MBA in Europe Without GMAT: 14 Full-Time Programmes for International Students

You can start a full-time MBA in Europe without a GMAT score at 14 of the 22 business schools we checked in Germany, France, Ireland, the Netherlands and the UK. Five do not ask for a test in the standard case: GEM in Grenoble, Exeter, Strathclyde, Birmingham and Edinburgh (Strathclyde may still ask you to sit one, and Edinburgh may if your degree is below a UK 2:1). Five more (Trinity Dublin, Frankfurt School, WHU, EDHEC and Imperial) publish conditions under which the test can be waived: automatically at WHU, and at Imperial if you hold CFA Level 2 or 3; at the school's discretion at Trinity, Frankfurt School and EDHEC. Four (Nyenrode, ESMT Berlin, Cranfield and RSM) let you sit their own admissions test instead. Published tuition, for intakes from 2026 to 2027, runs from €37,300 at Trinity (year not stated) to £78,000 at Imperial (2026 entry), and every school on the list wants at least two years of work experience, three at almost all of them.

If you are also looking outside Europe, our worldwide list of MBA programmes without GMAT includes schools in Australia and the USA. This page stays in Europe and gives each school's own waiver wording, fee, length and experience rule, read from its official pages on 24 September 2026.

How we chose and ranked these MBAs

Scope. Full-time, English-taught MBAs in Germany, France, Ireland, the Netherlands and the UK. We picked these five countries because we also checked each one's post-study stay rules on its official immigration pages (see the section on staying after your MBA below).

Who we checked. 22 schools: the 14 below plus Mannheim, ESSEC, HEC Paris, Audencia, UCD Smurfit, Warwick, Durham and Lancaster. The section on schools that did not make the list explains why each of those eight was left out.

The bar. A school made the list only if all three were true on 24 September 2026:

1. Its own admissions page says in writing that you can be admitted without a GMAT or GRE score, because no test is required, because it waives the test on conditions it publishes, or because it offers its own admissions test instead. A page that says nothing about testing, or that offers a waiver only "in exceptional cases", did not pass.
2. Its official site publishes the full-time MBA fee, the programme length and the minimum work experience.
3. The school appears in at least one of the three accreditors' own directories: AACSB, EQUIS or AMBA. Thirteen of the 14 appear in all three; WHU appears in AACSB and EQUIS.

The order. Schools are grouped by how you get past the test: no test first, then a published waiver, then the school's own test. Within each group the lower published tuition comes first. To compare pounds with euros we used the European Central Bank reference rate for 23 September 2026 (€1 = £0.8595, ECB daily rates); the table shows each fee in the school's own currency, with the euro figure for UK schools rounded to the nearest €100.

What the order is not. It is not a quality ranking. It tells you which schools are easiest to enter without the GMAT and what they cost. Fees are for the intake each school names, so the order compares different years: 2026 entry at Exeter, Strathclyde, Birmingham and Imperial; 2027 entry at GEM, Edinburgh, Frankfurt School, Nyenrode, ESMT, Cranfield and RSM; no year stated at Trinity, WHU and EDHEC. If you are applying for 2027, expect the 2026 figures to change.

Comparison table

1. GEM Global MBA (Grenoble, France)

GEM's admissions FAQ is the plainest on this list: GMAT and GRE scores are not required, and you only send one if you want extra evidence of academic readiness.

• Tuition: €39,000 for the 2027 intake, with a one-week company-visit trip to Berlin included
• Length: 10 months of classes in Grenoble from September to June, followed by an applied research project and, where it applies, a three- to six-month professional placement (exemptions are possible)
• Experience: at least three years of full-time work
• Degree: a French RNCP level 7 diploma that GEM describes as equivalent to a master's

Who it suits: you want the lowest euro fee in the no-test group and are comfortable studying outside Paris.

Where it falls short: the programme is sold as one year, but the project and any placement come after the 10 months of classes, so plan for finishing later than June. The fee quoted is for 2027 only.

Source: GEM Global MBA, read 24 September 2026.

2. Exeter One Planet MBA (Exeter, UK)

Exeter's application guidance says it does not ask for the GMAT; a score is welcome, but work history and career progression carry more weight.

• Tuition: £34,500 for UK and international students entering in 2026/27 (about €40,100)
• Length: 12 months, full time and in person at the Streatham Campus
• Experience: at least three years managing people or substantial projects

Who it suits: you want a UK MBA at the lowest published UK fee on this list, and sustainability is part of your career plan.

Where it falls short: the whole curriculum is built around sustainability and climate, which is a narrower fit if you want a general finance or consulting MBA. The only fee on the page was for 2026/27 entry.

