Business is one of Kent State's largest colleges, housed in the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship, which carries AACSB accreditation, the same accrediting standard held by a relatively small share of business schools worldwide. For international applicants, Kent State's general, criteria-based admissions model applies directly to Business: a modest published GPA floor rather than a comparative, capped-seat review.
This article covers the acceptance picture for Business, cost, admission requirements, English-test rules, and career outcomes.
Acceptance Rate
Kent State does not publish a Business-specific undergraduate acceptance rate; undergraduate admission into the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship follows Kent State's general university minimum GPA of 2.5 on a US 4.0 scale, the same floor that applies across most Kent State undergraduate programs, with Kent State's broader undergraduate acceptance rate commonly cited in the 85-87% range by third-party sources.
At the graduate level, Kent State's published MBA requirements give a clearer, program-specific picture: a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, a minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA, official transcripts, a resume, a goal statement, and two letters of recommendation. For the PhD in Business Administration, requirements step up to a master's degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA, a minimum GMAT of 600 or GRE of 315, a resume, goal statement, and three letters of recommendation.
Fees and Cost of Attendance
Business students pay Kent State's standard international cost structure; the College does not publish a separate, higher tuition rate for Business specifically.
| Cost item | Undergraduate (International) | Graduate (International) |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition and fees | ~$24,298/year | ~$21,169/year |
| Living expenses (housing, food) | ~$14,360/year | ~$14,360/year |
| Medical insurance and books/supplies | ~$3,935/year | ~$3,935/year |
| Total estimated cost of attendance | ~$42,593/year | ~$39,464/year |
For the full university-wide cost picture, see the Kent State guide.
Admission Requirements
Undergraduate
- Completed online application, plus a $70 non-refundable application fee
- Minimum GPA of 2.5 on a US 4.0 scale
- Kent State is test-optional
- Secondary school diploma/certificate and transcripts, with certified English translations if not originally in English
- Evidence of English proficiency (see below), unless exempt
- Financial documentation, required after acceptance to support I-20/visa processing
Graduate (MBA, as a representative example)
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
- Minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA on a 4.0 scale
- Official transcripts, resume, goal statement, and two letters of recommendation
- English proficiency scores for international applicants: TOEFL iBT 79, IELTS 6.5, PTE 58, or Duolingo 110
How to Get Into Kent State's Business College
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Clear the 2.5 GPA floor with real margin at undergraduate level. Because Kent State's general admission process is test-optional and GPA-driven, a transcript meaningfully above the 2.5 minimum strengthens your application more than any other single factor.
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For the MBA, target the 3.0 GPA bar, not the lower undergraduate floor. The graduate program's requirements are distinctly higher than general undergraduate admission, so plan your application accordingly.
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Build a complete file for PhD applications. The PhD in Business Administration requires a GMAT of 600 or GRE of 315 on top of the 3.0 GPA, so prepare for standardized testing well ahead of your intended application cycle.
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Clear the English proficiency bar with margin for your intended level. Kent State's MBA English thresholds (IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 79) sit meaningfully above its undergraduate floor, so don't assume your undergraduate-era test score will clear a graduate bar.
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Apply ahead of the published deadlines (June 1 Fall / October 1 Spring), since international admission decisions typically move faster than visa and I-20 processing.
English Proficiency Requirement (IELTS/TOEFL)
Undergraduate
The same as Kent State's university-wide minimums: IELTS 6.0, TOEFL iBT 71, PTE 48, or Duolingo 100.
Graduate (MBA)
| Test | Minimum score |
|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT | 79 |
| IELTS Academic | 6.5 |
| PTE Academic | 58 |
| Duolingo English Test | 110 |
For PhD applicants, the requirement steps up further, to TOEFL iBT 94, IELTS 7.0, PTE 65, or Duolingo 120. For the full set of waivers and the conditional admission pathway via Kent State's ESL Center, see the Kent State guide.
Career Outcomes
Kent State reports that roughly 93% of bachelor's degree respondents are employed or continuing education within 12 months of graduation, a university-wide figure that is not broken out separately for Business specifically. The Ambassador Crawford College's AACSB accreditation is a meaningful signal of credibility with employers, since AACSB accreditation is held by a comparatively small share of business schools globally. Notable employers of Kent State graduates generally, per the university's own reporting, include Progressive Insurance, Ernst & Young, Sherwin-Williams, and Delta Air Lines, reflecting strong regional pipelines into Northeast Ohio's insurance, professional services, and manufacturing sectors.
Standard business degrees are generally not STEM-designated, so Business graduates typically rely on the standard 12-month OPT period rather than the 24-month STEM OPT extension, unless a specific concentration (such as certain analytics tracks) is separately classified as STEM.
FAQ
Is Kent State's business school accredited? Yes. The Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship holds AACSB accreditation, a standard held by a relatively small share of business schools worldwide.
What GPA do I need for Kent State's undergraduate Business programs? The general university minimum of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale applies; Kent State's own admitted-student profile and competitive programs reward a GPA meaningfully above that floor.
What about the MBA? A minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA, plus a resume, goal statement, and two letters of recommendation.
What IELTS or TOEFL score do I need? Undergraduate: IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL iBT 71. MBA: IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 79. PhD: IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL iBT 94.
Does a Kent State business degree qualify for STEM OPT? Generally not, unless your specific concentration is separately STEM-designated. Most business degrees use the standard 12-month OPT period.