Kellogg MBA: 2026-2027 deadlines and requirements
Key facts
| Program | Full-Time MBA (Two-Year MBA) |
|---|---|
| City | Evanston, Illinois |
| Rank | #4 (tie) in U.S. News 2026 Best Business Schools |
| Class size | 534 students in the Two-Year MBA Class of 2027. |
| GMAT score | Average 687 on the GMAT Focus Edition for the Class of 2027. Older GMAT average 733. |
| GRE | Average Verbal 162 and Quant 162 for the Class of 2027. |
| Tests it takes | Takes the GMAT or the GRE from one sitting, with no preference. The school does not mix scores from different test days. There is no minimum score. The school's how to apply page lists no test waiver. |
| Application fee | $250, not refundable, paid by credit card in the application. The fee is waived for active duty U.S. military and U.S. veterans, and for people who worked at Teach For America, a Title 1 school, AmeriCorps or the Peace Corps in the past three years. |
| Tuition | $88,536 for the 2026-2027 Two-Year MBA first year (tuition only). Estimated first year cost is $130,072. |
| English test | Not needed if you finished a college degree in the U.S., or at a school that teaches only in English, or worked two years in a row in the U.S. or another English speaking country in the last five years. Otherwise the school looks at your English during the application and interview, with a TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo score. The page lists no minimum score. |
Application rounds
| Round | Apply by | Decision by |
|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | September 9, 2026 | December 9, 2026 |
| Round 2 | January 6, 2027 | March 24, 2027 |
| Round 3 | March 31, 2027 | May 12, 2027 |
Essays
- 550 words. Part I: An MBA is a significant investment of time, energy and resources, and the decision to pursue one deserves serious reflection. Tell us about the pivotal experiences and decisions that have brought you to this moment in your career, how they have shaped your ambitions, and why now is the right time to take this next step. Part II: Now turn the lens outward: beyond what you hope to gain, what do you hope to contribute to the students who will learn alongside you?
- 250 words, required only for people who applied before. How have you grown or changed personally and professionally since you previously applied and what steps have you taken to become the strongest candidate you can be?
Recommendations
2 letters. Ideally one from a current supervisor or manager, and one from someone who can judge your work and leadership, like a former supervisor or a client. Each recommender answers three questions of 300, 300 and 250 words.
Interview
All interviews are online. Invitations go out while applications are being read, until decisions come out, and the time of your invitation says nothing about your chances. Once an interview time is set it cannot be changed.
Other parts of the application
A five question video essay, due 96 hours after the application deadline. It takes about 30 minutes, you get up to one minute to answer each question, and you cannot redo an answer. You also send a resume or CV and transcripts from every school you attended (official copies only when you enroll). The school strongly recommends at least two years of full-time work.
Links
Sources
- Kellogg: Full-Time MBA Admissions, read November 1, 2026
- Kellogg: How to apply to a Full-Time MBA, read November 1, 2026
- Kellogg: Full-Time MBA Class Profile, read November 1, 2026
- Kellogg: Kellogg international MBA candidates, read November 1, 2026
- Kellogg: Full-Time MBA Tuition + Aid, read November 1, 2026
- Campus photo: Joseph Gage, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
