Application Process

Master’s in International Business and Policy Dubai candidates bring diverse professional backgrounds and experiences to the program. They display high leadership potential and have a deep interest in shaping the global business environment.

To Apply, Applicants Should:

• Possess a recommended minimum of two years of professional work experience post bachelor’s degree. All military experience is counted as work experience.
• Possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• Demonstrate high potential for leadership. A business background is not required.

Application Deadlines

We will review applications for the September 2026 start during the following rounds:

Round Application Deadline

Round 1 January 19, 2026

Round 2 March 30, 2026

Round 3 May 11, 2026

Round 4 July 6, 2026

Application Requirements

The IBP Dubai Admissions Committee uses a holistic approach when making an admissions decision. Therefore, it is necessary to submit all application components so the Admissions Committee can make an informed decision about your application.

The Admission Committee will only review completed applications that include the following components:

• Online Application Form
• CV or Resume
• Essay
• One Recommendation
• Academic Records
• Non-refundable Application Fee: $175 USD
• Demonstration of English Language Proficiency

Optional:

Scholarship Essay

Online Application Form

Required

Applications must be submitted through our online application portal.

CV or Resume

Required

Submit a current CV or resume in month/year format that corresponds to the information submitted on your online application. Your CV or resume should be no more than 2 pages in length.

Essay

Required

Our goal at Georgetown University is to craft a diverse class of students with varying personal and professional life experiences. As such, we want to give our applicants the opportunity to select an essay prompt that best showcases their experiences, characteristics, and value proposition that they can bring to the Georgetown community. 

Essay Options: Please select one of the following essay options: 

• Option 1: Describe your proudest accomplishment. (This can be a personal, professional or academic accomplishment.)
• Option 2: Tell us something that is not on your resume that would make you a strong candidate for this program.
• Option 3: As Georgetown is a diverse, global community, we encourage you to upload a brief statement to help the Admissions Committee understand the contribution your personal background and individual experiences would make to our community. As appropriate, you may wish to address any educational, familial, cultural, economic, and social experiences that have helped to shape your educational and professional goals; or how your background (e.g., first-generation student) or activities (e.g., community service and leadership) will contribute to the diversity of perspectives and ideas at Georgetown University.

Essay Guidelines:

• All essays should be double-spaced using 12 pt. font and not exceed 500 words.
• Prepare your attachments offline in separate document files and upload them individually.
• Please follow the instructions regarding length of each attachment, and label each page with your name.
• Georgetown University prides itself on honesty and integrity. Plagiarism is not tolerated and the Executive and Specialized Degree Programs office reserves the right to deny applicants or rescind admission if plagiarism is found.

Recommendation

Required

The Admissions Committee is interested in gaining insight from individuals who can objectively evaluate your professional performance, as well as your managerial and leadership potential.

We require that you identify one recommender. Your recommendation must be from a current or former (recent) direct/indirect supervisor, or a client. A second optional recommendation may be submitted from a former supervisor, current indirect supervisor, or a client. If you’ve recently completed an academic program faculty recommendations are acceptable. Note that the Admissions Committee will not read more than two recommendations per application.

All recommendations must be submitted electronically via the application system. Recommenders will receive detailed instructions once you complete the “Recommendations” section of your application.

You can submit your application for review before the recommendation has been completed. Please note, however, that a final decision cannot be rendered until your recommendation have been received.

Academic Records

Required

Applicants to Georgetown University are required to hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.

To apply: We require that you upload unofficial copies of your transcripts from all institutions that you have attended regardless of whether a degree was conferred (e.g. undergraduate, graduate, Ph.D., M.D., J.D., etc.).

If admitted/enrolled: All applicants who are admitted and enroll will be required to submit official transcripts from all institutions that have conferred a degree to you. Georgetown University reserves the right to withdraw any offer of admission if there is a discrepancy between the uploaded unofficial transcript and/or translation, and the official original language transcript and/or the official translation.

