MA-IBP Application Process

To Apply, Applicants Should:  

• Possess a recommended minimum of three years of professional work experience post bachelor’s degree. All military experience is counted as work experience.
• Possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in the United States or the equivalent from an international college or university.
• Demonstrate high potential for leadership. A business background is not required.

Application Deadlines For January 2025

Admissions Policies

• Applicants who would like to be considered for multiple degree programs at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business must submit separate applications with a different email address for each program.
• Your online application must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on the deadline date. Applications that are received after the deadline or do not contain all of the required components may be considered for the next admissions round.
• Documents submitted to the Office of Admissions become the property of Georgetown University and will not be returned to the applicant.
• Should you be admitted, you will receive a conditional offer and will be required to mail all original/official copies of each application document (transcripts and test scores, if applicable) to the Office of Admissions. Discrepancies between self-reported/unofficial documents and official records may result in an admissions offer being rescinded.
• If any application materials are found to be forged, falsified, or altered in any way, the university will notify all relevant officials, including the individual or institution issuing the document and, as appropriate, immigration officers. If an offer of admission has been made, it may be rescinded.
• We are unable to provide specific feedback to applicants who are not offered admission. Please note, the decision of the Admissions Committee is final and we cannot recommend whether or not you should reapply for a future cycle. 
• You may only apply once in a given application cycle, and your admissions decision is final. You are eligible to reapply in a future application cycle.
• If you are a visually-impaired applicant and need an accessible application, please contact us at ma.ibp@georgetown.edu.

Application Requirements

The MA-IBP Admissions Committee uses a holistic approach when making an admissions decision. Therefore, it is necessary to submit all application components so the Admissions Committee can make an informed decision about your application.

The Admission Committee will only review completed applications that include the following components:

Required Components

• Online Application Form
• CV or Resume
• Personal Essay
• One Recommendation
• Academic Records
• Demonstration of English Language Proficiency*
• Reapplicant Essay**
• Non-refundable Application Fee: $175 USD

*You may qualify to waive the demonstration of English Language Proficiency requirement. Please see this section for details.
**The reapplicant essay is required for applicants who previously applied and were not accepted.

Optional Components

• Video Essay
• Scholarship Essay
• Diversity, Personal Background, and Contributions Statement
• Additional Information
• Standardized Test Scores

International Applicants

• Non-U.S. College or University Academic records
• Demonstration of English Language Proficiency (if requested)

Online Application Form

Required

Applications must be submitted through our online application portal.

CV or Resume

Required

Submit a current CV or resume in month/year format that corresponds to the information submitted on your online application.

Personal Essay

Required

Prompt Options: Please select one of the following prompts.

• Option 1: Tell us something that is not on your resume.
• Option 2: Describe your proudest accomplishment. (This can be a personal, professional or academic accomplishment)
• Option 3: Choose a quotation that defines you and explain why. (Please clearly state the quotation you’re referencing)

Guidelines & Formatting:

1. Choose one of the three essay prompts above to complete.
2. All essays should be 500 words or less.
3. All essays should be double-spaced using 12 pt. Font.
4. Please include the essay option prompt and your first/last name as a header at the top of each page of your submission.
5. Prepare your attachments offline in separate document files and upload them individually.
6. Georgetown University prides itself on honesty and integrity. Plagiarism is not tolerated and the admissions office reserves the right to deny applicants or rescind admission if plagiarism is found.

Our goal at Georgetown University is to craft a diverse class with people who have had varying personal and professional life experiences. As such, we want to give our applicants the opportunity to select one essay (from a list of three) that allows them the ability to best highlight their experiences, characteristics, and values that showcase the value proposition that they can bring to the MA-IBP community.

The personal essay provides personalization to your application, and you should ensure that your essay both fully addresses your chosen prompt and remains focused on your own experiences and goals. When reviewing your personal essay, the Admissions Committee will consider your written communication skills – taking into account grammar, structure, and cohesion of your essay – along with the content of the essay itself.

