MIT Sloan Fellows MBA Overview

What do I need to do in order to apply for the SFMBA program?

Please see our How to Apply page for instructions and application components.

How does the Admissions process work?

After each application deadline, our professionally trained Admissions Committee reviews all applications. Based on our initial assessment, a subset of applicants is invited to interview with us.

Who makes up the Admissions Committee?

Our Admissions Committee is comprised of professional staff members within the MIT Sloan community. The Admissions Committee will review your application and a member of the committee will conduct your interview. Current students are not involved in the evaluation process.

Are some parts of the application weighted more than others?

Our Admissions Committee will carefully consider all application materials you submit. No single component is more or less important than another.

Does MIT Sloan let applicants apply as a couple?

Each person must submit a separate application and is considered individually, however, there is a place in the application where you can let us know if a family member, spouse, or significant other (SO) is applying as well.

In the application, we’ll also ask you if you have an SO or children who will be accompanying you to Cambridge. Families play a significant role in the SFMBA community and there is special programming for families throughout the year.

Does MIT Sloan have rolling admissions?

MIT Sloan does not have rolling admissions. We review applications in two rounds, each with its own deadline. We begin our review process immediately following each deadline.

Are there advantages to applying in Round 1?

The advantage to applying in Round 1 is that there are more available seats in the class. However, we do admit candidates in Round 2 and you should apply only when you have fully completed your application to the best of your ability. For international candidates, we typically recommend applying in Round 1 to provide ample time for the visa process.

Can I apply in multiple application rounds?

You can only apply once per year.

Is it possible to waive the application fee?

We are still determining eligibility criteria for fee waivers, more details will be available by early September 2023.

Do you compare all international applicants against one another?

No. We consider all applications individually in accordance with our evaluation standards.

How does the waitlist work at MIT Sloan?

If you are waitlisted in a round and accept a place on the waitlist, you will be automatically considered in the next round and will receive an updated decision in that round.

Do you offer deferrals?

Deferral requests are approved on a case-by-case basis. Applicants are encouraged to apply during the year in which they hope to matriculate.

What is the format of the interview?

If you are invited to interview, you will meet one-on-one with a member of the Admissions Committee. We conduct behavioral interviews in which we’ll ask you to provide specific examples of your personal and professional behavior, such as how you have exhibited leadership, built relationships, influenced others, and made decisions. Your interview will last about 30 minutes. All interviews will be conducted virtually.

What are you looking for when interviewing candidates?

Our goal with the interview is to get to know you better. We are interested in hearing specific examples of how you have demonstrated leadership and solved complex problems in your career thus far. Additionally, we will plan to ask you more about why the SFMBA program is the best fit for you and how it will enable you to meet your professional goals. Together, these things will help us evaluate the strengths you will bring to the MIT Sloan community.

Finally, we look for professional presentation and communication, as well as English language proficiency.

When are interviews for each Round?

Round 1 interviews take place in late October through early December and Round 2 usually occurs in late-January and early-February.

Do I need to mail in copies of my transcripts?

As part of the application, you are required to scan and upload a legible copy of your transcript(s) from all colleges and universities you attended. If your transcript(s) are not in English, you will need to upload the original and a certified translation.

If admitted, you will receive further instructions on submitting your official signed and sealed transcripts. Any discrepancies between the scanned transcripts and official transcripts may result in a rejection or a withdrawal of our offer of admission.

Should I include non-degree coursework in my application?

Yes! If you earned special certifications or took professional development courses in your spare time, please tell us about them. Feel free to submit academic evidence not already on your transcripts, such as: professional certifications CFA, CPA, ACCA, among others; non-degree coursework such as MITx MicroMasters, CORe, edX, MBA Math, or any other non-degree coursework you completed. All of this information will assist the Admissions Committee in the evaluation process.

If my transcript is not in English, does it need to be translated?

Yes! You are required to upload both the original transcript and a certified translation.

If I did my undergraduate studies outside of the United States, should I convert my GPA?

You do not need to convert your GPA for the online application. Simply enter in the grading system used by your college or university. We are familiar with the various grading systems and can evaluate it on our end.

My university does not provide class rank. What should I do?

Many schools do not provide a class ranking system so you may leave this blank on your application.

How relevant is my undergraduate GPA to the Admissions Committee?

We want to see your undergraduate GPA, but we understand that it has been a number of years since you were an undergraduate student. This is just one piece of information and we will consider your GPA alongside other (more recent) pieces of your application—like your test score and professional accomplishments.

Do I need work experience to apply to the SFMBA program?


The SFMBA program is designed for mid-career professionals who want to dedicate a year of immersive learning in areas of leadership, management, and innovation. Incoming SFMBA students have an average of 14 years of work experience which can help leverage the opportunities at MIT Sloan. Use your own judgment in deciding the best time for you to pursue an MBA within the MIT Sloan Fellows program. If you do not have significant work experience, you might consider applying to our MBA program where incoming students have an average of two to five years of work experience.

If you’ve been out of the workforce or absent from work for a period of time, will that affect my chances of being admitted?

Not necessarily. Make sure you address any gaps in employment in your application. Please explain why you weren’t working and let us know what you were doing during that time.

Are there specific types of work experience and industries that you look for in potential candidates? Would lack of work experience in a major organization count against me in my application, despite the success of my independent venture?

We do not prefer any specific industry experience. Instead, we want to see that you’ve been successful at whatever it is you’ve chosen to do prior to applying to the SFMBA program. Experiences at small organizations, startups, and big corporations can all provide distinct, valuable, and rich experiences. Overall, we look for candidates who have demonstrated leadership and who have had exposure to various functional areas within their organization and careers.

How do you factor in applicants with advanced degrees (previous MBA, PhD, etc.)? Am I eligible to apply?


Yes, candidates with previous advanced degrees are eligible to apply! You should, however, detail on your application why you are pursuing an MIT Sloan MBA degree at this time. We consider those with an advanced degree the same as other applicants. Advanced degrees are additional evidence toward academic success, but we do not consider them over undergraduate transcripts.

Is there any academic preparation or pre-requisites required prior to applying or enrolling? Should I take any finance or accounting courses at a local college prior to applying to the SFMBA program, if I have no experience in those fields?

The only pre-requisites are a Bachelor’s Degree and a minimum of ten years of full-time work experience. If you feel as though you’re missing a quantitative background or want to bolster your quant ability, you may want to take a microeconomics or a calculus course. However, all incoming SFMBA admits are required to take an online math preparation course to refresh their knowledge before the program begins. (We will share more information about this step with candidates who are admitted.)

If English is not my primary language, should I take an English language course before applying?

It depends on how comfortable you are reading, speaking, and listening in English. All courses are taught in English, and student participation is expected. That being said, our SFMBA cohort is very international, and many students speak multiple languages. Occasionally, we grant conditional acceptances and may require you to take an English language course before starting the SFMBA program.

I have a three-year bachelor’s degree from outside of the U.S. Am I eligible to apply?


Yes! Candidates with a three-year bachelor’s degree from outside of the U.S. may apply.

Can you tell me my chances given my background?


We do not pre-screen application materials (including resumes) to determine eligibility. The evaluation process is holistic, meaning we must receive and review your complete and submitted application in order to evaluate your candidacy. Take a look at our Class Profile to learn more about our SFMBA students’ backgrounds and experiences.

How important are community involvement and extracurricular activities to the Admissions Committee? Is it ok if some are work related?

We are interested in learning about what is important to you and how you spend your time, whether it’s related to work or not. Please feel free to include details of extracurricular activities and hobbies on your resume and/or in your video.