Full-time MBA

Application guide

Always learning
Deciding to pursue a
Full-MBA is a substantial
commitment, both in terms of
your time and finances. This
guide will provide top tips
and advice from our Full-time
MBA Course Director, MBA
Recruitment Managers and
Alumni, to help you navigate
this very personal journey.
3 BAYES BUSINESS SCHOOL | BAYES.CITY.AC.UK/MBA

Contents
How to find the right MBA for you 4

Step-by-step guide to the application 5

process for a Full-time MBA
How to master your interview – 7
top tips from the Full-time MBA
Course Director
MBA journeys at Bayes: Alumni insights 9
and experiences

IMAGE HERE
 EMBA APPLICATION
FTMBA APPLICATIONGUIDE
GUIDE 4

How to find the right MBA for you

You want to do a Full-time MBA, but the choices feel endless. Knowing where to
start can be overwhelming, so it can be useful to know what to look for before
you start your research. Follow our process below so you know what you want
and what your non-negotiables are.

Step 1: Know what you want Step 2: Attend

Before you begin, ask yourself these key questions. Knowing the answers to these information events
questions will help you narrow down potential business schools quickly, and then
you can deep dive into what each School can offer you. Once you’ve established your goals and
motivations, it will help you to narrow
down which schools you want to apply
to. Be sure to sign up for information
What do you want to achieve from your MBA? Are you focused on learning sessions, online or on campus. These are
the theory only or do you want to gain practical experience too? an excellent opportunity to see what it’s
truly like to study an MBA at the schools
you’re interested in, meet faculty, current
How do you prefer to learn? In person, online or hybrid? students, and ask any further questions
you have about the programme.

On an MBA you learn from each other as well as from the academics, in Step 3:
an exchange of ideas. Think about the diversity of your classmates, their
nationality and professional background.
Do you have
what it takes?
Where do you want to study? A UK business school? A European business At this point it’s also a good idea to make
school? A US business school? Asia? The Middle East? Australia? sure you have a clear understanding of
the admissions criteria. Do you have
enough experience? Do you need to
How do the fees compare among business schools and how will you take GMAT or GRE? Will you need a visa?
fund your MBA? Will you fund it yourself or will need to apply for some Recruitment Managers can help you
kind of loan? navigate these questions and guide you
through the admissions requirements
you might need to tick off before you
apply. Bayes offers personalised
Are there any scholarships available? Many business schools offer feedback on your eligibility if you submit
scholarships to help with funding your tuition. your CV to kick-start this process.

You should now be fully equipped with all the information

you need to make an informed decision. Happy researching!
5 BAYES BUSINESS SCHOOL | BAYES.CITY.AC.UK/MBA
Step-by-step guide to the application
process for a Full-time MBA
This guide outlines the application process and provides
our top tips for writing a standout application.
1 Get your CV in
top shape
One of the most important requirements
for an application to any Full-time MBA
will be your work experience. Business
schools will be looking for relevant work
experience (at Bayes we ask for a minimum
of three years’ full-time professional
experience, gained after graduation) and
continuous career progression. We will
want to see how you have added value
to the organisation(s) you have worked
for and how you will be able to bring this
experience to bear in the extensive group
work you will do on the Full-time MBA.
Keeping this in mind, the initial step in the
application process is to ensure your CV is
in excellent form.
An effective CV is a well presented,
concise and an achievement focused
document. It should include the following
core areas:
■ specific career goals and the
motivation behind these
■ relevant values and interests
■ work-related activities that you excel
in and find personally motivating.
Feel free to use our free CV template to
refresh your CV.
If you’re applying to Bayes, feel free to
submit your CV before you begin your
application. We will provide you with some
personalised feedback on your suitability
for our programme and what you might
need to work on for your application.
2 Prepare your
personal statement
Your CV provides insights into your
professional, academic, and personal
achievements. Another opportunity to
make a strong case for yourself in your
application lies within your essays. Here,
you can share your goals for the future
and tell us why pursuing a Full-time MBA
aligns with your ambitions, allowing us
to assess whether our programme is the
right fit for you. Some tips for a great
personal statement are:
■ We want to know why
Why do you want to study the Full-time
MBA? Why do you specifically want to
study at Bayes Business School?
■ Immediate and long-term goals
What are your future career
aspirations and how will the Full-time
MBA help you achieve these? What
other options are you considering?
■ Do your research
Find out about the school and the
programme before writing your
personal statement. What aspects of
the programme will help you with your
goals? Are there particular modules
or electives that you’re interested
in and why? Demonstrate that you
have a good understanding of the
programme and its delivery methods.
■ Tailor your statement
Ensure that you are writing your
statement specifically for the programme
and the school that you wish to apply for.
■ Highlight your unique strengths
and abilities
What makes you stand out? What
valuable experiences and skills will
you bring to the programme? What
will your classmates learn from you?
3
Consider your choice
of referees carefully
You’ve shared details about yourself
through your CV and personal statement.
The next step is to identify two referees
who can endorse your application.
One reference should usually be from
your current employer, and the other
from a previous employer. Referees must
be senior to you and able to comment on
your work and suitability for a Full-time
MBA. If you work for a family business
or are self-employed, a reference from
a client will also be suitable. If you are
not supplying the details of your current
employer, please explain why in the
extenuating circumstances section of the
personal statement.
Make sure you let your referee know you
are applying for a Full-time MBA and that
they can expect a reference request from
the Business schools you are applying to.
Additionally, it’s recommended to send
them a copy of the reference request
directly to ensure they receive it promptly.
 FTMBA APPLICATION GUIDE 6

