GMAT and GRE exams
Admission groups
Admission to School of Business study options occurs via one of two admission groups.
The degree that gives you eligibility to apply, i.e. a bachelor's degree, determines which admission group you apply in.
- ADMISSION GROUP 1:
Bachelor’s degree from a university in Finland
Finnish universities are listed on the Ministry of Education and Culture website. - ADMISSION GROUP 2:
Bachelor’s degree from a university of applied science in Finland or from a higher education institution abroad
Master's degree does not give eligibility for Master's admissions.
In addition to your bachelor's degree, you can include one higher education degree (e.g. master's degree) in your application form. However, the admission group is based on your bachelor’s degree.
In Admission group 2, the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Records Examination (GRE) is obligatory. The only exception is the study option Yritysjuridiikka (taught in Finnish).
Minimum test score requirements
The minimum GMAT or GRE test score requirements for each study option are:
| Programme | Admission group 1 | Admission group 2 | ||
| GMAT | GMAT Focus Edition | GRE | ||
| Accounting | Not required | 550 | 515 | 154 v / 155 q |
| Business Analytics | Not required | 600 | 555 | 157 v / 158 q |
| Creative Sustainability – MSc in Economics and Business Administration | Not required | 550 | 515 | 154 v /155 q |
| Economics | Not required | 550 | 515 | 154 v /155 q |
| Finance | Not required | 650 | 595 | 160 v /161 q |
| Global Management | Not required | 600 | 555 | 157 v / 158 q |
| Information and Service Management | Not required | 550 | 515 | 154 v /155 q |
| International Design Business Management – MSc in Economics and Business Administration | Not required | 550 | 515 | 154 v /155 q |
| Marketing | Not required | 550 | 515 | 154 v /155 q |
| People Management and Organizational Development | Not required | 550 | 515 | 154 v /155 q |
| Strategic Management in a Changing World | Not required | 550 | 515 | 154 v /155 q |
| Sustainable Entrepreneurship | Not required | 550 | 515 | 154 v /155 q |
| Yritysjuridiikka (taught only in Finnish) | Not required | Not required | Not required | Not required |
GRE test scores: v = Verbal Reasoning score, q = Quantitative Reasoning score
- GMAT: Only the Total Score is considered in the admissions. The Total Score includes the Quantitative Section and the Verbal Section. The Analytical Writing Assessment and Integrated Reasoning sections do not affect the score.
See the homepage of the test administrator for more information on the test (www.mba.com): GMAT - GMAT Focus Edition: The GMAT Focus Edition score consists of all three sections of the test. See the homepage of the test administrator for more information on the test (www.mba.com): GMAT
- GRE: The accepted exams are the GRE General Test and GRE Revised General Test. The GRE Subject Test is not accepted. The Verbal Reasoning Score and Quantitative Reasoning Score of the GRE test are taken into account. The Analytical Writing section has no bearing on admissions process.
See the homepage of the test administrator for more information on the test (www.ets.org/gre): GRE
Aalto University accepts also GMAT™ Online exam and GRE® General Test at home.
GMAT, GMAT Focus Edition, and GRE exams are equivalent in the master’s admissions, i.e. none of the tests is considered superior to the other.
The GMAT/GRE is not a language test and therefore cannot substitute for a language test.
Validity period of test scores
GMAT and GRE scores are valid for five years after the test day. For 2024 admissions, the oldest acceptable test date is 30 November 2018.
Submitting test scores
The official test scores must arrive at Aalto University directly from the testing organisation by 9 January 2024.
Take the test early enough to meet this deadline. Check from the test administrator the time required to deliver the official results. Test scores submitted by the applicant are unofficial and will not be accepted. Testing times may fill to capacity towards the start of the application period. Applicants are responsible to enrol for the test sufficiently well ahead of time.
If the GMAT or GRE test scores do not arrive by the deadline, or the scores are below the minimum requirement, the application will be rejected.
- GMAT and GMAT Focus Edition: The official test report must be sent directly by the test administrator to the Aalto University School of Business. The reports are sent by the test administrator electronically. At the test, you can choose the higher education institution to which your test scores are sent. Test scores must be sent with the Aalto University School of Business GMAT program code, C1N-9F-85 (MSc Degree Programs).
If you have taken the GMAT test earlier but not sent the scores to Aalto University, request the test administrator to send your official scores with the School of Business program code.
See the homepage of GMAT (www.mba.com) for more information. - GRE: The official test report must be sent directly by the test administrator to Aalto University. The test results are received electronically from the test administrator.
The GRE test reporting code for Aalto University is 7364.
If you have taken the test earlier but not sent the test scores to Aalto University, request the test administrator to send an Additional Score Report to Aalto University.
See the homepage of GRE (www.ets.org/gre) for more information.
