Alliance Manchester Business School - AMBS

Apply for the Global Part-time MBA

Complete your application by 9 December 2024.

Starting your application

If you think you've got what it takes to join our next cohort of MBAs, start your application. Before you apply, you should check the entry requirements.

Our friendly MBA recruitment team can advise you through every stage of the process.

Application tips

MBA Admissions Director, Helen Dowd, and Head of MBA Marketing and Recruitment, Chris Healy, offer practical advice on how you can stand out and successfully navigate the MBA application process in the video below.

Global Part-time MBA application

The deadline to submit your application is 9 December 2024.

Key dates and deadlines

The application process is competitive and places are limited - apply as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

Application deadline

Final application deadline: Monday 9 December 2024.

The application deadline is the same for the Global Part-time MBA and the Finance Accelerated pathway.

How to apply

Review the entry requirements before starting your application. The application process is the same for the Global Part-time MBA and the Finance Accelerated pathway.

Stage 1: Prepare your application

The application process requires you to prepare a number of elements before you can submit. It's important to submit a complete application.

Key parts of the application that require time and attention include:

  • Choosing two work-related references - let your referees know they'll receive a reference request directly from AMBS when you submit your application
  • Preparing your CV or resume
  • Preparing and registering to take the Manchester Admissions Test (MAT), GMAT® or GRE®
  • Starting to write your essays
  • Gathering your degree or professional qualification documents
  • Preparing for and taking an official English language test if required - you might need evidence to prove you have the required level of English.
Stage 2: Apply through the university application portal

Important: The Global MBA application portal will be closed for maintenance from 8am on Saturday 26 October until 9am on Monday 28th October (UK time). This means you won’t be able to submit your application during this time.

You'll need to register for an account and select to apply for the Global Part-time MBA. You don't need to complete the application form right away - you can save your answers as you go.

Before submitting your application form, you'll need to include:

  • The essay questions - you can prepare these in advance and copy and paste them into the application form when you're ready
  • Contact details for your referees - when you submit your application, your referees will need to submit their references online
  • Your CV or resume - you can add your full career history in this.

You should only submit the form when you have a complete application, including the required test scores and supporting documents.

After you submit your application, you'll receive an automated receipt from reply@manchester.ac.uk. Save this email to your contacts to make sure you get our emails about your application.

Apply through The University of Manchester Application Portal.

Stage 3: Gather supporting documents for your application

To support your application, you'll need to provide:

  • Two professional references
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Degree or professional qualification documents
  • Admissions test result: Manchester Admissions Test (MAT), GMAT® or GRE®
  • Proof of meeting the English Language Requirement.

Two professional references

You'll need to ask two people to act as your referees. Your referees should be people you've worked closely with - you don't need to provide an academic reference.

One of your referees should be the person you report to in your current company. If you don't want someone from your current employer to be your referee, you can choose someone from a previous organisation.

How to submit your reference

You'll need to add the contact details for your referees in the application form - use their work email, not their personal email.

After you've submitted your application, your chosen referees will receive an automated email with login details for our online reference system. Your referees will need to complete and submit the reference online. This will then upload directly into the university admissions system with your other application documents.

Curriculum Vitae (CV)

You must upload a complete and up-to-date CV as part of your application. This should be no more than two pages.

In your CV, you should include every job you've had since graduating from your undergraduate degree, if you have one. List your jobs in reverse chronological order - starting with your current position.

For each position, you should include:

  • The company name, job title and salary - if you've worked in more than one position for the same company, list each position separately
  • The month/year the position started, and the end date
  • Bullet points of your key responsibilities and achievements.

You should also include details of your qualifications in your CV or resume, for example:

  • Bachelor's degree
  • Master's degree
  • Postgraduate diplomas or specialisations
  • Relevant professional qualifications
  • Academic distinctions, honours or awards.

