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Guide to Universities in USA that Accept 15 Years of Education, How to Check?

Studying for a Master’s degree in the US is a dream for many. Unfortunately, there are some requirements that US schools have to be eligible to apply for a Graduate school program. Many students, whose bachelor’s degree is three years in their home country, end up in a tough situation and unsure, how their future looks like.

Below are some of the common questions that many users ask:

  • I have a B.A. / B.Com from India. Am I eligible for an MBA in the US?
  • Am I eligible for an MBA in the USA with 15 years of Education?
  • Do all schools in the US accept 15-year education?
  • Do US schools consider a 3-year bachelor’s degree or an MBA?
  • Can I get a list of B-schools that accept 15-year education?

In this article, we will review all such questions, clarify the requirements, and provide a list of such schools as well.

What is exactly 15 years of education?   B.A. / B.Com degree India / UK?

Some undergraduate degrees like Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Commerce(B.Com)  in countries like India, the UK are typically of 3 years duration. With a years bachelor’s degree the total years of education add up to 15 years ( 12 until high school junior college + 3 years bachelors degree ).

Do  Business schools in the US accept 15 years of education for an MBA ?

It totally depends on the University that you are applying to. Some top 10 schools accept the 15 years of education for an MBA, and some do not. So, there is nothing etched on the rock…For instance, Tuck School of Business, an Ivy League B-school, explicitly states in their MBA Admission FAQs that they accept 3-year degrees at the University level.  

Unlike at Hass School of Business, UC Berkley, they explicitly say in their admission FAQs that they do not accept 3-year degrees from India and give a complete list of what university degrees from India they accept and not.

The conclusion from the above examples is that it depends on the school. Some B-schools may not mention these fine details about 3-year degrees in their FAQs.

What should one do before applying for a 3-year bachelor’s degree?

Well, the first step is to check the Admission FAQs. If they explicitly say, like at Berkley MBA FAQs, you do not need to check with anyone. If not, you should email the admissions coordinator at the business school for clarification on whether they accept it or not.

Also, you may want to check with the Graduate school admissions office about your degree. It is up to the Graduate school and Business school to decide. You can either email them or call them. I would personally email them because you have it for the record. If you are already in the US, then you can plan to meet the admissions coordinator in person and clarify all the questions.

List of Universities Accepting 15 Years of Education in the US for MBA

The first step for you to verify if a university will accept the 15 years of education is to check their respective school’s Admissions FAQs page. Below is the list of Universities that accept 15 years of Education:

This is not a comprehensive list, but we have tried to include some of the best B-schools that weknow for sure with corresponding FAQs links. Please do your research on the schools, there are far more schools that accept 3 year degree for MBA.

Any personal experience applying to schools in US with 15 years education or 3 year bachelors ?

   

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80 Comments

  1. Hi. This is Nikhil. I have finished my BA in mass communication and journalism. Does all the schools in california require 16 years of education or if not can anyone please tell me any universities where i can apply for MA.

    Reply
    • Hello Nikhil,

      Ultimately it is best to hear directly from the school themselves to find out for sure. I would recommend contacting the schools you have interest in directly by going to their official websites. They will be able to answer any questions you have and you’ll be assured that it is an accurate answer. Please let us know if you have any additional questions, we’d be happy to help. Good luck!

      Reply
    • I am completing B. Com thru distance education in 2020, also CA Intermediate. I want to pursue MBA in USA. Should I write GMAT, which universities will admit me?

      Reply
      • Sekar,
        Yes, most of the good schools need GRE or GMAT. You need do your own research and reach out to the schools of your interest.

        Reply
    • Karan,

      It is often best to contact the university directly to receive accurate and up-to-date information. I took the liberty of finding the contact page for University of California. http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/contact/
      Hope this helps!

      Reply
  2. HI
    I am in second yr. of bbe(business economics) from DU. This is a 3 yr. graduation program. I am really confused about which country, which course to choose.
    My preference is US, France, Norway and Denmark. And i want good carrier in financial, business and entrepreneurship sector. Any suggestions?

