MBA eligibility is the stepping stone in determining whether candidates are eligible to apply for an MBA course. The general MBA eligibility criteria is securing a minimum of 50% marks in graduation. Students from any field are eligible for MBA admission, but some colleges such as IIT Kharagpur require students to hold a 4-year bachelor’s degree. MBA has no age limit for students but certain MBA Exams like ATMA require the student to be 21 years of age at the time of exam.
MBA can be done after completion of 3 or 4-year graduation (depending on the MBA college’s eligibility criteria). Apart from general MBA eligibility criteria; there are additional requirements such as work experience (in case of Executive MBA and MBA Abroad), entrance exam score, and performance in group discussion and personal interview round; all of which are subjective and depend on which MBA college a student is aiming for. Under MBA eligibility criteria, there are certain relaxations for reserved category students. Many MBA colleges and entrance exams offer a minimum of 5% relaxation in graduation for SC/ST/PwD/OBC categories.
MBA eligibility in Top MBA Colleges such as IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, and IIM Calcutta is securing minimum cut-off score in CAT Exam. 12th marks, graduation scores, portfolio, and most importantly performance in group discussion and personal interview (GD/PI) round matters when considering the chances to get MBA Admission in IIMs. Securing more than 80% marks in class 12th and graduation is crucial to getting admission to top MBA colleges.
Table of Contents
- Eligibility for MBA Colleges
- MBA Eligibility in IIM
- MBA Eligibility in IGNOU
- Eligibility for MBA Entrance
4.1 CAT
4.2 XAT
4.3 CMAT
4.4 GMAT
4.5 ATMA
4.6 MAH CET
4.7 TANCET
4.8 SNAP
4.9 OPENMAT
5.1 Canada
5.2 USA
5.3 Germany
5.4 Harvard
MBA Eligibility in Top MBA Colleges
There are many colleges in India that offer MBA programs. IIMs, IITs, FMS New Delhi are some of the top MBA colleges in terms of the course curriculum and MBA placements. The table below summarizes the MBA eligibility criteria for all the top MBA colleges.
Note: The eligibility criteria for all the IIMs, and IITs are similar.
| College Name | Eligibility |
|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | A bachelors’ degree of minimum 3-Years after 10+2 examination, from a recognized board with a minimum aggregate of 50% (45% for SC/ST/PwD). |
| Candidates in the final year of graduation are also eligible, provided they have a certificate from the head of the college. | |
| A valid cut-off score of CAT/GMAT. | |
| Candidates with work experience will be preferred. | |
| IIT Kharagpur | A bachelor’s degree of minimum 4-Years in Engineering/Technology or related fields or a masters’ degree in science, economics, or commerce with maths at the bachelors’ level. |
| The candidate should have a graduation score of 60% (General/OBC) or 55% (SC/ST/PwD). | |
| Candidates in their final year of graduation are also eligible only if they submit a certificate from the head of the college before the deadline. | |
| FMS New Delhi | A bachelors’ degree in any discipline after 10+2 examination, from a recognized board. |
| The candidate must have a graduation percentage of 50% (45% for SC/ST/PwD). | |
| Candidates appearing in their final term can also apply, provided that they fulfill the eligibility criteria at the time of admission. | |
| IIFT New Delhi | A bachelors’ degree in any discipline after 10+2 examination, from a recognized board. |
| The candidate must have a graduation percentage of 50% (45% for SC/ST/PwD). | |
| Candidates appearing in their final term can also apply if they submit the qualification proof before October. | |
| No age limit. | |
| XLRI Jamshedpur | A bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university. |
| Candidates completing their graduation by June are also eligible. | |
| MDI Gurgaon | A bachelors’ degree of minimum 4-Years in any discipline after 10+2 examination, from a recognized board. |
| The candidate must have a graduation percentage of 50%. | |
| Candidates appearing in their final term can also apply, if they complete their graduation before June and provide all evidence by October. | |
| For PGDM-IB, a minimum 1-Year work experience is required. | |
