Indiana Kelley MBA: 2026-2027 deadlines and requirements
Key facts
| Program | Full-Time +Flex MBA (Bloomington) |
|---|---|
| City | Bloomington, Indiana |
| Rank | #21 (tie) in U.S. News 2026 Best Business Schools |
| Class size | 57 students in the Class of 2028 |
| GMAT score | Average 618 on the current GMAT edition (formerly Focus) for the Class of 2028 |
| GRE | Average Quant 161 and Verbal 160 for the Class of 2028 |
| Tests it takes | Takes the GMAT and the GRE, and scores are good for 5 years. It uses your best scores if you test more than once and looks for a balance of verbal and quant. There is no minimum score. Applicants can ask for a test waiver by sending a resume, transcripts and a statement of 300 words or less to [email protected] by the round dates (October 1, December 15, February 15, April 1). The school answers within one week. |
| Application fee | $75, paid in Phase 2. Phase 1 is free. The school gives an application fee waiver to people who apply again after a denial. Email [email protected] before you reapply. |
| Tuition | For the 2026-2027 year, tuition is $29,573 for Indiana residents and $55,695 for non-residents and international students. Mandatory fees are $2,423. The school’s full yearly budget is $58,007 for residents and $84,129 for others. |
| English test | Required if English is not your native language, unless you earned a bachelor’s or graduate degree at a school that taught in English. Minimums: TOEFL iBT 100 (or 5 on the 6-point scale), IELTS 7.0, or Duolingo English Test 130. |
Application rounds
| Round | Apply by | Decision by |
|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | Phase 1: October 1, 2026. Phase 2: October 15, 2026 | By December 22, 2026. Deposit due February 1, 2027. |
| Round 2 (international applicants should apply by January 5) | Phase 1: December 15, 2026. Phase 2: January 5, 2027 | By March 15, 2027. Deposit due April 15, 2027. |
| Round 3 | Phase 1: February 15, 2027. Phase 2: March 1, 2027 | By April 15, 2027. Deposit due April 30, 2027. |
| Round 4 | Phase 1: April 1, 2027. Phase 2: April 15, 2027 | By May 15, 2027. Deposit due May 30, 2027. |
| Deferred admission for college seniors (KAAP, U.S. citizens and permanent residents only) | June 1 (the How to Apply page says June 1 and the FAQ page says June 30) | Not published |
Essays
- 500 words. Discuss your immediate post-MBA professional goals. How will your professional experience, when combined with a Kelley MBA degree, allow you to achieve these goals? Should the short-term goals you have identified not materialize, what alternate career paths might you consider?
- 300 words. Respond to one of the following short essay prompts. a. My greatest memory is... b. I'm most afraid of... c. My greatest challenge has been... d. I'm most proud of...
- 25 words. Share a brief fact about yourself that your classmates would find interesting, surprising, or noteworthy.
- Optional, 300 words. Is there anything else that you think we should know as we evaluate your application? If you believe your credentials and essays represent you fairly, you shouldn't feel obligated to answer this question.
Recommendations
1 recommendation. A current or recent supervisor is preferred, someone who can speak about how you work.
Interview
Not required. Offered by invitation only after you apply, and not everyone is invited. The invitation can come any time until shortly before decisions. The admissions committee runs every interview. There are no alumni interviews.
Other parts of the application
Phase 1 is a free form and your resume. If the school invites you to Phase 2, you get the Kelley Application Portal for the interview, test scores, English test, essays, recommendation, an Indiana University Graduate School form and the fee. Unofficial transcripts are collected while you apply and official ones are needed before you enroll. The school does not print a year next to its deadlines. It is a founding school of The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management.
Links
Sources
- Kelley: How to Apply, read November 1, 2026
- Kelley: MBA application requirements, read November 1, 2026
- Kelley: Frequently Asked Questions, read November 1, 2026
- Kelley: Full-Time MBA essays (PDF), read November 1, 2026
- Kelley: Class Profile, read November 1, 2026
- Kelley: Tuition, Financial Aid and Scholarships, read November 1, 2026
- Campus photo: Mynamepenny, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
