Application Process and Deadlines

Applicants must apply electronically through the University at Buffalo Graduate Application site. To apply using the Web form, please read the instructions for applicants and click on the link to the online application. The application fee is $75.

Instructions for Applicants

Incomplete files will not be reviewed. It is expected that early applications will be complete within 30 days of original online submission. Files must be complete by deadline dates to be considered for that round. If you have any questions please feel free to contact Graduate Programs Staff at any time.

Critical Dates for Fall 2010 Applicants (Applications will open in September 2009)

Documents that must be submitted in hard copy (Do not send as e-mail attachments. Files can not go to committee until ALL documents are received):

Interviews (by invitation only - after initial review):

Submit all requested materials to:

Graduate Programs Office
School of Management
University at Buffalo
203 Alfiero Center
Buffalo, NY 14260-4010

Electronic files may be sent to som-apps@buffalo.edu - be sure to include your name on all documentation as it appears in your official application.

Please note that items being sent directly to the University at Buffalo by testing agencies should be received prior to or shortly after the application is filed and must be received by the application deadline. Incomplete files cannot be sent to the Admissions Committee.

If you have begun your application you may view your checklist to find out what materials you are missing. Please give our office two to three weeks from the time you sent the documents to update this list. NOTE: The checklist is not active until you pay the application fee.

Explanation of the necessary items to complete this application:

Application Fee

A nonrefundable fee of $75 is required. Pay online by credit card at the end of the online application process. (If credit card payment is not possible, the fee is payable in U.S. funds by check or money order payable to "State University of New York at Buffalo." Be sure to indicate your full name on the check or money order.) Cash is not accepted.

Transcripts

An official transcript from every post-secondary institution attended must be submitted. Please ask all colleges and universities you have attended to send official transcripts. All transcripts must be in English. MBA degrees cannot be conferred unless transcripts are on file from every school attended. Applicants who are currently enrolled in graduate or undergraduate courses must submit transcripts from the most recent semester completed. For example, students applying for fall admission must submit transcripts for course work taken the previous fall semester. Complete transcripts and proof of degree are required for graduation.

Applicants who attended or graduated from the University at Buffalo must request official transcripts from the Student Response Center (at no charge). The School of Management will not request transcripts. See: http://src.buffalo.edu/record/index.shtml

Letters of Recommendation

As part of the online application process you will be asked to supply the e-mail addresses of two recommenders. Your recommenders will be sent an e-mail message asking them to submit an online statement of recommendation and to rate you on ten relevant factors on the university application site. You will be notified by automated e-mail when your recommenders have completed the process. You must complete the online application and submit the application fee in order for the online statement of recommendation to be sent to your recommenders.

Calculus Requirement

A calculus prerequisite is a requirement for the full-time MBA program. The requirement is completion of one semester of college-level calculus with a "B" grade or better, or completion of two semesters of college calculus with at least "C" grades.

If you have taken a course containing calculus concepts ( functions, limits, continuity, derivatives, etc.) that is not specifically called calculus on your transcript, please contact your graduate recruiter to indicate which course fulfills the requirement.

If you have not satisfied the calculus requirement you should plan to take a calculus course in the semester (or summer) prior to your intended enrollment date.

Personal Statements

Two personal statements are required as follows:

1. Describe your career objectives. Be as specific as you can concerning the types of positions and responsibility levels to which you aspire. Include long-term as well as short-term goals. Describe your expectations concerning the role of the MBA program in achieving your goals. (Approximately 700 words.)

2. Select ONE of the following three topics and submit a response of approximately 700 words:

Résumé

Submit a résumé showing relevant work experience and education. Your résumé must be sent to som-apps@buffalo.edu as a Word document attachment. Be sure to include your full name identical to that used on the application site. Please include telephone and e-mail contact information for the two most recent workplaces shown on your résumé.

Interview

Students who meet initial screening criteria will be invited to interview with a recruiter, faculty member or alumni representative. In some cases an earlier interview during a campus visit or meeting with a recruiter will satisfy this requirement. Your graduate recruiter will advise you of your status.

Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)

You must designate the University at Buffalo as a recipient of your test score. We no longer accept paper score reports, but once you pay your application fee we will query PearsonVUE for your electronic score report. The institutional code for the School of Management MBA is K6RQX67. Visit the GMAT Web site if you have not yet taken the GMAT. The GRE and LSAT are not accepted. While the admissions committee does not have an absolute minimum, it is unlikely that a prospect with a score below the 30th percentile on either the verbal or quantitative sections of the test will be admitted.

