GPA or Aptitude test

On this page, you will find information about the aptitude requirement for Hanken's PhD programme.

Applicants to the PhD programme must prove their aptitude, which can be done in two different ways:

1. Holding a master's degree or higher obtained within the EU/EEA (or a Hanken Partner University) and with a GPA of at least B (U.S. scale)

2. Completing a GMAT/GRE test

If you do not fulfil either of these requirements, you will unfortunately not be considered eligible for Hanken's PhD programme. Read below for further information regarding the two options.

1. Applying using your degree

Applicants applying with a qualifying degree obtained in an EU/EEA country or a Hanken Partner University must fulfill the following requirements:

  • The GPA in the qualifying degree needs to be at least a Grade B (US grading scale), GOOD or equivalent or higher.
    • You can check if your GPA meets the requirements by using the WES World Education Systems online grading scale conversion tool.
    • You need to calculate and report in the online application your GPA using the grading scale referred to in your Diploma Supplement. Electronic copies of the official transcript of records proving the GPA need to be submitted with the online application.
    • If the applicant does not submit an official certificate where the GPA is clearly stated with their application, Hanken will verify that the GPA calculated by the applicant is correct. Hanken reserves the right to decide whether the applicant fulfills the GPA requirement or not.
  • If you have not yet graduated at the time of applying, you must calculate the GPA for the qualifying degree for the courses which are included in the transcript of records submitted with the application and, if possible, submit an official certificate where the GPA in question is clearly stated.
    • You must fulfil the GPA requirement both when applying and when graduating.

The United Kingdom

Please note that the United Kingdom is not part of the EU/EEA. Thus, unless obtained at a Hanken partner university, it is not possible to fulfil the aptitude requirement using a UK degree, even if it was obtained during the United Kingdom's EU membership.

 

2. Applying using a GMAT/GRE test

Applicants who do not hold a degree obtained within the EU/EEA or a Hanken partner university, or if the degree GPA is too low, may instead apply using either a GMAT or GRE test.

A GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) or GRE (Revised) General Test (Graduate Record Examination) are tests designed to measure the skills shown to help graduate business students succeed in the challenging curriculum. The tests assess verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing skills.

Both the GMAT™ Online Exam and the GRE® General Test At Home are accepted as an alternative to test centers.

The latest date to take a GMAT/GRE test is the same date as the application deadline. A GMAT/GRE test score is valid for five years.

Indicative score

The indicative GMAT / GRE threshold set by Hanken School of Economics is GMAT 600 or 158 in the quantitative part of the GRE test

If an applicant with a lower score shows considerable evidence of their propensity to conduct doctoral studies and research, they may be considered for admission. The tests consist of different parts, only some of them are included in the total score. Please note that Hanken reserves the right to assess all parts included in the official test results made available to it directly from the test organisers.

The official test result is to be sent directly to Hanken from the test organiser.) The sharing request for the official result has to be made before the application deadline. You may also enclose an unofficial test score report to your application.

To have the test result sent directly to Hanken please indicate Hanken's code when you make the request:
GMAT: NRC-QZ-38
GRE: 8433