Application Process
- Apply – there’s no fee!
- Submit all official transcripts to
Email: MBA@avila.edu
Mail: MBA Admissions
Avila University
11901 Wornall Road
Kansas City, MO 64145 - Call with questions: 816.501.2068
Fax: 816.501.2463
We have designed our MBA admission as a one-step process. You can be advised and registered for your first business degree classes in a single meeting. Schedule a virtual or campus visit for information.
Not All Business Degrees are Created Equal. Join Kansas City’s MBA Program
All applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution.
Admission requirements:
- No GMAT required.
- Applicants with a bachelor’s or master’s degree GPA of 2.75 or higher will be considered for regular admission.
- Applicants with less than a 2.5 GPA will be considered for provisional admission
- All applications will be considered by the admissions committee
International students have additional requirements.
MBA Rolling Admission
With this business degree, Avila offers rolling admissions each semester for all domestic students, with no deadlines. You may apply and be accepted anytime before your chosen semester starts.
International students have additional application requirements toward this business degree and should apply as early as possible in order to have enough time to allow for their home country’s immigration processing, which varies by country. In general, international business degree-seeking students should apply and have their documents submitted no later than 90 days before their semester start date. Incomplete applications will not be processed or considered for admission.
Please refer to the MBA Course Schedule for exact semester dates.
MBA Graduation Requirements
In order to be eligible to receive an MBA degree from Avila University, you must have accomplished the following:
- Completed all the requirements of one of the MBA concentrations.
- Maintained an overall GPA of 3.0.
- No individual class grades less than a “C” and no courses repeated more than once. No more than two grades of “C” allowed in the program.
- Completed a minimum of 30 graduate credit hours, 24 of which were from Avila University.
- The comprehensive exam required as part of the MBA capstone course – BU 699.
GMAT Preparation
The GMAT is not required for admittance to Avila’s MBA business degree program. However, if you’re interested in applying for the Competitive Merit Scholarship you’re welcome to explore the following GMAT resources.
Excellent resources to prepare for the GMAT are available at little or no cost to you:
- To register for the GMAT, go to mba.com. After registration, you will have access to free sample exams online.
- If you think that your quantitative skills are lacking or you need a refresher, there are specific books designed to help you in that area. Go to a public library and check out GMAT preparation books for free. Take advantage of the practice tests until you are familiar with the content and structure of the exam.
- Your GMAT questions answered: The Basics
- Check out this social network: beatthegmat.com
- Johnson County Community College offers inexpensive GMAT prep courses. Go to ed2go.com and type in “GMAT Prep” in the search bar.
- There are several testing locations in Kansas City, and you may choose the location and time convenient for you.
Additional paid GMAT study courses are available online:
- The Economist’s online GMAT prep (gmat.economist.com)
- Veritas online GMAT prep (veritasprep.com/gmat)
- Kaplan online GMAT prep (kaptest.com/gmat)
Competitive Merit Scholarship
The Avila University MBA Program in Kansas City also offers competitive merit scholarships. The scholarship will be granted to new students seeking business degrees, never before enrolled in the program. Students who wish to be considered must complete the GMAT prior to admission.
Minimum Criteria to be considered for the competitive Scholarship:
You must achieve a minimum of 1330 merit points to be considered for the scholarship. The merit points are based on the following formula, which combines your cumulative undergraduate grade point average (GPA) and your Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) score.
Total Merit Points = (cumulative GPA X 200) + GMAT
Once awarded, this is an ongoing scholarship, paying up to 50% of your graduate business degree tuition per enrolled term. The amount of the award will be based on your merit point ranking. To continue your eligibility, you must carry at least 9 graduate hours per academic year and maintain an overall 3.5 GPA.
How to apply:
In order to apply for the Competitive Merit Scholarships, the following information must be received at least three weeks prior to the beginning of a class term.
1. Completed Application for Admission
2. Official transcripts for all undergraduate course work
3. GMAT score
The letter requesting consideration for the MBA scholarship should be sent to:
Avila University
Dr. Wendy Acker, MBA Director
11901 Wornall Road
Kansas City, MO 64145-1698
MBA Programs for International Students
Avila’s business degree program has a long history of providing high-quality education and career advancement for international students engaged in the global marketplace. Avila University’s MBA Program for international students provides expertise and business knowledge to students from all over the world. With its diverse cultural environment, small class size, and personalized instruction, the program is an excellent choice for international students seeking to advance their careers.
