Executive MBA - Stephen M. Ross School of Business

Admissions Criteria

The Michigan Ross Executive MBA Program is designed for proven managers and senior professionals who come from a wide variety of industries, companies, functional areas, and geographies. We seek to identify candidates who possess deep professional experience, a high degree of responsibility, demonstrated academic ability, and a commitment to be highly engaged and contributing members of the program.

While Michigan Ross does not have a minimum work experience requirement, EMBA students typically have 10 or more years of progressive, full-time work experience, including five or more years in a supervisory/managerial role.

Candidates are encouraged to submit a resume to an admissions officer for pre-assessment prior to completing an application.

Admissions Requirements

Candidates are evaluated on the basis of their professional and academic achievements as well as their potential to contribute to the Michigan Ross EMBA Program. The GMAT is not required. We do require the following components:

Online application form – Candidates can access the EMBA application online and continue to make changes until the application is submitted.

Resume – The resume should provide a comprehensive list of all professional and educational experiences to date. Work experience should include employer names, titles, and dates starting with the most recent position. Education should include institutions, dates, and degrees earned.
Two Letters of Recommendation – Recommenders should have firsthand knowledge of a candidate’s professional skills, abilities, and performance. We recommend that at least one letter come from a direct supervisor. Click the following link for the current list of questions asked of recommenders: EMBA Recommender Questions.
Three Required Essays (and a Fourth Optional Essay) – Essays must be uploaded into the application. Click the following link for the current list of essay questions: EMBA Essay Questions.
All Official Education Transcripts – Transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended must be uploaded into the online application. Upon admission, students must provide original transcripts and/or degree documentation to the Admissions Office prior to the first day of class in order to enroll.
Statement of Corporate Support – Candidates must demonstrate employer support of their participation in the program by submitting a Statement of Corporate Support form, signed by a supervisor or human resources representative. Self-employed applicants may request a waiver of this requirement.

Interview – Admissions interviews may be conducted prior to submission of a completed application. Candidates can request an interview by sending a copy of their resume to the Admissions Office at rossemba@umich.edu. Once a request is received, an admissions staff member will contact the candidate to schedule the interview.

Bachelor's Degree – Before enrolling, students must complete the equivalent of a four-year U.S. bachelor's degree. We reserve the right to review each applicant’s academic records to determine whether the credentials presented from a non-U.S. institution qualify for consideration.

Foreign Language Speaking Candidates – We welcome a diverse collection of proven leaders from around the world. Candidates whose native language is not English must demonstrate fluency by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Those who have worked in the U.S. full-time for two or more years in the last five years, or who hold a degree from an institution in which English is the language of instruction, typically may waive the TOEFL requirement. However, this is up to the admissions committee. To register for TOEFL, please visit www.toefl.org.

Quantitative Skills – Candidates whose backgrounds do not include demonstrated proficiency in basic quantitative and analytic skills may be required to take a quantitative skills assessment test prior to admission. Please contact us for more information.