Executive MBA eligibility usually requires candidates to hold a bachelor's degree in any field such as CS/ CA/ ICWA or a minimum aggregate score of 50% or equivalent CGPA from a recognized university. Candidates belonging from SC/ST and PwD categories are given a 5% relaxation. Generally, there is no age limit for the students who are willing to take admission to an executive MBA. However, some institutions make sure that the students are not under the age of 25.
The admissions to Executive MBA are generally through Management Entrance Exams such as CAT/ XAT/ GMAT/ GRE/ CMAT. GMAT is the most preferred and safest option for those students who want to pursue eMBA. Class 12 marks are generally not considered for the application process. However, it is considered at the time of the selection process.
Unlike regular MBA, most of the Executive MBA Colleges require prior full-time work experience of 2-5 years along with candidates whose age is not below 25 years. However, some colleges are not restricted to these criteria. The candidates may have to go through personal interviews or group discussions depending upon the particular college policies.
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Table of Contents
- Eligibility for top executive MBA Colleges
- Executive MBA Eligibility in IIM
- Executive MBA Eligibility in IGNOU
- Eligibility for Executive MBA Entrance Exams
4.1 CAT
4.2 XAT
4.3 GMAT
4.4 GRE
4.3 CMAT
4.5 SNAP
5.1 Canada
5.2 USA
5.3 Germany
5.4 Harvard
Eligibility for Top Executive MBA Colleges
The table below shows the top colleges providing executive MBA courses and the eligibility criteria that the respective colleges consider.
College | Eligibility | Entrance Exam | Work Experience |
---|---|---|---|
IIM Ahmedabad | Candidates must hold a bachelor's degree in any field/ CS/ CA/ ICWA or equivalent with a minimum of 50% of the marks or equivalent CGPA for the general category and 45% of the marks or equivalent CGPA for the reserved category. | GMAT; GRE; XAT; CAT; IAT | Minimum 3 years of full-time work experience |
IIM Calcutta | The candidate must hold a bachelor's degree (minimum 10+2+3 years of formal education) or equivalent in any field. | GMAT (Score should not be older than 36 months of application date) | A minimum of 5 years of full-time post-qualification managerial/ professional experience. Self-employed candidates are also eligible. |
Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi | The candidate must hold a bachelor's degree in any discipline with a minimum of 45% marks. As the admission is merit-based, the candidate should have good scores in the previous examinations. | Admissions to Executive education are merit-based. There are no entrance exams that the candidate has to clear. | Minimum 5 years of work experience. |
IIM Indore | The Candidate must hold a 4-year Bachelor's degree in any discipline/3-year bachelor's degree with 2 years of master's degree/Five-year integrated Programme/other management programmes of similar duration with 50% marks. | GMAT | The candidate must have 5 years of managerial/ entrepreneurial/ professional full-time work experience after graduation as of the application date. |
IIM Kozhikode | The candidate must hold a bachelor's degree in any discipline with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA for the general category; 45% for women and 40% for the reserved categories. | EMAT (Executive Management Aptitude Test) | The candidate must have at least 3 years of managerial/ entrepreneurial/ professional full-time work experience after completion of graduation as on the deadline of submitting the application form. |
IIFT, Delhi | The candidate must hold a bachelor's degree of a minimum of 3 years in any discipline with 50% marks or equivalent CGPA for the general category and 45% marks or equivalent CGPA for the reserved category. Candidates pursuing the final year of graduation are also eligible to apply. | GMAT | None |
IMT Ghaziabad | The candidate must hold a bachelor's degree of minimum 3 years in any discipline with 50% marks or equivalent CGPA for the general category and 45% marks or equivalent CGPA for the reserved category. Candidates pursuing the final year of graduation are also eligible to apply. | CAT/ XAT/ GMAT | None |
IMI, New Delhi | The candidate must hold a bachelor’s or equivalent degree of minimum 3 years with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks or equivalent in any discipline, including Engineering, Humanities, Commerce, Economics, Medicine or any other branch of education, from a recognized university in India or abroad Candidates appearing in the final year of their bachelor’s degree or equivalent are also eligible, provided they furnish proof of meeting the minimum eligibility criteria by September 30, 2022. | CAT/ XAT/ GMAT | None |
Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai | The candidate must hold a bachelor's degree from any recognized institute with a minimum of 60% of aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA for the general category and 55% of aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA for the reserved category. Rank holders of the university will be given preference. | CAT/ XAT/ GMAT/ CMAT | Candidates must have 2-3 years of full-time work experience. |
