Applying and Deadlines

One of the basic requirements for admission to Fisher is the completion of a 4-year bachelor’s degree or its equivalent prior to matriculation. The Ohio State University does not recognize a three-year bachelor’s degree to be comparable to the 4-year bachelor’s degree. To determine if you meet the degree requirements for The Ohio State University, contact the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions at gradadmissions@osu.edu.

You are required to submit transcripts from each undergraduate and graduate institution attended. Coursework from one institution reported as transfer credit on another school's transcript does not meet Ohio State's definition of a transcript. Separate transcripts must be submitted if you received any transfer credit from another university(ies).

In cases where examination results or grades are not released, please contact the Graduate Admissions Office at gradadmissions@osu.edu.

The MBA Admissions Committee reviews scanned copies of official transcripts uploaded in your application for evaluation purposes. Transcripts should include all work previously completed and work currently in progress. If you have taken courses at The Ohio State University (or are), you do not need to submit transcripts for those grades as the Admissions Office will obtain your Ohio State grades directly from the University Registrar’s Office.

International credentials should include certified educational records and degree certificates or diplomas in the original language with English translations.

NOTE: If you are admitted to the MBA program, you will be required to submit official copies of all undergraduate and graduate transcripts to the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions. In order for these transcripts to count as official, they must be sent directly to The Ohio State University from each institution you attended.

You can watch our webinar covering the most common mistakes that applicants make when providing academic transcripts as part of their graduate program application. The Director of Admissions and Recruiting will also point out critical requirements for your transcript(s) to make for a seamless application process. 

Watch the Transcript Requirement webinar

Where To Send Official Transcripts

For U.S. Institutions

Request that your transcripts be sent electronically from the issuing institution directly to gpadocs@osu.edu. If your institution does not send official electronic transcripts, you may order them to be sent to us. Transcripts must come directly to us from the issuing institution; they cannot come from the applicant, even if they're in a sealed envelope.

Graduate and Professional Admissions
P.O. Box 182004
Columbus, OH 43218-2004

For International Institutions

Send copies of international transcripts, diplomas or degree certificates and English translations in sealed university envelopes to:

Graduate and Professional Admissions
The Ohio State University
Student Academic Services Building
281 W. Lane Ave.
Columbus, OH 43210-1132 USA

GMAT, GRE or EA Test Requirement - Waivers available!

Standardized tests are a way of evaluating a student’s academic potential, and they provide another data point to evaluate readiness for the rigors of graduate study. As part of the admissions process, all applicants who do not qualify for the standardized test waiver (details below) are required to submit scores from one of three standardized tests:Executive Assessment (EA), Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), or Graduate Record Examination (GRE).  Questions? Email us at mba@fisher.osu.edu.

How to send test scores

If you are opting to send official test scores, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page for instructions.

Changes for GRE test takers

As of October 1, 2024, we will only accept GRE test scores taken at an ETS testing center, not the GRE at-home version. However, we will accept valid GRE at-home scores if taken before October 1, 2024. View a table of acceptable standardized tests if you plan to send scores. 

View our latest class profile

What is the Executive Assessment (EA)?

The Executive Assessment (EA) is an alternative to the GMAT or GRE. The EA is designed to evaluate business school readiness in the context of your work experience. The assessment focuses on skills that are important at work: higher-order reasoning, critical thinking, analysis, and problem-solving. Because it was designed specifically for experienced professionals, it requires modest preparation, takes only 90 minutes, and includes flexible rescheduling options. The test is administered by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), creators of the GMAT® exam. 

Executive Assessment Webinar

Do I qualify for a GMAT/GRE/EA test waiver?

As part of our continuing efforts to identify and meet the needs of all future leaders committed to improving their lives through graduate education, the Working Professional MBA program at Fisher College of Business offers GMAT/GRE/EA test waivers for applicants. 