Guidance on Use of AI in Essays:

The final work you submit with your application should authentically reflect your lived experiences, interest in our degree program, and future goals. We recognize that generative AI may be a useful tool as you structure and refine your essay, and if you choose to use generative AI, we recommend that you use this tool to enhance your original work. Think of generative AI as a supportive resource, much like asking a friend for brainstorming assistance or feedback, or using spell check in your computer software.

Keep in mind that your essay is an essential way to personalize your application and present your unique story—personal, professional, and academic—to the Admissions Committee. We value hearing your authentic voice and perspective, so ensure that your essay genuinely reflects who you are and what you hope to achieve.

Video Essay

Optional

This optional video essay provides you the opportunity to bring life to your application and share with the Admissions Committee things about yourself not immediately evident in other components of the application.

Video Essay Prompt: Please introduce yourself to your future cohort members.

Video Guidelines:

• Your video essay should be one minute or less. 
• The admissions committee would like for you to appear in person during part of your video.
• We strongly encourage you to speak outside of the experiences we can read on your resume.
• You may use your phone, computer, or other means to record the video, but please ensure all audio and visual components are clear. We recommend a well-lit room and minimal noise distraction.
• Upload your video to an accessible website (such as Youtube, Vimeo, Google Drive, Youku, or Tudou), and submit the direct video URL into your online application.
• Please note that all videos must remain active and accessible to the admissions committee online for a minimum of five years for record retention purposes.
• For your privacy: Do not include your name in the title of your video. You may submit “unlisted” videos via Youtube, password protected videos via Vimeo, or link shared through your Google Drive. If using a password, please include immediately after your link in the text box below. [Ex: www.vimeo.com/123, password: your password] If using a shared link through Google Drive, ensure that you’ve allowed external access.
• The video is for the purposes of admissions only and will not be used for any other purposes after your decision is provided

When reviewing your video essay, the Admissions Committee will consider your verbal communication skills along with the content of the essay itself. The video essay provides personalization to your application along with demonstrating how you present yourself to the Admissions Committee. We encourage you to appear in front of the camera throughout your video essay and discourage you from including other speakers.

Scholarship Essay

Optional

Essay Prompt: At Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, a core element of our mission is to inspire ethical leaders to serve the common good. For scholarship consideration, please share how you have had a positive impact in your communities and/or how you will embody this mission in your program and career moving forward.

Guidelines & Formatting:

1. All essays should be 300 words or less.
2. All essays should be double-spaced using 12 pt. Font.
3. Please include the essay option prompt and your first/last name as a header at the top of each page of your submission.
4. Prepare your attachments offline in separate document files and upload them individually.
5. Georgetown University prides itself on honesty and integrity. Plagiarism is not tolerated and the admissions office reserves the right to deny applicants or rescind admission if plagiarism is found.

The MA in International Business & Policy program offers partial scholarships to students based on merit. To be considered for a scholarship, applicants must include a scholarship essay with their applications. The Office of Admissions notifies students of scholarship awards at the time of admission to the program.

When reviewing your written essay, the Admissions Committee will consider your written communication skills – taking into account grammar, structure, and cohesion of your essay – along with the content of the essay itself.

Diversity, Personal Background, and Contributions Statement

Optional

Prompt: As Georgetown is a diverse, global community, we encourage you to upload a brief statement of up to 500 words to help the Admissions Committee understand the contribution your personal background and individual experiences would make to our community. As appropriate, you may wish to address any educational, familial, cultural, economic, and social experiences that have helped to shape your educational and professional goals; or how your background (e.g., first-generation student, resident outside the U.S.) or activities (e.g., community service and leadership) will contribute to the diversity of perspectives and ideas at Georgetown University.

Guidelines & Formatting:

• The essay should be 500 words or less.
• The essay should be double-spaced using 12 pt. Font.
• Please include the essay option prompt and your first/last name as a header at the top of each page of your submission.
• Prepare your attachments offline in separate document files and upload them individually.
• Georgetown University prides itself on honesty and integrity. Plagiarism is not tolerated and the admissions office reserves the right to deny applicants or rescind admission if plagiarism is found.