IIM Shillong | The candidate must hold a bachelor's degree in any discipline from any recognized institute with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA for the general category; and 45% for the reserved categories. | CAT/ XAT/ GMAT | Minimum 5 years of full-time work experience (as of 31st March 2024) after bachelor’s degree. Relaxation for up to 1 year is available for candidates with at least 1-year field experience outside India. |
VGSOM IIT Kharagpur | The candidate must hold a bachelor's degree in any discipline from any recognized institute with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA for the general category; and 45% for the reserved categories. | CAT/ GMAT | The candidate must have a minimum of 3 years of full-time work experience. |
Symbiosis Institute of Business Management | The candidate must hold a bachelor's degree in any discipline with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA for the general category; and 45% for the reserved categories. | SNAP | The candidate must have a minimum of 2 years of work experience in the relevant industry. |
IIM Trichy | The candidate must hold a bachelor's degree in any discipline from any recognized institute with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA for the general category and 45% for the reserved categories. | CAT/ GMAT or WAT conducted by the college itself | The candidate must have a minimum of 3 years of full-time work experience. |
Symbiosis Centre for Management & Human Resource Development | The candidate must hold a bachelor's degree in any discipline from any recognized institute with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA for the general category and 45% for the reserved categories. | Candidates need not to go through any entrance exam. The admission is done on the basis of merit and personal interview with experts provided by the college itself. | Candidates must have a minimum of one year of full-time work experience after graduation in a Registered Firm/ Company/ Industry/ Educational/ Government/ Autonomous Organization. |
Executive MBA Eligibility Criteria in IIM
IIM stands as one of India's most prestigious institutions. A management degree from IIM holds the potential to bring a candidate up in the competition.
- The candidate must hold a bachelor's degree in any discipline from any recognized institute with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA for the general category and 45% for the reserved categories.
- Some IIM Institutes also consider a 10+2 score for the selection of candidates.
- The candidate must have a full-time work experience of 2-5 years in a related field. Candidates with fieldwork experience are generally prioritized during selection.
- The admission to the executive MBA programs at IIM is usually based on entrance exams such as CAT/ XAT/ GMAT/ GRE/ IAT.
- Some IIM institutes also mandate a Written aptitude test, Group discussions, and personal interviews apart from entrance exam scores.
- The average fee for pursuing an executive MBA course in IIM is between INR 11 Lakhs and INR 31 Lakhs.
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Executive MBA Eligibility Criteria in IGNOU
IGNOU is a most renowned open school. IGNOU offers an executive MBA program with 10 specializations.
- The candidate must hold a bachelor's degree in any discipline from any recognized institute with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA for the general category and 45% for the reserved categories.
- The candidates must have 2-3 years of full-time experience in the same field that the candidate is applying for.
- Admission to the executive MBA programs at IGNOU is usually based on the entrance exam, OPENMAT.
- Registration fees for OPENMAT for the general category is INR 800 and for the reserved category is INR 600.
- There is no age limit for entrance to any management program.
- Foreign students should possess essential documents such as VISA.
- The fee for pursuing an executive MBA program in IGNOU is INR 15,500 per semester or INR 62,000 as a total fee.
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Executive MBA Entrance Exams Eligibility
Executive MBA are mostly conducted through entrance exams such as CAT, XAT, GMAT and SNAP.
CAT | XAT | GMAT | GRE |
CMAT | SNAP | OPENMAT | IAT |
The mentioned examination has different eligibility criteria. Different institutes take up admission on the basis of different and one of these mentioned entrance exams.
The eligibility criteria for different types of executive MBA entrance exams are mentioned below:
CAT
CAT stands for Common Admission Test and is conducted by IIM every year on a rotational basis. The entrance exams are generally conducted in the month of November and the applications are made available at least 2 months before the exams.
- The candidate must hold a bachelor's degree in any discipline from any recognized institute with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA for the general category and 45% for the reserved categories.
- There is no age limit for entrance to any management program.
- Class 12th results are not an essential part of the application or entrance. However, selections are done by considering Class 12 marks as weightage is given on the basis of Class 12 marks. Different IIMs have different weightage policies.
- Candidates with a professional degree (CA/CS/ICWA/FCAI) can also appear in the CAT exam.
- The candidates pursuing the final year of graduation are also eligible under some strict circumstances and guidelines that are provided by respective IIMs.
