M.B.A at East Tennessee State University [ETSU], Johnson City Fees, Entry Requirement & Application Deadline

M.B.A from East Tennessee State University

Johnson City, TennesseeLocation
UniversitySchool type
Estd1911established year
14353enrollment
Public
Partner [1 Courses]
6.5/10

Master of Business Administration [M.B.A]

2 years
Full Time
On Campus

Field of Study: 

$25,904 /Yr

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Study Abroad Team

Updated on - Aug 14, 2026

East Tennessee State University Master of Business Administration is a 33-credit MBA delivered fully online and asynchronously from Johnson City, Tennessee, and completable in 12 months. The route requires a U.S. grade point average of 3 on 4; Indian applicants need approximately 75% to 80% or cumulative grade point average (CGPA) 7 to 8 on 10. For Fall II 2026, tuition is US$28,264.50 (INR 26.97 Lakhs) plus a US$65 (INR 6,203) application fee.

The programme combines accounting, finance, economics, operations, marketing and management, then lets students direct nine elective credits toward analytics, cybersecurity or health care marketing. The course suits applicants seeking schedule flexibility, but the online format limits campus-based networking and does not create a U.S. student-visa route.

  • Seven-week courses and asynchronous delivery allow the 33-credit curriculum to fit around a job.
  • The three-course elective block can connect business foundations with data, cybersecurity or health care marketing.
  • The Strategic Experience capstone applies the curriculum to a realistic problem-solving setting.

Current Admission Status

Applications for the Fall II 2026 intake are Open. International student deadline: 1 October 2026 by 11:59 p.m. ET (Eastern Time), equivalent to 9:29 a.m. IST (Indian Standard Time) on 2 October 2026.

Because the global route is completed outside the United States, Indian applicants should prepare the evaluated transcript and English score before the portal cutoff. The programme does not support an F-1 student-visa move to Johnson City.

East Tennessee State MBA Fees and Living Costs 2026

The Fall II 2026 global online MBA uses ETSU’s eRate because international students complete the programme outside the United States. The published eRate is charged by credit and for the full 33-credit programme, while the application fee is listed separately.

ETSU states that tuition figures exclude other fees, so the published tuition total is a planning anchor rather than a complete university invoice. The online route also avoids a required move to Johnson City, which makes its living-cost decision different from an F-1 campus enrolment.

Target-cycle fee context: The live programme page lists the international-online eRate and the global application processing fee for the current 2026-27 cycle.

Fee itemAmount (USD)Amount (INR)Basis
eRate per credit hourUS$856.50INR 81,737Published online rate
eRate programme tuitionUS$28,264.50INR 26.97 Lakhs33 credits at US$856.50 per credit
Global application processing feeUS$65INR 6,203Non-refundable

All INR conversions in the article use a conversion rate of USD 1 = INR 95.4309 as of 14 August 2026. Rates fluctuate daily, verify before applying.

Source: ETSU online MBA tuition and admissions pages, checked for the 2026-27 target cycle.

  • The eRate total is the correct international-online tier; do not substitute the lower in-state programme total of US$22,836 (INR 21.79 Lakhs).
  • The published application fee is separate and non-refundable, so include it in the first payment plan.
  • The target academic budget is calculated as US$28,264.50 + US$65 = US$28,329.50 (INR 27.04 Lakhs), excluding personal living costs and fees outside tuition.

Cost of Living in Johnson City for MBA Students

ETSU’s 2026-27 international cost page is explicitly for F-1 students or J-1 exchange visitors. It is therefore a physical-study reference, not a required cost for this global online route. The monthly figures below divide the university’s annual non-tuition lines by 12.

ExpenseMonthly (USD)Monthly (INR)Annual (USD)Annual (INR)
HousingUS$416.67INR 39,763US$5,000INR 4.77 Lakhs
Board (food)US$360.00INR 34,355US$4,320INR 4.12 Lakhs
Textbooks and suppliesUS$108.33INR 10,338US$1,300INR 1.24 Lakhs
Health insuranceUS$134.50INR 12,835US$1,614INR 1.54 Lakhs
MiscellaneousUS$436.67INR 41,671US$5,240INR 5.00 Lakhs
Total non-tuition living linesUS$1,789.50INR 1.71 LakhsUS$21,474INR 20.49 Lakhs

For an on-campus comparison only, these official non-tuition lines total US$21,474 (INR 20.49 Lakhs) per year. The target global student should keep India-based housing, food and insurance separate because the programme does not require relocation to Johnson City.

