M.B.A from Tennessee State University

Tennessee State University Master of Business Administration Traditional is a 36-credit, full-time evening master’s degree in downtown Nashville, with no fixed duration stated on the official page. Admission uses a 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA) waiver threshold; Indian applicants can plan around 75% to 80% or 7.5 to 8.0 on a 10-point scale. For Spring 2027, the target schedule lists US$14,456 per 18-credit term (INR 13.96 Lakhs); a calculated two-term total is US$28,912 (INR 27.91 Lakhs).

The curriculum combines accounting, information systems, statistics, economics, finance, leadership, operations, strategy and marketing, then adds three electives in one concentration. It suits an Indian applicant seeking applied general-business breadth and a predictable evening rhythm, but the weekday schedule requires a Nashville move and a funding plan.

• Evening classes run from 5:30 to 8:30 PM Monday through Thursday, which can fit a daytime work schedule.
• Students can choose General Business, Accounting, Management Information Systems, Finance or Supply Chain concentration.
• Three elective courses let applicants align the MBA with a defined business-function pathway.

Also Check: TSU MBA admission requirements

TSU MBA Fees and Living Costs 2027

TSU’s target-cycle fee schedule covers Fall 2026 and Spring 2027, which includes the Spring 2027 intake. For an international applicant, the 18-credit out-of-state row is the safest published billing anchor because TSU does not publish a flat MBA programme price.

The table separates graduate maintenance, out-of-state tuition and program service fees, then shows a two-term 36-credit illustration. The illustration assumes 18 credits in each term and excludes course-specific, book, lab and room or board charges.

Target-cycle fee context: The following charges come from TSU’s Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 graduate schedule, except for the separately labelled application-fee conflict.

All INR conversions in the article use a conversion rate of USD 1 = INR 96.5372 as of 16 August 2026. Rates fluctuate daily, verify before applying.

Source: Tennessee State University 2026-27 graduate fee schedule and current MBA admissions page.

• The target-cycle term charge is US$14,456 (INR 13.96 Lakhs), so a student taking fewer credits in a term should request the matching row before registration.
• The calculated US$28,912 (INR 27.91 Lakhs) programme illustration assumes two 18-credit terms, so a slower sequence can increase living costs and expose later terms to new rates.
• TSU’s fee schedule excludes departmental, book and lab charges, so the calculated figure is not a complete invoice.

The MBA admissions page lists a non-refundable US$58 application fee (INR 5,599). The fee page links a June 2025 PDF listing US$35 (INR 3,380) for graduate applications. Because the two official figures conflict, do not add either amount to the programme total until TSU confirms the amount for Spring 2027.

The application-fee conflict affects only the first payment and does not change the verified target-cycle tuition row. Confirm the amount before submitting the non-refundable application.

Cost of Living in Nashville for MBA Students

TSU’s 2026-27 graduate out-of-state cost-of-attendance page separates housing, meals, transport, personal expenses and books from tuition and fees. Monthly values below divide each annual university estimate by 12, so they are planning figures rather than separate monthly quotes.

Source: Tennessee State University 2026-27 estimated graduate cost-of-attendance page.

The official non-tuition estimate is US$22,651 (INR 21.87 Lakhs) per year, and it remains separate from the Student visa maintenance evidence required for an I-20. Indian applicants should budget housing and transport for the Nashville campus rather than use a national United States average.

The calculated all-in planning illustration is US$51,563 (INR 49.78 Lakhs). It combines US$28,912 for two 18-credit terms with US$22,651 for one year of official non-tuition costs. This is not a university-published total, and a longer completion sequence adds another living-cost year.

Read More: USA living costs for international students

Key insight: The verified target-cycle charge is INR 13.96 Lakhs per 18-credit term, while the calculated two-term academic illustration is INR 27.91 Lakhs. Confirm the application fee and programme sequence before finalising funds.

TSU MBA Admission 2027

Admission is based on a formula rather than a published percentage cutoff. The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is named in both formulas. TSU requires 950 points using the four-year undergraduate GPA or 1,000 points using the junior-senior GPA.

A GMAT or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) waiver may apply through a 3.0 undergraduate GPA or five or more years of professional or managerial experience. Other routes include a graduate degree or five or more years of United States military experience. International students must be fully admitted, so the Traditional option’s one-semester conditional route is not available to them.

