Is Bocconi a public or private institution?

Bocconi University is a private, non-profit university, and its graduate business school, SDA Bocconi School of Management, is a separate entity within the Bocconi group that runs the MBA and Executive MBA programmes described here. Both operate as private Italian institutions rather than state universities.

Are the MBA programmes taught in English?

Yes. The Full-Time MBA, Executive MBA Modular and the Rotman-SDA Bocconi Global Executive MBA are taught entirely in English. Applicants must demonstrate English proficiency through TOEFL, IELTS, CPE or PTE Academic unless they are native speakers or hold a prior degree taught in English.

Can I join straight after my bachelor's degree with no work experience?

None of the three programmes is designed for applicants with no work experience. The Full-Time MBA has no fixed minimum but its admitted class averages around five years, ranging between three and ten; the Executive MBA Modular requires at least six years of professional experience; the Global Executive MBA expects five-plus years including two-plus years in management, plus current full-time employment.

What is the total cost, not just tuition?

Tuition alone is EUR 82,000 for the Full-Time MBA, EUR 62,000 for the Executive MBA Modular, and USD 110,000 for the Global Executive MBA (all VAT-exempt, current cohort pricing). None of these figures include Milan living costs, which SDA Bocconi itself estimates at EUR 2,000-2,500 per month for Full-Time MBA students, or the travel and accommodation needed for the Global Executive MBA's international residential modules.

How do I actually apply?

All three programmes use SDA Bocconi's own online application portal, not Italy's national Universitaly portal used for standard public-university degrees. Applicants submit an online form, CV, degree certificate and transcript, English-test and GMAT/GRE scores, two references, and complete an interview; the Full-Time MBA also requires a video pre-interview.

What English test score do I need?

TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge CPE or PTE Academic is required for all three programmes unless the applicant is a native English speaker or completed a prior degree taught in English. SDA Bocconi's published programme pages do not disclose a fixed minimum score for any of these tests, so applicants should confirm current thresholds directly with the admissions office.

Is GMAT or GRE mandatory, and does my score affect the cost?

Yes, all three programmes require a GMAT or GRE score (the Global Executive MBA also accepts an internal SDA test). For the Full-Time MBA specifically, GMAT scores anchor SDA Bocconi's own tuition-waiver bands: roughly 615+ on the current GMAT scale for a partial waiver of 10-50% of tuition, and 645+ for a full waiver. An admissions interview is required across all three formats regardless of test score.

Do MBA students earn a stipend or salary during the programme?

No. None of the three MBA programmes offers a stipend or salary. The Executive MBA Modular and Global Executive MBA are explicitly designed for candidates who keep their full-time job and employer income throughout the programme, rather than funding themselves through a work placement.

When do the programmes start, and how many application rounds are there?

The Full-Time MBA begins in September, with five staggered application and tuition-waiver rounds running from November through July for each intake. The Executive MBA Modular and the Global Executive MBA both begin in November, each running its own multi-round application timeline through the preceding autumn.

What visa or pre-approval steps does a non-EU applicant need?

Non-EU applicants generally need Italy's Type D national study visa and, after arrival, a permesso di soggiorno (residence permit) applied for within eight days of arrival; the Italian government's reference financial-means figure for student visas is roughly EUR 6,947 per year. Because SDA Bocconi is a private postgraduate school rather than a standard Italian public-university degree programme, applicants should confirm directly with SDA Bocconi's admissions office whether their specific visa route matches the general Bocconi University process or requires a separate pathway.

What does SDA Bocconi's accreditation actually mean?

SDA Bocconi holds the 'triple crown' of international business-school accreditation: AACSB, EQUIS (first awarded to an Italian school in 1998, re-accredited five times since) and AMBA, the last of which specifically covers the Full-Time MBA, Executive MBA and Global Executive MBA; the Full-Time MBA and Executive MBA also carry ASFOR accreditation from Italy's national management-education association. These are professional and institutional accreditations, not a statement about the MBA's legal equivalence to an Italian university degree, so applicants should confirm separately how their home country treats a foreign MBA credential for their specific purpose.

Where do MBA students live, and what does it cost?

SDA Bocconi does not provide on-campus accommodation for MBA students. Its Student Care Service works with an external housing consultant to help candidates find private rentals in Milan, where a shared room typically runs EUR 400-800 per month and a one-bedroom apartment averages roughly EUR 1,050 (outside the centre) to EUR 1,500 (city centre) per month, according to independent cost-of-living data.

How do the three MBA formats actually differ from each other?

The Full-Time MBA is a compressed 12-15 month, full-time, on-campus programme aimed at candidates who want to return to the job market quickly. The Executive MBA Modular (18 months) and the Rotman-SDA Bocconi Global Executive MBA (13 months, delivered jointly with a North American school) let working professionals earn the degree without leaving their job, through periodic residential modules rather than continuous full-time study.

Is Bocconi a public or private institution?

Bocconi University is a private, non-profit university, and its graduate business school, SDA Bocconi School of Management, is a separate entity within the Bocconi group that runs the MBA and Executive MBA programmes described here. Both operate as private Italian institutions rather than state universities.

Are the MBA programmes taught in English?