Read More: USA living costs for international students

Key insight: The target global route’s verified academic budget is INR 27.04 Lakhs before personal living costs, while ETSU’s physical F-1 or J-1 estimate is not transferable. Keep India-based expenses separate before comparing funding options.

East Tennessee State MBA Admission 2026

Admission to the global online MBA requires a bachelor’s degree equivalent and a 3.0 U.S.-equivalent GPA. The current online checklist states that the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is not required. The checklist does not publish a work-experience threshold, so applicants should focus on academic equivalency, transcripts and English evidence.

International transcripts must receive a course-by-course evaluation from a NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services)-approved organisation, with World Education Services (WES) named as one accepted provider. ETSU makes the final equivalency decision, so the approximate Indian range below is a planning guide rather than an admissions conversion.

International applicant eligibility: The table separates the academic floor from the documents that make an application reviewable for the target online route.

RequirementGlobal online standardIndian applicant action
Bachelor’s degreeBachelor’s degree from an accredited institution or equivalentSubmit the degree-awarding institution’s transcript and proof of degree.
Academic threshold3.0 U.S.-equivalent GPA on a 4.0 scaleApproximately 75% to 80% or CGPA 7.5 to 8.0 on 10; ETSU decides equivalency.
International transcriptsCourse-by-course evaluation from a NACES-approved organisationUse an accepted evaluator such as WES and arrange direct submission to ETSU Graduate School.
Application materialsOnline application, processing fee, transcripts and any required English evidenceKeep transcripts from the bachelor’s institution and any attempted graduate work ready.
GMATNot required for the current online MBA checklistUse preparation time for the transcript evaluation and English test instead.
  • Treat the 3.0 equivalency as the published floor rather than an admission guarantee because the programme does not publish a course-level selection statistic.
  • Start the transcript evaluation at least 8 weeks before the deadline because ETSU gives that processing estimate for international evaluations.
  • Keep every postsecondary transcript ready because the application asks for institutions awarding the bachelor’s degree and any attempted graduate work.

No programme-specific business ranking was verified for the target MBA, so ranking position is not used as an admission or outcome signal.

English Language Proficiency (ELP) for Indian Applicants

English Language Proficiency (ELP) is required when an applicant’s education was outside the United States unless an official exemption applies. ETSU lists IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 550 PBT or 79 iBT and PTE 53, and it accepts only official score reports for the TOEFL route.

Test or routePublished requirementPractical reading for Indian applicants
IELTS (International English Language Testing System)Overall 6.5Use the official score report or send the TRF number after applying.
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)550 PBT (paper-based test) or 79 iBT (internet-based test)Use the published 0 to 120 iBT scale exactly; do not self-convert.
PTE (Pearson Test of English)53Arrange the official score report through the testing provider.
Education or employment exemptionU.S. degree by programme start, four years of upper-high-school English from a designated country or three years of U.S. employment conducted in EnglishProvide the university’s specified evidence before relying on an exemption.
  • IELTS 6.5 is the clearest published route for applicants who prefer not to use the TOEFL scale.
  • Use TOEFL only at the exact 550 PBT or 79 iBT policy level because the university does not publish a self-conversion to another scale.
  • An English-medium background is not enough by itself, so verify the designated-country rule and transcript evidence before claiming a waiver.
Tip for Indian students: The 3.0 equivalency and no-GMAT online policy reduce testing burden, but transcript evaluation and English evidence remain document gates. Order the evaluation before the 1 October cutoff.

East Tennessee State MBA Application 2026

Fall B 2026 is the earliest applicant-accessible online intake because its global application deadline is 1 October 2026, while the earlier Fall A deadline has passed. The next class starts on 19 October 2026, and the online calendar describes each term as seven weeks.

ETSU’s graduate information says complete applications are reviewed as received, but the programme calendar does not publish a separate decision date. All deadlines below retain Eastern Time, with the Indian Standard Time (IST) conversion shown for each application cutoff.

Forward-looking application schedule: Closed Summer B and Fall A 2026 rounds are omitted; the table lists every remaining published intake in the current online calendar.

