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International MBA Student Admissions

Two MBA students at graduation.

Looking for a business degree in the U.S.? Willamette’s full-time MBA is perfect for students on J-1 or F-1 visas, offering scholarships, internships, and hands-on learning.

Note that international students who hold employment-related visas (such as green card holders, H1B, L-1, E-1, E-2, etc.) that permit study incidental to their status may apply to the part-time MBA for Professionals program. 

Why Choose Willamette?

  • Top Faculty: Small classes, big connections. Learn from experts actively engaged in the business world.
  • Real-World Experience: Up to three semesters of internships to boost your career.
  • Global Reach: Accredited by AACSB and NASPAA, recognized worldwide.
  • Scholarships: Merit-based awards make education affordable.
  • Stunning Location: Study in Oregon’s beautiful Pacific Northwest.
  • Global Network: Join a vast alumni network with connections worldwide.

Studying in the U.S.

As an F-1 or J-1 visa student, you’ll study at Willamette’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management in Salem, Oregon. Check out Studying in the States for more details on the process.

Application Requirements

To apply for Willamette's MBA program, international applicants must submit the following:

Complete the Willamette MBA application. You will use the online application to submit all your documents and information. You do not need to complete all of your application information at once. You may save your work and return to your application later.

Apply to the Early Career and Career Change program. Our part-time MBA for Professionals program is not available to international students.

All application materials and documents submitted as part of the application process become the property of the Willamette MBA program and cannot be returned.

You may receive conditional admission with unofficial transcripts and translated transcripts. To receive full admission, any transcripts you submit from institutions outside of the U.S. must be evaluated by one of the following service providers: Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE), International Education Evaluation (IEE), or World Education Services (WES).

ECE, IEE, and WES are third-party credential-evaluation services that convert educational credentials from any country to their U.S. equivalents.

We recommend you start the transcript evaluation process as soon as possible.

  • Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE)
    • ECE has created a custom application for Willamette University that will give you a 10% discount. A copy of your evaluation will be sent digitally to Willamette University at no charge. Access your ECE application here.
  • International Education Evaluation (IEE)
  • World Education Services (WES)
  • Atlas Credential Evaluations
    • Please visit Atlas Credential Evaluations and click "apply here."
    • Use discount code WLMT15 for $15 off your course-by-course evaluation.

Request ECE, IEE, or WES to send your completed electronic evaluation directly to Willamette MBA. Do not send physical copies of your education evaluation through the mail.

Willamette requires the names and contact information of two individuals. These should be people who are familiar with your work performance, professional or leadership experience, and character. We will not accept recommendations from family members. We will send a link to your references which they will use to provide their recommendation.

This is similar to a letter of recommendation, where we're looking for helpful insights about you from those you work with.

A personal statement, or essay, is a summary of your goals, experiences, and desires for an MBA. The personal statement helps the admission committee understand your motivations for seeking an MBA. By understanding your career and educational goals, we can ensure our program is the right fit for you.

Your resume should detail your work experience and include achievements and awards earned throughout your life. Make sure to include additional activities and community service.

Willamette's MBA program does not require work experience. If you don't have professional work experience, make sure to include any major school projects that are relevant.

Test scores are optional. You may choose to submit scores if you think they add helpful academic context to your application. If your undergraduate GPA is below 3.0, consider submitting a test score to strengthen your application. The GMAT code for Willamette MBA is 3MZ-PZ-27. The GRE code is 1181. Read more about preparing for the GMAT or GRE. 
Willamette offers all courses in English. International students must pass a language proficiency test to achieve our admission requirements. We require one of the following scores:
  • Official TOEFL iBT score of 88 or higher (The TOEFL code for Willamette MBA is 4954)
  • Official TOEFL Essentials score of 8.5 or higher (The TOEFL code for Willamette MBA is 4954)
  • Official IELTS score of 6.5 or higher
  • Official Duolingo score of 105 or higher

Applicants may receive a waiver of the language proficiency test if all of the requirements for the undergraduate degree or an advanced degree were completed in a country where the primary and dominant language is English and English was the language of instruction of the school. Please contact our admissions team for further information.

