In this page
1. Program
The program is entirely held in English.
The SDA Bocconi MBA is a general management program. It is demanding and intense, and aims to produce a new breed of well-prepared and flexible managers. The prime objective is to bring out existing individual qualities, make the most of potential and supply solid knowledge. It offers an answer to companies looking for managers with wide-ranging and lasting skills, fully aware of the analytical and social dimensions of managerial issues.
The strength of the SDA Bocconi MBA lies in its special, all-embracing and rigorous approach, that offers you:
- A dynamic learning model: action-oriented, global, experiential, inductive, rigorous.
- A flexible process: student-centred, personalized, stimulating, challenging but sustainable.
- A unique environment: collaborative, fair, interactive, open, diverse.
The MBA is a multi-faceted experience, where nothing is left to chance. The MBA is not a cycle of lectures, but a mixture of classroom work, case discussions, group activities, workshops, business games and field projects.
Written exams, role-playing, individual and group projects and daily classroom work are the elements on which the individual evaluation process is based. Several factors are taken into consideration: level of knowledge, contribution to the group's learning curve, planning ability, leadership and initiative.
A free Italian language course is offered to non-Italian-speaking students from September until June.
No. The nature of the learning process, and the structure of the program, means all MBA courses are obligatory.
The SDA Bocconi MBA is accredited by the most prestigious accrediting bodies:
AACSB - Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
EQUIS - European Quality Improvement System
AMBA - Association of MBAs
ASFOR - "Associazione per la Direzione e Formazione Aziendale" (Italian Association for Management Education Development)
CSQ - Quality Managment System Certification ISO 9001:2008
SDA Bocconi also has membership in:
EFMD - European Foundation for Management Development
Yes. In addition to all Club initiatives organized by participants and Alumni, several other educational, cultural, leisure and team-building activities are planned each year. They include the SDA Bocconi MBA's Conference & Regatta, SDA Bocconi Ski Cup, as well as main international competitions.
The 1-year Full-Time MBA usually starts in September, with classes ending in November. The Commencement Day is in December.
Yes. A limited number of select participants will be able to spend few months of their MBA abroad as part of the exchange program run with other top international business schools. Outgoing students may be involved in the Exchange Program starting from August/September and ending in November/December. Selection for an exchange spot will be considered based on the logic of the choice and performance in the MBA.
The 1-Year Full-Time MBA curriculum is structured in various phases. This is desgined to provide a gradual but intense program, to develop and bring out your knowledge, skills and business attitudes, while increasing your networking abilities and refining your personal management style.
Total commitment. Attendance is obligatory five days a week, typically from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm for class activites, from 1:30 to 2:30 pm for lunch or lunch&learn seminars, 2:30 pm to 7:30 pm for seminars, club and career service activities. In general, you can expect five to six hours of classroom activity per day, plus group work and hours of study at home or with colleagues.
2. Admissions
You can complete the application online by filling out and submitting the online application and upload all required documents.
Candidates must have a three or four year degree that is considered at the bachelor’s degree level in the country in which it was conferred.
This depends on what you did during military service. For example, human or economic resource management may count as work experience.
No. Our network of Alumni interviewers can interview candidates in their home country.
All candidates must demonstrate their level of knowledge of English by taking one of these tests. The only exceptions are candidates whose mother tongue is English or those who took a degree in English. Click here for more information about test scores validity.
3. Meeting us
Absolutely and we strongly encourage you to visit the school. Just contact us and we will organize a meeting
Yes. You just need to Contact us. This is a great opportunity, as a hands-on experience can be a key element to finalize your decision.
Yes. As well as presentations in the School, SDA Bocconi organizes info sessions and individual orientation meetings, and participates in forums around Italy and around the world. Click here for the dates and locations
4. Cost, Financing
The School will supply you with most of the materials, which are included in your tuition fee. Some texts may need to be purchased separately.
It is comparable to that of other major European cities. Based on information from recent students, you can expect personal expenses to average about EUR 1.700 per month.
Costs include:
1) Admissions Process Fee: Euro 120
2) Tuition Fee: Euro 75.000 (Payable in four installments, the first on acceptance of your admission to the program).
No. Admission to the MBA is independent of whether financing is needed or a scholarship is awarded.
Yes. Each year multiple MBA scholarships and tuition waivers are available for outstanding candidates, thanks to the ongoing support of companies, other organizations, as well as our Alumni and current students.
