Online Master of Business Administration Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the questions commonly asked by new online master’s in business administration students.
Admissions FAQs
To enroll in the online MBA program, candidates must:
- Possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college.
- Preferably have at least two years of postgraduate work experience before the program begins.
(Exception: nontraditional applicants with work experience from before they enrolled in their undergraduate program, such as anyone that has served or is serving in the U.S. military, regardless of rank, religious servants, etc. Others will be considered on an individual basis.) - Be employed full time. Applicants not employed full time must receive approval from the Program Director.
- Meet admissions requirements by completing the following:
- Application completed and submitted online
- $100 non-refundable application fee
- A one-page CV or resume
- Transcripts of all academic work completed (or currently in progress) at the undergraduate or graduate level
- Two Recommendations (complete brief form)
- Interview (by invitation)
Applicants for the Online MBA program are not required to submit a GMAT or GRE test score. Applicants may choose to submit a test score if they have taken or plan to take either exam. If you submit test scores, we will consider them as part of your overall application package.
Yes, there is a $100 application fee. To request a waiver, you can speak with a Student Success Manager.
The Wake Forest School of Business online MBA program is not eligible for transfer credits.
Financial Aid FAQs
Wake Forest University School of Business participates in the Yellow Ribbon program. If the student is eligible for Yellow Ribbon benefits, 100% of tuition is covered.
Students eligible for veterans benefits should submit either an updated Certificate of Eligibility (COE) or a Statement of Benefits to the School of Business Office of Financial Aid. The COE is obtained by contacting the VA Education Benefits Department at 888-442-4554. The Statement of Benefits is obtained through www.vets.gov. The COE and Statement of Benefits can be submitted electronically to sbfinaid@wfu.edu. The Office of Financial Aid will electronically submit enrollment certification to the VA to initiate payments.
If the student used their benefits at a previous college, they must submit a “Request for Change of Program or Place of Training” Form (22-1995) to the VA through www.vets.gov.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/.
Students seeking financial aid must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa/. Refer to this table to determine which form to file based on your start term.
The Title IV Institution Code for the WFU School of Business is E00515.
Individuals will not be considered for federal student loans until the FAFSA has been submitted to the U.S. Department of Education and a student aid report is received by the School of Business Financial Aid Office.
Once we receive your FAFSA results, we will begin to process them for loan eligibility, which occurs daily on a rolling basis.
Yes. Below is an overview of the scholarships available for eligible online Master of Business Administration students.
Merit Scholarships
Each year the School of Business awards scholarships to eligible, deserving applicants who we feel would benefit greatly from a Wake Forest education and contribute significantly to the intellectual and civic life of the campus. Award decisions are based on considerations including academic merit and are offered on a competitive basis.
All scholarships will be based on information collected through the admissions application including the admissions interview. No separate scholarship application is required.
Scholarship award decisions are communicated at the same time as admissions decisions.
Yellow Ribbon Program
Wake Forest University School of Business has partnered with the Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement campaign, which helps veterans and eligible dependents pay the cost of tuition. The School of Business Enrollment Management Center administers the program and funds are available for Wake Forest graduate business programs including MBA, MSA and MSM degrees.
The Yellow Ribbon campaign is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and provides matching scholarship funds to honor military service for those serving post 9/11. Veterans who are 100% eligible and qualify for the Yellow Ribbon program will receive up to $15,500 in matching funds from the University per academic year.
What are the next steps:
- To take advantage of this program, please verify your Yellow Ribbon Program eligibility with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
- Complete the Yellow Ribbon application process through the Department of Veteran Affairs.
- In addition, you will need to complete the online application for the Wake Forest University School of Business.
Other External Scholarships
Below is a limited list of external scholarship opportunities available through third parties. These links are provided for your convenience, but the School of Business does not administer, endorse or provide guidance on the application processes, nor is involved in the review and selection process.
Numerous free financial aid scholarship searches are available, so use discernment and be cautious of companies that charge a fee for their services. We also encourage candidates to research relevant professional organizations, religious affiliations and community groups for availability. The following organizations offer free scholarship search tools for students.
- https://www.fastweb.com/
- https://www.scholarships.com/
- https://www.unigo.com/scholarships
- https://www.salliemae.com/student-loans/graduate-school-information/graduate-school-scholarships/
Visit the Financial Aid page to learn more about federal and private funding options.
Student Experience FAQs
The number of hours spent each week may vary, depending on the course and your learning style. However, most students spend 25–30 hours per week on coursework.
You can complete the online MBA program in just over two years.
There are 18 total courses in the program for a total of 45 credits. Visit the Courses page for details.
Courses may contain a mix of asynchronous discussion in faculty-moderated discussion boards and synchronous (live) video sessions. For many courses, group discussion based on content-relevant prompts is a crucial aspect of the design. Peer learning is a very important strategy in the program and course design. There will be opportunities for students to work together as groups. Students may communicate with each other and the professor using video technology (Zoom) and discussion boards. The learning community is a central part of the Wake Forest online MBA student experience.
Each course is seven weeks, and you will take two to three courses each term (there are two terms per semester and seven semesters in total).
The average class size for the online MBA is 33 students, with an average age of 34.7 years. Classes are generally comprised of approximately 33% female and 67% male students.
Below are the demographics of a typical class:
- Class size: 33
- Female: 33% | Male: 67%
- Age: 34.7
- GPA: 3.03
- Months of work experience: 124
- Universities represented: 116
- States represented: 28
Source: Wake Forest Online MBA, Fall 2020 to Spring 2022.