Instructions for transcripts:

1. All submitted transcripts must display the following:
   1. course names
   2. all grades received (including from transfer credits and study abroad programs)
   3. cumulative GPA
   4. grading scale
   5. type of degree and degree conferral information
2. We require proof a degree was conferred and the date of graduation.
3. A transcript is official when delivered via ONE of the following options:
   1. submitted in an envelope which is issued by your institution(s) and sealed by your university’s registrar’s office (or equivalent office) to the address below:

Attn: IBP Admissions

Georgetown University

Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Academy

DIFC, Gate Village 02, Level 3,

PO Box 74777, Dubai, UAE

2. submitted from your institution via a secure electronic delivery (such as Scrip-Safe or Parchment) via email to ibpdubai@georgetown.edu.
3. requested from the appropriate institution’s registrar, returned to you, and submitted unopened.

Application Fee

Required

Applicants must submit a $175 USD non-refundable application fee, payable online via credit card. 

Demonstration of English Language Proficiency

All applicants are required to demonstrate a level of proficiency in the English language sufficient to meet the admission requirement. Proficiency can be demonstrated by:

• A bachelor’s or advanced degree from a university or accredited institution of higher education where English was the primary language of instruction 
• A minimum score of either 100 on the TOEFL or 7.5 on the IELTS test, taken within the last 24 months.

The Office of Admissions reserves the right to ask an applicant to submit proof of English Language Proficiency.

You may choose from one of the following exams to demonstrate your level of competence in English.

• TOEFL (internet-based) – The minimum required score is 100. Your test result must not be more than two years old. If you are admitted to the program, official scores must be sent directly from ETS to Georgetown University Executive Education Admissions using ETS Code Number: D384.
• IELTS – We accept only academic module results. The minimum required score is 7.5. Your test result must not be more than two years old. If you are admitted to the program, official scores must be sent electronically to us directly from Cambridge (IELTS). When requesting your scores from the test center, please enter the following information exactly as provided below:

Account Name: Georgetown University Sch of Business- MiM, MA-IBP, MSBA

Address: Georgetown University

Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Academy

DIFC, Gate Village 02, Level 3

PO Box 74777, Dubai, UAE

Admissions Policies

• Your online application must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. GMT+4 time on the deadline date. Applications that are received after the deadline or do not contain all of the required components may be considered for the next admissions round.
• Documents submitted to the Office of Admissions become the property of Georgetown University and will not be returned to the applicant.
• Should you be admitted, you will receive a conditional offer and will be required to mail all original/official copies of each application document (transcripts and test scores, if applicable) to the Office of Admissions. Discrepancies between self-reported/unofficial documents and official records may result in an admissions offer being rescinded.
• If any application materials are found to be forged, falsified, or altered in any way, the university will notify all relevant officials, including the individual or institution issuing the document and, as appropriate, immigration officers. If an offer of admission has been made, it may be rescinded.
• We are unable to provide specific feedback to applicants who are not offered admission. Please note, the decision of the Admissions Committee is final and we cannot recommend whether or not you should reapply for a future cycle. 

If you are a visually-impaired applicant and need an accessible application, please contact us at ibpdubai@georgetown.edu.

Scholarship Essay (Optional)

The IBP program offers merit-based program scholarships. Applicants interested in being considered for a merit-based award must include a scholarship essay with their applications. The Admissions Committee will typically release scholarship award notifications with their admissions decision.

Essay Prompt: For scholarship consideration, please share how receiving a scholarship will enable you to maximize your impact as a leader and why your profile aligns with the program’s values of leadership, integrity, and global perspective.

Essay Guidelines:

• All essays should be double-spaced using 12-point font and not exceed 300 words.
• Prepare your attachments offline in separate document files and upload them individually.
• Please follow the instructions regarding length of each attachment, and label each page with your name.
• Georgetown University prides itself on honesty and integrity. Plagiarism is not tolerated and the admissions office reserves the right to deny applicants or rescind admission if plagiarism is found.

Please note that while the information on this page provides guidance, applicants must refer to the full application form for detailed instructions. Should you encounter any discrepancies between instructions on this page and instructions in the application itself, you must follow the guidance provided in the application.

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