Applicants must hold a passport that will be valid for at least six months into the future from the date you apply for your visa, and from the date you will be entering or reentering the United States. Contact your local embassy or consultant if you need to renew your passport.
Applicants may submit supplemental information. They can do so by:

  • Emailing mba-admission@willamette.edu
  • Sending mail to:
    Willamette University 
    Atkinson Graduate School of Management
    900 State Street
    Salem, OR 97301

We require official bank verification of funds (written in English) and a photocopy of the name page of your passport to issue the Form I-20 which must be received in order to accept an offer of admission. However, these documents are not necessary for admission consideration.

Visa and International Program Information

Review the helpful information below, or reach out to Willamette's admission team for assistance.

Follow these steps if you are an admitted student attending the Willamette MBA program through an F-1 visa:

  1. Provide the Willamette MBA admission office with the financial documents required to qualify for an I-20. These include an official bank verification of funds (written in English) and a photocopy of the name page of your passport. Contact us if you have questions. See more information at Study in the States – Financial Ability.
  2. When your documents qualify you for an I-20, the Willamette MBA admission office will email a digital copy your I-20 to you. The Form I-20 is an important document that you should keep safe, as you will need it throughout your life as an international student.
  3. After you receive your I-20, the next step is to pay your I-901 SEVIS Fee and print a receipt. Save the receipt. See more information at Study in the States – Paying the I-901 SEVIS Fee.
  4. After you receive the receipt for your I-901 SEVIS Fee, the next step is to make a visa appointment. A visa can be issued up to 120 days in advance of your course of study start date listed on your I-20. See more information at Study in the States – Applying for a Visa.
  5. You are now ready to plan your arrival. You may enter the United States up to 30 days before your official program start date listed on your Form I-20.
Remember, even though you have a visa, you must have a passport that will be valid for six months beyond your date of entry to the United States. See more information at Study in the States – Arrive at US Port of Entry.

Students who will be on a J1 visa are generally working with an exchange sponsor organization or fellowship program who will help then with the process. Contact us if you have questions.

Willamette is a top choice for many Saudi Arabian students pursuing an MBA in the U.S. Our focus on building a global network has connected Saudi Arabian students with leading companies around the world. Our graduates have gone on to secure roles at major organizations like Toyota, PepsiCo, Saudi Aramco, and the Saudi National Bank.

To assist with your SACM sponsorship, we will provide you with two essential documents:

  1. Program Overview: A semester-by-semester breakdown of your courses, including your expected graduation date.
  2. Detailed Study Plan: Information about course delivery methods, locations, instructors, and credit values.

If you require any additional documents for SACM or another sponsor, let us know, and we’ll be happy to help.

If you're an international student from India, GradRight offers valuable resources to help you secure funding for your MBA. By using this service, you can find the right financing solutions for your MBA at Willamette University.

We understand that financing an MBA in the United States can be a significant concern for international students and their families. At Willamette, we want to ease those concerns by offering financial options to make your MBA journey more affordable.

Both international and U.S. students pay the same tuition for our Early Career and Career Change MBA program. To support your financial planning, we offer these options:

GradRight

Willamette partners with GradRight to help students from India find the best financing solutions. GradRight is the world’s first student loan bidding platform, offering personalized, unsecured, low-cost education loans. The platform connects you with tailored loan offers from top financial institutions in just minutes. Here’s how to get started:

  1. Create a profile on FundRight
  2. Select Willamette University and your MBA program
  3. Receive customized loan offers
  4. Apply and choose the loan that’s best for you

Scholarships for International Students

Willamette is committed to attracting outstanding students from around the world, including India. We offer several scholarship opportunities, including the Global Reach Scholarship for international students. Every admitted MBA applicant is automatically considered for merit-based scholarships.

If you have any questions about financial options or the application process, our admissions team is here to help.

Willamette University’s MBA program proudly partners with international institutions to offer exchange opportunities, giving you the chance to experience the U.S. while continuing your business education for a semester.

We welcome exchange students from our partner schools, including Copenhagen Business School (CBS), KEDGE Business School, EM Strasbourg Business School (EMS), and Peking University HSBC Business School. We’re excited to have you join us.

Apply as an Early Career and Career Change MBA student for the semester you plan on attending.

Deadlines and Costs

  • Application Deadlines:
    • October 1 for Spring Semester (starting in January)
    • May 15 for Fall Semester (starting in August)
  • Estimated Cost: Minimum $8,000 per semester.

