University of Cincinnati

• Personal statement (Specialized Master's Programs)Required

  Upload a personal statement answering the Specialized Master's Programs questions (how the MS program prepares you for your career goals, how your background prepares you, your short- or long-term career goals), plus an optional explanation of anything in the resume or application. Recommended 250-500 words, double-spaced.

• Resume (two pages maximum)Required

  Resume that clearly lists the dates of professional (full-time roles, internships, co-ops), volunteer, non-profit or other leadership experiences; no formatting requirement, no longer than two pages. (The checklist's two-years-of-work-experience recommendation names the MBA program; the MSBA program finder says work experience is not required.)

• Unofficial transcripts from every institutionRequired

  An unofficial transcript (or degree audit) from each institution attended, including in-progress coursework and even if from the University of Cincinnati, showing a complete record of courses and grades. Uploading an unofficial transcript is recommended; an official transcript may also be sent. The application is not reviewed until all transcripts are received. International applicants: transcripts must be translated into English and non-4.0 grading scales converted in the application; a NACES course-by-course evaluation may be requested in certain cases. Official transcripts follow the Graduate College policy after enrollment.

• One letter of recommendation (supervisor)1 letter · professional

  'Please select one recommender who was, or currently is, a supervisor that can speak to your professional experience.' The section is shared by all Lindner graduate programs; no alternative (e.g. academic) recommender is mentioned.

  One recommender who was, or currently is, a supervisor who can speak to your professional experience. Letters must come directly from the recommender listed on the application. The application will not move forward in review until the letter is received.

• GMAT or GREOptional

  The admissions committee accepts GMAT and GRE scores; both are currently optional and are considered if submitted. Scores must be sent directly from the testing agency (GRE school code 1833, no department code). Lindner FAQ: optional for all master's applicants beginning with the fall 2025 entry term.

• Duolingo English Test, IELTS Academic, PTE or TOEFL iBTIf your degree wasn't taught in EnglishRequired

  Duolingo English Test (minimum 115): Minimum for MBA & Specialized Master's Programs: 115. The checklist names IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo for applicants whose native language is not English.

  IELTS Academic (minimum 7): Minimum for MBA & Specialized Master's Programs: 7. Send to the 'University of Cincinnati - Graduate School' account. UC accepts only IELTS Academic (in-person or at-home), not One Skill Retake; scores must come directly from the test centre.

  PTE (UC graduate minimum 54; not named by Lindner): UC Graduate Admissions lists PTE (minimum 54) among the English tests accepted for graduate programs and notes that some programs set higher minimums. Lindner's pages name only IELTS, TOEFL and Duolingo and give no PTE minimum.

  TOEFL iBT (minimum 90, or 4.5 on the 1-6 scale): Minimum for MBA & Specialized Master's Programs: 90 (0-120 scale) or 4.5 (1-6 scale). Send with school code 1833. UC accepts in-person and at-home TOEFL scores, not TOEFL Essentials or MyBest scores; scores must come directly from the testing agency.

  Waiver / exemption: Lindner: proof of English proficiency is required of applicants who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents and who were educated in a country where the official national language is not English; the requirement is also met by completing level 112 of Intensive English instruction at an ELS Language Center. To request a TOEFL/IELTS waiver, email graduate@uc.edu after submitting the application and paying the fee. UC Graduate Admissions automatically exempts applicants who have received or will receive a bachelor's or higher degree from a listed country where English is the official language (e.g. Australia, Canada except Quebec, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, the UK, the US), and considers waiver requests (after submission) for a degree from an entirely English-instructing institution, a passed national professional test of oral and written English (e.g. USMLE, Cambridge C2 Proficiency grade B or higher) or ELS level 112. U.S. permanent residents need no proof.

Who can apply

• Bachelor's degree (U.S. regionally accredited or international equivalent)Required

  Any student with a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution, regardless of field of study, is eligible to apply; international applicants need a U.S. bachelor's degree or an international equivalent before starting the program (three-year degrees: confirm U.S. equivalency with the WES degree equivalency tool).

• Calculus (two semesters or three quarters)Required

  MS Business Analytics prerequisite: two semesters (or three quarters) of college-level calculus. Program finder: if admitted without prerequisite courses, they may be completed before enrollment or as part of the program (additional credits and cost).

• B average (3.0 GPA) in relevant undergraduate coursework (guideline)Optional

  Applicants should have at least a B grade average (3.0 GPA or equivalent) in relevant undergraduate coursework, or otherwise show evidence of promise satisfactory to the admitting department. FAQ: a 3.0 or higher is generally a competitive GPA; non-4.0 scales must be converted in the application.

• Linear algebra or matrix methods (one course)Required

  MS Business Analytics prerequisite: one course in linear algebra or matrix methods. Program finder: if admitted without prerequisite courses, they may be completed before enrollment or as part of the program (additional credits and cost).

• Basic programming knowledge (before the program starts)Required

  A basic knowledge of computer programming is not required for admission but must be acquired before starting the program (examples: C, C++, Java, Matlab, Python, R, Ruby, SAS or Visual Basic).

• Quantitative or technical background (sought)Optional

  The program 'seeks full-time and part-time students with quantitative or technical backgrounds (mathematics, engineering, statistics, science, economics, etc.)'. Work experience is not required.

• Essay 1 · Optional · Recommended: about 500 words for these 2 questions togetherIs there something in your resume or application that needs a brief explanation? Areas in this field may include academic outliers, career breaks, completion of additional coursework, etc.

  Is there something in your resume or application that needs a brief explanation? Areas in this field may include academic outliers, career breaks, completion of additional coursework, etc.

• Essay 2 · Required · Recommended: about 500 words for these 2 questions togetherAt the University of Cincinnati Lindner College of Business, we value thought-driven leaders. With this in mind, please upload a personal statement expressing the following: How will the MS program prepare you to meet your career goals? How does your background prepare you to be successful in the program? What short- or long-term career goals do you have?

  At the University of Cincinnati Lindner College of Business, we value thought-driven leaders. With this in mind, please upload a personal statement expressing the following: How will the MS program prepare you to meet your career goals? How does your background prepare you to be successful in the program? What short- or long-term career goals do you have?