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GMAT Time Planning: For Students to The United States and Australia 29 Sep 2025, 01:07
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GMAT preparation requires systematic time planning, scientific preparation strategies, and more importantly, it needs to be deeply integrated with the overall pace of MBA applications. Due to differences in academic duration, application deadlines and admission schedules among MBA programs in various countries, the start and end times and priorities for GMAT preparation also vary significantly: The "Round 1" of top business schools in the United States may require you to start your preparation two years in advance. The flexible enrollment time in Australia provides room for "off-peak preparation". Below, I will meticulously break down the application timelines and the best GMAT preparation periods for the United States and Australia, and attach a detailed planning table.

[b]US MBA: Start two years earlier, GMAT preparation "Early Bird First"[/b]
[b]1. Application features[/b]
  • Duration of study: Mainly 2-year program (some schools such as Chicago Booth and Northwest Kellogg offer 1-year accelerated programs).
  • Enrollment time: Mainly in autumn (August - September), with a very small number enrolling in spring.
  • Application rounds: 3-4 rounds (Round 1: September-October, Round 2: January-January, Round 3: March-April, and some have Round 4: May-June);
  • Competition intensity: The admission rate for top schools (M7) is less than 10%, and the admission rate for Round 1 is usually higher than two-thirds of that for Round (for example, the admission rate for Harvard HBS in Round 1 is 11%, and it drops to 8% in Round 2).
[b]2. The best start and end time for GMAT preparation[/b]
20 to 15 months before enrollment (i.e., start 1.5 years before application, prepare for 5 to 6 months, and complete the first test one year before application).
[b]3. Detailed time schedule (taking the autumn 2027 intake as an example)[/b]
  • September 2025: First, it is necessary to determine the target university, such as aiming for a Top 20 MBA program in the United States. Secondly, the current background should be evaluated, such as having a 3.5 undergraduate GPA and three years of work experience. If the goal is to achieve a GMAT score of 720+, the study plan that should be formulated at this point is to spend 2 hours each day studying the basics of Quant and Verbal grammar, and start using the "GMAT Official Guide" (OG) to get started.
  • October - December 2025: This stage is the foundation-laying phase. You need to systematically study Quant, master the methodology of Verbal question types, and complete all the basic OG questions. While doing practice exercises, you should also organize an error notebook, with a focus on marking mathematical formulas and grammar rules.
  • January - February 2026: This is the reinforcement stage, and breakthroughs should be made module by module, such as Quant difficult question bank, Verbal logic chain analysis, etc. A mock exam is held once a week. During this period, you can use "Manhattan Prep 5 lb" to practice exercises.
  • March 2026: This month is the sprint stage. We need to complete the six sets of questions in the official mock exam and adjust the answering pace at the same time. For example, it takes 2 minutes per question for Quant and 1.5 minutes per question for Verbal. The target score for the first GMAT exam is 700+. If the standards are not met, the ESR report should be analyzed, with a focus on the weak question types.
  • April - May 2026: If there is a significant gap between the exam result and the expected score, it is necessary to start preparing for a retake at this point. While preparing for the exam, you should start choosing a school. It is necessary to study the Essay questions of various schools, make up for the weak points in a targeted manner, and strive to score over 720 in the second exam.
  • June - August 2026: You can start writing the application documents, complete the first drafts of the essays for three target schools and two matching schools, and contact the recommenders. Enable GMAT score locking and screen universities with a score of 720+.
  • September 2026: The application deadlines for HBS, Wharton and Booth are mostly from September to October. Therefore, Round 1 application submission will start this month. At this stage, there is no need to continue preparing for the GMAT. One should focus on interview preparation.
  • October - December 2026: If you are not admitted in Round 1, continue to prepare for the interview and apply in Round 2.
  • January - March 2027: The admission results will be received from January to March 2027. Confirm the school and pay the deposit.
  • April - August 2027: Apply for an F1 visa, book a flight ticket, find student accommodation, and get ready for enrollment.

AU MBA: Prepare one year in advance, GMAT preparation "Flexible adaptation"
1. Application features
  • Duration of study: Mainly 2-year program (some schools, such as the University of Melbourne, offer 1.5-year accelerated programs), with intakes in February and July (the mainstream is February, corresponding to the academic year in the Southern Hemisphere).
  • Application deadlines: Rolling admission is the main approach. The February admission deadline is usually in November of the previous year, and the July admission deadline is in May of the current year. (For top universities such as the University of Melbourne and the University of Sydney, it is recommended to apply 3 to 6 months in advance.)
  • GMAT requirements: Some schools do not have a mandatory requirement (such as the University of Queensland), but top programs (the Business School of the University of Melbourne and the Business School of the University of Sydney) recommend a GMAT score of 650+, and scholarship applicants need a score of 700+.
  • Life adaptation: Australia is highly livable, but student apartment Melbourne needs to be planned in advance (especially in the Parkville and Carlton areas where the main campus of the University of Melbourne is located, where competition for student apartments is fierce).
2. The best start and end time for GMAT preparation
12 to 9 months before enrollment (i.e., start one year before application, prepare for 2 to 3 months, and complete the first test 9 months before application).
3. Detailed time schedule (taking the autumn 2027 intake as an example)
  • February 2026: At this point, it is necessary to determine the target university, such as the University of Melbourne, the University of Sydney, and the University of New South Wales, which are among the Group of Eight MBA programs in Australia. At the same time, it is important to assess the specific GMAT requirements of each university. For instance, the University of Melbourne's MBA program mandates GMAT scores, while the University of Sydney accepts GRE scores as an alternative. You can set a target of 680+ GMAT scores and formulate a "2-month efficient preparation plan".
  • March - April 2026: These two months are the stage for laying a solid foundation: the number of questions in the Quant section in Australia is the same as that in the United States, but the difficulty is slightly lower. One hour of Quant practice and one hour of intensive Verbal reading every day.
  • May 2026: This month is the intensive and sprint stage. There will be two mock exams every week, with a focus on improving the "speed of doing exercises". Take the first GMAT exam at the same time, with a target of 650+. If the standard is not met, a retest can be taken one month later.
  • June - July 2026: If the test score does not reach the expected target, one needs to continue preparing for and taking the GMAT. At the same time, prepare the application materials, including notarized transcripts and personal statements.
  • August - September 2026: Start submitting the application and apply for scholarships simultaneously.
  • October - November 2026: Waiting for the admission result. The review process in Australia is relatively fast, usually with results available within 4 to 6 weeks. At the same time, the accommodation planning for students was initiated to avoid last-minute accommodation search one month before enrollment. Among the Group of Eight universities in Australia, the competition for University of Melbourne accommodation is the most intense. Therefore, the earlier you start looking for a house, the more likely you are to rent a desirable one. February is the peak enrollment period, and the housing supply is tight.
  • December 2026: Receive the admission result, confirm the university and pay the deposit.
  • January 2027: Apply for a student visa and book an air ticket.
  • February 2027: Enroll, attend the school Orientation, and check into the pre-booked student accommodation.
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