McDonough School of Business Admissions: Deadlines, Acceptance Rate, Admission Requirements, Decision

McDonough School of Business Application Deadlines

Georgetown McDonough runs a five-round Full-time MBA cycle plus separate windows for the Executive MBA, MS Management, MSBA, and other graduate programs. All dates below are the current 2026-27 cycle for a Fall 2027 start, per the official McDonough Full-time MBA admissions and tuition page. Applications file on the McDonough online portal, and no offer is confirmed until two USD 2,000 seat deposits are paid.

McDonough School of Business’s primary intake for Indian students is Fall 2027 (Round 1, 1 October 2026) - most Full-time MBA and MS programs open here.

All MBA and graduate business deadlines close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, about 9:29 a.m. IST the following morning. Indian applicants should aim to submit at least 24 hours ahead to allow for portal upload issues. BSBA and other undergraduate business degrees route through the Georgetown Office of Undergraduate Admissions - the Common Application is accepted for the Fall 2027 cycle alongside the traditional Georgetown Application.

Planning note: Indian applicants aiming for merit scholarships should target Full-time MBA Round 1 (1 October 2026) or the MSBA Round 1 window - later rounds see the merit pool shrink significantly.

McDonough School of Business Eligibility for Indian Students

Eligibility at McDonough School of Business splits sharply between graduate business programs (MBA, MiM, MSBA) and Georgetown’s undergraduate business degrees. Indian applicants meet baseline academic thresholds easily but need to plan around English proficiency and standardised-test policy for each program.

• UG general entry: Class XII with 65 to 85 percent from CBSE, ICSE, or state boards, plus SAT or ACT (Georgetown requires either).
• Full-time MBA: Bachelor’s degree in any discipline, roughly 5 years of full-time work experience on average, and average GMAT 700, GPA 3.3 (about 75 to 80 percent in Indian terms). GMAT or GRE is optional.
• MS Management (MiM): Bachelor’s with 0 to 3 years of post-graduate work experience. GMAT or GRE is waived for a UG GPA of 3.2 or higher, or on completion of the GMAC Business Fundamentals Statistics Module.
• MSBA and MS Finance: Bachelor’s degree; quantitative coursework (statistics, calculus, programming) is preferred but not compulsory. GMAT or GRE is optional.
• Executive MBA: Bachelor’s plus a recommended minimum of 8 years of professional work experience. GRE, GMAT, or Executive Assessment is optional.

McDonough School of Business English Proficiency Minimums

Every graduate program at McDonough School of Business accepts three test types with a two-year validity window. The Full-time MBA sits at a slightly lower floor than the specialised master’s programs.

The MBA program also accepts a minimum PTE of 68. Georgetown’s undergraduate office recommends but does not require TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test scores for BSBA applicants whose secondary school taught in English.

McDonough School of Business IELTS Waiver for Indian Students

McDonough School of Business waives the English proficiency requirement for graduate applicants who fall into any of three categories, straight from the MiM, MSBA, and Executive MBA admissions pages. Most Indian graduates of English-medium bachelor’s programs qualify under the first rule.

• Bachelor’s degree earned entirely at an English-medium institution.
• Native English speaker status.
• Three or more years of full-time employment in an English-speaking country.

A degree conferred in English by an Indian university with English medium (most private universities, IITs, IIMs, and many state universities) counts as MOI (medium of instruction). Send an MOI letter from your registrar with the application if you want to skip TOEFL or IELTS.

McDonough School of Business PG Programs

McDonough School of Business runs five MBA formats and six specialised master’s programs, most on an August or September start. Base tuition below is one-year MBA or full-program specialised-master’s figure; total living costs, health insurance, and books sit in the McDonough School of Business course-wise fees breakdown.

Base-tuition anchors for the current cycle sit at USD 75,016 per year (INR 71.87 Lakhs) for the Full-time MBA, USD 64,140 total (INR 61.44 Lakhs) for the MiM, USD 71,370 total (INR 68.39 Lakhs) for the MSBA, and USD 172,044 total (INR 164.85 Lakhs) for the Executive MBA. Cost-of-attendance items (housing at about USD 24,000 to 30,000 per year and health insurance at USD 4,785) sit on top and are covered in the McDonough School of Business fees article.

Insider note: The Flex MBA charges USD 2,686 (INR 2.57 Lakhs) per credit and requires 15 credits per year - lower up-front cost than the Full-time MBA, but F-1 visa students cannot use it because it is a part-time format.

Note: Program-specific entry requirements, fees, and intake availability may differ from the institution-wide minimums shown above. Always confirm on the official McDonough School of Business graduate programs page for your chosen program before applying.

McDonough School of Business Undergraduate Programs

Undergraduate applicants to McDonough School of Business apply through the Georgetown Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Georgetown started accepting the Common Application for the Fall 2027 cycle, and the traditional Georgetown Application remains available as an alternative platform.