4 GMAT/
GRE
You will be required to take either GMAT or GRE.
You should aim for a well-balanced minimum
GMAT score of 600 or 555 under the Focus
edition. This equates to a performance in the
51st percentile under each format, or a GRE of at
least 156 in the verbal, and 158 in the quantitative
sections. A higher, well-balanced score in either
test will strengthen your application.
While we accept both tests, please note that
certain employers may request a GMAT score
specifically. Keep this in consideration when
choosing which test to take.

5 Organise your
other documents
University transcripts and English language
qualifications (if English is not your first
language), will need to be provided. Any
professional qualifications you might have
achieved will also be relevant to your application.

6 Submit your
application
Once you have everything in order, get your
application in. Make sure you are aware of
deadlines for admissions rounds and also for
any scholarships you may be eligible for. The
earlier you apply, the smoother the interview
scheduling process and the quicker you’ll
receive a decision. This gives you more time
to plan your studies and start networking with
your future classmates.

We wish you the best of

luck when submitting
your application! If you
have any questions,
reach out to us on
bayes-mba@city.ac.uk
7 BAYES BUSINESS SCHOOL | BAYES.CITY.AC.UK/MBA

How to master your interview –

top tips from the Full-time
MBA Course Director
At Bayes, interviews are often conducted by faculty who teach on the
programme or with the Course Director, whose role is the academic lead
on the MBA, working closely with the students throughout the year.
At the interview you need to convince them that you would be a great fit
with the student cohort and will bring something significant to the exchange
of ideas that is the MBA learning experience.
We asked current Course Director Dr Dimitris Paraskevopoulos what he
looks for in an excellent Full-time MBA candidate.

Career experience and progression

Your interviewer will probably begin by introducing themselves and will then ask you to talk them
through your CV. Make sure you know your CV, be prepared to identify your strongest achievements
and how you have added value to your organisations. Use the STAR method to plan your answers to
show your skills and experience.
■ Situation – the situation you had to deal with
■ Task – the task you were given to do
■ Action – the action you took
■ Result – what happened as a result of your action and what you learned from the experience

Objectives and motivations

I want to know why you want to study the MBA! I want to see why our MBA is the right fit for you.
It’s no good for the School, or for you, to recruit students who aren’t going to thrive and enjoy
their experience on the MBA. So be ready to tell us where you see yourself in five and ten years’
time and how the MBA from Bayes can help you achieve your goals.
 FTMBA APPLICATION GUIDE 8

Leadership skills
Tell me how you have motivated your colleagues to achieve goals in the workplace? Effective
leaders can communicate well, motivate their team, handle and delegate responsibilities, listen
to feedback, and have the flexibility to solve problems in an ever-changing workplace. Make sure
you have great examples of scenarios up your sleeve that you can get across during our chat.

Communication skills
As an MBA student you will be giving presentations – many, many presentations. You’ll also be
expected to play an active part in the learning process in lectures and seminars. I am going to
be looking for evidence that you’re not afraid to get your point across in an articulate fashion.
Communication skills also involve the ability to listen, process and understand, so make sure
you listen carefully to what is being asked of you and make your answers relevant.

