California MBA Programs That Don’t Require the GMAT or GRE

GMAT/GRE waivers are available for select students applying to any of the Chapman University Argyros School of Business MBA programs.

CIBU does not require GMAT scores for the Hospitality and Management MBA or full-time MBA program.

In lieu of submitting a GMAT score for the Alliant MBA program, the admissions committee may conduct an interview to assess an applicant’s abilities.

GMAT/GRE waivers are considered for select students applying to any of the California State University, Long Beach College of Business Administration MBA offerings.

GMAT/GRE waivers for the full-time MBA program at the California State University, Los Angeles College of Business and Economics may be offered to candidates that have at least of "significant" work experience in a managerial or similar professional role.

GMAT waivers are available for select applicants to the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics part-time MBA program at California State University, Northridge.

No GMAT is required for applicants to GGU’s Professional MBA Program. The GMAT is usually required for the Full-Time MBA and Part-Time MBA, but some exceptions exist:

1. Applicants who have an earned master’s or higher degree from a regionally accredited US institution.

2. Applicants who have a cumulative 3.5 GPA or higher in studies leading to a US bachelor’s degree from an accredited or approved institution.

3. Applicants who have a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license.

4. Applicants who have other professional licenses or designations earned by passing a nationally recognized US exam (e.g., CMA, CIA) and who petition and are granted approval from the Dean of the Business School

5. Applicants who can document more than 5 years of substantial professional and/or supervisory managerial work experience, and who petition and are granted approval from the Dean. If the applicant does not meet admissions criteria as stated in GGU’s catalog, s/he may be admitted conditionally with the approval of the academic department, in which case s/he must maintain a 3.0 GPA in their first 9 units at the University.

The PLNU Graduate Admissions team takes into account certain professional certificate programs, other graduate-level experience and the GRE in waiving the GMAT for the part-time MBA and the full-time MBA programs.

The GMAT or GRE may be waived in light of a Ph.D., MD or JD degree only for the part-time MBA or full-time MBA programs.  Applicants to the Executive MBA program may request a waiver for the GRE or GMAT if they hold a doctorate from an accredited university, or earned a 3.0 GPA or higher in undergraduate or graduate school.

Babson’s Silicon Valley campus offers a Blended Learning MBA Program does not require the GMAT.

Individuals who feel they have a competitive application may submit a GMAT/GRE waiver request prior to submission at the Leavey School of Business. Waivers are considered on a case by case basis and are not guaranteed. Your waiver request will undergo evaluation by the Admissions Committee and your decision will be emailed to you within 1 week. All waiver decisions are final.

To help you prepare in the advance, have the following documents scanned in PDF format so that you can upload them in your waiver application:

1. Your resume
2. International Evaluation Report (outside the US).  Scan and upload a copy of your WES ICAP or ECE course-by-course evaluation.  If you do not have a WES or ECE evaluation, you will be automatically denied.
3. United States Transcripts: Scan and upload a copy of your US transcripts from each institution from which you received a conferred degree or transfer credit in the United States.

Applicants can find out more information about the GMAT waiver under FAQs and can complete the following form to request a GMAT waiver.

Applicants to the Executive MBA program do not have to submit a GMAT score provided they can demonstrate, either through past academic performance or work experience, sufficient strength in the areas of quantitative and analytical reasoning.

University of Southern California – Marshall School of Business' Global Executive MBA does not require the GMAT or GRE exams.

Select applicants to the Flexible MBA or Fully Employed MBA (FEMBA) offerings at the Mihaylo College of Business may be eligible for a GMAT/GRE waiver. Those enrolling in either may earn a waiver if they have seven-plus years of professional work experience. However, those Flexible MBA applicants may also be waiver eligible if they have requisite academic experience (a MS, MD, PhD, JD, or DO degree) or an expired GMAT/GRE test that surpasses the school's score targets.

Mount Saint Mary’s full-time MBA and Evening MBA do not require the GMAT or GRE exams.

GMAT scores at not required to apply for the Evening MBA or the Online MBA program at the Notre Dame de Namur University School of Business & Management.

Applicants to the full-time or Fully Employed MBA options at the Paul Merage School of Business at UC Irvine that have a Ph.D. in a quantitative subject are exempt from submitting GMAT/GRE scores with their application. Test submission is optional for those applying to the school's Executive MBA program.

GMAT/GRE waivers are offered to select candidates applying for the 12-month accelerated full-time MBA and part-time MBA offerings at the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School. However, those applying to the Executive MBA programs are not required to submit any test scores.

Waivers for select students may be available for those applying to either the full-time or part-time MBA options at the Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management. Executive MBA applicants are not required to submit GMAT/GRE test scores, although they can strengthen one's application.

The GMAT/GRE score may be waived for applicants to the FlexMBA or full-time MBA programs who have a master’s/Ph.D. in a quantitative subject (such as engineering or science), as well as those who hold an M.D. from a U.S. medical school.

Though SFSU College of Business’s Executive MBA Program generally requires the GMAT, but it may be waived for applicants who have earned a terminal degree before applying to the program.

The University of Michigan Ross School of Business’ Los Angeles campus offers an Executive MBA does not require the GMAT scores in order to enroll.

UC Davis Graduate School of Management part-time MBA applicants may be eligible for a GMAT/GRE waiver.

For the full-time MBA program, the GMAT or GRE requirement may be waived for applicants holding an MD or PhD in the fields of science or technology.  For the part-time/Professional MBA, the GMAT or GRE requirement may be waived for applicants holding an MD or Ph.D. in the fields of science or technology.  Additionally, five or more years of work experience in these fields or business could also support a GMAT waiver; the University of San Diego also requires a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 and proof of academic success in at least one calculus course at the undergraduate level.

GMAT scores for the Executive MBA at the University of San Francisco School of Management are accepted by can be waived on a case-by-case basis.