| IGNOU | Graduation from any stream (including Chartered Accountancy/Cost Accountancy/Company Secretaryship) with a minimum 50% aggregate for general category, and 45% for reserved category. |
| Clearance of OPENMAT IGNOU conducted by NTA. | |
| There is no age bar set for IGNOU MBA Admissions. | |
| IPU New Delhi | Bachelor’s degree of three or more years in any stream from a recognized university with a minimum 50% aggregate. |
| Clearance of CAT exam, along with CMAT with a minimum cut-off score. (if seats are left vacant, then IPU conducts its own CET for admissions) | |
| Age should not be beyond 35 years | |
| Christ University, Bangalore | Graduation degree in any stream with a 50% aggregate or more. |
| Candidates applying for international MBA curriculums should follow eligibility according to AIU stipulations. | |
| NMIMS Mumbai | A bachelor’s degree (10+2+3) in any discipline from a UGC recognized university with 50% aggregate. |
| For EMBA and MBA part-time, a minimum work experience of 5 years, and 2 years, respectively is required. | |
| Symbiosis Pune | Graduation from a recognized university with 50% aggregate (45% for SC/ST). |
| Students in the final year of graduation can also apply, if they score 50% in the final examination. | |
| SPJIMR Mumbai | Bachelor’s degree in any discipline with 50% aggregate from a recognized university. |
| Students in the final year of graduation/ awaiting for results with 50% aggregate in previous examinations can also apply, if they submit a provisional certificate from college. | |
| Indian students pursuing a bachelor’s degree from abroad can also apply, if their college or university is recognized by AIU. |
MBA Eligibility in IIM
- Aspirants must have passed their 10+2 in any stream with a minimum aggregate of 60% marks from a recognized Board.
- Complete graduation with at least 50% score from a recognized University. There will be a 5% relaxation on the minimum score for the candidates belonging to ST/ SC categories.
- Aspirants must have to crack tests such as Common Admission Test (CAT) and Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) for international students.
- Shortlisted candidates may also be called for Group Discussion or Personal interview rounds.
- The average fees for pursuing an MBA course in IIM is between INR 8,00,000 to INR 25,00,000.
MBA Eligibility Criteria in IGNOU
- Aspirants willing to get admission to MBA courses in IGNOU must have completed their 10+2 with a minimum of 50% score from a recognized Board.
- Must have completed bachelor's degree in any field with at least 50% for general category while 45% marks for candidates belonging to reserved categories.
- Candidates are required to qualify the Eligibility test called OPENMAT conducted at the national level with a score more than 65.
- The average fees for pursuing MBA in IGNOU is around INR 18,900 per year.
MBA Entrance Exams Eligbility
MBA admissions in India are mainly conducted through entrance exams like CAT, MAT, XAT, etc.
All of these entrance exams offer admissions to different MBA colleges. They all have their own set of eligibility criteria which a candidate is expected to follow when they apply for these MBA entrance exams.
The eligibility criteria for different types of MBA entrance exams are mentioned below:
CAT
Common Admission Test or CAT is conducted every year by IIMs on a rotational basis, around the month of November. Know More: CAT 2023
The eligibility criteria is mentioned below:
- The candidate must hold a bachelors’ degree or equivalent from a recognized university/board.
- The students in the final year of graduation can also appear for the CAT exam.
- The candidates must have scored 50% marks or equivalent CGPA in their graduation. A relaxation of 5% is applicable for students belonging to the reserved category (SC/ST/PwD).
- The candidates holding CA, CS, or ICMA degrees are also allowed to apply for the exam.
- There is no age limit for giving the CAT exam.
Check:
XAT
Xavier Aptitude Test or XAT is conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur, for admissions in MBA/PGDM programs in XLRI and other top MBA colleges such as XIMB Bhubaneswar, IMT Ghaziabad, and others. Know More: XAT 2023
The eligibility criteria is mentioned below:
- The students must have completed their 3-Year bachelors’ degree in any discipline from a recognized university.