Applicants must complete relevant prerequisites before taking graduate courses in that discipline and finish all prerequisites by the first nine graduate hours. Students must then maintain a 3.0 GPA in the MBA, while grades below C in required core courses do not count toward the degree.

International applicant eligibility: The table translates TSU’s current MBA rules into the documents and academic checks an Indian applicant must prepare.

• Treat the 950-point or 1,000-point formula as the selection rule because TSU does not publish an MBA class-average GMAT benchmark.
• Request a written waiver decision before omitting GMAT or GRE evidence because international students cannot rely on conditional admission.
• Start transcript collection and immunisation records before the Spring 2027 deadline because all documents must reach the Graduate School for review.

No programme-specific business ranking was verified for the Traditional MBA, so ranking position is not used as a substitute for the published formula, curriculum or funding evidence.

English Language Proficiency for Indian Applicants

English Language Proficiency (ELP) is a separate international admission check. TSU’s international admissions page lists IELTS (International English Language Testing System), TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), Duolingo English Test and PTE (Pearson Test of English).

These are university-wide international minimums, so Indian applicants should verify that the Graduate School has attached them to the Spring 2027 MBA file. TSU currently prints TOEFL iBT 61 on the 0 to 120 scale and does not publish a revised 1.0 to 6.0 MBA policy on the checked page.

• IELTS 5.0 is the lowest listed score route, but the MBA page does not publish component minimums.
• TOEFL applicants should report the 0 to 120 score exactly because no current revised-scale policy is published for this MBA.
• An Indian English-medium degree is not listed as an automatic waiver, so obtain written confirmation before omitting a test.

Tip for Indian students: Meet the formula, secure full admission and prepare transcript evidence. Then submit a written waiver or the exact ELP score before the Spring 2027 cutoff.

TSU MBA Application 2027

Spring 2027 is the earliest future intake for an Indian applicant outside the United States because its published priority deadline is 01 September 2026. The MBA admissions page lists this date for international applicants residing outside the United States.

TSU also lists Summer and Fall entry for the Traditional MBA, so applicants who need more preparation time can use the later dates. The university does not publish a separate decision date or a time-of-day cutoff for these deadlines.

Forward-looking application schedule: The table lists every future intake shown on the MBA admissions page for applicants residing outside the United States.

TSU publishes these deadlines as dates without a time zone or time of day. An exact Indian Standard Time conversion is therefore unavailable, and the application portal’s displayed date controls the cutoff.

• Use Spring 2027 only when the transcript, test and financial file can be complete by 01 September 2026.
• Choose Summer 2027 when the Spring deadline cannot accommodate official transcript delivery or a waiver decision.
• Keep Fall 2027 as the later option because its 01 April 2027 deadline provides more preparation time.

Application sequence for Indian applicants

Start with the Graduate School application, then send official transcripts, GMAT or GRE evidence unless waived, a résumé, statement of purpose, health forms and immunisation records. International applicants must also submit a passport copy and financial evidence before TSU can issue the I-20.

TSU’s MBA FAQ recommends completing the application package no later than 60 days before the intended term begins. Because Spring 2027 has no published class-start date on the checked MBA page, use 01 September 2026 as the firm planning gate.

• Ask the Graduate School to confirm the application fee before paying because the current official pages list different amounts.
• Arrange official transcript delivery early because incomplete documents can prevent the MBA committee from reviewing the file.
• Request a GMAT or GRE waiver decision in writing when using GPA or work experience instead of a score.
• Prepare notarised financial documents dated within six months of the desired semester for the I-20 request.

Read More: TSU MBA courses and fees

Application tip: Spring 2027 is usable only when the complete international file can reach TSU by 01 September 2026. Keep Summer 2027 as the next published option if transcript or waiver evidence is not ready.

TSU MBA Scholarships 2027

No named MBA scholarship with a target-cycle value and deadline is published on the current TSU funding pages. An Indian applicant should therefore treat the full tuition and living budget as the base case until an award is confirmed in writing.

The current graduate funding route is a departmental assistantship for an unconditionally admitted, full-time student making progress toward the degree. TSU says assistants work about 20 hours each week, receive a monthly stipend and usually receive tuition and fee support, but the amount depends on the appointment.