    Reply
  3. Hi,
    i am pursuing b.com.
    My question is, dose my B.com academic scores matters while applying and getting admissions in those university which supports 15 year of education.
    to be very honest my scores are not good in b.com but i am studying hard for GRE and i am sure that i ll be getting good score in GRE,but some people are saying if the academic score of UG are not Good.. then there is a big trouble i am going to face while getting admission.
    please tell me if there is any such minimum requirements for getting admission.
    any reply from your side would br highly appreciated.

    Reply
    • Sanchit,
      Everything depends on the school you plan to apply. You need to carefully plan for your school selection based on your scores and academics so that you can get admission. Usually most of the good schools’ websites list minimum scores of GRE on their admission websites. You can check it out.

      Reply
  4. I hold higher national diploma 2 years from uk in marine engg further with a Chief Engineer License and a 3 yrs bca from india. Am i eligible for MS in computer science.

    Reply
    • P Suri,
      You will need a bachelors degree to be eligible for MS, your BCA along with 2 years diploma may fulfill you 16 years education…but, you will need to check with the respective school, if they consider that diploma coursework for that 16 years or not. It totally depends on the school and you will need to check with specific schools.

      Reply
  5. Hi !
    I am Yash and currently in my last year of BBA. I dont have any work experience. Which universities will i be eligible for doing my masters ? Will i be eligible for in any ivy league universities ?

    Reply
    • Yash,
      We do not really advise on schools. You will need to do your own research. The schools will mention, if anything such exists in the requirements. You can write to the Universities as well to get clarity.

      Reply
  6. hi,

    Iam currently doing a 3rd year graduate course on commerce in India. After completion of my degree i will have only 15 years of education background .Am i eligible for MBA in US?
    Another one – which is the best exam for MBA- GMAT or GRE?
    Reply me as soon as possible…

    Reply
    • It all depends on the school you apply to…as stated in the article, you need to check with the school you plan to apply, to get the confirmation. GMAT is the most preferred test by many schools.

      Reply
  7. Hi,

    I have done BMS from a college in Mumbai. I’ll be applying for Mcom to complete 15+1 years of education.
    Does it make a difference if you do your Mcom through Mumbai University (distance education), and not from a college?
    Will it still be considered as 16 years of education and not prove as a competitive disadvantage during the admission process?

    Reply
    • Sahil,
      having 16 years of education totally depends on the school you plan to apply and their view on your degree. It will not be any competitive advantage or disadvantage over other applicants. It is a requirement by schools to have a bachelors equivalent to their US equivalent bachelors. All I can suggest is, before you even apply to schools for Masters, You can check with the US schools that you plan to apply, if they accept your 15 years education and degree…only, if they say they need it, then you can go for it. coming to distance vs in-class, it all depends on school that you plan to apply to…you can ask the same question to them as well.

      Reply
  8. Hi
    I am Harshith a student pursuing by B.com in Andhra University. I will be getting a 3 year undergraduate degree but I also have a CIMA Diploma in Management Accounting. Would the universities which provide the course MS in Finance accept my 3 year degree and would they give any preference considering my diploma ? Who would probably can give a best answer to my question? the university staff or a consultancy ?

    Reply
    • i have completed my bba degree from madras university and i want to do my mba in Usa Newyork . But now ihave only 15 years under graduation.so if i have 1 year job experience can it compensate the deficit of one year under graduation.And my second doubt is that is there any college in Newyork giving Mba course for 3year graduates.

      Reply
      • Deepak,
        Work experience does not count. It is better you check with the school that you plan to apply, if they accept the BBA. Some schools do accept it.

        Reply
  9. I have completed Diploma in Electronics and communication and after that I have total more than 10 years work experience.

    m I eligible to apply to university for masters in Computer Science..
    Are they Any universities which accepts

    Reply
    • Megha,
      Work experience does not matter for entry to MS. You need to have bachelors degree for Masters. One of the things you can do is to apply for Bachelors first and then go for masters.

      Reply
      • Hi Kumar,

        Thank you very much for your reply. but do you feel after 30 if i will go for bachelor than it will be easy to get visa ????

        Thanks
        Mala

        Reply
        • Mala,
          It should not matter. You should be able to articulate your passion with conviction, that will make the visa officer give you visa. Just be positive, you can make it !

          Reply
  10. hi ‘
    I completed ITI (Draft engineering) + BCom Degree+diploma (mechanical engineering)+ i have 12 yrs of exp in Mechanical field.. Please let me know if I am eligible to apply for F1 or H1.

