The BU Questrom MBA, the full-time MBA at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business, is ranked No. 46 by U.S. News in its 2026 Best Business Schools list and has one of the most international classes in the United States: 63% of the students who started in September 2025 came from outside the U.S. That class averaged 633 on the GMAT Focus and 318 on the GRE. Tuition for 2026-27 is $73,024, and every admitted applicant, international or domestic, is considered for the Dean’s Scholarship of $10,000 up to full tuition per year.
Questrom’s first round for fall 2027 entry was 7 October 2026, and its admissions page lists an extension deadline of 13 November 2026, so that is your Deadline if you can finish in two weeks. The next rounds close on 14 December 2026 and 3 March 2027. This guide covers the Questrom MBA requirements, acceptance rate, video or written essays, English rules, costs, scholarships, salaries and the mistakes international applicants make.
BU Questrom MBA at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Programme | Full-Time MBA, 64 units, usually two years; also MBA plus MS in Digital Technology in 21 months |
| U.S. News rank | No. 46, 2026 Best Business Schools (released 7 April 2026) |
| Students who started in September 2025 | 117, from 1,385 applications |
| Acceptance rate | 37.2% for the class that entered in 2025 (Poets&Quants) |
| International students | 63% |
| Average GMAT Focus / GRE | 633 / 318 |
| Average GPA | 3.44 |
| Average work experience | 6 years |
| Application fee | $125 |
| Tuition 2026-27 | $73,024 a year |
| Employment (Class of 2025) | 80% of job seekers accepted an offer within three months |
BU Questrom MBA ranking
U.S. News ranked Questrom No. 46 for full-time MBA programmes in its 2026 edition, released on 7 April 2026, tied with American University’s Kogod. Boston University itself rose to No. 34 among National Universities in the U.S. News 2027 Best Colleges edition. If you are also looking at BU for undergraduate study or another graduate school, our Boston University admission guide covers the wider university.
BU Questrom MBA class profile and acceptance rate
| Students who started in September 2025 | Figure |
|---|---|
| Enrolled | 117 |
| Applications | 1,385 |
| GMAT Focus average (middle 80%) | 633 (595 to 673) |
| GRE total average (middle 80%) | 318 (307 to 327) |
| GRE quant average | 161 |
| Undergraduate GPA average (middle 80%) | 3.44 (2.97 to 3.83) |
| Work experience average (middle 80%) | 6 years (3 to 10) |
| Average age | 29 |
| Women | 45% |
| International | 63% |
| Countries represented | 29 |
The 29 countries included Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Zimbabwe and Egypt, plus India, China, Indonesia, Mexico, Peru and others. Poets&Quants reported a 37.2% acceptance rate for the class that entered in 2025, up from 33.3% a year earlier. Questrom does not publish a separate rate for international applicants.
Two numbers stand out. The average work experience of six years is high for a full-time MBA, so mid-career applicants fit well here. The GPA range reaches down to 2.97, which means a second-class lower degree does not rule you out if the rest of your file is strong.
BU Questrom MBA requirements for international students
- Bachelor’s degree: a four-year degree from an accredited U.S. institution or the international equivalent.
- Transcripts: unofficial copies at application; official transcripts before you start, with no exceptions.
- Resume: a PDF upload, plus details in the “Professional Experiences” tab.
- One letter of recommendation: ideally from an employer or someone who has worked with you professionally.
- Essays: three video essays or one written essay of up to 750 words, plus an optional essay.
- GMAT or GRE: or a waiver request. Scores are valid for five years. GRE code 3087.
- English test: unless you qualify for a waiver.
- Application fee: $125, by credit or debit card. It is not refundable.
- Interview: by invitation.
Test waivers
Questrom considers GMAT and GRE waiver requests at the committee’s discretion, and only for the fall 2027 entry term. You cannot ask for a waiver once you have sent scores to Questrom. Even admitted candidates are sometimes asked for a score, and Questrom says competitive scores help with scholarship decisions. If you are counting on the Dean’s Scholarship, take the test.
English requirements
You get an automatic English waiver if you completed at least two years of study in English, or have worked full time in the U.S. for two years after your bachelor’s degree. Many graduates of Nigerian, Ghanaian, Kenyan and other English-medium universities will meet the first condition, but confirm it with admissions before you skip the test.
| Test | Questrom guidance |
|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT | 90 recommended; 4.5 on the new 1 to 6 scale (code 3087) |
| IELTS | Competitive applicants usually score at least 6.5 in each band |
| Duolingo English Test | 120 recommended |
| PTE | Standards still under development |
Scores are valid for two years.
