How to Get Admission In Cambridge University for MBA

University of Cambridge’s Judge Business School is located about 80 Km north of London. Apart from the proximity to London, a global financial hub, the Cambridge MBA has deep ties with the local businesses as well. The B-school’s obsession with entrepreneurship is well known. The B-school has its own startup accelerator and has close ties with Cambridge Enterprise, the university’s technology transfer office.

Cambridge Judge Business School strong emphasis on technology and entrepreneurship has resulted in “Silicon Fen”- Europe’s largest cluster of tech startups.

Judge Business School Ranking

Cambridge Judge Business School MBA Programs

University of Cambridge Judge Business School has many management programs for undergraduates, Masters, and Ph.D. levels. We’ll limit our discussion to the specific MBA courses offered by the business school for this guide. A Cambridge MBA can be of two types.

MBA

The 1-year full-time MBA program trains students to develop vital leadership and interpersonal skills. The intensive curriculum is designed to provide students with an engaging and lively learning experience.

You must have an undergraduate degree with a minimum of two years of work experience to be considered for the Cambridge one year MBA program. Additionally, you should be able to demonstrate proven career progression.

Executive MBA

The Cambridge Executive MBA is a 20-month program where classes are held over the course of 16 weekends and four week-long blocks. The unique program is designed for senior executives who are well established in their careers and hold management and leadership positions in their organizations. Such individuals can pursue their MBA education over the weekend classes allowing them to have a work-life balance.

Cambridge University MBA Class Profile

Cambridge Judge MBA Acceptance Rate

While Cambridge Judge Business School does not reveal its acceptance rate or a total number of applications received, statistics from Poets&Quants suggest that Cambridge Judge MBA acceptance rate hovers between 30-33%.

Cambridge MBA Deadline for Application

Following are the Cambridge University MBA application deadlines.

Disclaimer: The dates have been retrieved from the official B-school website. Kindly check the website for the latest dates as they may be subject to last-minute changes.

The deadlines mentioned above are for the Cambridge one-year MBA program starting in September 2023. While there are 5 rounds of applications, applicants (especially overseas) are advised to apply within Round 1 and Round 2.

Cambridge MBA fees and Additional Expenses

Judge Business School MBA fees for the MBA class of 2023-24 are £ 64,000. You should also have adequate funds to cover your accommodation and living expenses. For instance, the living costs for one person can be about £15,250*.

*Disclaimer: Please check the B-school website for the current tuition fees. Living costs may also vary from person to person.

Cambridge Judge Business School Scholarships

MBA from the University of Cambridge Judge Business School is an investment toward a better career. You may gain expertise and skills that could set your career on a long journey forward. So, funding should not be an obstacle to realizing your Cambridge MBA dreams.

Fortunately, you can avail yourself of various Cambridge Judge Business School scholarships and external scholarships to fund your MBA education. Some of the important ones are listed below.

• The Wider Cambridge MBA Scholarship for Professional Diversity
• The Wider Cambridge MBA Scholarship for Regional Diversity
• The Forté Foundation Fellowship for Women
• The Cambridge MBA Scholarship for Technology Advancement
• British Council Scholarship
• Aga Khan Foundation
• Cambridge Society Bombay Scholarship
• Chevening Scholarship
• Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP)

Please note that you’ll not be awarded any fund once the School year has begun. So, it’s crucial to keep abreast of the various scholarship deadlines and apply for them well in advance.

How to Get Admission in Cambridge University for MBA

Your chances of getting admitted to the Cambridge University MBA program can significantly increase if

• You have strong previous academic achievements.
• You come across as an ambitious applicant who can thrive under pressure.
• You have a global outlook with international experience.
• You are mentally strong with good interpersonal skills. 
• You are creative, innovative, and possess an entrepreneurial mindset.

If you tick most of these boxes, you can be in the next Cambridge Judge Business School MBA batch, subject to fulfilling the following requirements.

Undergraduate Degree

You should have a 2:1 honors degree on the UK grading scale or an equivalent standard from a university outside the UK. However, your application can still be considered if you do not meet this requirement, provided that you have an undergraduate degree and a strong GMAT score.