    Reply
    • Krishna,
      If you want to study in US, you need to apply to schools. You would need to take GMAT and TOEFL as part of the admission process. Check Universities websites for exact requirements. We have many articles on the blog, just check the study in US section from menu or use the search on the top.

      Reply
        • Yeshu David,
          It totally depends on the school. Some schools do recognize, some do not. You need to check with the school admissions of the school you plan to apply for more clarity.

          Reply
  11. I have completed my B.COM (COMPUTERS).I want to apply for MBA in US.As only few universities accept 15 years of education, i have to get 16 years education.I want to know a one year course which is accepted as 16th year of education.whether that 16 yrs of education should be regular or distance mode. I also want to know whether 15years education and 2years work experience is better or 16 years of education is better.

    Reply
  12. Hello!
    I have done my BCA. I want to ask that can I get admission in US in computer science. Could you send me info of colleges or schools that accept 3 year bachelor degree??

    Reply
  13. I have completed my graduation in Bbm Ion) with 60% will I get admission in USA or Canada for MBA in B schoo and which exam I will need to give

    Reply
  14. I have completed my B.COM professionals.I want to apply for MBA in US.As only few universities accept 15 years of education, i have to get 16 years education.I want to know a one year course which is accepted as 16th year of education.whether that 16 yrs of education should be regular or distance mode. I also want to know whether 15years education and 2years work experience is better or 16 years of education is better.

    Reply
  15. Hi,
    I am a B.Com graduate and want to study MBA in USA.I have one query whether its compulsion to have GMAT/GRE scores and if yes how to go about it.Please reply at the earliest.

    Reply
  16. Hi Sir/Madam,

    I have completed my B.Sc Computer Science with very less percentage. Are there any universities in US who offer MS in Computer Science program with 15 years degree?

    I kindly request information on the above mentioned.

    Reply
  17. I have completed my B.COM professionals.I want to apply for MBA in US.As only few universities accept 15 years of education, i have to get 16 years education.I want to know a one year course which is accepted as 16th year of education.I also want to know whether 15years education and 2years work experience is better or 16 years of education is better.

    Reply
  18. This is one of the essential questions most commonly heard among MBA aspirants. The number of students applying for B-School overseas is increasing by tons so this information would be helpful for many.

    Reply
  19. sir i have completed my b.com from india with 52 percent can i get admision in usa colleges for mba at these percent plzz answere?????

    Reply
  20. Hi,

    I have completed BCA from India and have 6.7 years of experience in IT. Now I want to pursue higher education in US in MS Computer Science. Could please somebody help me out by sending list of colleges , who accepts 15 years of education in US.

    Reply
  21. sir ,
    i have completed my B.SC LAST year.i want to MS COMPUTER SCIENCE IN USA ,i want to know universities accepting 15years of education? and we can write gre and ielts test for it?

    Reply
  22. After completing my 12th standard from Science stream, I joined CA course. However, I have not joined any Regular Bachelor’s degree. My question is- after completing my CA, will I be elligible for pursuing MBA outside India?

    Note: CA is a professional course, has fulltime work experience of 3 years, is recognised by AIU for pursuing PHD courses.

    Please do not give information about CA course. Just tell whether it is recognised or not.

    Reply
  23. sir ,
    i have completed my b.com this year.i want to mba in u.s,i want to know universities accepting 15years of education? and we can write gre and ielts test for it?

    Reply
    • Hi
      You do not need to sit for GRE exam incase of MBA instead you will have to give a GMAt exam and yes you will either need to take an IELTS/TOEFL exam. Both of these exams are now accepted by most of the universities.
      There are couple of universities that will accept you with 15 year education but it is recommended that you should score well in you GMAT.

      Reply
  24. Hello! To start from, I would say, I already have an MBA degree (year 2014) from India and now I am currently staying in the United States for good. I have joined my family business but somewhere I feel that I am not making the most out of all those two years of learning from a B-school. I have graduated with majors in marketing and I strongly feel that I need to learn some “American Market focused subjects” in order to stand at par with an MBA here. I have recently come to America and am in need of your assistance and guidance.
    Thanks!

    Reply
  25. Hi, iam Dinesh, am perusing BBA (IIP) industry integrated programme. I want to do mba in USA, can u please suggest me some universities or college,which is suitable for mba in international business.