Academic skills
It might have been some time since you were last in full-time academia, but you will probably have
been studying the GMAT or GRE more recently. Be ready to talk to me about how you successfully
combined work with this study, why one area might be stronger than another, and what you
have done to build your skills in this area since you sat the test. If you’ve done any professional
qualifications since your previous student days, tell me about these as well.

Team skills and intercultural awareness

Studying an MBA involves a lot of group work. A key part of the learning process is the exchange
of ideas between students, and their lecturers. Your MBA cohort will be made up of candidates
from different industries, job roles, nationalities, and cultures. Be ready to talk about successful
projects you’ve worked on in your current or previous roles and what you’ve learnt from the process
of working in cross cultural groups, I would love to hear about the challenges involved too and how
you overcame these.

Self awareness
Know your strengths and weaknesses. Be ready to talk about how you have addressed your
weaknesses and how you have developed as an individual over your professional career so far.
An MBA is often described as a transformational experience. What is it about yourself that you
would like to transform, with the help of our MBA?

Understanding of programme
Do your research! Make sure you know the programme you’re applying to, the core modules,
the possible electives, the clubs and societies and everything else in between. If it’s not me,
research your interviewer. Most faculty will have a profile on their school’s website. Google them,
check out their research interests, if it relates to your interests make sure you bring that up in
the interview. Faculty, like everyone else, love recognition, just be subtle about it.
9 BAYES BUSINESS SCHOOL | BAYES.CITY.AC.UK/MBA
MBA journeys at Bayes:
Alumni insights and experiences
Explore the experiences and
valuable insights shared by
Bayes MBA alumni. Discover
their personal stories of success,
how their MBA journey at Bayes
influenced their careers, from
application to professional
growth, and the meaningful
impact of their time at the School.
Arpan Sinha
Nationality: Indian
Pre-MBA: Scrum Master,
INTELSAT, Chennai, India
Post-MBA: Senior Executive
(Manager), EY Parthenon,
London, UK
Bayes is a very strong and reputable
brand, and we have great quality faculty
at the school, very knowledgeable, very
friendly. They are there to assist you, and
they’re also willing to go the extra mile. Everyone at
Bayes, including the faculty, is like one big family. It’s
a vibrant community with a strong network, and people
stay connected even after graduation.
One of the main factors for me was the opportunity to
continue lifelong learning through elective courses
even after graduation. When I was deliberating which
school to choose, this was key for me. None of the other
schools I interviewed with provided this. I always keep
a long-term view of things - it’s not just about where you
are now, but also your ultimate destination. In my view
this is a fantastic benefit.”
David Meszaros
Nationality: Canadian
Pre-MBA: Managing Director, UK
and Europe Macklam Feldman
Management, London, UK
Post-MBA: Project Manager,
Kearney, London, UK
While researching various schools in the area,
Bayes stood out to me. The smaller cohort
size and the emphasis on international
business were key factors. Bayes holds a
high level of prestige and is well-ranked and regarded. My
interaction with the recruitment team was really positive.
The MBA completely reshaped the way I look at the world
and I can’t express how glad I am that I did it, especially at
Bayes. I couldn’t be more of a champion for this school. It
was a phenomenal experience and I use what I learned there
basically every day, both personally and professionally.”
Kai Li Loh
Nationality: Malaysian
Pre-MBA: Manager, EY,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Post-MBA: Consultant,
Lumanity, London, UK
Having a personal career coach was crucial
for me because I was at a point where I
sought a new career direction and needed
assurance that it was the right path for
me. With numerous ideas in my mind, it was invaluable
to have a professional to confide in, someone seasoned
in career development, who could guide me through
my various career aspirations and help me navigate my
options. I found the corporate engagement sessions to be
a valuable experience. Rather than being limited to one
sector, they broadened my perspective on various career
opportunities, which was unexpected, I now realize that I
don’t have to limit myself to a predetermined path.”
Bayes Business School (formerly Cass)
33 Finsbury Square
London EC2A 2EP
E: bayes-mba@city.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)20 7040 0286
bayes.city.ac.uk

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Find out more about the Full-time

MBA programme:
www.bayes.city.ac.uk/ftmba

All the information contained within this brochure was correct at the time of going to print.

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of London which was established by Royal Charter in 1836. It consists
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