Source: Exeter One Planet MBA, read 24 September 2026.

3. Strathclyde MBA (Glasgow, UK)

Strathclyde says the GMAT is not a standard part of its admissions, though it may ask you to take a test because the course leans on verbal and numerical reasoning.

• Tuition: £38,650 for 2026/27 (about €45,000); the university confirms the fee in your offer letter
• Length: 12 months full time, starting in September
• Experience: at least three years of full-time postgraduate work in which managing people and resources was a significant part
• Other entry rules: a degree or comparable qualification, and you must be at least 24

Who it suits: you have a degree and hands-on management experience and want a one-year UK MBA at one of the lower UK fees here.

Where it falls short: "not standard" is not the same as "never": the school can still ask for a test. Strathclyde's no-degree entry routes do not apply to the full-time programme, and the 2027/28 fee was not yet published.

Source: Strathclyde full-time MBA, read 24 September 2026.

4. Birmingham MBA (Birmingham, UK)

Birmingham states that it does not require the GMAT for its MBA and will consider a score alongside your other qualifications if you have one.

• Tuition: £39,060 full time for September 2026 entry, the same for UK and international students (about €45,400)
• Length: 1 year, in person at the Edgbaston campus
• Experience: a minimum of three years, although the school says it usually expects five, with evidence of managing people, budgets or projects

Who it suits: you have five or more years of experience and want a one-year UK MBA with no test.

Where it falls short: applications for September 2026 had closed and the page showed no 2027 fee, so check the price for your intake. Three years is the floor, not the norm.

Source: Birmingham MBA course page, read 24 September 2026.

5. Edinburgh full-time MBA (Edinburgh, UK)

Edinburgh says the GMAT is not a compulsory part of applying. The catch: if your degree is below a UK 2:1 or its equivalent, the school may ask you to sit the GMAT, and it would then want at least 555 on the current edition.

• Tuition: £47,680 for 2027 entry, home and international (about €55,500), with a £2,500 non-refundable deposit to secure a place
• Length: 12 months
• Experience: at least three years in a managerial role, which Edinburgh defines broadly as any project or task where you steered people or resources towards a goal

Who it suits: you hold a strong first degree and want the 2027 fee confirmed before you apply.

Where it falls short: it is the most expensive school in the no-test group, and the no-test route depends on your degree result.

Sources: Edinburgh programme page, entry requirements and fees, read 24 September 2026.

6. Trinity full-time MBA (Dublin, Ireland)

Trinity's FAQ says a GMAT or GRE score is not required at the point of application, though its application checklist asks for a score report or a planned test date, and it may request a score during review. Its admissions team can waive the test if your study or work history already shows strong quantitative and analytical ability, usually after reviewing your file and a call with you.

• Tuition: €37,300, payable in September or in two instalments; the page does not say which intake the fee is for
• Length: 12 months
• Experience: at least three years of professional work
• Process: an asynchronous assessment and an interview are part of admission

Who it suits: you have a numbers-heavy degree or job and want the lowest tuition on this list.

Where it falls short: the waiver is at the admissions team's discretion, and a successful applicant can receive an offer that is conditional on taking the GMAT.

Sources: Trinity programme page, application and FAQs and fees, read 24 September 2026.

7. Frankfurt School full-time MBA (Frankfurt, Germany)

Frankfurt School prefers a GMAT or GRE score but offers two ways around it. You may be exempt if you hold a doctorate, attended a university in the top 400 of the current QS ranking, graduated in the top 5% of your class at a QS-ranked university, or hold CFA Level II. Otherwise you can choose the school's own online admission test in your application; the school says selected candidates are then offered it, at USD 100.

• Tuition: €42,000 plus a €600 enrolment fee for the intake starting 1 September 2027, with discounts of €6,000, €4,000 or €2,500 if you apply by 30 November 2026, 28 February 2027 or 31 May 2027
• Length: 12 months
• Experience: at least three years after your first degree

Who it suits: you studied at a university in the QS top 400, or hold CFA Level II, and want a one-year MBA in Frankfurt.

Where it falls short: the exemption rules lean on the QS ranking, so a strong graduate of an unranked university will still need a test.

Sources: Frankfurt School full-time MBA and admission test, read 24 September 2026.

8. WHU full-time MBA (Düsseldorf, Germany)

WHU asks you to meet one of five "Excellent Fit" criteria, and only one of them is a test (GMAT, GRE, Executive Assessment, WHU's own admissions test or CFA Level II). The others: a doctorate; a business degree from an accredited university plus three years of work; a top-5% result in a non-business degree plus three years in a business role; or an achievement WHU judges extraordinary.

