UCT Graduate School of Business (GSB) Entry Requirements

UCT Graduate School of Business (GSB) admission or entry requirement

PGDIP ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

Due to the intensity of the programme applicants need to demonstrate a high level of personal motivation, stamina and initiative. In addition applicants must show a willingness to work in a group situation and an ability to tolerate and manage pressure and conflict and are assessed with this in mind.

Age and work experience

Applicants should be at least 25 years old and have a minimum of 3 years’ relevant work experience.
A graduate level qualification or NQF level 7 equivalent is also required. Applicants without a degree may be considered through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) route.

Interview

May be required. Applicants will be informed.

MBA ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

The GSB MBA programme is geared toward talented and mature adults who have proven academic ability and business experience, and who are highly motivated to succeed. Students are selected, inter alia, on their capacity for personal and professional development. The GSB uses a number of criteria in selecting candidates.

To be considered for the GSB MBA candidates need to:

Be 25 years or older
Have a minimum of three years work experience.
Be fluent in English. Applicants whose mother tongue is not English will be required to produce a TOEFL certificate to verify fluency in English.
Have completed either a Bachelor Honours degree or Postgraduate Diploma or a cognate Bachelor’s Degree equivalent at level 8 through relevant work experience. Candidates not meeting the degree requirement can apply through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) route and submit the Portfolio of Learning (POL) assessment form.
All applicants are required to write the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) and obtain an acceptable GMAT score. A GMAT score of 550 will ordinarily be required. The GSB offers a five-day GMAT Preparation Course to help students prepare for the GMAT.

In addition to the above criteria the GSB uses a number of other indicators including essays about life experience, goals, attitudes and values, evaluations from two referees as well as details of job, educational and extramural activities.

Interview

May be required. Applicants will be informed.

Admission is also guided by considerations such as whether or not the applicant will make a contribution to the programme, not to mention, benefit from it.

EMBA ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

Admission to the Executive MBA is highly selective and enrollment is limited. The programme aims to develop a cadre of senior management professionals who have the conceptual facilities, cultural empathy and practical capabilities to build exceptional careers, organisations and nations. Candidates are assessed with this in mind.

To be considered for the GSB MBA Executive Management candidates need to:

Have a minimum of 10-15 years’ work experience and a proven management track record in the public or private sector.
Be fluent in English. Applicants whose mother tongue is not English will be required to produce a TOEFL certificate to verify fluency in English.
Have completed either a Bachelor Honours degree or Postgraduate Diploma or a cognate Bachelor’s Degree equivalent at level 8 through relevant work experience. Candidates not meeting the degree requirement can apply through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) route and submit the Portfolio of Learning (POL) assessment form.
GMAT test or the MCPA test.
Applicants are required to write the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) and obtain a GMAT score of at least 550. If this is not achieved then an applicant may be asked to write the NBT. The GSB offers a five-day GMAT Preparation Course to help students prepare for the GMAT.As an alternative to the GMAT, applicants can complete the MCPA Assessment. This assessment provides an indication of the individual’s most suitable longer term fit with organisational complexity or work themes, and provides information about current and future capabilities.Bookings for the MCPA can be made by visiting https://www.bioss.co.za and clicking on Assessment Bookings. Simply complete and submit the form after which you will then be contacted by Bioss to organise the MCPA. Results will be sent to the Graduate School of Business.
Take the NBT test. Applicants writing MCPA are required to write the National Benchmark Test (NBT) and obtain an acceptable NBT score. This UCT-developed test provides additional insight into the candidate’s verbal and quantitative abilities, and is assessed in conjunction with the other indicators.

Applicants who have met the admission requirements will be contacted to attend a selection interview.

MCOM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

A four-year degree or Honours degree in Economics, Commerce, Accounting, Finance or other finance related degrees.
Alternatively applicants may have a four-year or Honours degree in other non-finance related discipline with at least 3 years work experience in finance related work and a very strong quantitative background.
Students must be fluent in spoken and written English.
Applicants are not required to take the GMAT or any other tests.

MPHIL ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

The MPhil Inclusive Innovation has the following requirements:

Applicants must hold at least a NQF level 8 qualification in Applied Science, Commerce, Humanities, Health Sciences, Arts, and other related degrees. Alternatively applicants who have a three-year degree with three or more years of work experience may apply as an RPL candidate (Recognition of Prior Learning). All applicants are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Applicants must have already demonstrated a desire for solving problems within the key themes of education, health, finance and digital inclusion; or have a passion to pursue an area they have already researched substantially.

PHD ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

Applicants need to be in possession of a recognised master’s degree (or in special circumstances, at the discretion of the Senate, an approved bachelor’s degree or qualification recognised by the Senate as equivalent). They must demonstrate that they have the necessary competencies in research methodology and practice that are required for the completion of an independent study research degree.

Applicants will need to include with their application a nomination of a suitable supervisor. Your nominated PhD supervisor must be a full-time academic at the GSB and must be actively publishing in the scholarly literature in the field in question. GSB faculty can discuss applicants’ research ideas and preliminary proposal at their discretion, but we advise applicants not to contact potential supervisors without some preliminary research ideas. Note that it is not always possible to find a supervisor who is both suitable and available, and an applicant cannot be registered if there is no available supervisor for the proposed research at the GSB.