When reviewing your written essays, the Admissions Committee will consider your written communication skills – taking into account grammar, structure, and cohesion of your essay – along with the content of the essay itself.

Reapplicant Essay

Required for applicants who previously applied and were not accepted.

Prompt: How have you strengthened your candidacy since your last application? We are particularly interested in hearing about how you have grown professionally and personally.

Guidelines & Formatting:

• The essay should be 300 words or less.
• The essay should be double-spaced using 12 pt. font.
• Please include the essay option prompt and your first/last name as a header at the top of each page of your submission.
• Prepare your attachments offline in separate document files and upload them individually.
• Georgetown University prides itself on honesty and integrity. Plagiarism is not tolerated and the admissions office reserves the right to deny applicants or rescind admission if plagiarism is found.

When reviewing your written essay, the Admissions Committee will consider your written communication skills – taking into account grammar, structure, and cohesion of your essay – along with the content of the essay itself.

Additional Information

Optional

Prompt: Please provide any information you would like to add that you have not otherwise included in other sections of your application. For example, you can use this space to describe inconsistent academic performance, gaps in employment, or any other relevant information.

Guidelines & Formatting:

• This section should not be formatted as a formal essay. Please share your additional information in a bulleted list, a few sentences, or short paragraphs.
• Prepare your attachments offline in separate document files and upload them individually.
• Georgetown University prides itself on honesty and integrity. Plagiarism is not tolerated and the admissions office reserves the right to deny applicants or rescind admission if plagiarism is found.

Recommendation Letters

Required

The Admissions Committee is interested in gaining insight from individuals who can objectively evaluate your professional performance, as well as your managerial and leadership potential.

We require that you identify one recommender. Your recommendation must be from a current or former (recent) direct/indirect supervisor, or a client. A second optional recommendation may be submitted from a former supervisor, current indirect supervisor or a client. If you’ve recently completed an academic program faculty recommendations are acceptable. Note that the Admissions Committee will not read more than two recommendations per application.

All recommendations must be submitted electronically via the application system. Recommenders will receive detailed instructions once you complete the “Recommendations” section of your application.

You can submit your application for review before these letters have been completed. Please note, however, that a final decision cannot be rendered until your recommendations have been received.

Academic Records

Required

Applicants to the MA-IBP program are required to hold a four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university or an equivalent degree from a foreign country*.

To apply: We require that you upload unofficial copies of your transcripts from all institutions that you have attended regardless of whether a degree was conferred (e.g. undergraduate, graduate, Ph.D., M.D., J.D., etc.).

If admitted/enrolled: All applicants that are admitted and enroll will be required to submit official transcripts from all institutions that have conferred a degree to you. The MA-IBP program reserves the right to withdraw any offer of admission if there is a discrepancy between the uploaded unofficial transcript and/or translation, and the official original language transcript and/or the official translation.

Instructions for transcripts:

1. All submitted transcripts must display the following*:
   • course names
   • all grades received (including from transfer credits and study abroad programs)
   • cumulative GPA
   • grading scale
   • type of degree and degree conferral information
2. We require proof a degree was conferred and the date of graduation.
3. A transcript is official when:
   • submitted in an envelope which is issued by your institution(s) and sealed by your university’s registrar’s office (or equivalent office), to the address below:
     Attn: MA-IBP Admissions
     Rafik B. Hariri Building, Suite 474
     37th & O Streets, NW
     Washington, DC 20057
   • submitted from your institution via a secure electronic delivery (such as Scrip-Safe or Parchment) via email to: ma.ibp@georgetown.edu
   • requested from the appropriate institution’s registrar, returned to you, and submitted unopened.

Standardized Test Scores

Optional or required if requested

Submission of a GRE, GMAT, or Executive Assessment test score is optional. If you wish to submit test scores, upload an unofficial copy of your test score (no more than five years old) directly into the online application. All score reports should include your name and test date.

Official scores only need to be submitted if you are admitted to the program. Discrepancies between self-reported/unofficial documents and official records may result in an admissions offer being rescinded.