GMAT Score

There is no minimum requirement for the GMAT score, but you can increase your admission chances by having a solid GMAT score. The average Judge Business School GMAT score of an MBA class is around 687, with the median GMAT at 690.

Work Experience

You must have at least two years of work experience. However, the average work experience of an MBA class is six years. It may be noted here that the quality of work experience also matters. For instance, an international work experience of two years demonstrating a clear career progression might see your application through even though it might be lower than the class average.

Cambridge MBA Essays

You’ve to submit four essays on your MBA application form. Following are the details of each essay.

1. A 500-word essay on your career plans after your MBA. You need to address the following points in this essay.
   • Your career objectives in the short-term and long-term and how a Cambridge University MBA can help you achieve these objectives.
   • The preparations you’re undertaking to meet the requirements of your short-term career goal. 
   • Based on your short-term goals, explain the research done to understand how MBA talent is recruited in the industry/role/location and the things they look for in a candidate. 
2. A 200-word essay describing a difficult decision you once made and the things you learned from that experience. Moreover, how did the incident change you? 
3. A 200-word essay describing the time you worked on a project with a team. What did you learn, and how might you approach it differently today.
4. A 200-word essay about one piece of advice that you would like to give to your 18-year-old self.

Tips to Write Winning Essays for Cambridge Judge Business School

Impactful essays can often tilt the scale in your favor. So, take adequate time to write those essays and remember the following tips.

Own Your Imperfections

Don’t try to project yourself as the perfect applicant. Nobody is. Your imperfections and minor flaws have carried you so far, and they are part of your personality. However, the admission committee is looking for determined individuals who are clear about their goals and objectives. So, focus on showing that you know why you are here and what exactly you expect to gain from the course.

Learn Storytelling

Your essay should have a great narrative that properly introduces you to the admission council. Essays based on personal experiences can help you highlight interesting aspects of your personality through impressive storytelling.

Don’t Duplicate

The admission committee scans numerous applications yearly and is experienced enough to identify a copycat. So, refrain from reproducing materials from an online forum or a personality development book. Originality is still revered the most.

Reference

You’ll have to submit a professional reference. You can ask your supervisor, professional mentor, or former boss to be your referee. Academic references or references from a relative will not be accepted. Once you enter the contact details of your recommender in the online application form, the school will send an automated reference request to that person. Therefore, you’re advised to ask your potential recommender in advance to let the person prepare your reference with ample time.

The Ability to Finance Your MBA

As explained earlier, you need to take care of the Cambridge MBA fees, which is quite substantial. Additionally, you’ll have to bear the cost of living in Cambridge for a year. Therefore, you’ll have to demonstrate before the B-school authorities that you’ve enough funds to cover those expenses.

English Language Proficiency

If you are a non-native English speaker, you’ll have to take a recognized language proficiency test, such as a valid TOEFL score of 110 with no sub-score less than 25 or a valid IELTS score of at least 7.5 with no sub-score below 7. The test scores should not be more than two years from the program start date.

If you’re admitted without a TOEFL/IELTS score, you’ll be assessed upon admission internally by the University’s Language Center subject to certain terms and conditions. However, it’s advisable to have a valid TOEFL/IELTS score before getting into the B-school and save yourself from unnecessary hassles.

Not just entrepreneurship, Cambridge Judge Business School has also been able to generate employment with great compensation packages for its graduates consistently. The average compensation package of Cambridge MBAs was £ 96,429. With persistent performance, high rankings, and a great world-class infrastructure, Cambridge Judge Business School should be on the radar of every international MBA applicant.

FAQs related to Cambridge University MBA

1. Are there any specializations that Cambridge offers?

Cambridge Judge Business School offers separate Master’s programs in specializations such as Master of Finance, Masters in Social Innovation, and so on. However, the MBA is a general management program. But students can tailor the program to meet their specific needs through electives and projects.

2. Can I work in the US or a country other than the UK after pursuing an MBA from Cambridge?

The MBA program from the University of Cambridge Judge Business School is globally renowned for its quality and the class of alumni it produces. Besides, the program is accredited by EQUIS, which independently assesses the quality of MBA programs globally.