XAT
XAT stands for Xavier's Aptitude Test and is an entrance exam conducted every year by XLRI Jamshedpur.
- The candidate must hold a bachelor's degree in any discipline from any recognized institute. There is no minimum criterion set for the marks. Final-year students of graduation are also available provided they provide certain documents under strict conditions within the deadline to the organizing body.
- There is no age limit for XAT.
- Students with Indian citizenship can apply for XAT. Students from Dubai and Kathmandu, who reside in areas with XAT centers, are also eligible to apply for XAT.
GMAT
GMAT stands for Graduate Management Admission Test is an entrance exam for admissions to Management and business schools across the world. GMAT Focus Edition is a newer version of this exam.
- The candidate must hold a bachelor's degree in any discipline from any recognized institute with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA for the general category and 45% for the reserved categories.
- Students from any country are eligible.
- Candidates under 18 of age need a permission letter signed by their parents.
- Foreign candidates need to support their application form with valid documents like a passport or VISA.
- Work experience is generally not a criterion of the exam but the institution that is accepting its score.
- The maximum number of attempts for this exam is 8 times in the lifetime and 5 times in a year.
GRE
GRE is an assessment test for admission to graduate courses throughout the world. Students from across the world are eligible to apply for this exam excluding Mainland China and Iran.
- The candidate must hold a bachelor's degree in any discipline from any recognized institute with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA for the general category and 45% for the reserved categories.
- Indian citizens must have a passport and other IDs.
- There is no age limit specified by ETS to apply for the GRE.
- The maximum number of attempts for this exam is 5 times in a year.
CMAT
Common Management Admission Test or CMAT is a national-level management entrance exam held by the NTA every year for admissions in management colleges and is approved by AICTE.
- The candidate must hold a Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline from any recognized institute with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA for the general category and 45% for the reserved categories.
- Candidates in their final year of Bachelor's Degree, whose results will be declared before the start of the 2023-24 academic year, are also eligible to apply for CMAT-2023.
- Candidates who have completed a professional degree (CA/CS/ICWA) with 50% marks
- This examination is exclusively available to Indian citizens.
- The age limit is not specified by the organizing body.
- Candidates must have scored non-zero positive marks in the CMAT exam.
SNAP
SNAP stands for Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP) conducted by Symbiosis International University (SIU).
- The candidate must hold a Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline from any recognized institute with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA for the general category and 45% for the reserved categories.
- Candidates appearing for the final year of Bachelor’s Degree, whose result will be declared before the commencement of admission for academic year 2023-24, can also apply for SNAP.
- Foreign students can also apply within the condition that they possess a degree equivalent and are assured by AIU.
- Programmes that require specific discipline/ subject specialization offered by different Symbiosis Institutes like SSSS, Pune; SIHS Pune; SCIT Pune; SITM Pune; SCMHRD Pune; SIOM Nashik have their own eligibility criteria which should be checked on the official website of the Institute.
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Executive MBA Eligibility Abroad
Indian candidates can also apply for the Executive MBA in foreign countries. Although there are no specific eligibility criteria for all the foreign universities different universities demand their own criteria to be fulfilled by the candidates. However, there are some basic criteria that are common for all foreign universities. Those are as follows.
- Candidates need to hold a bachelor's degree from a recognized institute with a good grade.
- Candidates must have 2-5 years of full-time work experience in the related industry.
- Candidates should be vocal in the English language and also qualify for the English Language Proficiency Test.
Executive MBA Eligibility in Canada
Below are the executive MBA eligibility in Canada:
- Candidates must hold a bachelor's degree in any discipline from any recognized institute.
- GMAT/ GRE scores are validated by the institutes of Canada. However, they are not mandatory.
- Prior full-time work experience of 2-5 years is mandatory for taking admissions for an executive MBA in Canada.
- The candidate can be of any nationality. However, foreign students have different fee structures and admission procedures
- The candidates need to qualify for an English language proficiency test, like IELTS or TOEFL.
- Valid documents like recommendation letters and statements of purpose are essentially required.
- The candidates may have to go through personal interviews or group discussions depending upon the particular college policies.
- There is no specific age limit for applications.
- Pursuing an executive MBA in Canada can cost up to INR 16 to INR 83 lakhs for a student.
Executive MBA Eligibility in the USA
Below are the executive MBA eligibility in the USA:
- The candidate must hold a bachelor's degree from any recognized institute with 80% – 90% marks in aggregate or a CGPA of ¾.