Application Fee

Required

Application fee waivers will be automatically granted to candidates who are active duty, reservists, or veterans of the United States military. We are also pleased to offer application fee waivers for applicants who apply after attending select admissions events. All other applicants must submit a $175 non-refundable application fee, payable online via credit card or e-check. Please do not send a personal check or money order.

International Applicants

Non-U.S. College or University Academic records

Required for International Applicants

Students who have attended or graduated from a non-U.S. college or university should follow these instructions:

1. We require that all transcripts be submitted in English. Most major foreign universities will issue official transcripts in English themselves. However, if your institution is unable to do this, you are responsible for providing the MA-IBP program with an English translation of your transcript. Your translator must certify that the original documentation was received in a sealed envelope from your university or issuing institution. After translating, your translator should enclose both the original (non-translated) and the certified translation in an envelope and seal and sign the envelope. The transcript should be enclosed in the signed, sealed envelope and submitted by mail to the MA-IBP program.
   
   As an alternative to an individual translator providing certified translations, international applicants who attend institutions outside of the United States may submit their transcripts in the form of a credential evaluation. While this service is not required, we recommend the World Education Services (WES) ICAP evaluations. Credential evaluations may take the place of official transcripts, as long as they come to the MA-IBP admissions office directly from the evaluation service provider and include a copy of the official transcripts you had evaluated.
2. We require proof a degree was conferred and the date of graduation. Some international transcripts do not explicitly state that a degree was conferred or the date of graduation. If your transcript does not explicitly state that a degree was conferred or the date of graduation, you should obtain an official letter from your university indicating the date of your graduation and the degree conferral date. This letter should be enclosed in a signed, sealed envelope and included with your transcript.

Demonstration of English Language Proficiency

Required for qualifying applicants noted below or required if requested

Applicants who fit the criteria below are required to upload an unofficial English Language Proficiency Exam score report to the online application.

• Non-U.S. citizens
• Non-U.S. permanent residents
• Applicants who have not obtained a four-year or advanced degree from a university where the only primary medium of instruction was English

Please note: If you meet any of the following criteria, you are not required to submit a TOEFL/IELTS score:

• You have received a bachelor’s or advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education in the United States or from a university where English is the primary language of instruction
• Your native language is English
• You have worked full-time for the last 3+ years in an English speaking country. 

The Office of Admissions reserves the right to ask an applicant to submit proof of English Language Proficiency.

You may choose from one of the following three exams to demonstrate your level of competence in English.

• TOEFL (internet-based) – The minimum required score is 100. Your test result must not be more than two years old. If you are admitted to the program, official scores must be sent directly from ETS to Georgetown University Executive Education Admissions using ETS Code Number: 2509-02.
  • We now accept MyBest Scores. Test dates on your MyBest Scores report that are older than two years are expired and not valid. All dates must be valid.
  • We are currently accepting the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition. For more information and registration details visit the following ETS page: TOEFL site.
• IELTS – We accept only academic module results. The minimum required score is 7.5. Your test result must not be more than two years old. If you are admitted to the program, official scores must be sent electronically to us directly from Cambridge (IELTS). When requesting your scores from the test center, please enter the following information exactly as provided below:

Account Name: Georgetown University Sch of Business- MiM, MA-IBP, MSBA
Address: Executive and Specialized Degree Programs
37th and O Streets
Rafik B. Hariri Building, Suite 359
NW Washington, DC 20057

Join Our January 2025 Intake

The next MA-IBP intake launches in January 2025. We welcome the opportunity to connect with you throughout the admissions process to learn more about your background and interests.

Upcoming MA-IBP Events

Request Info

Schedule a Meeting with the Admissions Team

Questions? Contact Our MA-IBP Admissions Team

ma.ibp@georgetown.edu / +1 (202) 687-0971/ Frequently Asked Questions

Please note that while the information on this page provides guidance, applicants must refer to the full application form for detailed instructions. Should you encounter any discrepancies between instructions on this page and instructions in the application itself, you must follow the guidance provided in the application.