Application Checklist

GMAT, EA, GRE, LSAT, MCAT, & DAT

Before submitting an application students must take a standardized test. Stern at NYUAD accepts:

• GMAT or Executive Assessment (EA) administered by Pearson VUE
• GRE, administered by Educational Testing Services (ETS)
• LSAT, administered by the Law School Admission Council
• MCAT, administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges
• DAT, administered by the American Dental Association

Stern at NYUAD has no preference for which test applicants include with their application. Stern at NYUAD has no minimum standardized test score requirements.

Scores are valid for five years from the date that you took the test and must be valid at the time that you submit your application. Applicants must confirm that scores are valid prior to submitting an application.

Applicants are responsible for including their test score on the online application and ensuring that the respective testing agency is able to release and send an official score report to Stern at NYUAD. While an official test score is required for a final decision, the Admissions Committee can begin the review of an application with an unofficial test score.

Test Reporting Codes

Standardized Test Waiver

The standardized test is a required application component of the Stern at NYUAD One-year Full-time MBA program application and one way we assess your academic readiness.

For most applicants, the standardized test is an essential way to establish academic readiness. If you believe that you are unable to prepare for or take a standardized test and are able to demonstrate academic readiness without a standardized test score, you may request a standardized test waiver. Those who provide strong examples of academic readiness (e.g. strong analytical or quantitative undergraduate or graduate majors or professional work experience) may receive a standardized test waiver. *Note: If you are pursuing or have already earned your undergraduate degree from NYU in New York, NYU Shanghai, or NYU Abu Dhabi, you may be eligible for a standardized test waiver. Please review the NYU + MBA Standardized Test Waiver policy for more information.

Your application may still be competitive for admission, even if you are not granted a standardized test waiver. The standardized test score is only one of many components of our application process; we strongly encourage you to submit your standardized test scores as an additional data point to aid our review of your candidacy.

To apply for the standardized test waiver, you must:

• Have received a bachelor’s degree prior to submitting a request. Students who have not received their undergraduate degrees are not eligible to submit a waiver request.
• Be planning to apply to the Stern at NYUAD One-year Full-time MBA for the January 2028 intake.
• Submit a completed test waiver request by July 30, 2027 at 11:59 PM Gulf Standard Time.

Applicants may only submit one standardized test waiver request per admissions intake. If you were approved for a standardized test waiver during a prior admissions intake, you will be required to resubmit a standardized test waiver request for the next intake should you choose to apply.

The following items must be submitted with the request:

• Request form
• Resume
• Transcript(s) for all undergraduate, graduate programs/degrees, and professional certifications (e.g. CFA and CPA). Transcripts must indicate all classes taken, grades received, credits earned, final cumulative GPA(s) and degree conferral(s). If your transcript is not in English, you must provide a certified translation along with a copy of the original transcript. If you have attended more than one undergraduate institution, you must provide a separate transcript from the institution(s) unless all course titles and grades are listed on your primary transcript.
• Brief essay response to the prompt: Please list the coursework completed, certifications held, and professional experience you have that demonstrates academic readiness for an MBA program. You may use bullet points. (300 word limit)

If the information provided in your test waiver request differs from the information provided in your MBA application, your waiver may be rescinded and your application made incomplete.

The Admissions Committee reviews the test waiver requests on a rolling basis, and in most cases will issue a decision within 3 weeks of submission. We strongly encourage submitting your test waiver request at least 3 weeks prior to when you plan to submit your MBA application. We will make every effort to review your request in time, however, we will not grant requests to expedite reviews. Therefore, please plan accordingly when submitting your test waiver request. The deadline to submit test waiver requests is July 30, 2027 at 11:59 PM Gulf Standard Time.

If you are approved for a standardized test waiver, you will receive further instructions to submit your application. Applicants who are not approved for the waiver will need to complete the standardized test score requirement to complete their application.

Please note, any materials uploaded as part of this request will also appear in your Stern at NYUAD record. You will have an opportunity to upload new documents (e.g. updated resume) as part of your MBA application. If the information provided in your request differs from the information provided in your application for admission, the Admissions Committee may reevaluate your test waiver request and application for admission to determine your eligibility for the test waiver.

TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test

Fluency in English is required for the Stern at NYUAD One-year Full-time MBA program.

If your native language is not English, you must demonstrate your level of proficiency in English in at least one of the following ways:

• Your undergraduate or graduate degree was taught in English
• Your test results from either the TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test

Scores are valid for two years from the date that you took the test and must be valid at the time that you submit your application. You are responsible for including your TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test score on the online application and ensuring that your official score report can be released and sent to Stern at NYUAD. While an official test score is required for a final decision, the Admissions Committee can begin the review of your application with an unofficial test score.

Test Reporting Codes:

Stern at NYUAD students come from a variety of academic backgrounds, including liberal arts, engineering, social sciences, and business.

Students entering the Stern at NYUAD One-year Full-time MBA program are required to hold a bachelor’s degree (or its equivalent) from an accredited college or university.