Georgetown’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions recommends TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test scores for international applicants but does not set a minimum for students whose secondary school taught in English. Indian applicants from ICSE, CBSE, or IB streams typically apply without an English test but should submit a score if their board is regional-language medium.

The undergraduate application fee is USD 75 (INR 7,186), filed via either the Common Application or the Georgetown Application. Fee waivers apply through the Common App for demonstrated financial need. Financial aid decisions require the CSS Profile via the College Board.

McDonough School of Business MBA Rounds

The Full-time MBA is McDonough School of Business’s flagship graduate program. It runs a five-round application cycle plus a separate Early Action window, with GMAT and GRE optional and an interview stage extended to shortlisted applicants only.

McDonough School of Business Full-time MBA

The Full-time MBA is a 2-year program with an August start. Class of 2025 profile: 248 enrolled from 1,617 applicants, average GMAT of 700 (mid 80 percent range 660 to 740), average GRE of 318, average GPA of 3.3 (about 75 to 80 percent in Indian terms), average 5 years of work experience, and average age of 29. 44 percent of the class is international, drawn from 40 countries.

• Test policy: GMAT, GRE, or Executive Assessment accepted. Expired GMAT and GRE scores also accepted. Upload unofficial scores at application - official copies only if admitted.
• Essays: One 500-word personal essay (choose from three prompts), a 1-minute video essay on recent joy outside work, and an optional 300 to 350-word additional-information essay.
• Recommendations: Only one required, preferably from a current supervisor.
• Interview: By invitation only after the round deadline. Invitations continue up until the decision release date.

McDonough School of Business Executive MBA

The Executive MBA (EMBA) is a 21-month program with Friday-Saturday class weekends and multiple residencies (D.C. and international). Applicants need a recommended minimum of 8 years of professional work experience, and GRE, GMAT, or Executive Assessment is optional. There is also an Executive MBA Dubai (20 months) for applicants based in the Middle East. Total EMBA tuition is USD 172,044 (INR 164.85 Lakhs), including meals, accommodation at residencies, consulting-project expenses, and course materials.

Reality check: The Flex and Online MBA formats accept part-time enrolment but do not qualify Indian students for an F-1 visa. Only the Full-time MBA and specialised master’s programs offer visa sponsorship.

Admitted MBA students must submit two non-refundable deposits of USD 2,000 each (INR 1.92 Lakhs each) to hold their seat. Interviews for shortlisted applicants can be done remotely from India by Zoom or on campus in Washington, D.C.

McDonough School of Business Application Process for Indians

All McDonough School of Business graduate applications file through the McDonough online portal (Salesforce-based). Undergraduate BSBA applicants use either the Common Application or the Georgetown Application. Steps below apply to the Full-time MBA - Flex, Online, EMBA, and specialised masters follow the same portal flow with program-specific components.

1. Create a McDonough portal account on the online admissions system and select your program and round.
2. Pay the application fee of USD 175 (INR 16,767) non-refundable via credit card or e-check on the McDonough online application portal.
3. Upload unofficial transcripts for every institution attended, including course names, grades, cumulative GPA, degree conferral, and grading scale.
4. Submit GMAT, GRE, or EA scores if you have them - optional but useful when the undergraduate record is thin.
5. Complete the two-part essay - the 500-word personal essay and the 1-minute video essay recorded through the portal.
6. Request one letter of recommendation from a current or recent supervisor.
7. Submit English test score or MOI letter if you do not qualify for the waiver.
8. Interview if invited - shortlisted candidates are contacted between the round deadline and the decision release date.

McDonough School of Business Admission Decisions

Full-time MBA decisions release on set dates per round: Early Action on 29 October 2026, Round 1 on 10 December 2026, Round 2 between 12 and 19 March 2027, Round 3 on 13 May 2027, and Round 4 on 4 June 2027. Admitted applicants have roughly 30 to 45 days to confirm the seat with two USD 2,000 deposits. Deferrals to the following year are considered on a case-by-case basis with a written request to the MBA Admissions team.

Documents Required for McDonough School of Business Applications

Every graduate applicant to McDonough School of Business uploads the same core documents through the online portal. Indian applicants should get transcripts and English test reports ready 6 to 8 weeks before the target round.

• Passport bio page: a clear scan of the machine-readable page.
• Unofficial academic transcripts from every bachelor’s and postgraduate institution, in English or with certified translation.
• Degree certificate for international applicants, uploaded with the transcript.
• CV or resume, one to two pages listing education, work, awards, and community roles.
• Personal essay of 500 words responding to one of three MBA prompts.
• One-minute video essay recorded through the portal on what recently brought you joy outside of work.
• One letter of recommendation, preferably from a current supervisor.
• English test report or MOI letter if not exempt - IELTS 7.0 or higher, or TOEFL 100 or higher for MBA.
• GMAT, GRE, or Executive Assessment score - optional but recommended if your GPA is below 3.2.
• Financial proof: bank statements covering one year of tuition and living expenses (required for the F-1 visa I-20 form after admission).