You should visit our Scholarships page and follow the instructions for the scholarships application.
Yes. Both Italian and non-Italian participants can obtain financing.
5. Selection Process and Criteria
You must have at least a bachelor’s degree (in any discipline). On average students in our MBA have 5.5 years of work experience, ranging between 3 and 10 years.
The Admissions Service carries out a pre-selection upon receipt of the application on the basis of the documentation supplied and informs candidates whether they are suitable to proceed with the selection process. The selection process takes up to twelve weeks after all tests have been completed and documents received. The outcome is communicated in writing to candidates.
Admission to the Program depends on a rigorous selection process that takes into account several equally important factors. Your application for admission, academic background, professional experience, GMAT/GRE and TOEFL/IELTS/PTE/CPE results, letters of reference and interview are analysed scrupulously.
Candidates may ask to take the SDA test instead of the GMAT. The test is run directly by the Admissions Service after the submission of the application for admission.
Candidates must have a three or four year degree that is considered at the bachelor’s degree level in the country in which it was conferred.
This depends on what you did during military service. For example, human or economic resource management may count as work experience.
No. Our network of Alumni interviewers can interview candidates in their home country.
No. Although the GMAT is an important indicator of class performance, it is only one of the elements considered in the selection process.
The best one. However, we advise you not to take the test several times but instead spend more time (at least two or three months) preparing for it so that your result will best reflect your true abilities. Click here for more information about test scores validity.
All candidates must demonstrate their level of knowledge of English by taking one of these tests. The only exceptions are candidates whose mother tongue is English or those who took a degree in English. Click here for more information about test scores validity.
MBA application review begins in September and ends in July each year. The MBA selection process is conducted on a rolling basis and, given the large volume of applications, we recommend that candidates submit their application as early as possible.
Admission to the Program depends on a rigorous selection process that takes into account several equally important factors. The candidate's admission application, academic background, professional experience, GMAT (preferred requirement), GRE or SDA Test result, TOEFL/IELTS/PTE/CPE score and interview are all scrupulously analyzed
Yes. The Admissions Service will evaluate your second application with reference to the first one.
It is a test in English, equivalent to the GMAT, administered directly by the SDA Bocconi Admissions Service.
6. Participant Profile
No, the MBA is open to graduates in any discipline. The optional online pre-courses are designed to enable all candidates to take an active part in the Program right from the beginning.
On average, students in our MBA program have five years work experience, with the range between three and ten years. Younger candidates are eligible for admission if they have an excellent academic background, test scores, soft skills and motivation.
No, though most participants are between 25 and 34 years of age, with an average age of 29/30.
This is typically the case, but it is not necessary. We recognize that the talents that each candidate possesses are both connected and unconnected to their professional position and the work they do.
Each year 100+ participants join the SDA Bocconi Full-Time MBA. They come from 30+ countries and have diverse academic and professional backgrounds. They share a mix of abilities and attitudes: intelligence and receptivity, involvement and enthusiasm, responsibility and drive, trust and caring in personal relationships, proactiveness and creativity, a taste for living and social and cultural respect.
7. Career Development Center
Career Service is a dedicated team of professionals whose mission is to provide MBA candidates with the tools and knowledge to design a successful career development strategy, and to connect them with an international network of recruiters.
Once you are officially enrolled in the MBA program you will receive a link and instructions to register to the online career platform, where you will be able to upload your profile and see all posted job opportunities.
Career Service organizes on campus presentations and networking events with companies interested in recruiting MBA candidates for summer Projects or permanent positions. Student clubs are also active in inviting executives, HR managers and alumni to workshops and round tables, and chances are you will be able discuss a case study with a company executive as part of your academic work.
Employers usually post summer projects or permanent employment opportunities on the Career Service online platform, select candidates to interview from the applications uploaded by students or directly from the online CV database.
Each MBA candidate has his or her own unique experience, skill set and aspirations. At SDA Bocconi you will find many opportunities to discuss your career goals with coaches, mentors, alumni and experts, in order to create a solid career plan. Always with the support of the Career Service Team.
You can see all the information about post-MBA career on the Career Report
The Career Service team facilitates your professional development. They are your main source of contact with potential employers and provide a range of seminars and workshops designed to help you in your career planning and job search strategy.
They also coordinate an individual coaching program where industry experts help you create your personal brand and value proposition to successfully re-enter the job market.