BU Questrom MBA deadlines 2026-2027
All dates are for entry in fall 2027.
| Round | Application deadline | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | 7 October 2026, extended to 13 November 2026 | Within 4 to 6 weeks of a complete application |
| Round 2 | 14 December 2026 | Within 4 to 6 weeks of a complete application |
| Round 3 | 3 March 2027 | Within 4 to 6 weeks of a complete application |
| After Round 3 | Space-available review | Rolling |
International applicants
Aim for 13 November or 14 December 2026. A March 2027 application gives you a decision around April, which leaves little time for the I-20 and an F-1 visa interview in countries with long appointment queues.
How to apply, step by step
- Check your English waiver: two years of English-medium study or two years of U.S. work.
- Take the GMAT or GRE, or request a waiver before you send any scores.
- Choose your essay route: three Kira video essays or one written essay.
- Prepare your resume and fill in the Professional Experiences tab in full.
- Brief one professional recommender at least four weeks before the deadline.
- Submit with the $125 fee. Questrom reviews the file once it is complete.
- Interview if invited: on campus, online or in selected cities.
- After admission: send official transcripts and financial documents for the I-20.
BU Questrom MBA essays
Questrom gives you a choice. You can record three video essays on the Kira Talent platform, with 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to answer each question and only one attempt at the formal responses. Or you can write one essay of no more than 750 words explaining why you want a Questrom degree in particular and how the programme you chose supports your goals after graduation. An optional essay of up to 250 words covers gaps in work, your choice of recommender or test performance.
Video or written?
Pick the written essay if you think better on paper or if your spoken English is still settling. Pick the video essays if you are confident on camera, because 60 seconds of natural speech can show personality that a written page hides. Practise with Kira’s practice questions first and record yourself on your phone until you finish answers in about 50 seconds.
How to write the 750-word essay
- Open with the job you want after the MBA and the experience that pushed you toward it.
- Show the gap: the skills or network you lack today.
- Name the Questrom features that close that gap: a major such as Management Science, the Social Impact or Health Sector Management programmes, or the MBA plus MS in Digital Technology.
- Finish with your longer-term aim in two or three sentences.
For illustration: “After four years running logistics for a pharmaceutical distributor in Lagos, I know exactly where vaccines spoil between the port and the clinic. I want the Health Sector Management MBA at Questrom to learn how to fix that at scale.”
Use the optional essay only if you have something to explain, such as a GPA near the bottom of the range, a gap year or a recommender who is not your current manager.
The Questrom interview
Interviews are by invitation after you submit. Questrom holds them on campus, online and off campus in selected cities. Prepare a short walk through your resume, a clear post-MBA goal, two or three examples of leadership, and reasons for Questrom and Boston that go beyond the city’s reputation. Pre-application interviews for the earlier cycle have closed, so plan on the post-application interview.
What the admissions committee looks for
- Professional experience. The class averages six years, and Questrom asks for at least two.
- A specific reason for choosing Questrom, which is what the written essay asks for.
- Readiness for the quantitative core, shown by a test score or strong maths courses.
- Communication skills, tested by the video essays and the interview.
- Goals that match one of Questrom’s programmes or majors.
BU Questrom MBA tuition and cost 2026-2027
| Cost item (2026-27) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $73,024 |
| Tuition and fees | $74,472 |
| Estimated living and indirect costs | $25,988 |
| Estimated total for one year (our sum) | $100,460 |
Over two years, at today’s prices, that is about $200,900 before any scholarship. Questrom also publishes a separate 2026-27 estimate for the MBA plus MS in Digital Technology.
Costs not covered by a scholarship
- Rent and food in Boston, included in the living estimate but often higher in practice.
- Health insurance, which Massachusetts requires for students.
- Summer costs between the two years if your internship is unpaid or in another city.
- Flights, SEVIS fee, visa fee and test fees.
- Money for a spouse or children if they come with you.
BU Questrom MBA scholarships for international students
Every admitted candidate is considered automatically, with no separate application.
| Scholarship | Amount | Open to international students? |
|---|---|---|
| Dean’s Scholarship | $10,000 up to full tuition per year | Yes |
| Social Impact Scholarship | $10,000 up to full tuition per year, for admitted Social Impact MBA students | Yes |
| City Year Scholarship | At least $15,000 in year one, renewable for year two, for City Year alumni and staff | Not stated |
| MBA plus MSDT Summer Scholarship | $5,000 to $10,000, for the summer semester only | Yes |
Questrom does not publish how many students receive each award or the average amount. Its admissions page does not mention Prodigy Finance or MPOWER, so check those lenders directly if you need a loan without a U.S. cosigner. For outside awards, see our list of American scholarships for international students.