To be admitted into the MBA Program for International Students, applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and intend to be full-time students (a minimum of 6 credit hours per trimester) until the completion of their graduation requirements. Scholarships are not available for international students, although campus jobs and graduate assistantships are available on a limited basis.
International Students seeking admission into the MBA Program must submit the following application materials:
1. Submit an online application.
2. Transcripts
Official bachelor’s degree transcripts are required to be translated and received directly fromWorld Education Services or Education Credential Evaluators. Transcripts sent by students or their agency are not acceptable.
3. TOEFL or IELTS Score Report
Must be an official report sent directly to Avila from TOEFL or IELTS. The TOEFL or IELTS is required as proof of English proficiency unless the student is a native speaker of English or is from a country whose main language is English. Minimum required scores:
TOEFL Paper = 550
TOEFL CBT = 213
TOEFL IBT = 79
IELTS = 6.5
4. GPA/GMAT REQUIREMENT:
Applicants with a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 or above on a 4.0 scale from the baccalaureate degree will be considered for GMAT exemption.
5. Copy of Passport
Names must match on all documents.
6. Verification of Financial Support
In order to meet U.S. Immigration requirements for entry into the United States, proof of sufficient financial resources to cover educational and living expenses for the duration of your program must be in place before visa documents can be issued. Proof of funding can consist of either student’s certified bank statements or student’s sponsor (parents or cultural commission) guaranteeing the student’s ability to meet the costs of study in the United States. Documentation must show a minimum of $16,000 USD.
All application materials should be submitted to:
MBA Admissions Advisor – MBA@avila.edu
Avila University
MBA Office
11901 Wornall Road
Kansas City, MO 64145
USA
Kansas City, Missouri, is an all-American city with a thriving economy that draws people from across the U.S. and around the world. The city is known for its dazzling fountains, beautiful architecture, and historic districts. In addition, Kansas City exemplifies its dedication to the arts at Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, and the Kansas City Ballet. Music can be heard everywhere including jazz, blues, opera, and the city’s excellent symphony. Sporting KC soccer, Royals baseball, and Chiefs football are major league teams with their homes in Kansas City.
Off-Campus Housing
Students who prefer privacy and the advantages of independent living might consider off-campus housing. Kansas City is one of the most affordable places to live in the US; housing costs here are roughly 7% less than the national average. To obtain more information on housing accommodations in the Kansas City area, students can refer to the following websites: KCAPT.com, KCstar Classified, KC Area Guide.
Practical training is an opportunity for international students to obtain real-world work experience working for a U.S. employer. It is also a great opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills students learned in school. Optional practical training (OPT) must be related to the student’s major area of study and requires at least nine months of being in F-1 status. OPT is available in the following instance:
After Completion of the Degree
A maximum of 12 months of OPT can be authorized for the entire duration of a student’s F-1 status, no matter how many degrees are completed. In other words, if a student engages in 12 months of practical training after getting a Master’s degree, he/she will not be eligible for any after completion of a Ph.D. program.
Students should remember that once OPT is granted, it cannot be recaptured even if the student decided not to use it or is unable to find a training opportunity.
If you plan to travel outside the United States during your practical training, you will need a valid passport and visa to re-enter along with your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and your I-20 (which must be endorsed for re-entry by the Registrar).
On-Campus Employment
Students in F-1 Status may work up to twenty hours per week on-campus during the academic year (or during summer sessions if registered for a course). Students may work full-time on campus during the summer or vacation periods if they were full-time students the previous semester, intend to register as full-time students the following semester, and are not enrolled in courses. Full-time on-campus employment authorization for students may only be obtained by engaging in optional practical training (F-1).
Deadlines
International business degree seeking students should apply as early as possible in order to have enough time to obtain their I-20 Forms and F-1 Student Visas. Students seeking admission into the MBA program are strongly advised to submit their application materials by the following dates:
International Admission Deadlines
| 8-Week Trimester | Application Deadlines | Classes Start** |
| Fall | June 30 | Beginning of September |
| Winter | October 30 | Beginning of January |
| Spring | January 30 | Beginning of March |
| Summer | April 30 | Beginning of June |
Please note: * International students are not required to take classes during Summer Session. As an international student at Avila University, you are required to have health insurance. This requirement remains in force as long as you continue to be a student at Avila University. If you are not enrolled in your home country’s government-sponsored insurance, you are required to enroll in an insurance plan offered through the University.