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GEMBA FAQ
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Admission
- Can I pay the tuition fee in instalments? Is there any financial aid available? Can I apply for a bank loan?
Participants pay their tuition fee in three instalments – an initial payment of 10% after receiving the Admission Letter, followed by an instalment of 50% before the start of the Programme, and another 40% in September of the second year. CEIBS has also entered into an agreement with many commercial banks, which allow Chinese mainland Global EMBA participants to apply for bank loans.
- How do I reapply for the Global EMBA programme?
If your original application is within the last two years, you do not need to submit another application package. The materials will simply be transferred to the current year's admission once you inform us that you wish to apply again. Though we may ask you to update us on any significant changes regarding your career/personal development that may have occurred between applications.
- Do I need a sponsorship letter to enrol?
Yes, a sponsorship letter is needed as a demonstration of student's ability to commit fully to the programme.
For Company Sponsored ApplicantThis letter is to show your organization's commitment to your participation in the CEIBS Global EMBA programme. It must unequivocally state that your employer agrees to release you from all work responsibilities on all class and module days. It should also specify the nature of the financial arrangement (full or partial). Please ensure the letter is signed by an authorized representative and is submitted on company letterhead. Please see a SAMPLE LETTER here.
For Self-Sponsored Applicant
This letter must confirm your employer's agreement to grant you time off for all class days. It must explicitly state that you are responsible for all fees, with no financial sponsorship from the company. The letter is mandatory for enrollment. Please see a SAMPLE LETTER here.
- What is the admission test, the Executive Assessment, actually like?
The Executive Assessment is specifically designed to evaluate the business school readiness of seasoned professionals. The assessment focuses on skills that are critical both at work and in an EMBA program: higher order reasoning, critical thinking, analysis, and problem-solving. Because it was designed specifically for experienced professionals, it requires modest preparation, takes only 90 minutes to complete, and includes flexible rescheduling options. The test is administered by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), creators of the GMAT® exam. You can learn more about the Executive Assessment by visiting www.gmac.com/ea.
- Is there any advantage to applying early?
Each year, the Global EMBA programme attracts a large, talented and diverse pool of applicants. With each successive round of admissions, the list of applicants grows and competition for places becomes more intense. Therefore, there is an advantage to applying early, as you will most likely find yourself competing against a smaller pool of candidates.
- How much weight does the interview carry in the overall selection process?
The overall assessment of candidates is made after the Admission Committee reviews their EA admission test or GMAT score, other application materials, and the results of their interview. While each of these elements influence the final decision, the interview part does carry additional weight, as it gives the committee a clearer understanding of the candidate’s personality and unique qualities beyond what is written on paper. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that each candidate takes the time to consider their interview style and technique beforehand, so they can exhibit their personal strengths and capabilities to the fullest.
Equally, it is strongly recommended that the applicant clearly describes his/her career path and vision in the essay part of the application package so that the Admission Committee can have a clear picture of the applicant's career development, which can then be addressed in more detail during the interview.
- I have many years of work experience; can I apply for a waiver for the EA admission test?
The CEIBS Global EMBA programme is a master's degree programme. To make sure that admitted students have sufficient quantitative, reasoning and verbal skills for the programme, a test is required. You are encouraged to take the Executive Assessment, as it’s specially designed for EMBA applicants worldwide. It focuses on the skills that are critical both at work and in an EMBA programme: higher order reasoning, critical thinking, analysis, and problem-solving. Fortunately, it only requires modest preparation, and candidates can take the assessment year-round at over 600 conveniently located test centres around the world.
- How can I prepare for the Executive Assessment?
The Executive Assessment was specifically designed to evaluate the skills you have already acquired during your career. It focuses on the skills that are critical both at work and in an EMBA programme: higher order reasoning, critical thinking, analysis, and problem-solving. It is made up of just three 30-minute sections with a total of 40 questions. Extensive preparation is not necessary, but we do strongly suggest that you review the question formats and practice using the official prep resources from its website https://www.mba.com/exams/executive-assessment/prepare.
- Who should write my recommendations?
The CEIBS Admission Committee requires at least one letter of professional recommendation. It is preferred from people who can speak directly about your aptitude for, or accomplishments in, management. Accordingly, work-related recommendations are more valuable than academic ones.
- I only have an associate degree. Am I eligible to apply for the Global EMBA?