STEM designation and OPT
Questrom’s full-time MBA admissions page and BU’s programme bulletin do not say that the full-time MBA is STEM-designated. The bulletin describes a Management Science major focused on quantitative analysis and operations research, and the MBA plus MS in Digital Technology gives you a second degree. If the 24-month STEM OPT extension matters to your plans, ask admissions in writing which programme and major carry a STEM classification before you accept an offer.
BU Questrom MBA salary and employment
Questrom’s Class of 2025 employment report shows that 80% of graduates seeking work accepted an offer within three months of graduation. The school knew outcomes for 91% of the class but salaries for only 49%, so read the pay figures with care. Mean and median base salaries reported across degree tracks and student groups ranged from about $108,500 to $137,500, with signing bonuses between $10,000 and about $16,500.
About 62% of graduates took jobs in the U.S. Northeast and 4% outside the U.S. Employers that hired the class include Amazon, Goldman Sachs, Biogen, Cisco Systems, Dell Technologies, Procter & Gamble, PwC, Sanofi, State Street, Philips, Schneider Electric and NextEra Energy.
Common mistakes international applicants make
- Sending scores and then asking for a test waiver. Questrom will not consider a waiver once scores are on file.
- Skipping the English test without meeting either waiver condition.
- Writing a generic “why MBA” essay when the prompt asks why Questrom in particular.
- Recording video essays without practice. You get one attempt per question.
- Applying in March and leaving too little time for the visa.
- Treating the low end of the GPA range as normal. The average is 3.44.
- Planning around STEM OPT without written confirmation from the school.
Who should apply to BU Questrom, and who shouldn’t
Apply if you have three to ten years of experience, want an MBA in a big city with large biotech, health and finance sectors, and would value a class where most of your classmates are international. The Dean’s Scholarship makes it worth applying even if the sticker price looks high.
Think twice if you need confirmed STEM OPT, if you have less than two years of work, or if you would have to pay the full $100,000 a year without any award.
BU Questrom vs peer MBA programmes
| School | U.S. News 2026 | Avg GMAT | Tuition 2026-27 | International share | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BU Questrom | No. 46 | 633 GMAT Focus (fall 2025 entrants) | $73,024 a year | 63% | 13 November 2026 |
| American Kogod | No. 46 | Not published | $97,335 for 45 credits | 37% | 15 January 2027 |
| Pitt Katz | No. 48 | Not published by Katz | $63,856 a year (out-of-state) | 44% (Poets&Quants) | 15 January 2027 |
| Wisconsin | No. 48 | 675 (Class of 2027) | $51,413 a year (nonresident) | Not published | 7 January 2027 |
Kogod has the clearest STEM status of the four. Wisconsin is cheapest and reports that every eligible student received a scholarship. Questrom has the largest international community and the most flexible essay format.
FAQ
What is the BU Questrom MBA acceptance rate?
Poets&Quants reported a 37.2% acceptance rate for the class that entered in 2025. Questrom received 1,385 applications and enrolled 117 students that year.
Does Questrom require the GMAT for international students?
You need a GMAT or GRE score unless the committee approves a waiver for fall 2027 entry. You cannot request a waiver after sending scores, and good scores help with scholarships.
How much is the BU Questrom MBA for international students?
Tuition for 2026-27 is $73,024, tuition and fees together are $74,472, and Questrom estimates living and indirect costs at $25,988. International and domestic students pay the same rate.
What is the BU Questrom MBA deadline for fall 2027?
The Deadline is 13 November 2026, the Round 1 extension date. The later rounds close on 14 December 2026 and 3 March 2027.
Sources and updates
Facts come from Questrom’s Full-Time MBA admissions page (deadlines, requirements, essays, English rules, scholarships and 2026-27 costs), its class profile page for students who started in September 2025, the Feld Career Center’s Full-Time MBA Employment Report for the Class of 2025, and Boston University’s MBA programme bulletin. The acceptance rate is from Poets&Quants’ August 2026 analysis of acceptance rates at the top 100 U.S. MBA programmes. The 2026 rank is from U.S. News 2026 Best Business Schools (released 7 April 2026), as reported by Poets&Quants. Checked on 29 October 2026. We update this guide when Questrom changes its dates, costs or requirements.
I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.
