMAT or GRE for experienced, working professional applicants to the College of Business at Oregon State University.
• The EA is designed to evaluate business school readiness in the context of your work experience. The assessment focuses on skills that are critical both at work and in a graduate business program: higher-order reasoning, critical thinking, analysis, and problem-solving.
• Because it was designed specifically for experienced professionals, the EA requires modest preparation, takes only 90 minutes to complete, and includes flexible rescheduling options.
• The EA is administered by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), creators of the GMAT exam.

TOEFL/IELTS

• All international applicants who did not receive a degree in the U.S., Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Nigeria or the United Kingdom are required to submit scores from either the TOEFL or IELTS.
• Scores must not be more than two years old and must be from one exam date. The most recent test date is the score considered with your application. Please visit Selection Criteria for minimum requirements.
• Score reports should be sent electronically by the testing agency using OSU’s ETS institution code: 4586. See the official TOEFL website or IELTS website for more information on these exams.

• The admissions interview is a conversation between you and a member of the MBA Admissions Committee. The purpose is for you to gain further insight into the MBA program and for us to learn more about your background, interests, and goals.
• Admission interviews are by invitation only. If you are selected for an interview, an admissions representative will contact you to schedule. If you do not reside locally, we will be happy to speak with you over the phone or by Skype.

Your academic profile is assessed through quality of and performance in your prior academic program(s) as evidenced in your transcripts and general aptitude as measured by the GMAT or GRE. Successful candidates are not required to have studied business previously. Oregon State MBA students have a variety of academic backgrounds, including engineering, science, social sciences, liberal arts and business. 

Our admission process adheres to the university’s minimum academic requirements for admission to a graduate degree program. These requirements pertain to previous degrees earned and prior academic performance.

Please review the Graduate Admissions Minimum Academic Requirements page for more detailed information and contact us if you have any questions about your background in relation to these requirements.

• For more information regarding the GMAT, call 1-800-717-GMAT or visit the GMAT website.
• For more information regarding the GRE, call 1-866-473-4373 or visit the GRE website.

Because we use a holistic review process, we do not have minimum requirements for the GMAT or GRE; strong candidates will have earned a GMAT (total) score of 570 or greater or a GRE (total) score of 315 or greater.

Professional experience is not required for admission to Oregon State’s MBA programs.

When reviewing your résumé we are looking for evidence of leadership, initiative, commitment, and accomplishment. Please include full-time positions, as well as part-time jobs, relevant internships, volunteer service, and any professional associations/affiliations.

Your short answer questions will be evaluated for evidence of your motivation for admission and overall fit for the program. We seek to understand more about how your background and experience will help you contribute to the learning environment at Oregon State.

We also look for a clear articulation of your professional aspirations and how earning an MBA at Oregon State can help you achieve them.

If using the online reference system, your reference providers will be asked to evaluate you in the following areas: creativity, intellectual ability, maturity, self-motivation, work ethic, and written and verbal communication.

Your references will also be asked to comment on your strengths and weaknesses as they relate to your ability to be successful in a graduate program. Reference providers who submit letters should use these points as guidelines to inform their evaluations as well.

• TOEFL iBT: 91 total score with a subscore of at least 22 on each section
• TOEFL PBT: 575 and a separate interview to assess speaking will be required
• IELTS: 7

The OSU MBA program does not offer conditional admission. If you are required to submit TOEFL/IELTS scores, then you must meet the minimum requirements to be admitted. For more information on who is required to submit TOEFL/IELTS scores, please read more details on the Application Process.

1. GPA Requirements:

• 3.3/4.0 in a STEM field from an accredited U.S./Canadian university or
• 3.5/4.0 in a non-STEM field from an accredited U.S./Canadian University

2. Work requirement:

• At least five years of full-time, post-baccalaureate work experience in a management or leadership capacity

3. Quantitative Coursework:

• College-level calculus course with a grade of “B” or higher
• College-level probability & statistics course with a grade of “B” or higher

To request a GMAT/GRE waiver, the applicant should submit a 500-word explanation of how your professional and academic background meets the stated eligibility requirements, as well as a resume and full transcripts with your application. You can upload the waiver document in the “document upload” section as “Other – GMAT waiver request” in the online application. The MBA Admissions Committee may schedule a brief phone call interview with you if any clarification is needed. Meeting all of the stated criteria does not guarantee that a GMAT waiver request will be granted. The decision of the Admissions Committee is final. Please direct any questions on the GMAT/GRE waiver policies to GradBusiness@oregonstate.edu

1. Completed or currently enrolled in a thesis-based U.S./Canadian graduate program with an overall GPA of 3.3/4.0 or higher. (If currently enrolled, must have earned at least 9 credit hours of graduate-level coursework.)

2. Quantitative coursework:

• Completed graduate quantitative coursework in advanced statistics, research methods, data analysis or similar with a grade of “B” or higher.

To request a GMAT/GRE waiver, the applicant should submit a 500-word explanation of how your professional and academic background meets the stated eligibility requirements, as well as a resume and full transcripts with your application. You can upload the waiver document in the “document upload” section as “Other – GMAT waiver request” in the online application. The MBA Admissions Committee may schedule a brief phone call interview with you if any clarification is needed. Meeting all of the stated criteria does not guarantee that a GMAT waiver request will be granted. The decision of the Admissions Committee is final.

Please direct any questions on the GMAT/GRE waiver policies to GradBusiness@oregonstate.edu