• Tuition: €49,500, with early-application discounts of €6,000 down to €3,000 depending on when you apply; the fees page does not say which intake this is for
• Length: 12 months, starting in September
• Experience: at least two years after graduating

Who it suits: you already hold a business degree and have three years of work behind you, so the test drops away.

Where it falls short: it is the only school here not listed in AMBA's directory, and the two degree-based routes need three years of experience, not the two-year minimum.

Sources: WHU programme page, application and admissions and fees, read 24 September 2026.

9. EDHEC Global MBA (Nice, France)

EDHEC accepts the GMAT Focus, GRE, Executive Assessment, TAGE MAGE or its own in-house test, and says it may consider exempting you if you hold a STEM degree (bachelor's, master's or PhD) or a professional qualification such as CFA level 2, CPA, CIMA, CAIA or CA. You can also apply first and send a score later for a conditional offer.

• Tuition: €52,500, plus flights for the business trips; the fees page does not say which intake this is for
• Length: 10 months full time, starting in September; EDHEC says students take 12 months on average once an internship is included
• Experience: at least three years

Who it suits: engineers, scientists and qualified accountants who want an MBA in France.

Where it falls short: the exemption is something EDHEC may consider, not a right, and the fee is the second highest in the waiver group.

Sources: EDHEC admissions and fees and programme page, read 24 September 2026.

10. Imperial full-time MBA (London, UK)

Imperial normally requires a GMAT, Executive Assessment or GRE score, but grants a small number of waivers each cycle to applicants with outstanding grades and clear quantitative strength. If you hold CFA Level 2 or 3, you qualify automatically. You request the waiver on a form before applying and hear back within seven working days.

• Tuition: £78,000 for 2026 (about €90,800); Imperial says 2027 fees will be confirmed shortly
• Length: 12 months, or 16 months with an optional internship at extra cost
• Experience: at least three years of continuous full-time work after graduating

Who it suits: you have passed CFA Level 2 or 3 and want a London MBA.

Where it falls short: it is by far the most expensive school here, and if your waiver request is turned down you cannot ask again.

Sources: Imperial course page, admissions and fees, and the GMAT waiver request page, read 24 September 2026.

11. Nyenrode Impact MBA Full-time (Breukelen, Netherlands)

Nyenrode accepts a GMAT Focus score of at least 555, a GRE of at least 157, or its own LTP Competence Test, which looks at skills such as abstract reasoning and numeracy. Its FAQ says you can apply without a GMAT score and that the committee may ask for the LTP test depending on your profile; the admission steps on the same page list the LTP test, so plan to take it.

• Tuition: €49,000 (exempt from VAT), no application fee; the LTP test costs €235 and any required online pre-MBA course €400
• Length: 14 months, next start September 2027, with classes in Breukelen (between Amsterdam and Utrecht) or Amsterdam
• Experience: at least three years of full-time work after graduating, plus one year of managerial experience

Who it suits: you want a Dutch MBA and would rather take an in-house test than prepare for the GMAT.

Where it falls short: you need a year of managerial experience on top of three years of work, and depending on your degree you may have to pay for pre-MBA courses.

Source: Nyenrode Impact MBA Full-time, read 24 September 2026.

12. ESMT Berlin full-time MBA (Berlin, Germany)

ESMT accepts the GMAT, GRE, Executive Assessment or its own Business Admissions Test (BAT), a two-hour online test costing US$100 that you arrange through the admissions team.

• Tuition: €50,000 for the January 2027 intake, including books, study materials and trip or exchange fees but not travel or accommodation; a €6,500 non-refundable deposit secures your place
• Length: 15 months, starting in January
• Experience: at least three years after graduating

Who it suits: you want to start in January rather than wait until September, in Berlin.

Where it falls short: at 15 months it is the longest standard programme on the list, and you still sit a test.

Sources: ESMT programme page, admissions and tuition, read 24 September 2026.

13. Cranfield full-time MBA (Cranfield, UK)

Cranfield accepts the GMAT or GRE, or its own Cranfield Admission Test: a two-hour online test costing US$100 that you take after you apply. The admissions team says it can review the exam requirement in exceptional cases.

• Tuition: £51,200 for overseas students registering between 1 August 2027 and 31 July 2028 (about €59,600), with a £2,000 deposit for overseas students
• Length: 12 months
• Experience: at least three years after qualifying

Who it suits: you want a one-year UK MBA and are fine with a two-hour online aptitude test.

