FAQs about the Cambridge MBA

Our MBA is a general management programme. However, by tailoring the programme to your individual needs and employment aims through electives and projects, you can specialise in almost any area of management.

Our Projects Office identifies some project proposals for the class, but if you’re keen on a specific sector or company, you are very welcome to source your own Global Consulting Project. Talk to potential clients and expand your network in your chosen area of interest. Then, once you and your group have decided who you would like to work with, collaborate to develop a project brief.

In addition to gaining your MBA from the University of Cambridge – one of the world’s leading providers of education – the programme is also accredited by EQUIS, independent auditors who assess the quality of MBA programmes around the world.

International students who have successfully completed an undergraduate or masters degree will be able to benefit from 2 years’ work experience in the UK upon graduation, through the Graduate visa route.

There are other options available to international students who want to stay and work in the UK after their studies.

If you’re considering staying in the UK after your studies, you may need to apply for a separate visa to your student visa. You can check whether you need a visa at the UK Visas & Immigration website.

Yes. Our application deadlines and related interview day schedules can be found on our MBA apply page.

The deadline is 23:59 on the relevant round deadline date. Our application deadlines can be found on our MBA apply page.

Our minimum requirements for entry onto the MBA are:

• a completed application and application fee of £165
• a 2:1 Honours degree on the UK grading scale or international equivalent; lower scores may be considered, but you will need a good GMAT or GRE score
• a minimum of 2 years’ work experience
• a valid GMAT or GRE score
• one reference from a supervisor
• essay
• proof of English proficiency
• ability to finance your MBA
• visa – please see the University’s International Student page for further information.

The application fee is currently £165. 

We offer an application fee waiver for candidates serving in the military and candidates from low-income countries.

If you would like to request a waiver, please contact the Admissions Team before submitting your application.

You can ask a customer, supplier or professional adviser to act as your referee.

An automated reference request will be sent to your referee – preferably a supervisor – once you have entered their contact details into the ‘References’ section of our online application system.

We will consider applicants without a degree only in exceptional circumstances. You will need evidence of your academic ability to cope with the intellectual demands of the programme, such as a good, well-balanced GMAT score and strong references from tutors on other academic courses.

If you do not have a degree, we recommend you get in touch with the Admissions team for a profile review and feedback on your eligibility, before submitting your application.

Our programme is intellectually demanding. In 12 months, you’ll cover what most US schools teach over 2 years.

In most cases, no.

For example, if you are applying for 2024 entry, you’ll need at least 2 years’ full time, post-graduation work experience by September 2024.

However, please tell us if there are extenuating circumstances which mean that you have only been able to work part-time or on temporary contracts – for example you have been bringing up a family or caring for an elderly relative.

We know it’s not always possible to ask your current line manager for a reference and are happy to accept one from a former line manager or supervisor. Failing this, we’ll accept a reference from a customer, supplier or adviser with whom you work on a professional basis.

We don’t require an academic reference, as your undergraduate transcript provides us with all the necessary information and contact details we need.

No.

All candidates need to provide a valid GMAT, or GRE score when they apply. We are not able to review your application if you have not provided one. We accept both exams and do not have a preference.

• Learn how to sit a GMAT test
• Learn more about the GRE test

All applicants need to submit a valid GMAT, or GRE score. We accept both the test-centre and online exams.

Please self-report your score on your application form and upload a copy of your score report.

We cannot accept paper copies of score reports submitted by post, so ensure you make your official score report available for us to verify online.

We do not offer waivers and are unable to review your application until you provide us with a copy of your score report.

• Our GMAT institution code is WF1-T3-68.
• Our GRE institution code is 0832.

No, we do not specify a minimum GMAT, or GRE score – it is one of many criteria we consider in the selection process.

Most of our students score above 640 in the GMAT or 595 in GMAT Focus Edition (there is no calculable equivalent for the GRE). The mean average GMAT score is circa 680-690, 625-635 in the GMAT Focus Edition, and the mean average scores for the GRE are 78% in the verbal and 71% in the quant. We look for balanced percentile scores in all sections of the tests, which demonstrate that you have the range of skills required to succeed on the Cambridge MBA.

