Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and are reviewed holistically.
Meeting the minimum does not guarantee your admission into the UBC IMBA. Further, competitive requirements may change within one admissions cycle from deadline to deadline, depending on how many seats are left in the cohort, the composition of the applicant pool, and the composition of the cohort to date. We wish you all the best in your application.
Students are encouraged to send in their complete applications early in order to be receive an early entrance scholarship, and to also be considered for scholarships. Candidates of the UBC IMBA program are carefully selected against competitive requirements to ensure that, once in the program, you learn from peers who have demonstrated vision, leadership and experience. It is this approach that helps make the UBC IMBA classroom experience dynamic, engaging and thought provoking.
Academic Achievement
- A Bachelor's degree with a B average, or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution.
*Generally, a four-year degree is required. Three-year Bachelor’s are accepted from Australia, New Zealand, U.K., and Europe. Refer to this for details on each country.
**Candidates with a lower academic average may be accepted if they have significant professional experience and/or a high GMAT/GRE score, subject to the approval of the Director, Recruitment & Admissions of the Robert H. Lee Graduate School.
For a competitive edge
- A Bachelors degree with a B+ or 76% or 3.3 average is recommended.
Professional experience
- Minimum 2 years of full-time work experience gained after graduation from a Bachelor's degree
For a competitive edge
- 7+ years of full-time work experience
GMAT/ GRE
One of the following are required:
- 550 GMAT with at least a 50th percentile in the quantitative and verbal sections of the test
- 155 GRE score on both the verbal and quantitative sections
- 515 GMAT Focus Edition with at least a 50th percentile in verbal, quantitative, and data insight sections of the test
For a competitive edge:
- 650+ GMAT OR 320+ GRE score on combined verbal and quantitative section
- 605+ GMAT Focus Edition on combined verbal, quantitative, and data insight sections
Applicants must arrange to have your scores (either GMAT or GRE) sent to us directly from the testing service organization, using the following codes.
GMAT: LQS-CP-02
GRE: 0965 (UBC) or 4201 (Department)
Scores are only accepted within the last five years. Official test scores must be valid and verifiable by October 30, 2024. Scores are not considered official until we receive them from the GMAC or GRE office.
English proficiency
Applicants must be required to speak, comprehend, and write fluently in English. An approved English proficiency exam is required for all candidates whose degrees are from a university outside Canada or the United States in which English is not the official language of instruction.
Either one of the following:
- Test of English as a Foreign language: TOEFL iBT 80+
- Program code: 0965
- International English Language Testing System: IELTS Academic 6.5+
- No code required - please send to UBC
- UBC English Language Institute: UBC ELI 5+
- Canadian Academic English Language Test: CAEL 70 overall band
- Online Canadian Academic English Language Test^ (CAEL Online): 70 overall band
TOEFL offers an internet-based test. Scores arrive 3-6 weeks after test is taken. Scores valid if written within last two years. We accept all valid TOEFL scores, including MyBestScore. If you are submitting MyBestScore, the score needs to be on the official report.
Read more
IELTS: Admission based on Academic Reading & Writing modules, not General Training. Scores arrive 3 weeks after test is taken. Scores valid if written within last two years. Read more
PTE Academic: Admission based on Academic test only. Scores valid if written within last two years. Forward results to us at imba@sauder.ubc.ca. Read more
PTE Online- Academic: 70
Admission based on Academic test only. Scores valid if written within last two years. Forward results to us at mm@sauder.ubc.ca.
UBC ELI: Read more (for test schedule)
^CAEL Online: The minimum overall band score (70 overall band) accepted by us will be the same as the CAEL CE test format. Read more
Visa/residential status
The UBC IMBA program does not provide student visa eligibility in China. Applicants are responsible for determining whether they have the necessary visa or residential status to apply and study for the duration of the International MBA program. Without an appropriate visa or residential status, applications to the program may be considered ineligible by the admissions committee.
Scholarship opportunities
We award scholarships by taking a holistic view of the value that each talented candidate brings into the program.
We award scholarships by taking a holistic view of the value that each talented candidate brings into the program.
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