Where it falls short: it costs more than all four UK schools in the no-test group, and a test is still part of the process.

Source: Cranfield full-time MBA, read 24 September 2026.

14. RSM International Full-time MBA (Rotterdam, Netherlands)

RSM's FAQ says every applicant must submit a test score, whatever their experience, but RSM accepts its own Business Admissions Test (BAT) instead of the GMAT or GRE. The BAT runs two and a half hours online, covering academic aptitude and leadership, and RSM currently offers it at no cost to eligible candidates once they have applied.

• Tuition: €70,000 for the January 2027 intake, including books but not study-trip travel
• Length: 12 months
• Experience: at least three years after graduating

Who it suits: you want a Dutch MBA with a January start and a free alternative to the GMAT.

Where it falls short: it is the most expensive euro-priced school here, and every applicant must still sit a test of some kind. RSM offers the BAT only to candidates it considers eligible and does not publish the criteria.

Sources: RSM programme page, admissions, FAQ and fees, read 24 September 2026.

Schools we checked that did not make the list

• Mannheim Business School (Germany): its full-time MBA FAQ says the GMAT requirement cannot be waived (Mannheim FAQ).
• ESSEC Global MBA (France): asks every applicant for a GMAT, Executive Assessment, GRE or TAGE MAGE score and publishes no waiver (ESSEC Global MBA).
• HEC Paris MBA (France): the only waiver condition it names is holding a "top-ranked" master's in management, and it does not say which ranking counts (HEC requirements).
• UCD Smurfit full-time MBA (Ireland): considers a waiver only in exceptional cases; otherwise offers depend on a GMAT score (UCD admissions and fees).
• Warwick full-time MBA (UK): its own Warwick Test is offered only to certain candidates after interview, depending on personal circumstance, and Warwick says it has been used for candidates with extensive experience or to support a GMAT or GRE score, not as a general alternative (Warwick entry requirements).
• Durham, Lancaster and Audencia: their published requirement lists (Durham, Lancaster, Audencia) mention no test, but they also do not say that none is needed, so they did not meet the bar; ask the school directly if one of them is on your list.

Country by country

• Germany: WHU and Frankfurt School let you skip testing if you meet their published criteria, and ESMT accepts its own online test. Mannheim requires the GMAT or GRE.
• France: GEM needs no test. EDHEC can exempt STEM graduates and some finance professionals, or you can take its in-house test. ESSEC and HEC Paris still expect a standard test score.
• Ireland: of the two Irish full-time MBAs we checked, only Trinity has a clear route in without the GMAT. UCD Smurfit waives it only in exceptional cases.
• Netherlands: Nyenrode and RSM both accept their own tests in place of the GMAT. RSM wants a test of some kind from everyone, and Nyenrode's admission steps include its own LTP test.
• UK: Exeter, Strathclyde, Birmingham and Edinburgh need no test in the standard case, Imperial waives it for CFA Level 2 or 3 holders, and Cranfield offers its own online test.

Staying on after your MBA

Each country's route has its own conditions, and they change, so read the official page before you plan around one. For a wider comparison, see our guide to post-study work options by country.

• UK: the Graduate visa lasts 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026 and 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027 (gov.uk). If you start a 12-month MBA in 2027, you will finish and apply in 2028, so plan on 18 months.
• Germany: the Residence Act lets people who complete a course of study in Germany on a student residence permit hold a residence permit for up to 18 months to look for work, provided they can support themselves (section 20, official English translation).
• France: the "job seeker / new business creator" permit lasts 12 months and cannot be renewed. It is open to students who held a French student permit and earned a master's degree or an equivalent diploma (Campus France). EDHEC lists its MBA as carrying the master's grade, and GEM describes its diploma as master's-equivalent; confirm with the school that yours qualifies.
• Ireland: under the Third Level Graduate Programme, graduates with a Level 9 award or higher get 12 months, renewable once for another 12 months if you show you have been looking for graduate work, within an overall 8-year limit (Irish Immigration Service). Ask Trinity to confirm the MBA's award level.
• Netherlands: the orientation year permit lasts 1 year and covers graduates of an accredited Dutch bachelor's or master's programme, or a post-master's programme of at least 10 months, finished within the previous 3 years. You can work freely during it (IND). RSM's and Nyenrode's MBA pages both say graduates can apply for it; check your own eligibility on the IND page.

If you have less than three years of experience

Every MBA on this list asks for at least two years of work, and 13 of the 14 ask for three. If you are earlier in your career, a one-year master's is usually the more realistic route in Europe. Compare the options in our guides to one-year master's programmes in Germany and one-year master's programmes in France.