- Students in the last year of their graduation can apply, given they have no backlog on their mark sheet.
- Students with Indian citizenship can apply for XAT. Foreign students from Dubai and Kathmandu can also apply for XAT, as they have XAT centers.
- There is no age limit for applying to the XAT exam.
Check:
CMAT
Common Management Admission Test or CMAT is a national level management entrance exam held by the NTA every year for admissions in management colleges approved by AICTE. Know More: CMAT 2023
The CMAT eligibility criteria is mentioned below:
- A candidate with a bachelors’ degree (10+2+3) in any discipline can apply for CMAT.
- Those who are in the final year of their graduation can also apply.
- Only candidates with Indian citizenship can apply.
- There is no age limit for giving the CMAT exam.
Check:
GMAT
Graduate Management Admission Test or GMAT is the management test for admissions in management and business schools globally. Know More MBA through GMAT
The GMAT eligibility criteria is mentioned below:
- The candidate should have a basic education qualification from any recognized university.
- The candidate must have a valid passport.
- The candidate must be 18 years of age when applying for the GMAT exam. A candidate below 18 years of age must hold a no-objection certificate from the guardian.
- Applicants can appear for GMAT only 5 times a year and 8 times a lifetime.
Check:
ATMA
AIMS Test for Management School (ATMA) is a national level entrance exam conducted by the Association of Indian Management Schools (AIMS) for admission to MBA/PGDM courses. Know More ATMA 2023
ATMA eligibility criteria is summarized below:
- The candidate must have completed his graduation from a recognized university with a minimum aggregate of 50% or equivalent CGPA.
- The students in the final year of their graduation are also eligible for ATMA.
- The candidate must be a citizen of India.
- The candidate must be 21 years of age at the time of the exam.
Check:
MAH CET
MAH CET is a state-level entrance exam conducted by DTE Maharashtra for admission to MBA programmes offered by participating colleges in Maharashtra. Check: MAH CET 2023
The eligibility criteria for MAH CET is mentioned below:
- The candidate must have a 3-Year Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline with at least 50% marks from a university recognized by UGC/AIU.
- The candidate in the final year of his graduation is also eligible.
- For reserved category candidates and a person with a disability belonging to Maharashtra State, a 5% relaxation in the graduation score is granted.
- Candidates who belong to a reserved category must produce a “Caste Validity Certificate” issued by the Scrutiny Committee of Social Welfare Department and candidates belonging to the ST department should submit a “Tribal Validity Certificate” issued by the Scrutiny Committee of Tribal department.
- Any other reserved category student needs to have a valid Non-Creamy layer certificate.
Check:
TANCET
Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test or TANCET is conducted by Anna University, Chennai for admissions in MBA programs in Tamil Nadu. Know More: TANCET 2023
The eligibility criteria is mentioned below:
- The candidate must hold a bachelors’ degree in any discipline from a recognized university.
- The candidate must have a graduation score of 50% or equivalent CGPA.
- Only the candidates with a full-time bachelors’ degree are eligible to apply for TANCET.
Check:
SNAP
Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP) is a national level exam for MBA admissions in Symbiosis MBA Colleges. Check: SNAP 2023
The exam is conducted in the months of December and January.
The SNAP eligibility criteria for MBA admissions is mentioned below:
- The candidate must have completed their 3 or 4-Year bachelors’ degree from a recognized university.
- The candidate must have a graduation score of 50%. Reserved category candidates are offered a 5% relaxation.
- Candidates who are applying with a foreign degree must attain a certificate of equivalence from the Association of Indian Universities (AIU).
- There is no age limit for applying to the SNAP exam.
- For some MBA programs offered through SNAP, work experience is also required.
- MBA Business Analytics: 2-Years full-time work experience after graduation.
- MBA Energy and Environment: Full-time work experience for more than a year after graduation.
- MBA Leadership and Strategy: 4-Years full-time work experience after graduation.
