Do You Need the GMAT for an Online MBA?

Short answer: for a large and growing share of online MBA programs, no, you don’t need the GMAT. Many programs are fully test-optional, and many others will waive the requirement based on your work experience, undergraduate record, or professional credentials.

Longer answer: “no GMAT required” is not the same as “no GMAT recommended.” Skipping the test is sometimes the smart move and sometimes an expensive error, and the difference depends on the rest of your application. Here’s how to tell which situation you’re in.

The Online MBA Testing Landscape: Three Flavors

Online MBA admissions policies come in roughly three varieties:

1. No test, full stop. Some accredited online MBAs have dropped standardized tests from admissions entirely, no waiver paperwork needed.
2. Test-optional or waiver-based. This is the largest group of online MBAs. The GMAT/GRE® requirement exists on paper, but is routinely waived if you meet criteria like several years of professional experience, a sufficiently strong undergraduate GPA (often in a quantitative field), an advanced degree, or professional certifications (a CPA or CFA, for example).
3. Test required. This group is composed of the most selective, highly-ranked online programs, where the online degree is deliberately held to the same admissions bar as the flagship residential MBA.

The trend over the past several years has run strongly toward options one and two, which is why you’re seeing so many “no GMAT” banners in your search results while doing research on MBAs.

How GMAT Waivers Actually Work

For waiver-based programs, you typically submit a short waiver request, making the case that something else in your file proves what the test would have proven: quantitative readiness and academic horsepower. This means you have something like years of analytical work experience, a solid GPA in a quant-heavy major, or professional credentials that are math-heavy.

Admissions offices like to grant waivers to applicants they already like on paper, so a waiver request functions a lot like another mini-application – make sure you write it accordingly.

So, Should You Take the Test Anyway?

Honestly, even though we’re a test-prep company for the GMAT and this goes against our business interest, only take the GMAT for your online program if it gives you some kind of tangible benefit. Talk to the admissions offices at your target programs and ask them if you’d be a stronger candidate, either for entry or scholarship, if you had a test score attached to your application.

If your experience and GPA are strong, you may not need to take the GMAT. Many part-time or online programs don’t offer scholarships either, so the return on investment for taking the GMAT may be next to zero for you. Check with admissions offices, and definitely don’t waste time doing a test that you don’t need to do.