Degree or professional qualification documents

You'll need to upload electronic copies of your official transcripts and certificates for any degrees you have completed, or relevant professional qualifications. All documents must be submitted in English - you'll need to provide a translation from a certified translator if they're in another language.

Transcripts should include:

  • The type of degree awarded
  • Date of enrolment and date your degree was conferred - this will be the date of your graduation
  • Details of all of the modules studied and the marks you achieved
  • Your overall mark, percentage, grade point average (GPA) or classification.

You don't need to provide a certificate if your transcript shows that you have graduated and includes your final result. If you have graduated from a UK university, you'll need a copy of your certificate that shows your final result - for example, second class upper (2:1).

If you have a professional qualification, you'll need to submit:

  • A copy of your certificate proving you have the qualification
  • Proof of your membership of the professional body or organisation.

If you're applying for the Global Finance Accelerated MBA

You must also have a professional accountancy qualification to be considered. Examples of professional accountancy qualifications include: 

  • ACA, FCA or CA (Chartered Accountant)
  • ACCA or FCCA (Chartered Certified Accountant)
  • ACMA or FCMA (Chartered Management Accountant)
  • CPFA (Chartered Public Finance Accountant)
  • AAIA or FAIA (International Accountant)
  • AFA or FFA (Incorporated Financial Accountant)
  • AICPA or FCPA (Certified Public Accountant)
  • CPA (Certified Public Accountant).

We reserve the right to contact your degree-awarding institutions and professional associations for further information in connection with your application.

Proof of meeting the English Language Requirement

You might not need to provide official evidence that you meet the English language requirements for the Global part-time MBA programme.

If you have already taken an English test

Provide the details of your score in the application form and email a copy of your score report. For details of the English language tests we accept, read the Global part-time MBA entry requirements.

Stage 4: Write your essays

As part of your application, you'll need to complete two essay questions about your professional experience and career aspirations. You can prepare your essays offline and copy and paste them into the application form when you're ready.

Essay question 1

Please describe your professional experience and career progression to date, including the dates of any promotions and salary increases - minimum 500 words.

In your essay

You should talk about:

  • The companies you have worked for
  • The breadth and depth of the knowledge you have acquired in the workplace
  • Your key achievements
  • Your management and international business experiences
  • The impact you have made in your different roles.

You should also highlight the parts of your career that demonstrate any of the following:

  • Managing people - this could be within a team, business area, department, or company
  • Managing client relationships
  • Leading significant projects
  • Managing budgets, resources or processes
  • Defining or influencing strategy
  • International exposure
  • Entrepreneurial experience.

Essay question 2

Please address the following questions - minimum 300 words.

  • What are your professional and personal aspirations and why is an MBA important in your plans?
  • Why have you chosen to apply for the Manchester MBA?
  • How do you think your current experience combined with the Manchester MBA will help you to achieve your aspirations?

In your essay

You should give honest and unique insight into your personal and professional aspirations. Think carefully about your answers to the questions, and make sure to relate them to your reasons for wanting to study the Global MBA in particular.

Stage 5: Take the admissions test

After submitting your application and supporting documents, all candidates will be invited to take the Manchester Admissions Test (MAT). You don't need to take the MAT if you already have a valid GMAT®, Executive Assessment or GRE® score.

The Manchester Admissions Test (MAT)

You can complete the MAT online at home, in your office or anywhere with a good internet connection. You'll need to complete three short assessments - verbal, numerical and logical. They take around 45 minutes to complete and you don't need to prepare.

We'll provide you with a login and password to take the test after you submit your MBA application. The invitation will come from kfassessment@kornferry.com. Add this email to your contacts so you don't miss the invitation.

Stage 6: Final decision

Once your application is submitted, we'll review your application form, supporting documents, and admissions test. If you're successful in our initial review, you'll either be offered a place or invited for an interview.

Decisions are made by the consensus of the MBA Admissions Committee.

Take the next steps

Start your application for the Global Part-time MBA

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