What We Look For
The success of each class depends on the quality of our candidates. That’s why we assess every applicant within a holistic framework that seeks to understand all aspects of their character, qualifications, and experiences. Find out if you have what we’re looking for!
How To Apply
Fit is everything at Ivey. Our finely tuned admission process ensures we accept the right candidates for the MBA program.
Application Deadlines
Please keep in mind that we process applications on a rolling basis, and both admissions and scholarship decisions are handed out between application deadlines. You do not need to wait for a deadline to apply and decisions are made within 4-6 weeks.
2022 Admission
| Application Round | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Round 4 | September 20, 2021 |
| Round 5* | November 8, 2021 |
| Round 6* | January 10, 2022 |
*Domestic applicants only
Frequently Asked Questions
Candidates who have slightly less than two years of quality, full-time work experience when they begin the program will not be excluded from consideration in the application process. We encourage applicants to think critically about when the right time is for them to pursue an MBA; when they will be able to both contribute to and get the most out of the Ivey MBA learning experience. We also encourage applicants to keep in mind that the average work experience of successful applications is five years, and meeting the minimum requirement is not sufficient for admission.
Not if now is the right time for you? Submit your profile we’ll help determine if you’re a good fit for the Ivey MBA.
Absolutely. As a top business school, it's imperative that we ensure our graduates have the core business fundamentals to succeed. While Ivey relies heavily on the case method, we employ a number of teaching methods. Cases allow for an important decision-making context and action-orientation. That doesn’t preclude us from stepping back from a case setting and providing the fundamental basics and skill development. While Cross-Enterprise Leadership™ addresses learning from an “issues” standpoint, every Ivey student will graduate from the program with an unequalled skill in all functional areas as well.
To learn more about how we teach technical concepts using the case study method, click here.
Absolutely. Many of the world’s top recruiters come to Ivey looking for MBAs with diverse experiences and leadership qualities. Ivey consistently has the highest placement rate of any MBA program in Canada at 90%+. Through Ivey’s rigorous application process, we identify candidates who have the background and ability to excel in an intense program and achieve their career goals.
Career Management’s professional team plays an integral role in the admissions process to help determine if your expectations and goals as a candidate can be met. The real-world case-based learning you receive, combined with the partnership you develop with the Career Management team at Ivey, is what will define your success.
Yes. You will have the opportunity to specialize in career specializations that will help prepare you for specific careers. These specializations are based on recommended elective course-sets in six identified fields including Financial Services and Strategy.
Yes. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) offers a post-graduation work permit that allows international students to gain valuable Canadian work experience after completing their degree. When you graduate from Ivey, you would be eligible to apply for a one-year work permit. Spouses and common-law partners are also eligible to apply for a work permit during this time. For more information, visit the CIC website.
Our alumni are always happy to share their Ivey experience. They regularly attend our MBA events, and the best way to connect with them is to attend an Information Session or one of our Experience Events (First Class on the Road, Women in Management, MBA Fair etc.). To register for an upcoming event, visit our events website.
Ivey welcomes two sections of students each March. Ivey's Preparatory Knowledge Program (optional, Pre-Ivey programming) starts at the beginning of March, with official classes beginning mid-March.
Yes, Ivey accepts both the GMAT and the GRE. However, candidates interested in pursuing post-MBA careers in the Financial Services or Management Consulting sectors should consider writing the GMAT to ensure a competitive profile as recruiters in these industries may request a GMAT score as part of their application process. Candidates should research the application criteria for the employers-of-preference before deciding which exam to write. The Ivey team is here to advise you every step of the way.
With an alumni base of over 25,000 in 103 countries, where 1 in 2 Ivey alumni hold senior management positions (CEO, CFO, Director, etc.) in his or her organization, Ivey has more recruiters in its alumni network than other schools. We are in constant dialogue with all of the top recruiters, and work to ensure that our graduates have access to all of the top positions across various industries, functional roles and geographies. To see who recruited at Ivey this year, see our most recent employment report.
While the academic success of our candidates is considered as part of the admissions process, Ivey does not accept transfer credits from other programs. All students must complete the full year of Ivey's MBA Program.
Yes, we absolutely believe you can. We consider ourselves specialists in talent identification and development. If you are successful in being admitted to Ivey, it is our view that you do not need an internship. We also have a commitment to letting candidates know if we DO feel that an internship would be beneficial to them, and we do not admit them if we don't think they'll be successful and thrive in our program. For more on this topic, check out this article.
The best schools follow a globally held standard of how and what to report, which is driven by the MBA Career Services and Employer Alliance. While most schools will break down the percentage of students who report having an offer, it's important to try to understand the Reporting Rate: how much of the class this success-percentage is based on.
With our Employment Reports, we target a minimum of 90% of our students reporting their job status. This helps the reader feel confident that the information provided is as robust as possible. For more detailed writing on this topic, please check out this article: The Importance of a School's Employment Report When Choosing Your MBA.
We have one intake each year in March. Our optional, pre-Ivey programming (Preparatory Knowledge Program) begins at the end of February and runs for two weeks prior to the program start. The MBA program will commence during the first week of March, and will be complete by the end of March the following year.
Frequently Asked Questions About the GMAT
Not at all. Many applicants write the GMAT more than once. We only look at your highest score. If you properly prepare, you may see a big improvement the second time around — you’ll have a better sense of what to expect and you’ll be less nervous than the first time you wrote.
We only look at your highest score.
We encourage you to get in touch with us for a better understanding of how you fit with our application requirements. We look at applications holistically, and we can provide you with feedback and some coaching on your GMAT score.
The GMAT is an important part of your application, but we assess applications holistically and we consider how all the aspects of your application reflect your experience and profile.
The GMAT requirement is waived only for applicants who have passed all three levels of the CFA designation, or have a valid and competitive LSAT score.
From an admissions perspective, we view them both equally, but if you are considering a career path in Investment Banking or Management Consulting and we recommend taking the GMAT.
We are not able to make final admissions decisions until we have a completed application including a GMAT score.
Yes, some may ask for your GMAT score, particularly in fields like Investment Banking and Management Consulting.
