TL;DR: The Oxford MBA class of 2025-26 has 332 students and a median GMAT of 690, and Saïd Business School does not publish an Oxford MBA acceptance rate or an application count. The class profile shows 63 nationalities, 96% international students, 48% women and five years of average work experience. Oxford says GMAT scores of 595 or above on the current scale are considered competitive and that the class median is 635, which is 690 on the former scale. The course fee for 2027-28 is £94,120. For September 2027 entry, Stage 2 closes October 5, 2026, Stage 3 November 4, 2026, Stage 4 January 6, 2027 and Stage 5 March 15, 2027 (Sources: Saïd Business School, Oxford MBA program and application requirements pages; GMAC review of MBA acceptance rates, July 2026). If you are weighing a one year MBA at Oxford against a two year US program, Oriel Admissions builds MBA application strategy on this data: schedule a consultation.
What Is the Oxford MBA Acceptance Rate?
There is no official Oxford MBA acceptance rate. Saïd Business School publishes a class profile for each cohort, but it does not publish the number of applications it receives or the number of offers it makes. Without an application count, no admit rate and no enrollment ratio can be computed from Oxford data.
You will see percentages quoted for Oxford across the web, usually somewhere between the high teens and 30%. None of them traces to a figure the school has released. The GMAC review of acceptance rates at leading business schools, published in July 2026, does not list a figure for Oxford. It does say that schools outside the United States either do not publish official figures or have not released any since 2019, and that estimates for leading European schools range from 20% to 30%. That range is the most that can be said with a source behind it.
What Oxford does publish is below, and it is the better basis for judging your own application.
| What Oxford publishes | MBA class of 2025-26 |
|---|---|
| Class size | 332 students |
| Nationalities | 63 |
| International students | 96% |
| Women | 48% |
| Average work experience | 5 years |
| Median GMAT | 690 on the former scale (635 on the current scale) |
| Median GRE | 160 verbal and 160 quantitative |
| Applications received | Not published |
| Acceptance rate | Not published |
Is the Oxford MBA Acceptance Rate the Same as the Oxford Acceptance Rate?
No. The acceptance rate usually quoted for the University of Oxford describes undergraduate admission, which runs through UCAS with its own tests and interviews. The MBA is a separate graduate program with a separate application handled by Saïd Business School, a different applicant pool and different criteria. If you are looking for the undergraduate figures, see our guide to the Oxford acceptance rate.
MBA students do join the wider university. Each one belongs to one of the 39 Oxford colleges, which is part of what separates the Oxford MBA from a standalone business school.
What GMAT or GRE Score Do You Need for the Oxford MBA?
Oxford sets no minimum score. Its application requirements page states that GMAT scores of 595 or above on the current exam are considered competitive, which corresponds to 650 on the former exam. The current class has a median GMAT of 635, or 690 on the former scale.
For the GRE, Oxford says a verbal score of 160 and a quantitative score of 160 are considered competitive, and the current class median is 160 in each section. Every applicant must submit a GMAT or GRE score regardless of work experience or prior qualifications, and scores must be less than five years old on the deadline date.
The gap between the competitive threshold of 595 and the class median of 635 is the useful detail. A score at the threshold keeps you in consideration. A score at or above the median removes the test as a question. Our GMAT prep guide covers how to plan a retake around a stage deadline.
Who Gets Into the Oxford MBA?
The class profile for 2025-26 shows 332 students from 63 nationalities, with 96% international students, 48% women and an average of five years of work experience. Oxford requires at least two years of full-time work experience and looks for evidence of career progression, international exposure and leadership potential.
The school describes the candidates it wants as people with strong professional experience, a background in varied and multicultural environments, maturity, and a strong academic foundation. For a US applicant, the 96% international figure means the class is not built around any one home market, and a career spent entirely in one country needs a clear reason for choosing Oxford.
How Much Does the Oxford MBA Cost?
