Admissions

1. Create an account to start your application. If you need to pause when filling out your application, you can continue it later using the same link.
2. Fill in your contact information and academic history including dates of study.
3. Select “Graduate” for program selection.
4. Select “Business Administration – Foster School of Business – Global Executive MBA” as your graduate program.
5. Select “No” for concurrent application; GEMBA is a full-time program and does not allow for dual-degree status.
6. Select the year you wish to enter as “June 2026.”
7. Select “Master’s” as the ultimate degree option.
8. Upload copies of your unofficial degree transcripts (PDF or Word).
9. If necessary, report your unofficial English proficiency scores.
10. The $85 application fee is required by the UW Graduate School and may not be waived.

Global Executive MBA applicants must have completed the equivalent of a four-year U.S. bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and have a minimum of 6 years of professional work experience.

After completing an application and submitting all required supplementary materials, applicants will be required to participate in an interview with the GEMBA Director or other admissions committee member before being formally accepted into the program. Receiving an interview appointment is not a guarantee of admission to the program. Typically interviews will be conducted virtually over Zoom.

Proficiency in English is required for graduate study at the University of Washington. Every applicant whose native language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency.

Proficiency testing can be waived if one of the following can be demonstrated:

• A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or from an institution in Australia, the Bahamas, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, Trinidad and Tobago, or the United Kingdom.

OR

• Documentation verifying that the applicant’s undergraduate degree is from an institution where all instruction is in English.

OR

• Complete an English Language Proficiency Exam. Refer to the table below for accepted exams and score requirements. Offers of admission cannot be made until official scores are submitted.

NOTE: Most test scores are valid for two years. Applicants with scores below the minimum score requirements are highly encouraged to retake the exam before applying. TOEFL scores must be sent directly to the University of Washington (school code 4854). IELTS test scores must submit official scores electronically via the IELTS system (E-TRF), using the University of Washington’s organization ID 365. An offer of admission cannot be extended prior to the receipt of official scores.

We encourage you to plan to study for the test(s) well in advance (6-12 months) of applying to the program.

If your test score is below 92 TOEFL iBT; 7.0 IELTS; 125 Duolingo, then you can check to see the qualifying scores and enroll in appropriate UW Academic English Program(s). These are virtual quarter-long classes so you will need to register for Autumn 2024 class(es) to meet the test requirement. You will not be admitted until this requirement is met.

TOEFL iBT

IELTS

DET (Duolingo English Test)

Applicants will be required to upload a copy of their unofficial transcript with the online application packet. If admitted to the program, applicants will be notified by the UW Graduate School to submit the official transcript issued from the institution from which the degree was granted.

The GMAT, GRE or Executive Assessment are optional and not required for admission consideration. However, applicants with scores may submit them as supplemental information.

To protect the health and safety of our students, faculty, academic personnel, staff, and broader community, the University of Washington requires all students to be vaccinated against Measles, Mumps, and Meningitis Meningococcal ACWY, with certain exemptions allowed.

If these requirements are not met, students will not be able to register for classes. Students are responsible for their own immunizations and requirements and must submit documents themselves. To learn more about required vaccinations and documents, see the Immunization Requirements webpage, and for questions reach out to [email protected].