 

Submit your application to Willamette by the deadlines (October 1 for Spring and May 15 for Fall), along with any supplementary materials. This information is essential for processing your visa, course registration, and more.

Your Arrival

Check the Academic Calendar for the first day of classes. You should plan to arrive in Salem a few days before so you have time to get settled and rested before school starts. We can provide tips for getting from the Portland International Airport (our closest port of entry) to Salem.

Housing

Exchange students generally live on campus for the one semester in which they are enrolled on campus. More information will be provided after admission to the exchange program. On-campus arrangements are made through Willamette University Housing. The email address for Housing is housing@willamette.edu.

Health History and Immunization Records

Oregon state law requires all new students to provide immunization and health records. The Health History Form and Measles Immunity Form is available at willamette.medicatconnect.com, the Bishop Wellness Center Online Portal. This information must be submitted by the first day of class.

To access the forms:

  1. Go to willamette.medicatconnect.com
  2. Log in with your Willamette username and password
  3. On your home screen you will see that you have a form to complete.
  4. Fill in your immunization dates. Only Measles information is required but other immunization dates will help the Bishop Wellness Center staff assist you.

Student Medical Insurance

Willamette University requires that all international students have medical insurance coverage comparable to that offered through the school's comprehensive Student Health Insurance Plan.

Details about student health insurance

Costs and Expenses

While enrolled at Willamette University, exchange students are responsible for covering all costs of living, travel, books and other course materials, health insurance, immunizations (if any), personal expenses, and laptop (see laptop requirement below). Exchange students will need to document at least $8,000 in funds for each semester in which they will be enrolled at Willamette University.

Tuition, Fees and Books for Your Semester of Exchange

Tuition: Exchange students pay tuition to their home institution (CBS or KEDGE or EMS or Peking) for your semester of exchange.
Fees: All Willamette MBA students, including exchange students, pay a $40 per semester student fee and a $50 per semester Health Center Fee.
Books: We estimate that books and materials will average $600 per semester.

Save Money on Exchange Rates and Bank Transfer Fees with flywire

Willamette University partners with flywire to save international students money on exchange rates and bank fees. For more information visit the flywire website. You can access Willamette's flywire page directly.

Laptop Requirement

All Willamette MBA students are required to have a laptop computer. In some classes you will use your laptop extensively; in others periodically or minimally. See required laptop specifications.

FAQs

International students are encouraged to explore scholarship opportunities through the following organizations:

If you are transferring to Willamette from another school, be sure to fill out and submit the Willamette University Immigration Transfer In Form, so your SEVIS record can be transferred to Willamette.

Admission decisions are typically made within two weeks of your Admission Interview.

The Admission team will begin work on preparing your I-20, and we will need the following items from you:

  • A photocopy of the data page of your passport.
  • Official bank verification of funds (in English)
  • Completion of Willamette MBA’s I-20 Information form, located in the application portal.

A photocopy of your I-20, if you are currently studying in the United States, or if you are in the US as an F-2 dependent on your spouse’s I-20.

After you receive your I-20, the next step is to pay your I-901 SEVIS Fee and print a receipt. Save the receipt. See more information at Study in the States – Paying the I-901 SEVIS Fee

After you receive the receipt for your I-901 SEVIS Fee, the next step is to make a visa appointment. A visa can be issued up to 120 days in advance of your course of study start date listed on your I-20. See more information at Study in the States – Applying for a Visa

You are now ready to plan your arrival. You may enter the United States up to 30 days before your official program start date listed on your Form I-20. Remember, you must have a passport that will be valid for 6 months beyond your date of entry to the United States. See more information part way down the page at Study in the States – Arrive at US Port of Entry

Contact us with questions.

Deadlines

To ensure that you have the maximum amount of time to obtain a visa, we recommend you submit your application no later than March, though most students apply earlier. Students should take the GMAT/GRE no later than April.

Fall semester starts in August.

Willamette MBA Professor writing on a white board in class.

Contact

We're here to assist you in exploring Willamette’s MBA programs. Reach out by email, call us at 503-370-6167, visit our campus, or meet us at MBA events worldwide.

MBA Students talking over dinner.

Willamette University

Office of Admissions

  • Graduate and Professional Center

    Address

    Ecotrust Building
    721 NW 9th Ave
    Portland Oregon 97209 U.S.A.

    Contact

    503-370-6303

    Contact Us