Home > Graduate Programs > MBA > Admission FAQ

General

  • Full-time MBA class times vary, but generally take place weekdays, Monday through Friday.
  • Professional and Energy MBA classes take place evenings.
  • Executive MBA classes take place every other week on Fridays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a one-hour lunch break each day.

It varies for every program and every semester. Our students have previously traveled to various destinations in Asia, Africa, Europe and South America. Recent study abroad trips have included China, Madrid, Dubai and various countries in Europe.

Application Process

We seek to bring together highly motivated and academically talented students from a broad range of backgrounds. Admission is competitive and seeks excellence. Candidates should be proactive individuals who can contribute in a highly interactive, team-based learning environment and who have meaningful life and professional experiences upon which to draw. Most of all, we are seeking focused, motivated students who are dedicated to success.

We review your entire application to determine whether you have the academic ability to handle challenging, graduate-level work, including your undergraduate transcript, test scores (if applicable), and a history of setting and achieving challenging goals in every aspect of your life. Your professionalism is also reflected in your presentation and interview. 

Programs will begin either in the fall (August), spring (January), or summer (June). Not every program starts every semester.

Decisions are communicated via email and will be visible in your applicant portal.

No. While your application will not be reviewed until all of the materials are received, you can begin sending application materials as they are completed.

Check out our Graduate Financial Aid page.

Pre-requisites/Experience

Prior business study is not required for the Full-time or Professional MBA, but is required for the Accelerated MBA. The Executive MBA does not require prior business study, but does require work and management experience. Learn more.

You need to know basic mathematics, such as algebraic operations, relations and functions, exponents, logarithms, sets and functions, linear equations, differentiation, integration, slope and extrema. Typically, this requirement is satisfied by the completion of college algebra or business quantitative methods with a grade of “C” or better. 

Since the Accelerated MBA option significantly reduces the number of hours required for graduation, it is only available to candidates with specific academic and professional backgrounds in business. You must hold a BBA or equivalent degree and have quality postgraduate professional work experience.

A four-year undergraduate degree is required (the equivalent of 16 years of formal education).

There is no single GPA requirement that will guarantee admission. If you did not perform well in your undergraduate academic career, you will be expected to demonstrate your ability to succeed at the graduate level through test scores, motivation, and/or professional success.

Even though you list your past jobs on the application, your résumé gives you the opportunity to communicate the nature of the positions and your major professional accomplishments. 

You must upload a scanned copy of your official or unofficial transcripts as a part of the online application. These documents will be used in the admission review process. If you are admitted, official transcripts from all previously attended colleges or universities will be required. We reserve the right to rescind an offer of admission should any misrepresentation occur.

  • Full-time MBA: 4 years on average. No minimum.
  • Professional, Health Care, Energy MBAs: 5-7 years on average. No minimum.
  • Accelerated MBA: 3 years postgraduate professional or military experience preferred.
  • Executive MBA: 15 years work experience and 8-10 years management experience. 18 years of experience on average.

Only 5% or fewer of the students in the Full-time MBA are admitted directly from college. These students have usually demonstrated exceptional academic ability through test scores and past grades, and have held meaningful internship and part-time work experiences.

TCU Neeley Graduate Admissions
mbainfo@tcu.edu

Recommendations

No. Applicants are no longer required to provide letters of recommendation. Instead, you will be asked to provide contact information for individuals who could provide professional recommendations.

The people you list should be familiar with you from a professional setting. The most valuable recommendations come from people who have firsthand knowledge of your professional development and can directly assess your management potential. Whenever possible, you should include your direct supervisor. 

No. Paper recommendations or letters will not be accepted. 

International Students

You must be able to easily converse in English, work with teams and company representatives, as well as quickly read and comprehend a great deal of written material. Learn more about requirements.

You must upload a scanned copy of your official or unofficial transcripts as a part of the online application. If the transcript is issued in another language, it must be accompanied by a certified English translation. If our staff is not familiar with the type of degree or the issuing university, you may be asked to submit a professional evaluation of the transcript. If requested, the evaluation should be completed by a professional U.S. evaluation agency.

If you are presenting academic credentials from universities in China, all of the following documents are required: grade transcripts, bachelor degree certificate and diploma.

A four-year undergraduate degree is required, the equivalent of 16 years of formal education. Indian applicants who hold a three-year bachelor's degree will have completed at least one year of additional study in a master’s program or a post-bachelor’s certificate program.

Yes, you can be considered for merit-based scholarships and graduate assistants. These awards are made on a competitive basis considering the credentials presented in your applications. Loans and grants based on financial needs are subsidized by the U.S. federal government and are therefore typically reserved for U.S. citizens or permanent residents.