Check:
NMAT
NMAT by Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAC) is conducted every year for admissions in MBA programs offered by participating NMAT colleges like NMIMS, SPJIMR, ISB, XIMB, VIT, etc. Check NMAT 2023
The eligibility criteria for NMAT entrance exam is mentioned below:
- The candidate must hold a bachelors’ degree (10+2+3/4) from a recognized university with a minimum aggregate of 50%.
- There is no relaxation offered to reserved category candidates. However, some colleges reserve their seats for widows, wards of armed forces personnel killed, and Kashmiri Migrants.
- Foreign candidates with a GMAT score of 600 or above (of the last 3 years) can also apply. They should have a work experience of 2-Years or more.
Check:
OPENMAT
OPENMAT is a national-level entrance examination for admission to MBA programmes from IGNOU.
The exam is conducted around the month of September.
The eligibility criteria for OPENMAT entrance exam is mentioned below:
- The candidate must have completed their bachelors’ degree in any discipline from a recognized board.
- Chartered Accountancy/Cost Accountancy/Company Secretaryship students are also eligible for OPENMAT.
- The candidates must have a graduation score of 50% or equivalent CGPA. The reserved category students (SC/ST/PwD) are granted 5% relaxation in their graduation percentage.
- There is no age limit for giving OPENMAT.
MBA Eligibility Abroad
MBA abroad is offered with various specializations. Aspirants seeking to pursue MBA from foreign universities must fulfill the Eligibility requirements set by the College/University.
Candidates wishing to get admission to MBA Abroad must complete their bachelor's with a minimum aggregate score of 50% from a recognized University. They are required to gain at least 3-5 years of working experience in the same field and qualify the required Language proficiency test.
Check:
MBA Eligibility in Canada
- Candidates wishing to pursue an MBA course in Canada must have completed their 10+2 and their bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks from a recognized University.
- One must also sit for any English Language Proficiency Test to prove their fluency in English Language.
- For admission to top MBA colleges in Canada, one may also be required to qualify the GMAT entrance exam with the minimum score of 550 - 600 and 2-3 years of working experience.
- The average fees for MBA in Canada ranges between INR 11,00,000 to INR 59,00,000 which varies from college to college.
See More:
| MBA Admissions in Canada | MBA in Canada without experience |
| Executive MBA in Canada | MBA in Canada without GMAT |
MBA Eligibility in USA
- Aspirants must have completed their under graduation in the same field with at least 78% marks from a recognized University.
- Candidates are required to crack exams such as GRE or GMAT.
- The average fees for pursuing MBA in the USA ranges between INR 80,00,000 to INR 1,20,00,000 depending upon the institution chosen.
- The candidates must pass the IELTS or TOEFL (90-110) English proficiency test and gain at least 3-7 years of working experience.
See More:
| MBA in USA without GMAT | MBA in USA without work experience |
| Executive MBA in USA | MBA in USA in less cost |
MBA Eligibility in Germany
- Candidates seeking admission to MBA courses in Germany must have a bachelor's degree from a recognized University.
- For Admission to top MBA colleges in Germany, one should also qualify the GMAT exam with a score above 550 or more and work experience of 2 to 3 years are mandatory.
- Aspirants are also required to sit for any English Language Proficiency test such as IELTS (6.5 - 8) TOEFL (90 - 100). Some colleges/universities also accept PTE scores.
- The average fees for MBA in Germany ranges between INR 13,00,000 to INR 33,00,000 depending upon the Institute.
