The average GMAT score for Harvard MBA is about 730. At Wharton, it is about 720. INSEAD looks at an average of 710. You get the picture. Some of the top business schools get typical applications with an average GMAT score in the north of 690.
And these GMAT scores when converted to percentiles shed light on the quantitative and verbal abilities of the candidate when compared to other test takers, as can be seen in this article on GMAT test scores to percentile conversion chart.
In other words, Harvard admits candidates who score better than 95% of the total number of GMAT test takers, Wharton 94% and INSEAD 90%.
Read Average GMAT score trends for top schools in the world.
Following the chart shows that if one scores a 580 at the 49th percentile, he would have a report card better than nearly 50% of test takers. And that’s not really bad. In fact, a little digging can reveal that the real average in recent years has been about 560.
But can someone with an “average” GMAT score manage to get an admission into an MBA program? Perhaps even a good one? The answer is yes. Even top schools admit low GMAT scorers.
For instance, the GMAT score range for both Harvard HBS and Wharton start at 620 (percentile 63) and INSEAD has been known to admit students with a 600 (56th percentile) score.
Reason for the discrepancy, if any? Nearly all business schools claim a holistic approach in admission – i.e. a cumulative look at work experience, GPA, essays, extra-curricular activities, student fit, etc.
Having said that though, there are a large number of business schools known to admit candidates with GMAT scores around the real “average” at 600 or less.
We have covered a wide range of US business schools in this article where a low or average GMAT score is considered competent for MBA applications. Read How to overcome a low GMAT score and get into a top MBA program?
However, if applicants are looking to cast a wider and equally competitive net for MBA applications, Europe and Canada present excellent options for a sound business degree with a variety of possibilities at business schools that either have low GMAT expectations or none at all.
Both the country and the continent offer a multicultural setting with plenty of student friendly – be it affordable MBA options or post MBA work permits for internationals – apart from some of the best resources for an all-rounded business education.
In this article, we have collated a near comprehensive list of business schools in Canada and Europe that have an average GMAT intake or a minimum required score of less than 650.
We have also included schools that don’t require a GMAT score to be eligible for applying to their MBA programs. The numbers have been obtained from the school official websites.
MBA in Canada with low GMAT Scores
MBA in Canada without GMAT
| Business School | Average GMAT intake | Minimum GMAT requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Queen’s Smith School of Business | 650 | – |
| University of Alberta | 605 | – |
| Haskayne School of Business – University of Calgary | 600 | – |
| Beedie School of Business – Simon Fraser University | 600 | – |
| Peter B. Gustavson School of Business – University of Victoria | 620 | 550 |
| Sauder School of Business – University of British Columbia | – | 550 |
| Trinity Western University | – | Not Required |
| Vancouver Island University | – | Not Required |
| Asper School of Business – University of Manitoba Winnipeg | 550 | 500 |
| Redekop School of Business – Canadian Mennonite University | – | Not Required |
| University of New Brunswick – Saint John | – | 500 |
| University of New Brunswick Faculty of Business Administration – Fredericton | – | 550 |
| Memorial University of Newfoundland – St. John’s | – | Not Required |
| Sobey School of Business – Saint Mary’s University Halifax | – | 550 |
| DeGroote School of Business – McMaster University Hamilton | – | Not Required |
| Goodman School of Business – Brock University St. Catharine’s | – | 550 |
| Lakehead University Faculty of Business Administration – Thunder Bay | – | 500 |
| Laurentian University Faculty of Commerce and Administration – Sudbury | – | 500 for GPA>80%
600 for GPA~65% |
| Lazaridis School of Business & Economics – Wilfrid Laurier University Waterloo | – | 550 |
| Odette School of Business – University of Windsor Windsor | – | 520 |
| Richard Ivey School of Business – University of Western Ontario London | 660 | – |
| Smith School of Business – Queen’s University Kingston | 650 | – |
| Sprott School of Business – Carleton University Ottawa | – | 550 |
| Ted Rogers School of Management – Ryerson University Toronto | 620 | – |
| Telfer School of Management – University of Ottawa Ottawa | 610
|
– |
| HEC Montréal – École des Hautes Études Commerciales de Montréal, Université de Montréal | 630
|
570 |
| John Molson School of Business – Concordia University | 580 | |
| Edwards School of Business – University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon | 570 |
Even highly reputable B-schools like Rotman and Schulich have admits with GMAT scores in the low 500.
