University of Massachusetts Amherst

• Personal statement (one to two pages)Required

  A personal essay of one to two pages on past and current academic and professional history, future goals and reasons for pursuing the MSBA (see essay_prompts). Listed in the FAQ's application requirements.

• Resumé/CVRequired

  Your resume should outline your work history; recent college graduates should include internships, community service, student and civic club membership, and athletics. 'Work experience is not a requirement for admission to the MSBA, but will enhance your application.'

• Transcripts from all colleges/universities attended (unofficial accepted to apply)Required

  Transcripts from all colleges/universities attended, undergraduate and graduate, where nine (9) or more credits were earned. Unofficial transcripts uploaded to the 'Additional Materials' page of the application are acceptable; upon admittance, official transcripts go directly from each registrar to the Graduate Student Service Center (international transcripts in paper format). If a transcript doesn't show the degree title and date awarded, the diploma and/or degree certificate is also needed. Non-English documents need an official English translation or a NACES credential evaluation. The FAQ's requirements list says 'Official transcripts of all universities/colleges attended'.

• Two letters of recommendation2 letters

  Admissions page: 'Two professional references are encouraged, but one academic and one professional reference is acceptable.' FAQ: 'If you are a current or recent undergraduate student, two academic references are acceptable. If you have a few years or more of work experience, at least one professional reference is preferred.'

  Two letters from individuals who know you on a professional level and well enough to give specific examples of your past performance and competencies. The FAQ lists 'Two letters of recommendation' among the application requirements. The Graduate School emails each recommender named in the application.

• GMAT (or GRE); waiver for a 3.0+ GPA or GRE (or GMAT); waiver for a 3.0+ GPARequired — waiver possible

  GMAT (or GRE); waiver for a 3.0+ GPA: GMAT or GRE score; 'GMAT/GRE score (waiver may apply)' in the FAQ's requirements list. School code: Isenberg-UMass Amherst - 3917.

  GRE (or GMAT); waiver for a 3.0+ GPA: GRE or GMAT score; 'GMAT/GRE score (waiver may apply)' in the FAQ's requirements list. School code: Isenberg-UMass Amherst - 3917.

  Waiver / exemption: 'A GMAT/GRE waiver is granted for an overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher. To be considered for the GMAT/GRE waiver, leave the application test score section blank. If you are a working professional and don’t meet the GPA qualification, waivers may be considered for individuals with professional work experience.'

• Duolingo English Test, IELTS Academic, PTE Academic or TOEFLIf your degree wasn't taught in EnglishRequired — waiver possible

  Duolingo English Test: Minimum Duolingo English Test overall score of 120 (Isenberg minimum for the MS in Business Analytics).

  IELTS Academic: Minimum IELTS Academic combined score of 7 (Isenberg minimum for the MS in Business Analytics). No superscoring.

  PTE Academic: Minimum PTE Academic overall score of 68 (Isenberg minimum for the MS in Business Analytics).

  TOEFL: Minimum combined TOEFL score of 5 for tests taken January 2026 or later; 100 for tests taken before January 2026 (Isenberg minimums for the MS in Business Analytics, higher than the Graduate School's). No superscoring (ETS MyBest scores not accepted). Scores must come directly from the testing agency; scores expire after two years. Required if your native language is not English and you are not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

  Waiver / exemption: Graduate School waiver conditions (the Isenberg international FAQ says the test is required 'unless they meet the waiver criteria listed' on the Graduate School page): citizenship of Australia, Botswana, Canada, Caribbean English speaking countries, Dominica, Gambia, Ghana, Great Britain, Guyana, Hong Kong, Ireland, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Scotland, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, West Indies, Zambia, Zimbabwe; a bachelor's or master's degree earned in the United States or one of those countries; a degree from the American University in Beirut, American University in Bulgaria, American University in Cairo, American College of Greece, Bogazici University in Turkey, Kean University in Wenzhou China, RIT in Dubai, NYU Abu Dhabi or NYU Shanghai; current full-time enrollment with two academic years of U.S. college/university coursework completed before entrance; or ECFMG certification. Not required of U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

Who can apply

• Bachelor's degree or equivalentRequired

  'All applicants are required to have a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a recognized academic institution of acceptable standing'. Students may apply while still enrolled as undergraduates (conditional approval pending final grades and degree confirmation). Prior business education is not required. Isenberg admissions page: a three-year bachelor's degree 'may be considered sufficient if an official course-by-course credential evaluation' from a NACES member shows it is equivalent to a four-year U.S. degree. The Graduate School's international applicants page: 'Three-year Indian bachelor of arts, science, and commerce degrees and other three-year Asian degrees are not considered to be equivalent to a four-year US baccalaureate degree', and a three-year degree 'with a year of full-time master's degree coursework may be considered sufficient' with a NACES evaluation.

• Calculus coursework (encouraged, not required)Optional

  'coursework in subjects such as calculus, statistics or probability is encouraged, but not required.' For UMass Amherst students this is equivalent to an R2 General Education Requirement.

• GPA of 3.0 or above sought (not a cutoff)Optional

  FAQ: 'We are looking for applicants with a minimum GPA of 3.0 or above. However, applicants who are below a 3.0 are not excluded from applying as we look at application materials holistically.' The Graduate School minimum: 'Applicants should have a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale.'

• Statistics or probability coursework (encouraged, not required)Optional

  'coursework in subjects such as calculus, statistics or probability is encouraged, but not required.'

• Essay 1 · Required · Recommended: about 2 pagesA personal essay should be one to two pages in length, and include information about your past and current academic and professional history, your future goals and reasons for pursuing the MSBA, and other pertinent details that will help us evaluate you as a candidate.

  A personal essay should be one to two pages in length, and include information about your past and current academic and professional history, your future goals and reasons for pursuing the MSBA, and other pertinent details that will help us evaluate you as a candidate.

• Essay 2 · 600 wordsAt UMass Amherst, no two students are alike. Our communities and groups often define us and shape our individual worlds. Community can refer to various aspects, including shared geography, religion, race/ethnicity, income, ideology, ability, sexuality, gender, and more. Please choose one of your communities or groups and describe its significance. In no more than 600 words, explain how your experience in this community or group would enable you to enrich the following: 1. Your department/program/our campus 2. Your field/discipline

  At UMass Amherst, no two students are alike. Our communities and groups often define us and shape our individual worlds. Community can refer to various aspects, including shared geography, religion, race/ethnicity, income, ideology, ability, sexuality, gender, and more. Please choose one of your communities or groups and describe its significance. In no more than 600 words, explain how your experience in this community or group would enable you to enrich the following: 1. Your department/program/our campus 2. Your field/discipline