“The applicants that stand out are those with personal stories about their motivations and aspirations, the ones that can convey a deep reflection of what drives them, what their strengths and weaknesses are, and how they think the NUS MBA can help them become their better, future selves. So, authenticity is key.”

Wedad Sunny, Deputy Director and Head of Marketing and Admissions of MBA Programmes at National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School, discusses what makes the NUS MBA unique, the school’s admissions process, career opportunities and more.

NUS is consistently ranked as one of the world’s top universities by QS (#11 in 2023), Times Higher Education (#19), US News & World Report (#26). Its MBA programme, run by NUS Business School, was ranked #1 in Asia by Poets & Quants and #25 worldwide by the Financial Times in 2023.

Topics

• Introduction (0:00)
• Program Highlights – What Makes the NUS MBA Unique? (3:30)
• NUS MBA Admissions & Scholarships – How to Improve Your Chances? (19:30)
• Career Opportunities at NUS – What to Know & How to Prepare (38:40)

NUS MBA Full-Time MBA Highlights (last updated May 2023)

• Length, Intake, Size: 17-months (12-month fast-track also available), July/August intake, 120 students/year
• Typical Class: 6 years average work experience, 92% international with 25-30 nationalities, GMAT: average 670
• Curriculum:
  • Academic Core: 7 required core corses, then choose from 50 electives and 9 specialization tracks (see below). Each academic year consists of two semesters (Aug-Nov and Jan-Apr) and two special terms (May-Jun and Jun-Jul).
  • Experiential Core: 5-day intensive Launch Your Transformation (communications bootcamp), MBA Survival Kit, and 3-4 month MBA Consulting Project
  • Specialization Tracks: Analytics & Operations, Consulting, Digital Business, Finance, Real Estate, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Strategy & Organization, Healthcare Management
  • Faculty: more than 170 full-time faculty from 26 countries
  • Optional: NUS MBA also offers 5 double degree programmes: The NUS-Peking University MBA, The NUS-HEC MBA, The NUS MBA – Yale Master of Advanced Management, The NUS MBA – Lee Kuan Yew School Master in Public Policy and The NUS MBA – Lee Kuan Yew School Master in Public Administration
• Admissions: In addition to strong academic performance, clear and strong motivation, strong communication skills, and leadership potential, NUS is looking for energy, resourcefulness, curiosity and recognition of one’s gaps and strengths
  • Application requirements: 2 years of work experience, good GMAT/GRE score (600+ recommended), TOEFL(100+)/IELTS(7+), 2 essays, 2 recommendations, 30-minute virtual interview with admissions team
  • Application rounds: 3 application rounds between October and March
• Careers:
  
  • Placement, Class of 2019: 94% received at least 1 job offer w/in 6 months, $73,892 USD avg starting salary, graduates experienced 158% increase in salary after 3 years; average alumni salary is $161,500 USD
  • Top Destinations, Class of 2022: not available, but generally Singapore, North Asia and Southeast Asia
  • Top Industries, Class of 2022: not available, but generally technology, consulting, financial services, and healthcare
  • Top Functions, Class of 2022: not available, but generally consulting, marketing, business development, finance, strategy 
  • Visas: Graduates from institutes of higher learning in Singapore typically apply for a Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) before their student pass expires. The LTVP covers a duration of up to a year, at the discretion of the Immigrations & Checkpoints Authority (ICA). More details on the application process can be found here.
• Scholarships: 15 types scholarships available each year, generally ranging from 10% to full coverage of tuition fee; applicants must apply by second round in January to be considered for scholarships
• Rankings: Ranked #1 business school in Singapore and #25 internationally by Financial Times in 2023
• Alumni: 2,000+ NUS MBA alumni from 40+ countries with 10 global chapters
• Tuition: 91,090 SGD (inclusive of tax); estimated living costs 1,100-3,000 SGD/month
• Accreditations: AACSB, EQUIS, GNAM, CEMS, PIM, AAPBS

About Wedad

Wedad Sunny is Deputy Director and Head of Marketing and Admissions of MBA Programmes at NUS Business School. Previously, she worked as a Client Services Director for Wunderman Thompson and Young & Rubicam.

Show Notes & Links of Interest

• NUS MBA
• The Best MBA Programs in Singapore
• #202 Inside the National University of Singapore MBA with Tilla Caveng, NUS MBA ’24
• #182 Inside the NUS MBA with Student Council President Safira Djati, NUS MBA ’22

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