SDA Bocconi School of Management

Admissions

The Class Profile

146 students matriculated as part of the SDA Bocconi MBA Class of 2025. Forty-three percent are women. All together, class members represent 37 different countries. Twenty-one percent hail from Italy while a quarter came from Latin America. Nineteen percent of the new class matriculated from Asia & Oceania and 14% from Europe (excluding Italy). Thirteen percent of candidates are from North American and eight percent from Africa and the Middle East.

During their undergraduate years, 44% had earned degrees in economics and 31% in engineering. Another nine percent hailed from law degrees and eight percent each from sciences and humanities. Students matriculated at an average age of 29 with an average of 5.5 years of work experience. Twenty percent had worked in finance/industry, while 19% came from consulting/professional services backgrounds. Ten percent each had worked in advertising/media/digital services or healthcare/pharma.

Application Procedures

The MBA admissions process at SDA Bocconi is a rigorous one, designed not only to determine whether candidates are qualified for the MBA program, but also whether the program will meet each candidate’s expectations and career goals. There are four rounds of tuition waiver applications, which generally take place between November and April. The final round coincides with the application deadline in April. These rounds typically follow a similar schedule each year.

SDA Bocconi is open for applications beginning in September; the review process runs through July. Application components include an online form with short answer questions, transcripts, CV, GMAT or GRE scores, a pre-interview video, proof of English language skills, and two references. In rare cases, candidates may apply to take the SDA Test instead of the GMAT/GRE. Interviews are by invite only. If a candidate is sponsored by their company, they must also submit a letter noting that.

Application review is run on a rolling basis, meaning the adcom carry out a pre-selection process based on the documents sent, as soon as they are received. Candidates are then notified if they are advanced to the selection process. The final selection result is communicated within 12 weeks of receiving a complete application, i.e. after all tests have been completed and all documents received.

The admissions interview may take place on-campus in Milan with an admissions representative. If candidates are unable to travel to campus, alumni are available for off-campus interviews. The school also offers virtual interviews. There is no advantage given to candidates who interview on-campus vs. off-campus or remotely.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and, given the large volume of applications, those received well in advance of the final deadline have a greater chance of being admitted.

Application Checklist

• Degree certificate, transcripts
• Application form
• Video pre-interview
• CV
• Proficiency in English (TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic or CAE tests, if applicable)
• GMAT or GRE (or SDA test)
• Two references
• Application from Sponsor Companies (if applicable)
• Interview