Frequently asked questions
The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) and Graduate Records Examinations (GRE) are standardised tests that are administered in English and used internationally as one of the evaluation criteria for student admissions particularly in the field of business.
The tests measure analytic and linguistic skills as well as quantitative reasoning skills.
Aalto University does not organise GMAT or GRE test. In questions concerning the tests, contact the test organisers.
Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)
The GMAT consists of four sections:
- Analytical Writing Assessment (one essay theme), 30 minutes
- Integrated Reasoning (12 questions), 30 minutes
- Quantitative (37 multiple-choice questions), 75 minutes
- Verbal (41 multiple-choice questions), 75 minutes
Aalto University considers only the Total Score when evaluating applications for a master’s programme in business and economics. Only the Quantitative Section and Verbal Section comprise the Total Score. The Analytical Writing Assessment and Integrated Reasoning sections do not affect the Total Score and they are not considered in the admissions.
You may opt to not do the Analytical Writing Assessment and Integrated Reasoning sections, if you wish.
For more information on the test, visit the test administrator’s website: www.mba.com
Graduate Management Admission Test Focus Edition (GMAT)
GMAT Focus Edition consists of the following sections:
- Quantitative Reasoning (21 questions), 45 minutes
- Verbal Reasoning (23 questions), 45 minutes
- Data Insights (20 questions), 45 minutes
The GMAT Focus Edition score consists of all the three sections.
Graduate Record Examinations (GRE)
The accepted exams are the GRE General Test and GRE Revised General Test. The GRE Subject Test is not accepted.
The Verbal Reasoning Score and Quantitative Reasoning Score of the GRE test are taken into account. The Analytical Writing section has no bearing on admissions process.
Structure of the GRE test:
- Verbal Reasoning: measures ability to analyse and draw conclusions from discourse; reason from incomplete data; identify author's assumptions and/or perspective; understand multiple levels of meaning, such as literal, figurative and author's intent, select important points; distinguish major from minor or relevant points; summarise text; understand the structure of a text, understand the meanings of words, sentences and entire texts; understand relationships among words and among concepts.
- Quantitative Reasoning: measures ability to understand quantitative information, interpret and analyse quantitative information, solve problems using mathematical models, apply basic mathematical skills and elementary mathematical concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data interpretation, includes real-life scenarios.
- Analytical Writing: measures ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively, support ideas with relevant reasons and examples, examine claims and accompanying evidence, sustain a well-focused, coherent discussion, control the elements of standard written English.
For more information on the test, see www.ets.org/gre.
You can take both tests in any of hundreds of test centres around the world. Find a test centre closest to you on the test administrator’s website.
- In Finland, the GMAT test is organised by CertyHub Espoo (LGF), located in Espoo (Address: Metsäneidonkuja 12, Kvintti building, gound floor, postal code FI-02130 Espoo.) The test centre only provides the facilities for taking the GMAT test. To learn more about the test contents, to register for it and pay for the test, visit the test administrator’s website www.mba.com. As you register for the test, you must write your name exactly as it is printed on the identification (ID) documents that you will present on the day of the test. The test costs approximately 250 USD.
- You can book the GRE exam time on the test administrator’s website. When registering online, you should first create a My GRE Account. In Finland, the GRE test centre is Nuevo Mundo, located at Arabiankatu 12 (7th floor), 00560 Helsinki. The test costs approximately 205 USD.
- Note! Aalto University accepts also GMAT™ Online exam and GRE® General Test at home.
You should familiarise yourself with the test structure and content before the test.
The test organisations provide prepping software on their websites. Prep books are also available.
- For tips on how to prepare for the GMAT and free GMAT prep software, go to www.mba.com.
- The GRE website has a ‘Prepare for the Test’ section. On that page, you can download the Powerprep Software, which you can use to practise for the test.
The official test scores must arrive electronically directly from the test administrator to Aalto University by 9 January 2024. An unofficial report will not be accepted.
Booking a test time and taking the test early enough is the applicant’s responsibility. You should check the score-sending schedule with the test administrator.
Aalto University does not organise the test and cannot respond to any questions on sending the test scores.
We accept both the old GMAT test score and the new GMAT Focus Edition Score.
Both exams are equivalent in master’s admissions, i.e. neither is considered superior to the other.
GMAT or GRE test result is obligatory for all applicants in admission group 2 to theSchool of Business study options with the exception of applicants to Yritysjuridiikka (taught in Finnish).
Applications without GMAT or GRE test score above the minimum criteria by the deadline are rejected.
The best official score that is still valid and received by Aalto University by the deadline will be considered in the admission. You cannot combine scores attained on different test dates.
You need to mark the test date of your GRE or GMAT test to your application form.
Admission information
Information on applying to master’s programmes, required application documents as well as admissions deadlines is available at:
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