Master of Business Analytics · Starts Fall 2027 · Smeal College of Business
The Pennsylvania State University
Master of Business Analytics
Next deadline
Dec 1, 202655 days
Round 2
The school's page doesn't print the year. Confirm with the school.
- Application fee
- $65 (international $85)
- Recommendations
- None
- Essays
- 1 required
- Interview / video
- Kira Talent one-way virtual interview (3 behavioral questions)
Source:Preparing to Apply - J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School at Penn State ↗· checked Oct 4, 2026
We collect this from the school's official pages and check it regularly, but schools change things. Confirm with the school before you apply.
Deadlines
Oct 1, 2026
Passed
Round 1
The school's page doesn't print the year. Confirm with the school.
Dec 1, 2026
55 daysRound 2
The school's page doesn't print the year. Confirm with the school.
Feb 1, 2027
117 daysRound 3
The school's page doesn't print the year. Confirm with the school.
Apr 1, 2027
176 daysRound 4
The school's page doesn't print the year. Confirm with the school.
The school gives dates only, no time of day — confirm the exact cutoff with the school.
How the rounds work
Four rounds (October 1, December 1, February 1, April 1; printed without a year). The admissions page adds: 'Applications are reviewed and decisions are made on a rolling basis.'
International applicants
International applicants must submit TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic scores, with exemptions (degree from a listed English-speaking country; Penn State's Intensive English Communication Program; optional for current Penn State students). Minimums (Fox Graduate School): TOEFL iBT 4.5 overall with 3.5 speaking (80 overall with 19 speaking for tests before January 21, 2026); IELTS Academic 6.5. International applicants are strongly encouraged to apply by the third round deadline, February 1, to allow for the visa process. Only the equivalent of a four-year U.S. bachelor's degree can be considered. The I-20 can be requested after admission and payment of the enrollment deposit. STEM-designated: 24 additional months of OPT (36 in total).
Source:Program Admissions — Penn State Smeal M-BAN ↗· checked Oct 4, 2026
Requirements
ResumeRequired
A current resume including any work experience and secondary education up to the date of application.
Copies of transcripts (and degree certificates) with the applicationRequired
Upload copies of official educational transcripts/records and degree certificates, if applicable, from all institutions attended; uploaded copies are treated as unofficial. Official/original transcripts are required for any degree earned, with instructions sent if you are recommended for admission. Former Penn State undergraduates do not need to submit Penn State transcripts.
References (three contacts; letters of recommendation not required)No recommendation letters
Three professional or academic reference contacts are listed in the application; no letters are requested.
Reference contacts (3): names, titles, relationships and contact information for three professional or academic references. 'A letter of recommendation will not be requested or required.' The program may contact the references if it needs more information.
GMAT (not required; scores not accepted)Not accepted
Graduate Bulletin (2026-2027): GMAT and/or GRE scores will not be required and will not be accepted. The program home page also says 'No GMAT required'.
GRE (not required; scores not accepted)Not accepted
Graduate Bulletin (2026-2027), Admission Requirements: 'GMAT and/or GRE scores will not be required for admission. Accordingly, these scores will not be accepted.'
Duolingo English Test (not listed)If your degree wasn't taught in EnglishNot accepted
Not listed: the Fox Graduate School names only the TOEFL iBT or the IELTS Academic Test, and the MBAN international page names TOEFL or IELTS.
IELTS Academic or TOEFL iBTIf your degree wasn't taught in EnglishRequired
IELTS Academic: Minimum overall band score 6.5 (Fox Graduate School). Official scores must come directly from the testing agency.
TOEFL iBT: Minimum (Fox Graduate School): overall score of at least 4.5 with 3.5 or greater on speaking; for tests taken before January 21, 2026, overall 80 with speaking 19. Official scores must come directly from the testing agency.
Waiver / exemption: Exempt: applicants with a baccalaureate or graduate degree from one of the countries the Fox Graduate School lists (e.g. Australia, Canada except Quebec, Ghana, Kenya, New Zealand, Nigeria, Singapore, South Africa, the UK, Ireland, the U.S.); applicants who complete Penn State's Intensive English Communication Program certification. The MBAN international page says a TOEFL or IELTS is optional for current Penn State students. Scores below the minimums may lead to provisional admission.
PTE Academic (not listed)If your degree wasn't taught in EnglishNot accepted
Not listed: the Fox Graduate School names only the TOEFL iBT or the IELTS Academic Test, and the MBAN international page names TOEFL or IELTS.
Kira Talent one-way virtual interview (3 behavioral questions)Required · with the application · Kira Talent
Part 2 of the application: within 24 hours of initiating the online application you receive a Kira Talent link; record answers to three behavioral questions on video, with limited preparation time and a set response time. Complete the interview and the written essay within seven business days of submitting the Graduate School application (the admissions page says seven days). The application is not complete or evaluated until this part is done.
Sources:Preparing to Apply - J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School at Penn State ↗ ·Business Analytics ↗ ·Apply to the Penn State Smeal MBAN — Penn State Smeal M-BAN ↗· checked Oct 4, 2026
Essays
School guidance · RequiredAfter completing the virtual interview in Kira, you will be asked to respond to an admissions essay question in written form during a timed session.
After completing the virtual interview in Kira, you will be asked to respond to an admissions essay question in written form during a timed session.
The program's actual essay question is inside the application.
Want feedback on your draft? Essay check (sign in, free to try).
Source:Apply to the Penn State Smeal MBAN — Penn State Smeal M-BAN ↗· checked Oct 4, 2026
Admissions events
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