IntakeClass startApplication deadline (ET; IST)Documents dueRegistration deadlineTuition deadlineTerm length
Fall B 202619 October 20261 October 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET; 2 October 2026, 9:29 a.m. IST8 October 202616 October 202617 October 20267 weeks
Spring A 202719 January 20271 December 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET; 2 December 2026, 10:29 a.m. IST8 December 202616 January 202717 January 20277 weeks
Spring B 20278 March 20271 February 2027, 11:59 p.m. ET; 2 February 2027, 10:29 a.m. IST8 February 20275 March 20276 March 20277 weeks
Summer A 202717 May 20271 April 2027, 11:59 p.m. ET; 2 April 2027, 9:29 a.m. IST8 April 202714 May 202715 May 20277 weeks
Summer B 20276 July 20271 June 2027, 11:59 p.m. ET; 2 June 2027, 9:29 a.m. IST8 June 20273 July 20274 July 20277 weeks
  • Use Fall B 2026 only when the evaluated transcript and official English score can reach ETSU by the 8 October document deadline.
  • Choose Spring A 2027 when the 1 October cutoff cannot accommodate the university’s stated 8-plus-week evaluation process.
  • Reserve tuition by the programme’s published payment date because registration and payment deadlines fall before each seven-week class begins.

Use the official ETSU online MBA calendar for the final portal timestamp because the university controls any schedule changes.

Also Check: ETSU MBA courses and fees

Application tip: Fall B 2026 is usable only when evaluation and English documents are ready for the 8 October document deadline; otherwise, Spring A 2027 preserves a clearer preparation window.

East Tennessee State MBA Scholarships 2026

No confirmed ETSU scholarship is open to the target global online applicant after checking the current graduate funding rules. The university excludes eRate online students from on-campus scholarships, while the named international award requires lawful F-1 or J-1 status and full-time study.

The current published International Merit Scholarship offers US$5,000 per year (INR 4.77 Lakhs) for eligible master’s students, but it is a physical-study reference for this article. Graduate Assistantship funding is also tied to on-ground work, so a global online applicant should budget the full published eRate.

Current published funding context: The table shows why the named awards checked do not reduce the target global-online budget.

Funding routePublished valuePublished eligibility or conditionMeaning for target global online applicants
International Merit Scholarship for Graduate StudentsUS$5,000 per year (INR 4.77 Lakhs)New international graduate student, minimum 3.0 GPA, full-time, lawful F-1 or J-1 statusNot a confirmed target award because the programme is global online and eRate.
Graduate AssistantshipTuition assistance plus a monthly stipend; fees are not coveredTwenty hours of on-ground work each weekNot a target route for a student completing the MBA outside the United States.
  • Budget the full US$28,264.50 (INR 26.97 Lakhs) tuition because no target-eligible university award was confirmed for the global online route.
  • Do not deduct the US$5,000 (INR 4.77 Lakhs) International Merit amount unless ETSU confirms a physical F-1 or J-1 enrolment path for your exact programme.
  • Ask about any new online discount before applying because assistantship tuition help requires on-ground work and leaves fees payable.

Funding reality

Checked official graduate funding rules exclude eRate online students from on-campus scholarships, so the published International Merit amount remains a reference only. Verify any new global-online discount on the official graduate scholarship rules before committing funds.

Read More: Scholarships for international students

Scholarship reality: The target online route has no verified tuition award to subtract from the eRate. Build the application around the full INR 26.97 Lakhs tuition and treat later funding as upside.

East Tennessee State MBA Salary 2026

For ROI planning, the target global online academic budget is calculated as US$28,329.50 (INR 27.04 Lakhs). This combines published tuition and the global application fee before personal living costs. ETSU does not publish an MBA cohort salary, offer rate, employer list or sector breakdown for the online general MBA.

The programme page instead lists career directions including general management, business analytics, supply chain, sales, financial management and marketing. Its Strategic Experience capstone adds a realistic problem-solving project, but curriculum and career direction are not placement statistics.

  • The INR 27.04 Lakhs academic budget excludes personal living costs, so secure tuition funds separately from India-based monthly expenses.
  • No course-cohort salary or offer rate is published, so request role-level outcomes before using the MBA for a repayment model.
  • BLS management medians are all-worker benchmarks, so use them to test role demand rather than forecast your starting salary.
  • No target online scholarship is confirmed, so treat the full eRate as the base case and any award as unconfirmed upside.
  • The global route has no F-1 or OPT work window, so choose it for a remote or India-return plan rather than United States post-study employment.

Salary Evidence and Career Scope

For external market context, BLS (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) reports May 2024 median wages for occupations that overlap with ETSU’s listed career directions. BLS figures describe workers across experience levels, so they are not ETSU outcomes or entry salaries.