The course fee for the 2027-28 program is £94,120, and the application fee is £75. The program lasts one year, so the cost of time out of work is one year of salary instead of two. Our guide to one year MBA programs compares the format across ten schools.
Scholarships are available from the business school, the university, the colleges and external sources. For most school and university scholarships, the standard course application is all that is required, and eligible candidates are considered automatically. Oxford recommends applying early to be considered for the widest set of awards, because some have fixed deadlines.
What Are the Oxford MBA Deadlines for September 2027 Entry?
Oxford uses five application stages. The dates for the 2027-28 cohort are below.
| Stage | Application deadline | Final decision by |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | September 2, 2026 | October 16, 2026 |
| Stage 2 | October 5, 2026 | November 20, 2026 |
| Stage 3 | November 4, 2026 | December 11, 2026 |
| Stage 4 | January 6, 2027 | March 5, 2027 |
| Stage 5 | March 15, 2027 | April 23, 2027 |
The school says admission is competitive at every stage and recommends applying early. The application includes a supporting statement of up to 500 words, an online assessment with three competency based questions, two references, a one page CV, a statement of your career plans and a GMAT or GRE score. Shortlisted candidates are interviewed before the final decision.
We cover the main components in separate guides: the Oxford MBA online assessment, the Oxford MBA interview and the career section of the application. If you are choosing between the two universities, see our comparison of the Oxford and Cambridge MBA programs.
What Outcomes Does the Oxford MBA Report?
The 2024-25 employment report, as summarized by the school, shows an average base salary of £81,466, with graduates taking roles in 61 cities and 88% changing sector, function or geography. The last figure matters most if you are considering Oxford as a route to a career change.
Candidates who want a second degree can apply through the Oxford 1+1 MBA, which combines a graduate degree from a selected Oxford department with the one year MBA.
How Do Other European MBA Programs Compare?
None of the leading European business schools publishes a current acceptance rate, so the useful comparison is what each one does publish about its class, its fees and its calendar. We cover the others school by school: the INSEAD acceptance rate, the IESE MBA acceptance rate, the London Business School acceptance rate, the HEC Paris acceptance rate and the Cambridge MBA acceptance rate. We also cover the IE Business School acceptance rate, and our guide to the best MBA programs in Europe compares all seven schools side by side.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Oxford MBA Acceptance Rate
Oxford does not publish an MBA acceptance rate or an application count. Percentages quoted online are estimates that do not trace to the school. GMAC says estimates for leading European schools range from 20 to 30 percent and that schools outside the United States have not released official figures since 2019.
No. Undergraduate admission runs through UCAS and has its own tests and interviews. The MBA has a separate application handled by the business school, a different applicant pool and different criteria. The two figures should not be compared.
There is no minimum. Oxford says GMAT scores of 595 or above on the current exam are considered competitive, which corresponds to 650 on the former exam. The current class median is 635 on the current scale, or 690 on the former scale.
Oxford says a verbal score of 160 and a quantitative score of 160 are considered competitive, and it accepts all scores. The current class has a median of 160 in each section. A GMAT or GRE score is required from every applicant.
The 2025-26 class has 332 students from 63 nationalities. International students make up 96 percent of the class and women make up 48 percent. The average work experience is five years, and the minimum requirement is two years.
The course fee for the 2027-28 program is 94,120 pounds, and the application fee is 75 pounds. The program lasts one year. Scholarships are available from the business school, the university, the colleges and external sources.
Stage 1 closed on September 2, 2026. Stage 2 closes on October 5, 2026, Stage 3 on November 4, 2026, Stage 4 on January 6, 2027 and Stage 5 on March 15, 2027. Final decisions are sent between October 16, 2026 and April 23, 2027, depending on the stage.
Oxford requires at least two years of full-time work experience. The 2025-26 class averages five years. The school looks for career progression, international exposure and evidence of leadership potential.
Sources: Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, Oxford MBA Programme, Class Profile and Deadlines; Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, Oxford MBA Application Requirements; GMAC, Review of Acceptance Rates at the Top Ten Business Schools (July 2026).
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