Programs
- MBA
- Executive MBA
- Doctoral
- Master of Science
- Executive Education
- Undergraduate Concentration
Executive MBA Application Requirements
Thank you for considering the Columbia Executive MBA Program, consistently ranked among the leading programs in the world.
Tell us what sets you apart. We are genuinely interested in learning more about you. Columbia Business School values interesting individuals who are earnest in their career aspirations. Our students are diverse. Our faculty is world renowned. The curriculum is rigorous. We believe this is the best MBA for executives. Here's what you need to do to apply.
Application Checklist
Employer Sponsorship
- Regardless of the level or financial support from your employer, applicants to EMBA-Friday/Saturday and EMBA-Americas are required to submit a signed sponsorship letter from an authorized representative of your organization, briefly stating the terms of support.
- Financial sponsorship is not required of your employer, but your organization must agree to: 1) Keep your travel time to a minimum; 2) Completely release you from all job responsibilities on class days.
- Learn more about the sponsorship requirement.
- Sponsorship letters must be uploaded into the online application system.
EMBA-Saturday applicants are not required to attain employer sponsorship of any kind, though it is welcome.
Transcripts
As an EMBA applicant, you have two options for providing the Admissions Committee with records of your academic work:
- Submit official transcripts from each college and university attended as a registered student.
- Scan and submit PDF versions of unofficial transcripts from each college and university attended as a registered student.
Applicants who submit unofficial transcripts and are offered admission will be required to provide official transcripts upon acceptance. If there are discrepancies between the self-reported academic work and official records, offers of admission will be rescinded.
Offers of admission are not binding until academic records have been verified.
Essays
Essays can have a huge impact on your application. Each essay is given careful consideration. This is your opportunity to tell us who you are, where you have been, and what you hope for in the future. As an applicant, you are required to complete one short answer question and three essays.
Short-Answer Question: What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 characters maximum)
Examples of possible responses: “Work in business development for a media company.” “Join a strategy consulting firm.” “Launch a data-management start-up.”
Essay 1: Through your resume and recommendations, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next 3-5 years, and what, in your imagination, would be your long-term dream job? (500 words)
Essay 2: Columbia Business School's Executive MBA will challenge you by offering a rigorous academic experience, global exposure through the international seminar, and the opportunity to immediately apply what you learn to your career. How will you approach balancing the demands of the program with your professional and personal life while you are in school? (250 words)
Essay 3:
Please select and answer one of the following essay questions: (250 words)
a. Please tell us what you feel most passionate about in life.
b. If you were given a free day and could spend it anywhere, in any way you choose, what would you do?
Optional Essay: An optional fourth essay will allow you to discuss any issues that do not fall within the purview of the required essays.
Recommendations
The Admissions Committee requires two letters of professional appraisal. If possible, one recommendation should come from your current supervisor.
Note: All recommendations must be provided electronically. After you have contacted each reference about writing a recommendation and completed the form on the recommendations page of the online application, an e-mail will be sent with instructions and a web address your recommenders must visit in order to complete your recommendation. You will be notified via e-mail when an online recommendation is received.
We will ask your recommenders to consider the following guidelines when writing their recommendations (recommended limit: 1000 words):
- How do the candidate's performance, potential, background, or personal qualities compare to those of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples.
- Please describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant's response.
GMAT, Executive Assessment, or GRE Score
All applicants must submit a self-reported GMAT, Executive Assessment, or GRE score. Your scores must be valid when you submit your application. (Columbia Business School considers scores to be valid for five years after your test date).
If admitted, you must submit an official GMAT, Executive Assessment, or GRE score. Columbia Business School’s GMAT and Executive Assessment code is QF8-N6-36 and its GRE code is 6442. The Admissions Committee will consider only your highest score when reviewing your application and will not combine subscores from multiple exams into a single composite score.
Interview
Interviews are required for admission to Columbia Business School. Once your online application is complete and under review, you may be contacted by a member of the Admissions Office to schedule an on-campus interview. Please keep in mind: Interviews are by invitation only.
Application Fee
The nonrefundable application fee for the Columbia Business School Executive MBA Program is US$250. This fee can be paid via credit card within the online application system or by check. Please make your check payable to Columbia University.
International Applicants
International students who do not have a degree from an institution in which all instruction is conducted in English must take either the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), the PTE (Pearson Test of English), or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System). You may be exempted from the TOEFL, PTE, or IELTS only if you have earned a degree from an institution in which English is the language of instruction. We will not accept requests for exceptions to this policy.
The TOEFL, PTE, and IELTS scores are valid for two years. Your scores must be valid when you submit your application.
Be sure to self-report your TOEFL, PTE, or IELTS score when completing your application. If admitted, you must submit an official score report. For the TOEFL, Columbia’s ETS code is 2174, MBA department code 02 - Graduate Schools of Management. For the PTE and IELTS, select "Columbia Business School" from the list of schools provided. The Admissions Committee will consider only your highest score when reviewing your application.