The MBA frequently asked questions (FAQ) page states that limited graduate assistantships provide a stipend plus tuition for nine graduate credits in Fall and Spring. It does not publish a Spring 2027 MBA award value, selection probability or separate assistantship deadline.

Funding routes checked for Indian applicants: The table keeps eligible graduate funding separate from undergraduate awards that cannot be deducted from this MBA budget.

• Apply for assistantship funding after confirming unconditional admission because prerequisite students are not eligible for a graduate assistantship.
• Budget the full calculated academic illustration of US$28,912 (INR 27.91 Lakhs) because stipend and tuition support are not guaranteed.
• Check the work-hour requirement against weekday evening classes because an assistantship adds approximately 20 hours of employment each week.

The assistantship route can lower the bill and add campus experience, but its uncertain value makes it funding upside rather than a confirmed scholarship. Keep evidence of the award, tuition credit and stipend terms before revising the loan amount.

Check Out: USA scholarships for international students

Scholarship reality: TSU publishes graduate assistantship support but not a fixed MBA award for Spring 2027. Secure the full-funding base case before treating a nine-credit tuition benefit or stipend as available.

TSU MBA Salary 2027

TSU does not publish a current Traditional MBA cohort salary, offer rate, placement report or employer breakdown. Return on Investment (ROI) analysis must therefore use the verified course cost and clearly labelled external market benchmarks.

ROI here means testing whether the tuition, living cost and work-authorisation assumptions support the applicant’s intended career move. It does not turn a national occupation median into a TSU graduate outcome.

The calculated academic illustration is US$28,912 (INR 27.91 Lakhs) before living costs, while the official one-year non-tuition estimate is US$22,651 (INR 21.87 Lakhs). The following decisions keep those inputs separate from market evidence.

• The two-term illustration assumes 18 credits in each term, so ask TSU for the actual course sequence before modelling a longer living-cost period.
• No course-cohort salary or offer rate is published, so request employment evidence before using the MBA for a repayment calculation.
• The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a US$101,190 median (INR 97.69 Lakhs) for management analysts in May 2024, so use it only as a market scenario.
• The May 2024 financial-manager median is US$161,700 (INR 1.56 Crore); use it only for experienced finance roles.
• Standard post-completion OPT can provide 12 months of related work, so confirm the MBA’s degree classification before assuming any STEM extension.

External Salary Benchmarks

These figures are external job-market benchmarks from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, not TSU graduate outcomes. They describe national workers across experience levels and should be matched to the role, location and prior experience in an applicant’s plan.

Source: United States Bureau of Labor Statistics occupation data, May 2024 national wage measures.

Take-home pay will differ from these gross medians because federal and state taxes, benefits and Nashville or destination-state costs change the net amount. Use the current IRS tax withholding estimator after selecting a specific salary and filing situation.

The MBA’s broad curriculum can support several business functions, but the absence of course-level outcomes makes the financial risk higher for an applicant who needs immediate United States employment. An India-return plan should compare the same role’s verified local salary with the full INR 49.78 Lakhs planning illustration.

ROI reality: TSU’s verified planning illustration is INR 49.78 Lakhs, but missing course outcomes and a conditional work window make salary-led payback unsupported. Request programme outcomes before financing.

United States Visa for TSU MBA Students 2027

An on-campus, full-time Traditional MBA student normally uses the F-1 Student visa. TSU’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) handles the Form I-20 step for admitted international students. The university requires financial evidence covering at least one full year before issuing the I-20, but the checked page directs applicants to OIA for the amount. Current United States government fees are US$185 (INR 17,859) for the visa application and US$350 (INR 33,788) for I-901. The I-901 charge is the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) fee. Standard post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) can last up to 12 months in work related to the degree.

• A 24-month STEM OPT extension requires a qualifying Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics degree code, so do not assume this general MBA qualifies.
• The H-1B specialty-occupation route has no single MBA-linked salary threshold because the employer must meet the higher actual or prevailing wage.
• F-2 status may cover a spouse and unmarried minor children, but F-2 dependants are not employment-authorized.
• Permanent residence has no fixed course-linked timeline because employment category, sponsorship and visa availability control the route.

Check Out: United States student visa guidance

Visa reality: Budget the current US$185 visa fee (INR 17,859) and US$350 SEVIS fee (INR 33,788), then obtain TSU’s I-20 funding amount. Plan around 12 months of OPT unless a qualifying STEM code is confirmed.