    Reply
  26. Hi, I am interested in doing MBA in sports management from the US. I have done BBA and one year diploma in liberal Education.

    Reply
  27. Hi Saurabh,
    I have completed 3 yrs diploma in hotel managment from 2002 to 2005. Intially the college had said that it was aicte approved but when i finished studies they gave a certificate where just only the college name was mentioned and nothing else apart from the principal signature on it. I have a 5 years work experience in BPO. I will be moving on H4 to US in the next 2 months. I wanted to know whether can i purse masters with the diploma and the work experinece i have. If yes please provide or suggest me a site where i can refer about course details and also the fees.

    Reply
    • Srinivas,
      I don’t know about this. Check schools in your area and contact them w/ your degrees. They will be able to provide you w/ more concrete answer.

      Reply
    • Dear Srinivas,
      I am from Institute of Hotel Management, catering and Nutrition, Pusa, New Delhi in the 1980 s, and reading your post it seems like the ” diploma” you got would not be considered good by WES , SPANTRAN or other evaluating bodies here in THe US. Even my diploma by itself is worth 3 years of undergraduate studies. However, if you have yet another degree from a UGC recognized body with 1st division like BA or BSC or B.Com etc, Some good universities in The US will certainly welcome you. Good Luck

      Reply
  28. Kumar, thanks a ton !!! for helping people like to who are interested in US education.
    Like others, even I have 15 years of education and I am interested to do MS from US of A.
    I am staying in this country for last 8 years. But, it seems I have to do a bachelors course in US to complete my 16 years before applying for MS program.
    Please let me know, if you know any university which will accept 15 years of education.Personally, I don’t think any university will accept 15 years,except University of Phoenix.

    Thanks

    Reply
  29. i have finished my graduation in b.a.f(bachelor of accounting and finance). i want to do my masters in u.s.a. but the u.s universities do not accept 3 years degree. i found out from my friends that i need 2 do a post graduate diploma or mba which will b counted as my 4th year. can i do my post graduate diploma in any subject or should i do it in accounting and finance only. i am totally stuck up. please tell me what should i do.? R there any other option other than post graduate diploma.. and if not please suggest some universities where i can do this. i even needed to know that if i have done 1 year mba in india will it b counted as my 4th year/???? will the universities accept 1 year mba. please reply me soon as i need to go for the admission process else it will become late. suggest a way.

    Reply
  30. Hi sir I am Kirankumar.y from india just i completed my graduation in B.B.M stream .i got 503 score on G MAT. i want to 3years degree acceptence B schools in U.S.A.please help me sir .i am waiting for your reply.

    Regards
    y.Kirankumar

    Reply
  31. Hello Kumar ,

    thanks for sharing these info to all the ppl here.
    I am currently working and now i am planning on doing MBA and have decided a college from the list you gave above.
    HOw should i proceed now , please excuse i have zero knowledge on the procedure.
    Eg :
    > GRE or GMAT
    >which VISA – H1B or L1
    >do i need to send a mail to the university asking for details.

    Please do reply.

    Thanks ,
    John

    Reply
  32. hi thz is richardson studying my 3year regular degree am i eligible for doing MBA in usa…with my 15 years of education…?

    Reply
  33. I am currently doing a 3 year graduate course in india and wish to apply for the 2+2 program at harvard business school..will I be eligible considering I don’t have sixteen years of education

    Reply
  34. HI, ITS GOOD TO PROVIDE an opportunity to give comments.
    All the credit goes to you guys that u doing a great job.

    Reply
  35. Hi Kumar,
    Thanks for this great web-site. It’s a one stop for most of the queries.
    Can you put a article on “Community-colleges” in US and the higher education thru
    community colleges.
    This would be great help to all !!

    Thanks
    Harshad

    Reply
    • Randheer, It is up to the school to accept your 3 year degree. In general, most of the schools require 16 years of education for MS…I will write an article in future on MS degree and education requirements.

      Reply
      • Hi
        I am a student in Shobhit University, India. I will be getting my 3 year Bachelors in Computer science degree in the following year. Am I eligible to apply to university for masters in Computer Science..
        Are they Any universities which accepts 15 Years of education.?

        Reply

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