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International applicant? Plan ahead for your MBA application requirements

May 10, 2019 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

International applicants whose education was not in English have additional requirements as part of their MBA applications. Not only do you need to take the TOEFL for many schools — the ones that haven’t done away with that requirement already, at least — but you also need to get a hold of your academic records.

We’ve actually covered this in quite a bit of detail before so we’ll first direct you here:

  • Requirements for international applicants and non-English transcripts and recs
  • MBA programs that don’t require the TOEFL for international applicants

Today’s post is meant as a heads-up about these requirements, since they will take a long time to procure and you need to take advantage of the weeks you’ve got stretching ahead of you till Round 1.

If your transcripts are not in English, then you need them translated, and some schools have very explicit rules for what they’ll accept.

For example, here’s what Berkeley Haas requires upon admission of an applicant:

If recommended for admission we will require an official transcript and degree certificate issued by your University. We require that you send academic documents in both the original language and in English. We accept an official English translation by a university official or by a certified ATA translator. You can utilize the following websites to search for and reach out to a certified ATA translator:

ATA homepage: http://www.atanet.org/onlinedirectories/

ATA website for searching for certified translators in a certain country: http://atanet.org/onlinedirectories/individuals_tabs.php#tabs-2

*Only individual translators can be certified by ATA. Documents prepared by translation companies with ATA membership DO NOT suffice. Documents prepared by a certified ATA translator should show the ATA-Certified Translator Seal.

Again, that’s only upon admission and they will give you time to get all the documents together. However, if your transcripts aren’t in English NOW then you need to get them translated in order to apply and so you may as well go through this process of doing it the right way from the beginning. Meaning, using one of these approved translators, exactly per the terms that the school is going to require.

Most schools right now are bending over backwards to make it easier, not harder, for the applicants, especially those coming from outside the U.S. However, Berkeley Haas is subject to the rules of UC-Berkeley and they still tend to be more restrictive in some ways; the TOEFL requirements at Haas are also stricter than you’ll find at other schools. We’re posting this to show one of the more extreme cases. Not all schools will have this stricter ATA certified individual translator requirement, but the ATA-certified version will be accepted at all of them.

Meeting the most restrictive requirements now is only going to make it easier later — and if you have your details buttoned up and put together in the app itself then you’re only going to impress your admissions reader even more, because they will see that you have done your research on every last requirement. That tells them that you’ve taken the time and put in the effort, that you’re taking this seriously, and that you’re prepared and ready for the challenges ahead in pursuing your graduate business education in the U.S. All good things to convey!!

And of course you’ll need to write good essays, but there’s a little bit of time still before you need to be sweating about that. 🙂

Filed Under: GPA and grades

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Next: Harvard Class of 2022 MBA Application Essay: The 2019 Season Is Here! »

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From a BSer January 2020:
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CLASS OF 2023 MBA APPLICATION STRATEGY GUIDES

     
    The 2020 Berkeley-Haas MBA Application Guide - updated for the Class of 2023 application!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Berkeley Haas - refreshed and updated, with brainstorming exercises and structured maps to help you focus your stories!
   
    The 2020-2021 NYU Stern MBA Application Guide that covers the main essay, the EQ Endorsement and Pick Six!
SnarkStrategies Guide for NYU - discusses your requirements for the Class of 2023 essays!
   
    The 2020-2021 Columbia MBA Application Guide
SnarkStrategies Guide for Columbia Business School for 2020-2021 applications
   
    The 2020 Harvard MBA Application Guide - completely overhauled and updated for the coronavirus era!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Harvard Business School!
   
    The 2020-2021 Duke Essay Guide - covers the 25 Random Things essay and all the rest too!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Duke Fuqua - up to date for the current season!
   
    The 2020-2021 MIT Essay Guide covers the org chart, the contacts for two references, and additional tips for the cover letter and 'introduce yourself' video -- and everything else you need to know!
SnarkStrategies Guide for MIT Sloan MBA - totally revised for the Class of 2023!
   
    The 2020-2021 Tuck Essay Guide has been refreshed with latest insights and advice for your essays about "investing generously" and "why Tuck"!
SnarkStrategies Guide for the Dartmouth Tuck MBA - completely overhauled for 2020, to help you demonstrate how you are nice, aware, etc stuff!
   
    The Yale SOM MBA Application Guide for Class of 2023 candidates!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Yale SOM - updated for 2020-2021
   
    The 2020-2021 Chicago Booth MBA Application Guide - ready to go to support your Class of 2023 essay strategy!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Chicago Booth for this year's MBA app!
   
    The 2020 Wharton MBA Application Guide - even more advice on how to get to a win with those essays!
SnarkStrategies Guide for The Wharton School - with new tips for 2020!
   
    The 2020 Kellogg Essay Guide - with a full methodology to identify your 'lasting impact' and your 'values' -- plus tips on 2020 world events and applicability to your essays!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Kellogg MBA - updated and revised for the new realities of 2020!    
      The 2020 Stanford MBA Application Guide - for "what matters most" in your MBA application!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Stanford GSB for the Class of 2023
   
    The 2020-2021 UCLA Anderson MBA Application Guide - updated for Class of 2023 on "impact"!
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