Admissions Requirements

General Requirements

• Completed online application
• Resume or CV
• Transcripts from all institutions attended, including conferral of your baccalaureate degree. Proof of a conferred master’s degree is required for those seeking a waiver of submitting a standardized test. Unofficial copies will be accepted for the purpose of an admissions decision, however official copies must be received after your intent to enroll is received and prior to the start of your academic term.
• Two letters of recommendation: Provide us with the contact information for three people, preferably current or former faculty members or former supervisors who can send us a recommendation on your academic and/or professional performance and motivation.
• A short, 250-300-word personal statement telling us why you want to attend Clarkson University and why you think you are a good fit for your program of interest.
• Submission of a GMAT or GRE exam. There are specific instances where the submission of theses exams may be substituted or waived; however, each circumstance is different, and you are encouraged to visit with the Office of Graduate Business Programs to discuss this requirement as it relates to the submission of your application:
  • Substitutions: Other graduate placement exams may be reported in lieu of the GMAT/GRE requirement. Accepted substitutions are as follows:
    • MCAT (Recommended score of 500 or higher)
    • LSAT (Recommended score of 155 or higher)
    • PCAT (Recommended score of 400 or higher)
    • Executive Assessment Exam (EA) (Recommended score of 150 or higher)
    • For admission to healthcare-related programs, successful completion of steps 1 and 2 of the USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Exam) or parts 1 and 2 of the NBDE (National Board Dental Examinations)
    • *Note: For exams without separate quantitative sections available, students should demonstrate a 3.0 or higher GPA in coursework in any completed mathematical course such as probability, statistics, and/or calculus (or similar courses with substantial quantitative content).
  • Waivers: The following criteria may qualify a candidate for a waiver of submitting a standardized test score:
    • Candidates with a master’s degree in engineering, professional or science field from an accredited institution. Other candidates possessing master’s degrees with be considered on a case by case basis.
    • For candidates possessing at least 3 years of professional work experience (candidates experience will be evaluated based upon the relevance and substance of the experience).
    • Clarkson University undergraduate students:
      • Have graduated from their program with a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher.
      • Is currently enrolled in an undergraduate program at Clarkson University, has completed a minimum of 90 hours of coursework, and has a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher (GPA must be maintained or higher through completion of degree regardless of time of admissions offer)
    • Any undergraduate business student enrolled in a program accredited by AACSB, EQUIS, ACBSP or IACBE*:
      • Have graduated from their program with a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher.
      • Is currently enrolled in an undergraduate program at Clarkson University, has completed a minimum of 90 hours of coursework, and has a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher (GPA must be maintained or higher through completion of degree regardless of time of admissions offer).

• AUTO ADMIT CRITERIA* (one of the following):

  • Undergraduate GPA of 3.3 or higher from a regionally accredited college/university
  • Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher AND a GMAT (or equivalent) score of 500 or higher
  • A master’s degree or above from a regionally accredited college (3.0 or higher)

  *Auto-admit criteria are for admissions purposes only. Full scholarship considerations should include a complete application. Applies only to regional accredited institutions in the United States. All other applicants will follow the prescribed requirements below.

International Student Admissions Requirements

English Language Proficiency

Clarkson University Reh School of Business graduate programs require students to engage in group discussions, class participation, and oral presentations, requiring a high proficiency in written and oral English.

Non-native English-speaking graduate applicants are therefore required to submit test scores as demonstration of their English language proficiency.

We accept the following test scores:

• TOEFL 
  • Minimum Acceptable Score: 80
  • TOEFL Essentials Score: 8.5
• IELTS 
  • Minimum Acceptable Score: 6.5
• Pearson PTE Academic 
  • Minimum Acceptable Score: 56
• Duolingo 
  • Minimum Acceptable Score: 115

Language Exam Exceptions

Please note the following exceptions to the submission of a language exam:

• English Speaking Countries: Citizens of the following English-speaking countries are not required to submit test scores: Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United Kingdom. Countries whereby English is one of but is not exclusively an official language will be considered, but is not an automatic waiver. These cases will be evaluated on an individual basis, and additional language proficiency exams may be required.
• English Language Study: Applicants, who have studied at an institution in the U.S. (or in a country where English is the only official language) for a minimum period of two semesters may, in some cases be granted a waiver of the English exam requirement. If you have studied in the U.S. for less than two semesters, you will be required to submit official test scores. This waiver is not guaranteed, and decisions will be made on an individual basis.

Note: Clarkson University retains the right to request submission of an official language exam at any time, including applicants who may meet some or all of the criteria listed above.

Equivalency to a U.S. Bachelor's

Applicants who studied at colleges and universities outside the U.S. should have a degree or diploma that is the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree or higher.

International credentials are assessed in terms of the educational pattern of the country, the type of institution attended, and the level of study completed before the expected date of enrollment at Clarkson. In general, the degree should represent a minimum of four years of college-level study, which follows at least twelve years of schooling at the elementary and secondary level.

Applicants may also submit a credential evaluation report to verify their degree equivalency in the U.S. system. Clarkson will accept credential evaluations from any organization recognized by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, NACES. Additional information may be found at www.naces.org.

The following are general guidelines for equivalents to a U.S. bachelor's degree:

• Canada: A three or four year bachelor's degree from Quebec or Ontario or a four-year bachelor's degree from the other provinces.
• Latin America: A university degree requiring four years of study.
• United Kingdom and countries following the British pattern: A bachelor's degree with honors.
• France and countries following the French pattern: A license, if earned under the terms of the Bologna Declaration, otherwise a degree or diploma requiring four years of study after the baccalaureate, usually the Maitrise.
• Germany: A Bakkalaureus degree, if earned under the terms of the Bologna Declaration, otherwise completion of the diploma.
• Other European countries: A university degree requiring a minimum of three years of study, if earned under the terms of the Bologna Declaration, otherwise a university degree requiring a minimum of four years of study.
• Australia: A bachelor's degree with designation of Ordinary or Pass.
• India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal: A bachelor's degree of engineering (BE), a bachelor's degree of technology (BT) or a master's degree in any other field. Indian three-year bachelor's degrees earned in Division or Class I and II at universities accredited by the NAAC with a grade of A will also be evaluated as equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree (based on WES's recommended evaluation criteria).
• Other Asian countries: A university degree requiring four years of study.