Postgraduate study
Edinburgh: Extraordinary futures await.

Business Administration, Master of MBA

Awards: MBA

Study modes: Full-time

Funding opportunities

The Edinburgh MBA is set to inspire and develop the next generation of strategic leaders. As the world continues to change, our MBA prepares you to change with it.

The full-time MBA is an intensive programme designed for students with a minimum of three years' managerial experience who wish to progress to more senior and leadership roles in business.

The programme immerses students in a world of academic thought, current business practice and applied projects.

Successful businesses in the future will be those that can confidently and capably steer a path through a world characterised by intense competition, rapid technological development, economic turbulence and increasing resource insecurity.

Businesses need leaders who can think and act strategically in this volatile environment, managing the risk and challenges involved, but also spotting and seizing opportunities for efficiency, innovation and new business models. Businesses also need leaders who will act responsibly in delivering value to all stakeholders.

Our programme enhances your career potential by giving you a clear focus on the role of the highly sought strategic leader and helps you to progress with confidence. In order to achieve this our MBA is built on three pillars:

Our MBA is delivered full-time over 12 months starting in September each year. The programme combines intensive academic study with practical application. This is achieved both in the classroom through case studies, but also via consultancy-style projects with external organisations to broaden participants’ insights into alternative business models and approaches.

The MBA programme includes a number of compulsory courses as well as a range of specialist courses for you to choose from. For the Edinburgh MBA we have also fully immersed our Professional Development programme into the curriculum as we recognise the value it delivers to our participants. Your studies will culminate in a major Capstone Project.

For those who want an international experience, there is an opportunity to study on our MBA (with international exchange) which will give you the chance to spend 2-3 months on an exchange at one of our international partner Universities.

12-month MBA

12-month MBA (with International Exchange)

Teaching model

Our full-time MBA programme follows a Hybrid Teaching Model that provides a blend of face-to-face teaching and online learning. We have developed this model based on past student feedback. The feedback indicated improved student wellbeing, experience, and a feeling of empowerment. Students were able to take a more proactive and accountable approach to balance their own workload.

In practice, for compulsory courses, this means that you will be in the classroom daily for interactive 2-hour tutorial sessions in groups of up to 30 students. Additional content will be delivered through online live sessions, pre-recorded videos, readings, case studies, and so on, enabling you to plan and manage your learning in your own time.

When moving on to option courses, these electives will see you selecting and tailoring your studies according to your career ambitions. These courses will generally be taught in intensive week-long blocks and will see you in the classroom every day for around 8 hours per day.

As these option courses consist of smaller groups, a more personalised teaching approach will be implemented throughout each course. If studying the MBA with international exchange, then this model may vary depending on the delivery model of the partner institution.

Events such as welcome week activities, team building sessions, and community building sessions will also be factored into the programme's in-person teaching structure, which will allow you as a student to discuss opportunities with staff and network among your peers.

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
MBABusiness Administration1 YearFull-timeProgramme structure 2023/24
MBABusiness Administration with International Exchange1 YearFull-timeProgramme structure 2023/24

Students will develop an integrated understanding of the essential aspects of business and leadership skills as well as the development of specialist knowledge through the choice of option courses and MBA Capstone project research.

There is an option of a specialisation route consisting of taking two options and the MBA Capstone Project in a specific area of focus. Students will have their specialisations recognised with a Business School Certificate in Finance, Entrepreneurship, Strategy or Sustainability. Specialisations must be agreed in advance with the programme team.

The personal development programme ensures that, alongside the in-depth business learning, students will also develop the personal skills and characteristics required by senior managers in the modern business setting.

For those following the MBA (with international exchange), the study abroad period will add an international dimension to their studies, valuable to all who work internationally.

The employment market is highly competitive, but the Edinburgh MBA is distinctive and will provide participants with a competitive edge. MBA participants will engage in a leadership and professional development programme that includes personal diagnostics, career planning and skills enhancement designed explicitly to support participants in their pursuit of promotion or new careers.

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 11 July 2024.

Before applying for the full-time MBA programme, please consider our minimum entry requirements, which include academic qualifications, managerial work experience and English language requirements.

*Important points to note when applying for this programme

Professional experience requirement

At least three years' work experience in a managerial role.

Experience can be from any industry, including the public sector, charitable organisations or the arts.

Managerial experience encompasses many efforts you may already be undertaking. It is not defined by having "manager" in your job title or by having direct reports (although you may, of course, have both). Management is any project, initiative, remit, or task (either permanent or ad hoc) where you are responsible for guiding the resources, teams, or individuals to a final goal. Some roles are designed around a management function. Others take on managerial responsibilities on a case-by-case basis. Whatever your role, we want to see these managerial responsibilities highlighted in your CV.

Minimum academic requirement

UK 2:1 honours degree in any subject, or an equivalent overseas qualification.

If you do not meet the minimum academic requirement, you may still be considered if:

  • you have professional qualifications with substantial work experience; or
  • you do not hold a degree or professional qualifications but you have a very strong employment record demonstrating a high degree of responsibility.

If you do not meet the minimum academic requirement, we may require you to complete the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), which is an internationally-recognised assessment of analytical, numerical and verbal reasoning. If we require you to take GMAT, we would require a score of 600 as a minimum to qualify for our MBA programmes, or 555 under the Focus edition. This equates to a performance in the 51st percentile under each format.*

The GMAT is not a compulsory part of the application process, but if you have already completed a GMAT before applying then please feel free to include that in your application.

We will accept results from the GMAT Online exam.

*(Revised 24 October 2023 to provide equivalencies for the GMAT Focus edition.)

Students from China

This degree is Band D.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

  • IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 169 in each component.
  • Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
  • PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 59 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)

Find out more about our language requirements:

Deposit

If you receive an offer of admission, either unconditional or conditional, you will be asked to pay a tuition fee deposit within 28 days to secure your place on the programme:

  • £1,500 (this contributes towards your tuition fees)

The fee does not include the cost of textbooks for core and option courses so you should budget an additional amount for this required expenditure.

See the programme website for more information on fees and deposits:

Living costs

You will be responsible for covering living costs for the duration of your studies. Below you can find a breakdown of the cost of living in Edinburgh and other studying costs to help you calculate your finances.

Tuition fees

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
MBABusiness Administration1 YearFull-timeTuition fees
MBABusiness Administration with International Exchange1 YearFull-timeTuition fees

Featured funding

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

  • your programme
  • the duration of your studies
  • your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

  • University of Edinburgh Business School
  • 29 Buccleuch Place
  • Central Campus
  • Edinburgh
  • EH8 9JS
Programme start date Application deadline
9 September 2024 31 August 2024

Deadlines for applicants applying to study in 2024/25:

Round Application deadline Decisions by
1 18 October 2023 30 November 2023
2 29 November 2023 25 January 2024
3 31 January 2024 14 March 2024
4 6 March 2024 25 April 2024
5 24 April 2024 13 June 2024
6 12 June 2024 1 August 2024

You must submit one reference with your application.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

Further information

  • University of Edinburgh Business School
  • 29 Buccleuch Place
  • Central Campus
  • Edinburgh
  • EH8 9JS