See Also: MBA in germany without GMAT
Harvard Business School MBA Eligibility
MBA at Harvard is taught through case method courses, field projects, multimedia simulations, students will exercise the leadership skills they will practice in business and beyond. The eligibility is mentioned in tabulated form below:
| Parameter | Eligibility |
|---|---|
| Class 12th | No specific cutoff mentioned |
| Bachelors | No specific cutoff mentioned Applicant is required to hold a college or university degree equivalent to a four-year American baccalaureate degree Equivalent degrees include international three-year bachelor degree programs |
| Work experience | Required Program is designed for students who have full-time work experience before matriculation Applicants should focus on their roles, responsibilities, and what they have learned from the types of work experiences that they have been involved in |
| Exams | TOEFL : Accepted Harvard Business School does not have a minimum test score to apply, however, the MBA Admissions Board discourages any candidate with a TOEFL score lower than 109 for applying IELTS : Accepted Harvard Business School does not have a minimum test score to apply, however, the MBA Admissions Board discourages any candidate with an IELTS score lower than 7.5 from applying PTE : Accepted Harvard Business School does not have a minimum test score to apply, however, the MBA Admissions Board discourages any candidate with a PTE score lower than 75 from applying GRE : Accepted GMAT : Accepted |
| Additional info | Students who have received their bachelor's degree or any graduate degree from a university where English is the sole language of instruction are waived from ELP requirements. |
MBA Eligibility for Different Types of MBA
The table below summarizes the MBA eligibility criteria for different types of MBA available in India.
| Type of MBA | Eligibility |
|---|---|
| Regular MBA | A bachelor’s degree (10+2+3/4) from a recognized university with a 50% aggregate (45% for SC/ST/PwD) and valid score in entrance exams. |
| Executive MBA | A bachelors’ degree (Engineering/B.Sc./BBA/B.Com) from a recognized university with a 50% aggregate. |
| A minimum full-time work experience of 2-Years and above. | |
| Valid scores in MBA entrance exams. | |
| Distance MBA | Graduation with 50% score, from a recognized university. |
| A minimum cut-off score in MBA distance entrance exams. | |
| Online MBA | A bachelors’ degree from any discipline with an aggregate of 50% (45% for SC/ST/PwD) from a recognized university. |
| Candidates must have qualified MBA entrance exams like CAT, XAT, MAT, etc. Candidates with work experience are preferred. | |
| No age limit. | |
| MBA Abroad | A bachelors’ degree from any discipline from a recognized university. |
| Work experience of minimum 3 to 5-Years. Valid score in GMAT. | |
| A minimum passing score in language proficiency tests like TOEFL and IELTS. |
MBA Eligibility: FAQs
Ques. What is the eligibility criteria for MBA?
Ans. The minimum eligibility criteria for MBA is a bachelors’ degree from a recognized university with an aggregate of 50% (45% for SC/ST/PwD). The eligibility criteria varies from college to college.
Ques. Can I do an MBA with 40% marks in Graduation?
Ans. No, you cannot do MBA as most of the colleges require a minimum percentage of 50%.
Ques. Is BA eligible for MBA?
Ans. Yes, BA is eligible for MBA.
Ques. Is BSc eligible for MBA?
Ans. Yes. Yes, BSc is eligible for MBA.
Ques. What is the eligibility for MBA at IIM?
Ans. A bachelors’ degree of minimum 3-Years after 10+2 examination, from a recognized board with a minimum aggregate of 50% (45% for SC/ST/PwD) is required for MBA at IIM. Candidates in the final year of graduation are also eligible, provided they have a certificate from head of the college. A valid cut-off score of CAT/GMAT is also required.
Ques. What is the eligibility criteria for an Executive MBA?
Ans. A bachelors’ degree (Engineering/B.Sc./BBA/B.Com) from a recognized university with a 50% aggregate, a minimum full-time work experience of 2-Years and above, and valid scores in MBA entrance exams are some of the requirements for admission in Executive MBA.
Ques. What is the eligibility criteria for MBA at IIT?
Ans. A bachelor’s degree of minimum 4-Years in Engineering/Technology or related fields or a masters’ degree in science, economics, or commerce with maths at the bachelors’ level, and a graduation score of 60% (General/OBC) or 55% (SC/ST/PwD) is the eligibility criteria for MBA at IIT.
Ques. Can I get an MBA with a CGPA of 5?
Ans. Yes, you can get an MBA with a CGPA of 5 if you belong to reserved category, as they have a minimum graduation requirement of 45%.
Ques. Can biology students pursue MBA?
Ans. Yes, students from any stream be it Arts, Science, or Commerce can pursue MBA.
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