- The candidate needs to qualify for certain entrance exams like GMAT/ GRE and must clear the cutoff of the universities in order to be admitted in the USA.
- Full-time work experience of 6-10 years is an essential requirement.
- The candidates need to qualify for an English language proficiency test, like IELTS or TOEFL with marks ranging between 6.5 – 7.0 and 80 – 100 respectively.
- Valid documents like recommendation letters and statements of purpose or letters of sponsorship are essentially required.
- The candidates may have to go through personal interviews or group discussions depending upon the particular college policies.
- Pursuing an executive MBA in Canada can cost up to INR 1.12 crore.
Executive MBA Eligibility in Germany
Below are the executive MBA eligibility in Germany:
- The candidate must hold a bachelor's degree from any recognized institute with 70% marks in aggregate or equivalent CGPA.
- The candidates need to qualify for an English language proficiency test, like IELTS or TOEFL with marks ranging between 6.0 - 7.0 and 79 - 100 respectively.
- The candidate must qualify GMAT with an average score of 590-650 to get admission to an executive MBA in Germany.
- The candidate should have a minimum of 8 years of full-time experience in the related industry.
- The candidates may have to go through personal interviews or group discussions depending upon the particular college policies.
- Valid documents like recommendation letters and statements of purpose or letters of sponsorship are essentially required.
- The candidate must have a valid "German Student Visa". The candidates need to apply for the same before 3 months of joining.
- Pursuing an executive MBA in Canada can cost up to INR 20 Lakhs to INR 40 Lakhs.
Harvard Business School Executive MBA Eligibility
Below are the Harvard Business School Executive MBA eligibility:
- The candidate needs to hold a bachelor's degree from any university recognized globally. There is no specific margin of marks that is required for admission to Harvard Business School.
- The candidates need to clear the GMAT/ GRE with an average cutoff declared by the school.
- The candidate needs to qualify for an English proficiency test like IELTS or TOEFL with a specific mark above the cut-off minimum value.
- The candidates may have to go through personal interviews or group discussions depending upon the particular college policies.
- Valid documents like recommendation letters and statements of purpose or letters of sponsorship are essentially required.
- The candidate should have a full-time work experience of 2-5 years.
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Eligibility in Different Types of MBA
The table provided below summarizes the eligibility criteria for various types of MBA programs available in India.
Types of MBA | Eligibility |
---|---|
Regular MBA |
The candidate must hold a Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline from any recognized institute with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA for the general category and 45% for the reserved categories. The candidate must have a valid score in entrance exams like GMAT, CAT, XAT, CMAT, and others. There is generally a lower age limit of 25 years but not always. |
Executive MBA |
The candidate must hold a Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline from any recognized institute with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA for general category and 45% for the reserved categories. The candidate must have a valid score in entrance exams like GMAT, CAT, XAT, CMAT, and others. The candidate must have a certain full-time work experience of 2-5 years or more. |
Distance MBA |
The candidate must hold a Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline from any recognized institute with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA for general category and 45% for the reserved categories. The candidate must have a valid score in entrance exams like GMAT, CAT, XAT, CMAT, and others. |
Online MBA |
The candidate must hold a Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline from any recognized institute with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA for general category and 45% for the reserved categories. The candidate must have a valid score in entrance exams like GMAT, CAT, XAT, CMAT, and others. The candidate must have a certain full-time work experience of 2-5 years or more. |
MBA Abroad |
The candidate must hold a Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline from any recognized institute with a minimum of 60-75% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA. The candidate should have full-time work experience of not less than 5-6 years. The candidate needs to qualify for the English Language Proficiency Test like IELTS or TOEFL with a valid score meeting the university cut-off. |
Executive MBA Eligibility: FAQs
Ques. What is an Executive MBA?
Ans. An Executive Master of Business Administration (eMBA) is a graduate-level business degree program designed for experienced professionals and executives. It typically offers a condensed curriculum focused on advanced management and leadership skills, allowing students to balance their career responsibilities while pursuing higher education. It is generally a 1-2 year programme that is scheduled either on non-working days like Sundays or in the evening allowing working individuals to enhance their managerial knowledge and advance their careers while working full-time.
Ques. What are the basic eligibility criteria for admission to eMBA?
Ans. The basic eligibility criteria for taking admission into an executive MBA are as follows:-
- The candidate must hold a Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline from any recognized institute with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA for general category and 45% for the reserved categories.