At least one of three requirements must be true to be considered for a test waiver:

1. Have successfully completed college-level coursework in any of the following with a grade of "B" or better: accounting, calculus, finance, or similar advanced quantitative courses.
   
   or
    
2. Hold a STEM degree
    
   or
    
3. Have any quantitative-based certifications (e.g. CPA, CFA)

Note: If you answered “Yes” to any of the above, your application will be reviewed without a standardized test score. However, if your cumulative or course GPA is below 3.00 or you have completed a limited number of quantitative courses, the admissions committee may request that you submit standardized test scores or qualifying MBA Math scores.

If you answered “No” to all, you do not qualify for the test waiver. If you still want to be considered for the program, you can submit standardized test scores or qualifying MBA Math scores. To qualify for the test waiver, you must score at least 80% or higher in each module. Once completed, please email your results to FCOB-GPOProcessing@osu.edu.

How To Be Considered*: The waiver request is part of our online application. Answer "YES" to the question "Do you wish to request a GMAT/GRE/EA waiver?" Questions? E-mail mba@fisher.osu.edu to discuss eligibility.

Fisher Certificate Programs: Those who have completed one of the following Fisher College of Business certificate programs, with a 3.0 GPA or higher, automatically qualify for a GMAT/GRE/EA waiver approval. Waiver requests are made through the application.

• Honda Graduate Certificate in Business Leadership
• JPMC Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
• Graduate Certificate in IT Business Strategy
• Mini-MBA Graduate Healthcare Certificate

*Students who request a GRE/GMAT/EA test waiver may write an optional supplemental essay to clarify how they meet the outlined criteria. The admissions committee will utilize this in consideration of a waiver permission. Waiver decisions are at the discretion of the Admissions Committee. You may not request a waiver if you have already taken the exam and requested your scores be sent to The Ohio State University.

International Applicants

Ohio State's Graduate School requires you to demonstrate English proficiency by taking the TOEFL or the IELTS. Ohio State is currently also accepting the Duolingo English Test in addition to the TOEFL or IELTS. Additional information on English proficiency requirements, exemptions, and minimum scores.

A detailed resume or curriculum vitae gives the MBA Admissions Committee a snapshot of your professional and academic career and serves as an indication of how well you are able to sell yourself on paper.

Since our Career Management Office is represented on the Admissions Committee, the resume also gives the us an idea of how you would present yourself to a prospective employer and helps them evaluate your potential for successful placement upon completion of the Fisher MBA program.

Resume requirements

Please include all of the following in your resume, if applicable, and account for the time since the beginning of your university education.

• Your contact information (full name, mailing address, phone, and email)
• Employment history (with details of primary duties and accomplishments in each position held)
• Extracurricular and/or community activities
• Languages (read, spoken, and/or understood)
• Military record (if applicable)

For more information about writing your Fisher resume, view our resume tutorial PDF.

You will be required to complete an essay. The essay gives you the opportunity to present yourself more fully to our Working Professional MBA Admissions Committee and to provide insight into your experiences, goals, and thought processes.

Essay Topic

What are your short-term career goals and long-term career goals? How/why will an MBA help you achieve those goals?

Maximum length: One single-sided page,11-size font minimum (no margin requirement)

Optional Supplemental Essay

The optional supplemental essay can be used to address any circumstances you’d like the Admissions Committee to be aware of (gaps in work history, explaining your quant ability through work experience, past academic performance, test waiver requests, etc.). This is a valuable opportunity to speak directly to the committee or highlight something not in the rest of your application. 

Students who request a GRE/GMAT/EA test waiver may write an optional supplemental essay to clarify how they meet the outlined criteria. The admissions committee will utilize this in consideration of a waiver permission. 

Maximum words: 500

You will be required to provide two references (name, email, phone) that we reserve the right to contact if we feel the need to do so to reach an admission decision.​ ​Typically, your references should be from a professional context (example: supervisor).

To process each application for admission to the MBA program, we charge a non-refundable fee of $60 for domestic applicants and $70 for international applicants.

Paying the application fee must be made with a credit card, as part of the application process.