FAQ

Individuals must hold a university degree and have a minimum of 2 years' full-time working experience to apply for the programme. An admissions test (GMAT/GRE/SMU Admissions Test) is also a compulsory requirement for admission. Above all, candidates must demonstrate that they have the commitment, experience, motivation and potential to benefit from and contribute to the programme.

We expect applicants to have a strong basic degree. However, we look at many other aspects of your application such as drive and motivation.

No, we admit students from all background and work experience and look for diverse individuals to enhance the classroom experience.

Yes, as we will be aiming to build a diverse class for each programme we ask that you choose which programme is best suited for your needs. Requests to transfer from one programme to the other will be evaluated but not guaranteed.

January Admission (Full-Time & Part-Time):
Application opens in December
Deadline 1: 15 March
Deadline 2: 15 July
Final Deadline: 31 October

August Admission (Full-Time & Part-Time):
Application opens in mid-July
Deadline 1: 30 November
Deadline 2: 28 February
Final Deadline: 31 May

We will inform you as to whether you have been selected for an interview within two weeks of receiving your online application. If you are based outside Singapore, the interview will be conducted by phone or webcam. Otherwise, it will be a face-to-face interview on campus.

You can send us your application prior to taking the GMAT. However, admissions decisions will not be made until the GMAT score is received.

An admissions test (GMAT/GRE/SMU Admissions Test) is required for all candidates (regardless of age) for both the Part-time and Full-time programmes. This gives us a base to compare candidates from different backgrounds to ensure each of our students can manage the academic rigour of the programme. Although there is no minimum score we consider GMAT scores above 600 to be competitive.

More information can be found at www.mba.com.

You can get more details regarding the GMAT test centre at https://www.gmac.com/.

SMU's GMAT institution codes are:
Full-Time MBA: F8D-7V-17
Part-Time MBA: F8D-7V-35

We do not set a limit to the number of times you sit for the GMAT. You are the best judge as whether you can significantly improve from your last score. We ask that you report all past scores and we will consider the highest score achieved for your application evaluation.

The TOEFL is only required if your undergraduate education or postgraduate education was not taught in English.

Yes.

1. Explain in 500-600 words your career and personal aspirations, and your motivation for pursuing the Master of Business Administration Programme.
2. Discuss in 500 to 600 words one of the following topics:
   1. Describe your greatest weakness and how you have tried to overcome it.
   2. Describe your outstanding talents, skills and inherent abilities that are not reflected in your academic qualifications and records.
   3. Describe the situation with the greatest ethical complexity that you have faced in your professional or academic life, and how your input helped resolved it.

1. A copy of NRIC for SingaporeanCitizen; or a copy of Passport for non-Singaporeans
2. A copy of NRIC, Passport and re-entry permit for Singaporean Permanent Residents
3. 2 passport-size photographs
4. Official GMAT score report (school version)
5. 2 short essays
6. Current CV
7. Official academic transcripts of all educational institutions attended
8. 2 referee reports, signed and sealed (if not sent directly by referee)
9. Proof of payment by credit card form or check/money order of $100 SGD
10. Any other supporting documents

The billing terms are:

The SMU MBA Programme offers a number of scholarships for both Full-time and Part-time students. Students can apply for scholarships upon admission to the Programme. Award amounts up to 30% of tuition fees. There are no bonds attached to the scholarships. There are also a number of bank student loans available with favorable rates and terms for Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents.

Please visit our website HERE for more scholarship information.

You can reapply to the MBA program, but not during the same academic year. This means there is a minimum one-year wait period between reapplications for the Full-time and/or Part-time programs. Reapplicants should send the MBA office one reapplicant essay and one additional letter of recommendation.

Required reapplicant essay:

1. Please describe your career progress since you last applied and ways in which you have enhanced your candidacy (500 words)

SMU keeps applications on file for 2 years, so individuals who reapply within this time period do not need to resubmit transcripts or standardized test scores (GMAT, TOEFL, IELTS, et cetera) unless there has been a change to these components.

The Part-time programme is designed for working professionals.

Core classes for the January Intake are taught on Saturdays (8am-11.45am & 3.30pm-7.15pm); and Core classes for the August Intake are taught on Monday & Tuesday evenings (7pm-10.45pm) during the first 10 months.

Elective classes take place during weekday evenings and weekends for the last 8 months. Our participants find this format ideal , as it attracts committed classmates and enables them to complete their MBA in a much shorter time.

The Full-Time programme takes place over 15 months with internship starting in May. Core classes are conducted during the day for first 4 months, with electives held on weekday evenings and weekends for the remaining part of the programme.

Yes. However, the pre-study is done at your own pace. We will provide materials as well as tutorial support that you can use as needed.

Yes, a student may choose to specialise in one specialisation track by completing 5 electives in the specialisation basket.

The specialisation tracks are:

• Communications
• Entrepreneurship
• Finance
• Human Capital

The SMU MBA is a general management programme, and specialisation is optional.

The sector activity is included in the SMU programme for the students to participate as they wish. While it is not compulsory, we do strongly encourage you to take advantage of some of the company visits, talks and industry studies as it will provide you with some deep insights into industries of global importance and broaden your network.

10 electives are required to complement 8 core modules. Participants are encouraged to choose from a number of electives based on their interests and knowledge gaps. Find out more here: /mba/about-mba/structure-and-curriculum

The programme will be taught by internationally renowned and experienced SMU faculty and industry professionals.

No, our Part-time and Full-time MBA both require your attendance. Some modules will use web and online updates for their classes however this is used to supplement your time in class.

Yes, much of the assessment will be based on class participation which will make regular class attendance important.

The application process for all graduate programmes at SMU is separately run. Credit for courses taken in other graduate level programmes will be considered on a case by case basis.

Yes, our exchange partners include Keio University in Japan, Seoul National University in South Korea, Peking University in China., IE in Spain, and University of British Columbia in Canada. Students also have the opportunity to take part in the Overseas Immersion Programme where students are able to learn about operating and leading organisations in the Asian context.

The list below is a sample list of companies that have held events at SMU:

AT Kearney, Bain, Barclays, Boston Consulting Group, British Petroleum, Burson-Marsteller, Caterpillar, Citibank, DBS, Deloitte and Touche, Deutsche Bank, Ernst & Young, GIC, Goldman Sachs, Hewlett Packard, ING Bank, Janssen-Cilag, Macquarie, MediaEdge, Maersk Shipping, McKinsey, Morgan Stanley, NOL, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Prudential, Shell, SingTel, Standard Chartered, Temasek.

One of our main drivers to keep a relatively small class size is to provide individual attention to each candidate. Our MBA graduates have been recruited by companies such as Julius Baer, Yahoo, Unilever, Givaudan, Keppel, HSBC, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, ExxonMobil and Bain.

Yes, SMU's career services will actively help you prepare for summer internships.

Yes, as we strongly believe that sector activities should be used as a way of increasing a participant's overall network, which may even be relevant to a current position. Our career services also provide self assessment guides and career coaching with the purpose of improving a participant's overall job performance and long term career goals.