- The candidate must have a valid score in entrance exams like GMAT, CAT, XAT, CMAT, and others.
- The candidate must have a certain full-time work experience of 2-5 years or more.
- Some institutions give admissions to final-year graduate students regardless of their work experience under certain conditions.
Ques. Through which exams I can get admission into an executive MBA?
Ans. The admissions to an executive MBA are generally through entrance exams such as CAT/ XAT/ GMAT/ GRE/ CMAT. GMAT is the most preferred and safest option for those students who want to pursue eMBA.
Ques. Is it necessary to qualify for exams for admission into an executive MBA?
Ans. NO. Some institutions offer admissions to an executive MBA on a merit basis. Thus, it is not necessary to clear an entrance exam. However, it is usually preferred to give an entrance exam as most of the institutions provide admissions on the basis of entrance exam scores only. GMAT is the safest option for students who are willing to get admission into eMBA.
Ques. How much on average does an executive MBA course cost?
Ans. The average cost of an Executive MBA (eMBA) course in India typically ranges from INR 10 lakhs to INR 30 lakhs or more, depending on the institution's reputation, location, and program duration.
Ques. Does a student need work experience to take admission into an executive MBA?
Ans. Yes, a full-time work experience of 2-5 years is generally mandatory in most colleges for applying to an executive MBA. However, some institutions also give admission to final-year graduates under certain conditions. For eMBA Abroad, candidates need to have a full-time work experience of more than 6 years.
Ques. Can an Indian student take admission to an executive MBA program in a foreign country?
Ans. Yes, Indian students can take admissions to foreign universities. Students just need to have certain eligibility criteria fulfilled. Apart from GMAT or GRE entrance test scores that are generally eligible the university mandates the valid English Language Proficiency Test scores. Certain Valid documents like recommendation letters and statements of purpose or letters of sponsorship are essentially required.
Ques. How much does an executive MBA program abroad cost in foreign countries?
Ans. Pursuing an executive MBA in foreign countries can cost up to INR 16 Lakhs to INR 1 Crore for Indian Citizens.
Ques. Which are the top colleges providing executive MBA programs?
Ans. Some of the top colleges in India providing eMBA courses are IIM Ahmedabad - Indian Institute of Management, IIM Calcutta - Indian Institute of Management, Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi, IIM Indore - Indian Institute of Management, IIM Kozhikode - Indian Institute of Management, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Delhi, IMT Ghaziabad - Institute of Management Technology, International Management Institute, New Delhi, Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai, IIM Shillong, VGSOM IIT Kharagpur, Symbiosis Institute of Business Management
Ques. Is there any age limit for taking admissions in eMBA?
Ans. Generally, there is no age limit for the students who are willing to take admission to an executive MBA. However, some institutions make sure that the students are not under the age of 25.
Ques. Is it possible to enroll in an Executive MBA program without taking the CAT exam?
Ans. Yes, candidates can pursue Executive MBA programs without having to take the CAT exam. Some programs may consider alternative entrance exams such as JIPMAT or GMAT scores for admission.
Ques. Is it possible for freshers to pursue an Executive MBA?
Ans. Executive MBA programs are typically designed for working professionals and require candidates to have a minimum of 3 to 10 years of professional experience as an eligibility criterion. These programs are tailored to enhance the skills and knowledge of experienced individuals in leadership positions. Freshers may not meet the experience requirements for an Executive MBA program, but they can explore other MBA options suitable for recent graduates.
Ques. Is there an ideal age for pursuing an Executive MBA?
Ans. There is no specific age restriction for enrolling in an MBA or Executive MBA program, which means individuals of all ages can pursue these degrees. However, studies suggest that the optimal age range for pursuing a regular MBA in India is typically between 25 and 27 years old, while for an Executive MBA, it tends to be between 28 and 30 years old. These age ranges are based on various factors, including work experience and career goals, but individuals can choose to pursue these programs at any age that aligns with their personal and professional aspirations.
Ques. Is it possible to pursue an MBA at the age of 35?
Ans. Yes, it is entirely possible to pursue an MBA at the age of 35 or older. Many full-time MBA programs welcome candidates of all ages, and there are no age restrictions. However, some MBA programs are particularly open to individuals who choose to pursue an MBA after the age of 30, recognizing the valuable life and work experience that older candidates bring to the table. So, if one is considering an MBA at the age of 35, he/she can certainly explore various MBA programs to find one that best aligns with their goals and background.
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