Academic program:

Which degree do I achieve for my studies at GISMA Business School?

• Upon successful completion of the program you will receive the original MBA degree from Purdue University (USA) and Leibniz Universität Hannover (Germany).

How is GISMA Business School accredited?

• All GISMA MBA programs are accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA). Through GISMA’s academic partner Purdue University (USA) the full-time MBA program at GISMA Business School is also AACSB accredited.

How much time do/can I spend at Purdue University in the US?

• The 11 month full-time MBA program at GISMA takes place in Hannover (Germany). During their studies, GISMA students have the opportunity to take part in a student exchange with Purdue University (USA). This exchange is voluntary and is offered during modules 2-5. It lasts one module. It is not possible to spend more than one module at Purdue University.

Do all faculty members teaching at GISMA Business School come from Purdue University (USA)?

• Teaching faculty in the MBA program is composed of GISMA professors and visiting professors from Purdue and other international business schools. Because of the strong link with Purdue, most of the visiting faculty comes from Purdue's Krannert School of Management, many of them have been teaching at GISMA for several years now.

For how long do visiting professors stay at GISMA Buisness School?

• Teaching professors at GISMA stay in Hannover for the duration of their course, which is normally one module, i. e. eight weeks. Their offices are in the GISMA builiding close to the lecture hall. Full-time MBA students can contact all the professors easily. Their offices are open all day, five days a week. Many professors teaching at GISMA Business School have done so every year since it was founded in 1999.

What is the workload in the full-time MBA program?

• Classes are generally held from Mondays to Thursdays. On Fridays students participate in Forum Days – special events like plant trips, guest lectures, personal development topics, etc. Although classes only make about half of the day, the required preparation, individual and especially team assignments are demanding and time consuming as well. The full-time MBA program literally is a full-time program, also when you are not in class it keeps you busy every day of the week.

Which network will I have access to as a GISMA alumn?

• GISMA alumni become members of GISMA’s own as well as of Purdue University’s alumni network. GISMA’s alumni group consists of almost 800 members, the Krannert School of Management (Purdue University) alumni network counts more than 37,000 members.

Application and admission:

Where do I send my application to?

• Please send your application documents to: 
  GISMA Business School
  Admissions Office
  Goethestrasse 18
  30169 Hannover
  Germany

How long does the admission process take?

• Applicants to GISMA Business School are admitted to the full-time MBA program by Purdue University’s Graduate School. After the successful completion of the admission interview conducted by GISMA, applicants will be reviewed by the Faculty Review Committee. After their recommendation for admission the applications are forwarded to the Graduate School in Purdue for final admission. This process usually takes about 3 to 4 weeks.

What candidate profile is GISMA looking for?

• The Faculty Review Committee takes a holistic approach in the evaluation of each candidate’s application. We are looking for applicants that are academically prepared for an MBA program plus have relevant work and personal experience to add to the communicative, open-minded and multi-cultural atmosphere at GISMA Business School.

Do I have to take the GMAT?

• Yes, all applicants to the full-time MBA program at GISMA Business School must provide a GMAT score to be admitted to GISMA. The score should be quite high to optimize your chance of admission. The average GMAT score of applicants admitted to the full-time program at GISMA is 620.

What is the minimum TOEFL score required?

• The minimum TOEFL ibt score required is 77. The minimum requirements for the four TOEFL sub-sections are for reading: 19, for speaking: 18, for writing: 18, for listening: 14.

Is any other English test accepted?

• As an alternative to the TOEFL GISMA also accepts IELTS and PTE scores. The minimum required IELTS score is 6.5, the minimum required PTE score is 58.

How much work experience do I need to have?

• You need to have at least three years of professional experience to be admitted to the full-time MBA program at GISMA Business School. Each application is evaluated individually, we do not require any specific kind of professional experience. 

Do my referees have to use the recommendation forms or can they just write a letter?

• The use of the recommendation form is not mandatory, recommendation letters are accepted as well.

Whom do I contact, if I have questions about the online application? 

• Please contact Will Toussaint, Senior Recruitment Manager.

Do I need to speak German to be admitted?

• Knowledge of the German language is not required to be admitted to the program, the whole program is taught in English. However, we do recommend learning German especially to those that plan to stay and work in Germany after the program.

What’s the application fee?

• There is no application fee.

Where can I learn German during my studies at GISMA?

• There are German courses available for GISMA students that take place at the GISMA building. These courses are not part of the MBA program and have to be paid for by the individual student. 

Is it difficult to get a visa for Germany?

• Please check out the following website for detailed visa information:
  http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/FAQ/Studium/Uebersicht.html?nn=479790 (English) 
• Please also contact your local embassy to find out country specific visa details. If needed, the GISMA Admissions Office supports admitted students with visa issues as much as possible.

Financial Aid:

Which candidates are awarded a GISMA Foundation Scholarship?

• The GISMA Foundation Scholarship Committee evaluates applications individually and takes into account academic and professional merits to evaluate the candidate’s potential for the program and their career after graduation. Due to the great diversity of individual backgrounds the GMAT score plays an important role for the Scholarship Committee, as only GMAT scores can easily be compared to each other. Still the Scholarship Committee takes into account the nature of the GMAT test.

Are GISMA Foundation Scholarships available for international students?

• Yes, all scholarships are available for students from all countries.

What do I have to do to get a company scholarship?

• All applicants for a GISMA Foundation Scholarship will automatically be considered for a company scholarship. 

Is the Education Fund available to all international students?

• The Education Fund is available to all students that come from EU countries that have the EURO currency and for students from the U.S. and Canada.

Career Services:

What kind of job can I get after successfully completing the program?

• Taking a look at GISMA alumni, they work in all kinds of industries and functions reflecting the general management character of the program. Depending on the pre-MBA work experience and the individual’s wishes and plans the MBA at GISMA is a platform from which to accelerate your career and/or change career paths. 
  
  

What’s the entry salary graduates may expect?

• This depends on many different factors, such as years of pre-MBA work experience, the country you are going to work in, the selected company, industry, function, etc.. You can take a look at the statistical placement information, but please bear in mind that these numbers are average figures.
  
  

Is it difficult to obtain a work permit in Germany?

• International students having completed their MBA at GISMA Business School who found a job in Germany have all obtained their work permit. The GISMA Career Center provides help regarding obtaining the work permit to both students and hiring companies.

Miscellaneous:

Does GISMA have on-campus housing?

• There is no on-campus housing but GISMA cooperates with a housing agency and the Leibniz Universität Hannover to offer furnished rooms and apartments to GISMA students. 

Can I work part time during the program?

• You can work as a student assistant at GISMA Business School. These positions are only offered to GISMA students. Apart from that it is hardly possible to work during the full-time MBA program as the work load of the program is quite high.

Visit & contact GISMA:

Can I get in touch with GISMA alumni?

• Yes, if you would like to get in touch with GISMA alumni and/or students, please contact the Admissions Office, they will provide you with contact addresses from alumni in many different countries, who have obtained different positions in different industries.

Can I visit GISMA and sit in a class?

• You are very welcome to visit GISMA and to take part in one of the MBA classes. We recommend visiting GISMA during one of our Info Days where participants have the opportunity to sit in a class, talk to students, faculty and staff. If you cannot make it to one of the Info Days, please contact the Admissions Office, so that we can arrange for an individual visit and make sure that you can take part in a class.

Whom can I contact at Purdue University in the U.S. to find out more about GISMA?

• Your contact at Purdue University is Andreea Duru Calic. She coordinates all GISMA-Purdue affairs and will also be one point of contact during the admission process.