If students submit an application prior to the conferral of a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, the admissions committee will accept and evaluate the application. If an offer of admission is made, it will be contingent upon the applicant graduating from an undergraduate program prior to the first day of class.

Degree Requirements

Transcript Requirements for the Online Application

As part of your online application, you must include unofficial transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions you have attended. Your unofficial transcripts must show the following information:

• All courses taken, credits earned, and grades received
• The name of the degree(s) earned along with the conferral date, if applicable
• Your full legal name
• The name of the college or university attended
• Transcripts must be in English. Any translated transcripts must be certified. Please upload files directly into the online application. Uploaded files must be scanned copies of transcript(s) received from the college/university registrar or electronic transcripts. Word documents and HTML documents are not acceptable.

The Admissions Committee reserves the right to withdraw an offer of admission at any time, prior to or after enrolling, if there is any discrepancy between the unofficial transcript and the official transcript.

Optional: If you did not graduate from a university based in the United States, we encourage you to provide a third-party international credential evaluation to assess U.S. bachelor’s equivalency and evaluation of your grade point average. We will only accept evaluation reports from NACES-approved agencies. You can find a list of NACES-approved agencies here. *Note: Branch campuses of US universities, such as NYU Abu Dhabi, would be considered a US-based university.

Official Transcript Requirement for Enrollment
Admitted students are required to provide an official record of all academic transcripts and proof of each corresponding degree conferral prior to enrollment in the Stern at NYUAD One-year Full-time MBA program.

Do not send official transcripts to Stern at NYUAD unless instructed to do so.

Providing transcripts for non-US institutions
As an admitted student, you must have all non-US university educational credentials evaluated by Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE). To complete this requirement, you must ensure that transcripts and other required documents are sent to ECE (instructions will be provided, if applicable, after admission). The cost of this report is covered by Stern at NYUAD and you are not responsible for any costs associated with ECE’s evaluation. The completed Evaluation Report will be delivered directly to Stern at NYUAD.

If you cannot meet these requirements or have further questions, contact us at mba.admissions@sternad.nyu.edu.

Providing transcripts for US institutions
You have two choices to submit an official transcript:

1. EMAIL: You may request that your institution(s) send secure digital copies of your official transcripts to mba.admissions@sternad.nyu.edu. E-transcripts must be sent directly from your institution(s) or via a recognized transcript platform such as Parchment to mba.admissions@sternad.nyu.edu. You must include transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions you have attended showing a list of all courses taken, credits earned, grades received and (if applicable) the name of the degree earned. Stern at NYUAD MBA Admissions reserves the right to request a hard-copy transcript.
2. MAIL: You may submit official, hard-copy transcripts via mail from the institution(s) you have attended. You must include transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions you have attended showing a list of all courses taken, credits earned, grades received and (if applicable) the name of the degree earned. Transcripts must be original documents bearing the institutional seal and signature of the institution’s registrar, and must be submitted in the original, sealed envelope from the institution. Transcripts may be sent to:New York University Abu Dhabi
   Graduate Admissions (C2-W212)
   P.O. Box 129188
   Abu Dhabi, UAE

If you have attended multiple institutions, we recommend that you submit your official transcripts in one envelope to Stern at NYUAD MBA Admissions.

If you completed coursework through a study abroad program, you must provide a separate transcript from the host institution(s) unless all study abroad course titles and grades are listed on your primary transcript.

All transcripts must be accompanied by proof of degree conferral if you earned a degree at the institution. The degree conferral must indicate the:

• Type of degree conferred
• Month and year the degree was conferred
• Institution and location from which you received the degree

If degree conferral information is reflected on your transcript, you do not need to provide additional degree conferral documentation.

Important:

• ​​Stern at NYUAD does not accept notarized or personal copies of transcripts.
• Official transcripts and degree conferrals will be verified.
• The Admissions Committee reserves the right to withdraw an offer of admission at any time prior to or after enrolling if there is any discrepancy between the unofficial and official transcript(s).
• All transcripts submitted are considered property of Stern at NYUAD MBA Admissions.
• Do not submit the original copy of an academic transcript that cannot be replaced.
• Transcripts will not be returned to you, transferred, or forwarded to other institutions or other programs or schools at NYU.

Current and former NYU students do not need to order official transcripts for their previous NYU degree(s).

Stern at NYUAD seeks students with a proven track record of success, a high potential for future leadership, and a well-articulated plan to achieve their career aspirations.

Stern applicants typically come from a variety of professional backgrounds, such as consulting, financial services, entertainment, consumer products, nonprofits, and technology. No industry is favored over another.

The Admissions Committee evaluates work experience not only in terms of years, but also in regard to the depth and breadth of an individual’s experience, responsibilities, and progression.

Although academic work and internships do not count toward professional work experience, the Committee reviews all work experience as part of the admission decision.

Post-university work experience is not required to apply.

Résumé (or CV)
Students must upload their résumé, which should include both full-time, post-university work experience and educational information. Internships, other part-time employment, extracurricular activities, or volunteer activities may be included.

If employment status changes after a student has applied, they must submit an updated résumé by emailing the admissions office at mba.admissions@sternad.nyu.edu.