Please upload a copy of your degree certificate and transcripts in the ‘Academic information’ section of our online application form.

If you are successful at interview and made an offer, you will need to verify your academics through Qualification Check, the ECCTIS approved education verification service. Details of how to do this will be sent with your offer and you may be required to pay a small fee directly to Qualification Check. Alternatively, if your university can provide electronic verification via email directly to us, this is also acceptable.

Please note we are a paperless office and will not accept original transcripts sent by post/mail.

Fluency in English is a pre-requisite for the Cambridge MBA. If English is not your first language, you must have taken a recognised English proficiency test in the 2 years before September of the year you’re applying for.

View our full English language policy

We accept TOEFL iBT, IELTS (Academic), TOEFL iBT Home Edition and IELTS Online test scores. View Point 3 of our English language policy for the minimum scores required.

We cannot accept paper copies of score reports submitted by post. Please make your official score report available to us online to verify. Our TOEFL institution code is 0908.

If you are a national from outside the UK or Ireland, you will normally require a student visa in order to study our MBA. Please refer to the information on the University’s international students webpages for detailed guidance.

NB: Visa regulations can change rapidly. It is your responsibility to find the latest information and assess your individual circumstances.

Please check the ‘Current application status’ section of our online application form to verify that your application is complete. Your application cannot be reviewed until we have received your application fee.

We will send you an email notification about the status of your application approximately 3 weeks after each application deadline.

The Admissions Office cannot give feedback to unsuccessful candidates, nor advise on how to improve your application. However, an admissions appeal can be made if you believe:

• there has been an administrative error
• you have been treated unfairly because of bias or prejudice
• circumstances unknown to us might have affected the decision.

We offer on-campus interviews for all rounds. There is also the option to take your interview virtually if you are unable to travel to Cambridge.

If you are invited to interview, you will be given full instructions on how to participate, at that time.

We usually notify all applicants of the outcome within 3 weeks of the interview.

If you are made a conditional offer of a place on the MBA programme, we will put you forward for membership of a College, which has places for MBA students.

Not all Colleges take MBA students every year, so you won’t find out which College this will be until nearer the time. Applying early may give us more chance to secure membership of a College of your preference, but this isn’t guaranteed.

If you have a particular connection with a College, for example as an alumnus, let us know. We’ll make every effort to enable you to re-join your College during your MBA studies, should you wish to.

The Cambridge MBA is a general management programme, and you don’t need to have a business background to apply. Our students come from a range of different industries and sectors, and we encourage students with diverse working experiences to apply.

The fees for entry in September 2026 have yet to be published, the fees for entry in September 2025 were £74,000.

The additional application fee remains at £165

No, fees for British and overseas students are the same.

We estimated average, basic living costs for a full-time student without dependants for 2025/26 to be £19,020. This was to cover:

• College fees
• textbooks
• accommodation
• meals
• extracurricular activities
• travel.

This is based on one person living in Cambridge alone.

The living expenses element for the MBA year 2026/27 has not been updated at this time.

Visit the MBA fees and funding page for more information

To find details of scholarships, bursaries and loans:

Use our funding tool

If you are offered a place on the Cambridge MBA, you’ll be given a specific date by which you must confirm your acceptance and submit your financial undertaking (proof that you have the funds to pay for tuition).

Once you have accepted your offer, you’ll be asked to pay a non-refundable reservation fee of £7,950. This payment goes towards your tuition fees.

Approximately 2 to 3 weeks after accepting your offer, you’ll be allocated a College. You are required to pay a second commitment fee of £5,300 within 3 weeks of your College place being confirmed. This payment goes towards your tuition fees.

The rest of your tuition payment is due approximately 4 weeks before the start of the programme.

Students on one-year programmes are not normally allowed to undertake any type of paid work during their period of study, although on a few programmes, permission may be given for students to give undergraduate supervisions. These regulations do not apply to part-time students.

It is a University requirement that all full-time postgraduate students have their funding fully in place before they start their programme. Under no circumstances, will the need to earn money be accepted as a valid reason for failing to complete a course or an assignment on time.