Western Ivey

London, Canada · Public · 12-month full-time (moving to a January start from 2027)

Class size: 154 (Class of 2027)
Median base salary: C$70,836 (Class of 2025)
Program tuition: C$96,556 (full program, international rate)

Deadlines

Round 5 (January 2027 intake; final): Nov. 2, 2026

Essays

Essay 1: Short-term career plans (250 words)

What are your short-term career plans immediately post-MBA, and why is an Ivey MBA essential to those plans?

Essay 2: A challenge (250 words)

Tell us about a challenge you have faced in your life, and what lessons you learned from it.

Reapplicant essay (250 words)

Please highlight any significant changes / developments since your previous application to Ivey?

Optional essay: Grades (250 to 500 words)

In your opinion, do your post-secondary grades accurately reflect your abilities? If no, please explain.

Optional essay: Anything else (250 to 500 words)

What, if anything, hasn't this application given you the opportunity to say about yourself or circumstances you think would be important in the evaluation of your application?

Editor's notes

The calendar is the first thing to check. There's one deadline left, Nov. 2, 2026, for a class that starts Jan. 4, 2027, and it's already closed to anyone who needs a study visa. If that's you, you're applying for the following intake. If you're Canadian or a permanent resident, Ivey says applying late costs you nothing in offer or scholarship odds, so apply when the file is ready, not before.
Your interviewer comes from Career Management, not admissions. About 75% of applicants get that interview, so it's where the real sorting happens. Expect behavioral questions and a close look at whether your post-MBA goal is realistic in a 12-month program. Know which roles you're targeting and why your background fits them.
Brief your referees well; the form is the letter. Ivey's admissions team says the free-form sections cover leadership, interpersonal skills, strengths and development areas, and that one-liners don't help. Pick people who have watched you work, send them specifics, and use a personal email if their work inbox filters outside mail. They have two weeks after you submit.
The waiver is real, but think before you take it. Ivey will pre-assess you for a GMAT/GRE exemption in about seven business days, yet it also warns that investment banks and some consulting firms ask for GMAT scores when hiring. With 24% of the Class of 2025 in consulting and 35% in financial services, check what your target employers expect.