Yes. The Full-Time MBA, Executive MBA Modular and the Rotman-SDA Bocconi Global Executive MBA are taught entirely in English. Applicants must demonstrate English proficiency through TOEFL, IELTS, CPE or PTE Academic unless they are native speakers or hold a prior degree taught in English.

Can I join straight after my bachelor's degree with no work experience?

None of the three programmes is designed for applicants with no work experience. The Full-Time MBA has no fixed minimum but its admitted class averages around five years, ranging between three and ten; the Executive MBA Modular requires at least six years of professional experience; the Global Executive MBA expects five-plus years including two-plus years in management, plus current full-time employment.

What is the total cost, not just tuition?

Tuition alone is EUR 82,000 for the Full-Time MBA, EUR 62,000 for the Executive MBA Modular, and USD 110,000 for the Global Executive MBA (all VAT-exempt, current cohort pricing). None of these figures include Milan living costs, which SDA Bocconi itself estimates at EUR 2,000-2,500 per month for Full-Time MBA students, or the travel and accommodation needed for the Global Executive MBA's international residential modules.

How do I actually apply?

All three programmes use SDA Bocconi's own online application portal, not Italy's national Universitaly portal used for standard public-university degrees. Applicants submit an online form, CV, degree certificate and transcript, English-test and GMAT/GRE scores, two references, and complete an interview; the Full-Time MBA also requires a video pre-interview.

What English test score do I need?

TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge CPE or PTE Academic is required for all three programmes unless the applicant is a native English speaker or completed a prior degree taught in English. SDA Bocconi's published programme pages do not disclose a fixed minimum score for any of these tests, so applicants should confirm current thresholds directly with the admissions office.

Is GMAT or GRE mandatory, and does my score affect the cost?

Yes, all three programmes require a GMAT or GRE score (the Global Executive MBA also accepts an internal SDA test). For the Full-Time MBA specifically, GMAT scores anchor SDA Bocconi's own tuition-waiver bands: roughly 615+ on the current GMAT scale for a partial waiver of 10-50% of tuition, and 645+ for a full waiver. An admissions interview is required across all three formats regardless of test score.

Do MBA students earn a stipend or salary during the programme?

No. None of the three MBA programmes offers a stipend or salary. The Executive MBA Modular and Global Executive MBA are explicitly designed for candidates who keep their full-time job and employer income throughout the programme, rather than funding themselves through a work placement.

When do the programmes start, and how many application rounds are there?

The Full-Time MBA begins in September, with five staggered application and tuition-waiver rounds running from November through July for each intake. The Executive MBA Modular and the Global Executive MBA both begin in November, each running its own multi-round application timeline through the preceding autumn.

What visa or pre-approval steps does a non-EU applicant need?

Non-EU applicants generally need Italy's Type D national study visa and, after arrival, a permesso di soggiorno (residence permit) applied for within eight days of arrival; the Italian government's reference financial-means figure for student visas is roughly EUR 6,947 per year. Because SDA Bocconi is a private postgraduate school rather than a standard Italian public-university degree programme, applicants should confirm directly with SDA Bocconi's admissions office whether their specific visa route matches the general Bocconi University process or requires a separate pathway.

What does SDA Bocconi's accreditation actually mean?

SDA Bocconi holds the 'triple crown' of international business-school accreditation: AACSB, EQUIS (first awarded to an Italian school in 1998, re-accredited five times since) and AMBA, the last of which specifically covers the Full-Time MBA, Executive MBA and Global Executive MBA; the Full-Time MBA and Executive MBA also carry ASFOR accreditation from Italy's national management-education association. These are professional and institutional accreditations, not a statement about the MBA's legal equivalence to an Italian university degree, so applicants should confirm separately how their home country treats a foreign MBA credential for their specific purpose.

Where do MBA students live, and what does it cost?

SDA Bocconi does not provide on-campus accommodation for MBA students. Its Student Care Service works with an external housing consultant to help candidates find private rentals in Milan, where a shared room typically runs EUR 400-800 per month and a one-bedroom apartment averages roughly EUR 1,050 (outside the centre) to EUR 1,500 (city centre) per month, according to independent cost-of-living data.

How do the three MBA formats actually differ from each other?

The Full-Time MBA is a compressed 12-15 month, full-time, on-campus programme aimed at candidates who want to return to the job market quickly. The Executive MBA Modular (18 months) and the Rotman-SDA Bocconi Global Executive MBA (13 months, delivered jointly with a North American school) let working professionals earn the degree without leaving their job, through periodic residential modules rather than continuous full-time study.

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MBA at Bocconi University: Admissions Process

How to apply for MBA at Bocconi University — step-by-step process, documents required, and application timeline.

Written by Students Traffic Research Team·Updated On: 12 Jul 2026

Bocconi UniversityMilan, ItalyMBA · Private

Academics eligibility recognition fees

Admissions

Programme-specific admission requirements are being verified with the university. Do not rely on another programme's requirements when preparing an application.

Requirements being verified

Application steps will appear here once they have been checked against the university's current programme page.

Deadlines & Intake

Intake

September

When to start

Start document preparation and application planning at least 3–6 months before the September intake.

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