MBA in Europe with low GMAT Scores
MBA in Europe without GMAT
| Business School | Country | Average GMAT intake | Minimum GMAT requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solvay Business School | Belgium | 600 | – |
| Vlerick Business School | Belgium | 650 | – |
| Copenhagen Business School | Denmark | 655 | – |
| Hanken School of Economics | Finland | 600 | – |
| Audencia Business School | France | 625 | – |
| ESSEC | France | 650 | – |
| Grenoble école de management (GEM) | France | 550 | – |
| Institut d’Economie Scientifique et de Gestion (IESEG) | France | – | Not required |
| ISG Business School | France | – | Not required |
| ESMT European School of Management and Technology | Germany | 640 | – |
| HHL Leipzig | Germany | 640 | – |
| Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, | Germany | 640 | – |
| Mannheim Business School | Germany | – | 600 |
| WHU-Otto Beisheim School of Management | Germany | – | 600 |
| Coburg University of Applied Sciences | Germany | 550 | – |
| Athens University of Economics and Business | Greece | – | 550 |
| CEU Business School, Central European University, Budapest | Hungary | 600 | – |
| UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School | Ireland | 645 | 600 |
| MIP Politecnico di Milano | Italy | – | 590 |
| Swiss School of Management Rome | Italy | – | 550 |
| RTU Riga Business School | Latvia | – | Not required |
| Maastricht School of Management | Netherlands | – | 600 |
| Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University | Netherlands | 640 | – |
| TIAS School for Business and Society, Tilburg | Netherlands | 620 | – |
| Warwick Business School, University of Warwick | UK | 660 | – |
| University of Sheffield Management School | UK | – | Not required |
| University of Exeter Business School | UK | – | Not required |
| University of Edinburgh Business School | UK | – | 600 |
| University of Bath School of Management | UK | – | Not required |
| Strathclyde Business School | UK | – | Not required |
| Salford Business School, University of Salford | UK | – | Not required |
| Nottingham University Business School | UK | – | Not required |
| Nottingham Business School (NTU), Nottingham Trent University | UK | – | Not required |
| Middlesex University Business School London | UK | – | 550 |
| Manchester Business School, University of Manchester | UK | 620 | – |
| Lord Ashcroft International Business School, Anglia Ruskin University | UK | – | Not required |
| Leeds University Business School, Leeds | UK | –
|
600 |
| Kingston Business School, Kingston University | UK | – | Not required |
| Imperial College Business School London | UK | – | 600 |
| University of St. Gallen, St. Gallen | Switzerland | 630 | – |
| Swiss Business School, Zürich | Switzerland | – | 550 |
| Geneva Business School | Switzerland | – | Not required |
| ESADE Business School | Spain | 660 | – |
| EAE Business School, Barcelona and Madrid | Spain | 620 | – |
| EADA Business School, Barcelona | Spain | – | 650 |
A lot of b-schools in the lists above don’t usually set most MBA forums abuzz. But they may have resourceful MBA programs that can provide you a decent platform for launching a management career abroad.
But since they are not in the top league, we’d advise you to invest time in researching them before you decide to apply. Alumni and current students are a great source of information. They can help you go beyond the air-brushed websites that make all bschools look similar.
If you are looking for an MBA option in Europe or Canada with a low GMAT score, we encourage you to look into these possibilities. But be extra cautious before you take the plunge.
The other challenge is, if a good business school isn’t looking for GMAT or GRE schools, they are likely to place a greater emphasis on your work experience, MBA essays, recommendations and interviews.
In case you need professional help with your MBA applications, drop us a line at: info [at] mbacrystalball [dot] com
Meanwhile, we recommend you to explore further information on MBA degrees in Canada and Europe here.
– Best MBA in Canada
– Best MBA in Europe
– MBA in France
– MBA in the UK
– MBA in Germany
Also check out our repertoire of articles on GMAT preparation and related information in our GMAT archive.