Georgetown McDonough does not require official transcripts at the application stage. Only admitted students need to send sealed, verified copies to the admissions office by their deadline. Digital scans of school stamps and signatures are acceptable at the point of application.

McDonough School of Business Acceptance Rate

Georgetown McDonough does not publish a single institutional acceptance rate but does release Full-time MBA class-size and applicant totals. The best usable proxy for Indian applicants is the Full-time MBA yield-to-applications ratio.

McDonough School of Business MBA Yield

The Class of 2025 seated 248 students from 1,617 applicants, giving an approximate 15 percent acceptance rate for the Full-time MBA. The competitive median is a GMAT of 700 and a GPA of 3.3, with Indian applicants historically pulling higher GMATs (720 plus) to offset a strong national talent pool. Undergraduate BSBA admissions run through Georgetown University’s overall Class of 2029 (about 12 percent admit rate per U.S. News), so Indian BSBA applicants should target the higher end of Class XII performance and 1500 plus on the SAT.

McDonough School of Business Class Diversity

The 2025 Full-time MBA class is 44 percent international from 40 countries, with the top sending industries being financial services (17 percent), consulting (11 percent), and government (10 percent). Undergraduate majors of admits: business (30 percent), math and physical sciences (15 percent), and humanities (12 percent). Indian applicants typically enter via engineering, finance, or consulting undergraduate backgrounds. See the McDonough School of Business ranking band for how these class stats compare with Ivy business peers.

Insider note: Indian applicants who round out a 720 plus GMAT with distinctive post-MBA goals tied to policy, D.C. consulting, or global finance tend to outperform stronger-numbers applicants with generic career pitches - McDonough’s location shapes its class fit.

USA F-1 Visa Process for McDonough School of Business Applicants

Admitted McDonough School of Business students receive a Form I-20 from Georgetown’s Office of Global Services. This triggers the F-1 student visa application through the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in India (Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, or Hyderabad). Indian applicants should aim to finish the visa steps at least 8 to 10 weeks before program start to avoid slot-shortage delays.

Steps: pay the SEVIS I-901 fee of USD 350 (INR 33,534) online; complete the DS-160 online form; pay the visa application fee of USD 185 (INR 17,725); schedule biometrics and consular interview; carry the I-20, admission letter, financial proof for one year of tuition and living costs, and the Form I-901 receipt to the interview. Post-arrival, complete Georgetown’s international student check-in and OGS registration within 30 days.

2026 update: U.S. F-1 interview wait times in India ranged 4 to 12 weeks in mid-2026 per U.S. Travel State. Students admitted in Round 2 or later should book the earliest available slot the day their I-20 arrives.

Tips and Checklist for McDonough School of Business Applicants

The following tips and steps are drawn from Indian-applicant patterns at Georgetown McDonough over recent cycles. Items sit in the sequence they should be tackled from six months before to two weeks after the target deadline.

• Match the round to your goals: Round 1 (1 October 2026) unlocks the largest merit scholarship pool; Round 3 or 4 works only if you have a strong profile with no funding need.
• Book IELTS or TOEFL 8 weeks before the deadline if you cannot secure an MOI waiver; retakes need a 2 to 3 week buffer.
• Request transcripts 6 weeks before submission from every Indian institution attended - Delhi University, Anna University, and Mumbai University can take 4 to 6 weeks alone.
• Draft the personal essay against real answers; the McDonough prompts (community, leadership, excellence) reward specific stories, not generic MBA framing.
• Record the video essay in one take; the portal accepts natural, unrehearsed answers over polished delivery.
• Lock in one strong recommender in the first month - McDonough asks for a current supervisor by preference, and academic-only recommendations weaken the file.
• Line up financial documents before applying; the I-20 needs bank statements showing about USD 115,000 (INR 110.18 Lakhs) for a year of tuition plus living costs.
• Submit 24 hours ahead of the 11:59 p.m. ET cutoff; portal traffic peaks in the final hour and IST time is 9:29 a.m. the next morning.
• Explore McDonough’s named scholarships early - most are auto-considered from your admission application, so a strong file is your scholarship application.

McDonough School of Business admissions rewards Indian applicants who plan against the round calendar, keep documents ready, and align essays to D.C.-linked career goals. Fall 2027 is now open with the Full-time MBA Early Action closing on 9 September 2026 and Round 1 on 1 October 2026 - Round 1 remains the sharpest window for merit-scholarship consideration.