• • Business Connections - Not only is Seattle home to iconic global companies such as Amazon, Starbucks, Microsoft, Boeing, and Costco, but it also attracts many tech companies outside of Seattle, like Google and Facebook, to establish their presence in Seattle to compete for talent. The region is also a hub for entrepreneurs and welcomes startup mindsets. According to Geekwire, Seattle is among the top 10 in their global startup ecosystem rankings. As part of the learning experience, students will gain access and connections to influential leaders through various coursework and networking opportunities.
  • Smaller Class Size with Experienced Professionals –The smaller classes in the GEMBA program give students the opportunity to interact more closely with faculty and other seasoned global professionals (usually with 10-15 years of experience) participating in the program.
  • Higher International Class Representation - UW GEMBA has 80-90% international representation which allows the students to share more diverse global experience, network, and business connections abroad. Whether you are from the U.S. or another country, learning from a diverse group of professionals with international experience elevates everyone’s learning.
  • Theme-based Global Immersion – In line with UW Foster’s Purpose Statement of “Together, we foster leaders, insights, and progress to better humanity,” the GEMBA curriculum incorporates a theme-based immersive learning on how we can better humanity. The 2026-2027 class will incorporate learning around managing climate risks and opportunities. This will be integrated as a course offering over the Spring Break in 2027.
  • Cross-Program Career Services – Offered jointly with EMBA, Technology MBA, and Hybrid MBA Programs our career services opportunities provide dedicated one-on-one support and career coaching, programming and workshops, alumni mentorship, career treks, speaker series, and more. You will expand your professional network and business connections across many MBA programs at Foster.
  • Support services are available for spouses and partners of GEMBA students. The decision to pursue an MBA impacts the families just as much as the students, especially if you are moving to Seattle from another city or to the U.S from another country. The GEMBA staff helps not only the students but also their spouses/partners to get more quickly acclimated into their new home.

Read and watch stories from GEMBA alumni about their experience.

The program is ideal for mid-career professionals being cultivated to assume leadership roles in global organizations who are looking to enhance their career, contribute back to their organizations, or seek new professional opportunities. A desirable candidate should meet the following criteria:

• Four-year undergraduate degree in business or alternate degree with relevant work experience
• Ability to take a one-year sabbatical from current job to complete the program on a full-time basis in Seattle
• Meet minimum TOEFL (92 iBT) or IELTS (7.0) or Duolingo (125) is required.
• Most GEMBA students have 10-15 years of experience. Minimum 6 years full-time professional work experience is required.
• Click to download the class profile for 2024-25

The GMAT, GRE, or Executive Assessment are not required for admission consideration. However, applicants with scores may submit them as supplemental information.

All applicants must meet the University of Washington’s English Language Proficiency requirement. As outlined in the UW Graduate School Memo 8, we accept TOEFL, IELTS, and Duolingo. Minimum scores required for the GEMBA program are 92 TOEFL iBT; 7.0 IELTS; and 125 Duolingo.

If you do meet the minimum score(s), we encourage you to plan ahead to study for the test(s) well in advance (6-12 months) of applying to the program. Alternatively, if your tests score are below 92 TOEFL iBT; 7.0 IELTS; 125 Duolingo, then you can check to see the qualifying scores and enroll in appropriate UW Academic English Program. These are virtual quarter-long classes so you may need to register for Summer 2024, Autumn 2024, and/or Winter 2025 quarter classes prior to the program start in June 2025.

Tuition is $129,500 and includes all instruction, materials, and international immersion travel expenses (excluding flight). For completed applications received on or before October 15, 2025, with deposit provided by December 15, 2025, a $20,000 early application scholarship will be applied. You can find more details in the Fees and Financing Section.

You can find more details in the Fees and Financing Section. In addition to standard financing options, however, the GEMBA program is also offering a unique partial tuition waiver opportunity in our efforts to provide access to all students with financial needs, but to qualify, you must plan ahead. For completed applications received on or before October 15, 2025, a $20,000 early application scholarship will be applied. To qualify, applicant must submit completed application with all required documents, including English proficiency test scores no later than by Oct 15, 2025 and upon acceptance make $5,500 non-refundable deposit payment by enrollment deadline of December 15, 2025.

We offer individual career coaching, job search work teams, career change groups, career management workshops, alumni mentoring, and other programs. In addition, many networking and recruiting events are available. Foster MBA students can participate in MBA Treks, a curated trip to a single company or key metropolitan area.

Learn more about our career services.

GEMBA is a full-time program where classes and teams meet during the day Monday-Friday, and therefore we recommend students to take corporate sabbatical for one year and focus on GEMBA studies.

Once we receive your completed application and all supporting materials, your application is reviewed by our Admissions Committee. Based on the committee’s initial assessment, select applicants will be invited to the interview. Once the interview is completed, you will receive notification of your application status.

Yes, an interview is required. It will be arranged by GEMBA team upon completion of your application. Interviews will be conducted in person or virtually on Zoom.

As a student at the University of Washington, you will have access to university resources. Please see the student experience page for more information.