Buffalo area testing site: Code 47075

Pearson Professional Centers-Williamsville (Buffalo) -

Driving Directions
Centerpointe Corporate Park
325 Essjay Road, Suite 104
Williamsville, NY 14221
716-565-9379

If you already have a GMAT score from ETS the school code is 002925.

Domestic Financial Assistance and Application Deadline

Domestic applications will be received on a rolling basis. The final application deadline for fall admissions is May 11; however, applicants interested in School of Management fellowships, assistantships or scholarships should submit completed applications by February 2 for priority consideration. This deadline does not apply for loan financing and other FAFSA-based financial aid.

Please note that financial assistance is generally not available for international students. All international applicants must complete the financial statement and document their ability to meet the educational and personal expenses for each year of intended study. Applications lacking sufficient financial documentation will not be reviewed.

Additional Information for International Applicants

Application deadline: March 12

Please Note: It takes approximately three to four weeks to process and prepare an international application for admissions review. The admissions committee reviews completed applications in rounds. Decisions from each round should be communicated within about a month of the application deadline. You will receive a decision by e-mail followed by a letter sent by surface mail. Any international applications arriving close to March 12, the final deadline, will be reviewed in order of receipt. Therefore, it is recommended that you apply early.

Eligibility for Graduate Admissions

International applicants must have completed an academic program equivalent to a U. S. bachelor’s degree prior to enrolling. Students may apply during the final year of such a degree program but must furnish proof of graduation before the end of the first semester of enrollment. In most cases two to three years of work experience is expected to be considered a strong applicant.

English Language Proficiency

All applicants who are not native speakers of English, including those who are transferring from or who have completed degree programs at other U.S. colleges or universities, must prove their English language proficiency by taking a standardized test and reporting the score to the university. (Important - No Certificate of Eligibility will be issued until a satisfactory language test score has been submitted.) The following tests are accepted:

TOEFL

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score report must be dated within two years of applying to this university. Further information about the TOEFL may be obtained from the U.S. Embassy or U.S. Information Service in your country or by writing the Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 6151, Princeton, NJ 08540-6151, U.S.A. The school code and department code for the University at Buffalo are 2925 and 02 respectively. The school generally requires a TOEFL score of at least 570 or 230 on the CAT TOEFL for admission. The IBT TOEFL is also accepted, with a preferred score of 100 or better and no section lower than 22. Visit the TOEFL for Web site for more information.

Pearson Test of English

The new Pearson Test of English will be accepted for admission to the UB MBA program for fall 2010. The university has established minimum acceptable scores at a 73 total and a minimum of 68 on each of the individual sections. Students who enter the program with the PTE will be required to take an institutional TOEFL after arrival at the university - at no cost. The TOEFL score will be used for benchmarking purposes since the PTE is a newly developed test. Watch the PTE Web site for testing and reporting information as it is rolled out during fall 2009.

IELTS

The IELTS is accepted for admission to the UB MBA program. The university requires a score of 6.5 overall with no section lower than 6.0. Information on testing and reporting for the IELTS can be found on their Web site. [School code: 4454]

If your English skills are not strong, you may wish to consider the English Language Institute (ELI) at this university prior to applying. ELI offers intensive English language courses during the summer (six- and twelve-week sessions), fall, and spring semesters. Information and application forms for ELI may be obtained by contacting ELI, 320 Baldy Hall, North Campus, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14260. See: UB English Language Institute

Financial Documentation

All international applicants must document their ability to meet all educational and personal expenses for the entire period of intended study (for each of the two years) before this university can issue an I-20 or IAP-66. It is essential that you read the International Applicant Financial Form carefully. Complete and return the form along with official supporting documentation as outlined in the instructions. Supporting financial documentation should be a letter from a bank official stating the funds available (liquid assets) in U.S. dollars. Photocopies will not be accepted. No certificate of eligibility will be issued without satisfactory financial documentation. Financial documentation is required for visa issuance only.

Living in the U.S.

The eduPASS Web site contains useful information about studying and living in the U.S. We strongly recommend that you look it over if you haven't been to it before. Click on the logo below:

The Personal Privacy Protection Law

The Personal Privacy Protection Law requires this notice to be provided when collecting personal information from individuals: "The information on this admissions application will be used by the School of Management at the University at Buffalo to evaluate your request for admission. Failure to provide the requested information could prevent your application from being processed. The authority to request this information is found in section 355 (2)(i) of the Education Law."

This application will be maintained in the Office of Academic Programs Administration. The official responsible for the maintenance of this information is the assistant dean, Graduate Programs Office, School of Management, University at Buffalo, 203 Alfiero Center, Buffalo, NY 14260-4010.