Evidence scopeOccupationMeasureAmount (USD)Amount (INR)
External job-market benchmarkManagement occupationsMay 2024 median annual wageUS$122,090INR 1.17 Crore
External job-market benchmarkFinancial managersMay 2024 median annual wageUS$161,700INR 1.54 Crore

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Management Occupations and Financial Managers, May 2024 wage data.

The market benchmarks show the range of occupations connected to business training, but they include experienced workers and cannot establish an ETSU graduate salary. Take-home pay will vary with federal or state tax, benefits and location, so use a current U.S. tax calculator before modelling repayment.

Read More: MBA costs and outcomes in the USA

ROI reality: The verified price and flexible format can suit an India-based career upgrade, but missing course-cohort outcomes and no target U.S. work authorization make a salary-led repayment forecast unsupported.

United States Visa for ETSU MBA Students 2026

No U.S. student visa is required for the target global online MBA because the official route is for global non-U.S. citizens completing the programme outside the United States. The route therefore does not provide F-1 student status, OPT (Optional Practical Training) or a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) OPT extension. The on-ground MBA is being phased out for Fall 2026, so do not rely on the older campus variant for a future F-1 plan. Any U.S. permanent residence path depends on employment category, sponsorship and visa availability, with no fixed course-linked timeline.

  • If an eligible future F-1 programme is confirmed, standard OPT can last 12 months; this online MBA does not itself create that authorization.
  • A 24-month STEM OPT extension applies only to eligible STEM programmes, so it is not assumed for this general MBA.
  • The H-1B specialty-occupation route is lottery-based and has no single course-specific salary threshold; the employer must meet the higher of actual or prevailing wage.
  • F-2 status may cover a spouse and unmarried minor children, but dependants in F-2 status are not employment-authorized.

Check Out: U.S. student visa guidance

Visa reality: The target global MBA is an online international enrolment rather than an F-1 campus route. Choose it for academic flexibility and India-based career value, not a U.S. post-study work plan.

East Tennessee State University Master of Business Administration fits Indian applicants who want a flexible 33-credit online business degree that can be completed from India. Its core-plus-elective structure connects business fundamentals with analytics, cybersecurity or health care marketing, and the capstone adds applied problem solving. The material tradeoff is that the global route has no F-1 work window, campus experience or verified course-cohort salary evidence. Apply for Fall B 2026 only after arranging the transcript evaluation and full INR 27.04 Lakhs academic budget, or use Spring A 2027 if those gates are not ready.

East Tennessee State MBA FAQs

Ques. Can Indian applicants complete the ETSU MBA from India?

Ans. Yes. The target global online route is designed for non-U.S. citizens completing the programme outside the United States, so it does not require relocation or an F-1 visa.

Ques. What is the total ETSU MBA cost for Fall II 2026?

Ans. Published eRate tuition is US$28,264.50 (INR 26.97 Lakhs), and the global application fee is US$65 (INR 6,203). The calculated academic budget is US$28,329.50 (INR 27.04 Lakhs), excluding personal living costs and other fees.

Ques. Does the online ETSU MBA require GMAT or work experience?

Ans. The current online checklist says no GMAT is required and lists no work-experience threshold. International applicants still need a 3.0 U.S.-equivalent GPA and required English evidence.

Ques. Which ETSU MBA intake should an Indian applicant target?

Ans. Fall B 2026 is the earliest open intake, with the application cutoff on 1 October 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Spring A 2027 is the next option when transcript evaluation needs more preparation time.

Ques. Can the ETSU MBA lead to U.S. OPT or an ETSU scholarship?

Ans. The global online route does not create F-1 status or OPT, and the eRate route is excluded from on-campus scholarships. Treat the full eRate as the base case unless ETSU confirms a separate online award in writing.


Tuition Fees

Year1st Year Fees
Tuition Fees$25904

Previous Year Tuition Fees

Year1st Year Fees
2023$43530

Scores Required

5.5 / 9

Avg. Score in

IELTS

61 / 120

Avg. Score in

TOEFL

43 / 90

Avg. Score in

PTE

530 / 800

Avg. Score in

GMAT

3 / 4

Minimum gpa

GPA

  • An undergraduate GPA of 2.5 (International students must have a 3.0)
  • A minimum GMAT score of 450, GMAT test scores will be waived if students meet one of the following conditions:
    • Completion of another graduate degree, regardless of subject area.
    • A 3.0 or higher GPA from an AACSB-accredited undergraduate business program.
    • A 3.5 or higher GPA from a non-AACSB-accredited undergraduate business program or a non-business discipline undergraduate degree


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