Full-time MBA admission requirements

Everything you need to start your application

ESMT Berlin warmly welcomes applications from students of all nationalities. We are an international business school that thrives on international exchange and discourse.

On this page you will find ESMT Berlin's MBA requirements and find out how to make your application for the Full-time MBA; including entry requirements, the application process, and timelines.

Through the application process, we are seeking to identify a diverse range of individuals who share our values, want to be part of our mission to develop responsible leaders, and who will thrive academically, personally, and professionally in the MBA program.

What do I need to apply?

The full-time MBA program from ESMT is a challenging and comprehensive 15 month program designed to shape you into a leader and prepare you for success in the businesses of tomorrow.

When looking for individuals and reviewing applications we are specifically seeking candidates with the following competencies and qualities:

Excellent analytical ability, both quantitative and qualitative
International outlook, intercultural competence, and a responsible approach to business
Proven teamwork skills in stressful situations
Leadership potential, especially for high-performance career growth in a global environment
Willingness to learn from others in a collegial environment

Admission requirements

To apply to the program you will need to meet all of the following requirements:

At least three years of consecutive postgraduate, professional experience
An undergraduate, or first university, degree of minimum 3 years (bachelor)
Strong GMAT, GMAT Focus, GRE, EA, or ESMT Admissions Test (BAT) scores (the average GMAT score is 640)*
English proficiency test scores**

When evaluating your application, we look for a diverse group of professionals who share the school’s mission and who will succeed academically and professionally in the MBA program.

*To send your GMAT score to ESMT, search for ESMT by name. GRE scores should be sent to 7768 - European Sch Mgmt Tech ESMT. If you would like to take the ESMT admissions test (BAT) please contact our admissions team (contact details can be found at the bottom of this page)

**If English is your native language or you earned a university degree exclusively taught in English you do not need to take an English proficiency test.

Scores we’ll accept are:

TOEFL - 95 minimum; we accept MyBest™ scores; our institution code is 8707
PTE - 64 minimum
IELTS - 7 minimum

Step 1: Online application

To begin the admissions process, applicants complete and submit an online application. The application is easy to follow, and will ask you for the following information:

An up-to-date CV showing at least three years of postgraduate professional experience
Two professional recommendations
Answers to the following questions: (max 250 words per essay)
- Describe your specific career aspirations and reasons for pursuing an MBA at ESMT Berlin.
- Failures are rich learning opportunities and help us to grow. Tell us about a setback in your life (personal, academic, or professional), your reaction to the setback, and how it changed you.
- You can invite one guest for dinner, be they living, dead, fictional, or other. Who would you invite and why?
- Optional: Is there any other information, not covered in the application, that you would like us to know about you?
Transcripts of your undergraduate degree detailing courses and grades
A valid GMAT, GRE or ESMT admissions test (BAT)
€50 application fee

Depending on your indicated preferences you can now take the ESMT Business Admissions Test. This is a two-hour, online, test that evaluates academic aptitude over four sections of 30 minutes each: communication analysis, critical thinking, data analysis, and data interpretation. The test costs $100 USD and must be paid before it can be taken. Please ask your admissions manager for more details.

Please note applications submitted without one of these documents will be considered incomplete and will not be considered for review in that round. Therefore, incomplete applications will be reviewed only in the following round if the necessary documents are submitted and the application can be considered complete.

Step 2: First screening

Completed online applications will be reviewed once the application round has closed (see table above for admission deadlines).

If you meet our minimum requirements, you will be invited for your admissions interview.
If you do not meet our requirements, we will let you know on the day your application was reviewed.

Step 3: Interview

Admission interviews take place at the ESMT Berlin campus or via Zoom. The interview will last 40-50 minutes and help us learn more about you, and assess your interpersonal skills, career goals, and aspirations. This is also an opportunity for you to ask us any questions about the school or program.

Please see the table below for the application rounds and corresponding interview dates.

Step 4: Decision

After all interviews in a particular round are completed, the Admissions and Scholarship committees meet to agree admission and scholarship decisions.

This means that if you are accepted into the MBA program, you will receive both an admission and a scholarship decision at the same time.

Please see the table below for the application rounds and corresponding notification dates.

Step 5: Accept your offer

To secure your place in the MBA, you will need to pay a non-refundable deposit of €6,500 by the date indicated in your offer letter.

Congratulations and we look forward to welcoming you to ESMT Berlin!

Admission deadlines

Final Call for Applications for the 2025 - 2026 intake!

Although our application deadline has officially passed, we are pleased to offer an extended opportunity for those still interested in joining the upcoming MBA class.

Applications can still be accepted on a case-by-case basis and only applicants who do not require a visa to study in Germany will be considered.

Apply now to join ESMT Berlin’s MBA class in January 2025 and advance your career with us.

Timeline (2024)

Round	Application deadline	Interview dates	Notification of decision	Early application scholarship
Round 1	February 21	February 29- March 12	March 21	€6,000
Round 2	April 10	April 18-26	May 8	€3,000
Round 3	May 29	June 6-13	June 24	€1,000
Round 4	July 17	July 25- August 1	August 8	N/A
Round 5	September 11	September 19-26	October 2	N/A
Round 6	November 6	November 14-21	November 28	N/A

Review of your application will only begin after it is complete. That means that we need to receive your online application plus digital copies of your transcripts (including grade overviews), your GMAT, GRE, EA, or BAT test score, and at least one professional recommendation. You will be informed about the next steps soon after the round deadline and if you are successful we look forward to meeting you during an interview.

Important Notes

If you are a graduate of a Chinese or Indian university, there are some additional steps you need to take in order to study at a German university. This process can take up to 6 months to complete. Please visit the appropriate APS website: China (Chinese; Deutsch) India, for further information.
If you are applying from Australia, Brazil, Canada, El Salvador, EU, Honduras, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, United Kingdom, and the United States, you DO NOT need a visa to enter Germany as a student. This can change so please check with us or your nearest German Embassy or Consulate

GMAT Online Test

The GMAT can be taken online Instead of sitting for the traditional GMAT test, we recommend that you submit results for the GMAT online test.

Testing times are flexible and there is no need to find a local test center.

Click here for more info about the GMAT online

GRE General Test at home

ETS offers candidates the option to take the GRE® General Test at home or at a test center.

The GRE® General Test is available everywhere that the computer-delivered GRE General Test is normally available, with the exception of Mainland China and Iran.

Learn more about the GRE General Test at home