Each year, we admit a small number of candidates who hold only an associate degree but have outstanding experience in high-calibre managerial positions. Please submit a résumé to the Global EMBA office highlighting your career achievements. The Admission Committee will consider these achievements when assessing your application.
- When does the Global EMBA programme start? When should I apply?
The Global EMBA programme starts in November every year with multiple admissions rounds. You can apply anytime in the admission season.
Review our latest Admission Deadlines here.The CEIBS admissions office will arrange an interview for you within about two weeks of your application being received. You can arrange to take the Executive Assessment (the required test for admission) at your own convenience. Once these steps are complete, you will be notified of the admission result within roughly two weeks. As admission to the programme is highly competitive, applications that are submitted during the later admissions rounds tend to be assessed against a much larger and more competitive pool of candidates. Therefore, we encourage you to apply as early as possible, to secure your best chance of being successfully admitted to the programme.
- What are the application qualifications and admission processes?
Candidates should have a bachelor's degree or above, and at least eight years' working experience, including a minimum of five years at a managerial level. After submitting your application with the required documents, we will arrange your interview, to be conducted either in person on CEIBS's main campus in Shanghai, or via video. Candidates will also need to register and schedule to take the Executive Assessment by themselves, and have the score report sent to us. After the completion of these steps, you will be notified of the admission result within two weeks.
Programme Introduction
- Does the Global EMBA have a requirement to write a thesis?
Our programme does not require participants to write a thesis; instead, they are tasked with completing a group research project – known as the Capstone Project – which will tackle a real-world business challenge or scenario. It is important to note that the Capstone Project represents a similar degree of difficulty as a thesis.
- Is the CEIBS Global EMBA degree recognised by the Chinese educational system?
All CEIBS Global EMBA participants are conferred with a Master's degree in Business Administration upon graduation, which is recognised by the Academic Degree Committee of the State Council, People's Republic of China.
- When was the CEIBS Global EMBA programme launched?
CEIBS was the first institution to offer a Global EMBA programme on the Chinese mainland. In 1995, CEIBS started to offer its Global EMBA programme in Shanghai.
- What sets CEIBS' Global EMBA programme apart from other EMBA programmes?
There are many outstanding business schools and Global EMBA programmes. Each programme has its own unique characteristics. CEIBS is characterised as offering an exceptionally high quality of learning opportunities delivered by its world-class teaching staff. The quality of teaching is considered to be the lifeblood of our school. Over the past decade, CEIBS has maintained its high-standard entrance examinations and strict management practices overseeing the educational content across all its programmes. CEIBS professors are not only highly knowledgeable in their respective fields, they are also experts at teaching. Many of our faculty members have won prestigious teaching awards.
The Global EMBA maintains a strong commitment to diversity among its students, with executives from different nationalities, industries, functional backgrounds and company types, allowing each student to step outside their everyday work environment and see business challenges from a whole new perspective.
Personal and professional self-development is also one of the core pillars of the Global EMBA programme. Participants will be continually challenged and inspired through immersive, experiential leadership exercises, that will help them understand their own leadership style and blind spots.
- How does CEIBS differ from other business schools?
The mission of CEIBS is to maintain and improve its standing as a China-focused, world-class business school. CEIBS differs from other domestic business schools in its global perspective; it differs from other world-class international business schools in its strategic focus on China. This combination of strengths allows CEIBS to cultivate the next generation of business leaders who are equally capable and comfortable in China and global-facing roles.
- What's the difference between the Global EMBA and MBA programme?
The Global EMBA programme is based on the full-time MBA programme, but tailored in its curriculum, course coverage, teaching methodology and schedule to meet the specific needs of senior executives. The programme allows senior business managers to pursue an MBA degree on a part-time basis.
Another major difference between the two programmes lies in their respective participants. At CEIBS, Global EMBA participants have average work experience of 17 years, while MBA students generally have 5-6 years of work experience. Therefore, even for the same course, the content taught in the Global EMBA classroom will be much higher than that for MBA students. Secondly, the intensive schedule for Global EMBA participants requires stronger learning and time management abilities. Lastly, as many Global EMBA participants have earned outstanding achievements in their careers, and may even have formulated a set of their own managerial methods, it may be necessary for them to 'unlearn' certain habits. Consequently, this requires a strong mentality and maturity from participants.