Work History
To supplement your résumé with key information about your career to date, you will be prompted to add employment information for all positions you have held via the “Add Position” function in the online application. You must include all full-time, post-university work experience. Internships and other part-time employment may be included.

Stern at NYUAD One-year Full-time MBA essay questions give students the opportunity to more fully present themselves to the Admissions Committee and to provide insight into their experiences, motivations, and goals.

Essays must be written entirely by the applicant. An offer of admission will be rescinded if an applicant did not write their essays.

Essay 1: Personal Expression (a.k.a. “Pick Six”)
(350 word maximum)

Introduce yourself to the Admissions Committee and to your future classmates using six images and corresponding captions. The Pick Six is a way to share more about the qualities you will bring to the Stern at NYUAD community, beyond your professional and academic achievements. Your uploaded PDF should contain all of the following elements:

• A brief introduction or overview of your “Pick Six” (no more than 3 sentences).
• Six images that help illustrate your interests, values, motivations, perspective and/or personality.
• A one-sentence caption for each of the six images that helps explain why they were selected and are significant to you.

Note: Your visuals may include photos, infographics, drawings, or any other images. Your document must be uploaded as a single PDF. The essay cannot be sent in physical form or be linked to a website.

Essay 2: Why the Stern at NYUAD One-year Full-time MBA Program?
(500 word maximum)

Why are you pursuing the Stern at NYUAD One-year Full-time MBA Program? How will your past experience combined with the MBA support your short and long-term career goals?

Essay 3: Additional Information (optional)
(250 word maximum)

Please provide any additional information that you would like to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee. This may include important aspects of yourself not otherwise apparent in your application, current or past gaps in employment, further explanation of your undergraduate record academic transcript(s), plans to retake the GMAT, GRE, Executive Assessment, IELTS or TOEFL, or any other relevant information.

Short Answer: Career Interest in the MENA Region
(150 word maximum)

What motivates you to pursue or further your career in the Middle East and North Africa region? If you do not plan on working in the MENA region post-MBA, use this short answer to tell us why.

• Two recommendations are required to be submitted.
• One recommendation must come from an applicant’s current supervisor. Applicants must provide an explanation in the online application if they are not able to do so.
• The second recommendation may come from someone who knows an applicant professionally and/or personally.
• Recommendations should come from individuals who can objectively assess potential for success in the Stern at NYUAD One-year Full-time MBA program and in future career.
• Submitting more than two recommendations is not encouraged but is allowed. Applicants should carefully consider whether additional recommendations add significant value and a new, unique perspective to your application.

Your recommenders will be asked to provide an answer to these questions:

1. How long have you known the applicant and in what capacity? Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant and, if applicable, the applicant’s role in your organization.
2. What are the applicant’s principal strengths? If applicable, how does the applicant’s performance compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples.
3. IQ+EQ is a core value of Stern at NYUAD, and we seek exceptional individuals who possess both intellectual and interpersonal strengths. Emotional intelligence (EQ) skills such as self-awareness, empathy, communication and self-management are at the core of our community of leaders. Please provide one specific and compelling example to demonstrate the applicant’s emotional intelligence.
4. What observations do you have of the character and integrity of the applicant?
5. What is the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant? Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response.

Once you have entered the contact information for your recommenders in the online application and click the “Send to Recommender” button, your recommenders will be contacted automatically with submission instructions via email. We strongly encourage you to alert your recommendation providers to this in advance.

Recommendations should be written in English. If your recommender provides a supplemental recommendation letter with their form submission, this letter should preferably be on institutional letterhead and include the recommender’s signature.

If your recommender cannot submit an online recommendation, you must email mba.admissions@sternad.nyu.edu to explain the circumstances and request approval for your recommender to submit a paper endorsement.

If your recommender cannot complete their recommendation in English, they will need to follow the instructions above and have the recommendation translated into English through a certified English translation service. Upon submitting the recommendation, your recommender must include the original letter and the translated copy. Applications that only include the translated copy are considered incomplete. Recommenders can upload these documents directly to the application as a single PDF via the link provided. Recommendations can only be accepted directly from the recommender.

The application fee is USD $250 for the Stern at NYUAD One-year Full-time MBA program. You will be prompted to pay the application fee after you submit your application. Your application will not be processed until we receive the application fee. The application is non-refundable and may not be applied to any future applications at Stern at NYUAD, NYU Abu Dhabi, NYU Stern or other NYU programs.

If you are experiencing economic challenges and would like to request an application fee waiver, please submit the Application Fee Waiver Request Form. Requests should include a rationale for the application fee waiver and will be considered by the Admissions Committee on a case-by-case basis.

The Admissions Committee will review these requests within 5 business days. Please plan ahead and allow ample time prior to submitting your application, especially during high-volume times around the application deadlines.

If you completed your undergraduate degree at NYU, your application fee will be automatically waived.

Once an application fee is paid by an applicant, it is non-refundable. Please be sure to fill out the request form prior to paying your application fee if you wish to be considered for a waiver.