Admission Tests

A key requirement for admission to HHL’s Master and MBA programs is a standardized test like the GMAT, GRE, or the HHL Entry Test. This test helps evaluate candidates’ suitability for advanced business studies. It is the the standardized part of the application, enabling fair comparisons between diverse applicants. It promotes fairness, allowing candidates to stand out and demonstrate their abilities on an equal footing.

Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT)

The Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) is a computer-adaptive test which evaluates skills and abilities developed over a long period of time and which is administered worldwide. In 2023 the GMAT exam was redesigned into the GMAT Focus Edition.

The GMAT Focus Edition consists of three sections:

Quantitative Reasoning – assesses problem solving skills
Verbal Reasoning – assesses critical reasoning and reading comprehension
Data Insights – assesses data literacy skills

Candidates can take these sections in any order. Each section is 45 min long.
There are GMAT test centers available worldwide, 7 days a week or online around the clock.

HHL accepts scores for both the GMAT and GMAT Focus Edition, taken in test centres or online.

HHL code and required scores

HHL Code: ZCB-P6-03 (M.Sc.) / ZCB-P6-01 (MBA)

HHL expected GMAT score: > 600
HHL expected GMAT Focus Edition score: > 555
HHL scholarship GMAT score: > 650
HHL scholarship GMAT Focus Edition score: > 595
HHL Dean’s List Scholarship GMAT score: > 700
HHL Dean’s List Scholarship GMAT Focus Edition score: > 645

Costs and payment method

Different locations have specific pricing local taxes, and regulations that are important to know and are based on the location of your GMAT test center or your location when taking the GMAT online exam.

Prices vary by country but generally range from USD 275-300.

For the prices in other countries check here.

Preferred payment method: credit card

GMAT preparation

Online

Apps

Manhattan Prep GMAT / GMAT Prep by Ready4 / Economist GMAT Tutor / GMAT Math Flashcards / GMAT® Flashcards by Kaplan / GMAT Prep & Practice / GMAT Toolkit 2

Books

GMAT Official Guide 2023/24: Books + Online, by GMAC. (ISBN: 9781394169948)
GMAT Complete 2021: 3-Book Set: 6 Practice Tests + Proven Strategies + Online, by Kaplan Test Prep. (ISBN-10: 1506262406)

Useful links

Graduate Record Examination Test (GRE)

The GRE General Test closely reflects the kind of thinking you’ll do in today’s demanding graduate school programs, including business and law. It measures your verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking and analytical writing skills — skills that have been developed over a long period of time and aren’t related to a specific field of study but are important for all. The GRE General Test is a computer-delivered test. Its test-taker friendly design lets you skip questions within a section, go back and change answers and have the flexibility to choose which questions within a section you want to answer first.

Content and timing GRE:

Analytical writing – 30 min
Quantitative Reasoning – 47 min
Verbal Reasoning – 41 min

You may take the test in one of the many authorized test centers around the world or at home as an online test that ist accessible around the clock, 7 days a week, with appointments available as early as 24 hours after your registration.

HHL code

The HHL code is 4061.

GRE costs and payment methods

The fee is USD 220 in most locations.
Please check here for location specific pricing.

Preferred payment methods: Credit card, Paypal

GRE preparation

GRE offers a variety of free and low-cost tools to help you prepare for the GRE General Test:

GRE preparation and samples

Useful links

HHL Entry Test

This HHL Entry Test is designed to help the Admissions Committee at HHL evaluate how suitable individual applicants are for HHL’s Master and MBA programs. Therefore, it measures

numerical manipulation
analytical modelling
understanding and communication
logical and critical thinking
holistic data management
business situation assessment.

We encourage candidates to familiarize themselves with the test format through two free sample tests and to take the test soon after they got invited. Please note that the sample tests include a case study. However, the case study will not be a part of the actual HHL Entry Test.

The test does not measure a person’s knowledge of specific fields of study. Of course, there are many other qualifications that will help you succeed in HHL’s admission process – for instance job experience, leadership ability, motivation, and interpersonal skills. The HHL Entry Test does not measure these qualities. Instead, it is used as standard criterion among other, more subjective criteria, such as essays and interviews. The HHL Entry Test is an online test and lasts two hours. Using a calculator is permitted.

HHL regularly offers an HHL Entry Test Preparation Seminar. We invite you to take part to find out more about the test.

Check the HHL Event Calendar

Technical requirements

Operating system: x64 Windows (7+), MacOS (10.9+) and Ubuntu (15.04+).
Administrative privilege
ADSL or fiber optics recommended
Use cabled connection if available.

If you take the test on your own computer you must download the proctoring application which uses the webcam, as this is primarily to confirm your identity. You will also be supervised by video during the whole test. That makes you flexible in taking the test at any time or any date you want.

Close all other windows/tabs on your computer during the test. Please make also sure that you do not get disturbed during the two hours testing time and that you have a stable webcam and internet connection.

Procedure and preparation

Receive your invitation link for the test from your student affairs manager (see contact details below)
Login and you will have access to the free sample tests (Please note: The Case Study is not part of the test.)
Before you start the test you must pay the USD 100 fee to Business Test Methods directly via stripe.com
Take the test.
The result will be sent directly to HHL.
You will receive the test result within 5 working days.

After registration you can find on your online dashboard two videos on Critical Thinking which is one part of the test. You can purchase the videos for USD 20. There is also a study book available for USD 50.

Further test information

Useful link

BTMethods.com

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Comparison of Tests


Test Feature	GMAT Focus Edition	GRE General Test	HHL Entry Test*
Acceptance	>2,400 business schools	>1,300 business schools	accepted by selected business schools worldwide
Structure	3 Sections (64 questions) • Quantitative reasoning • Verbal Reasoning • Data Insights	5 Sections (55 questions) • 2 Quantitative Reasoning • 2 Verbal reasoning • 1 Analytical Writing	4 Sections (60 questions) • Communication Analysis = Reading comprehension • Critical Thinking = Logical thinking • Data Interpretation = Quantitative section • Data Analysis = Calculation
Duration	2 h 15 min	1 h 58 min	2 h
Fee	generally ranges from USD 250-275 at a testing center and from USD 275-300 at home	USD 220 in most locations	USD 100
Communication of Score	will be sent to you within 7-20 business days	will be sent to you within 8-10 calendar days	Straight after completion of the test
Score Sending	up to 5 business schools - for free, additional reports - USD 35	up to 4 business schools - for free, additional reports - USD 30	will be sent directly to HHL
Score Validity	5 years	5 years	no expiration date
Exam Attempts	5 attempts within 12 months and 8 attempts in a lifetime	5 attempts within 12 months, no lifetime limit	test is taken once, 1 retake is possible
Section Order	Sections can be completed in any order.	Sections must be completed in a fixed order.	Sections must be completed in a fixed order.
Question Review	ability to edit answers for up to 3 questions per section and unlimited question bookmarks and reviews	ability to skip questions and edit answers per section	ability to move back and forth between questions.
Question Format	all multiple choice	mostly multiple choice plus one essay	all multiple choice
Calculator	only provided for use during the Datas Insights section	allowed	allowed
Preparation	2 free sample tests	2 free sample tests	2 free sample tests
Official Link	https://www.mba.com/	https://www.ets.org/gre.html	https://btmethods.com (You will receive your invitation for the test from your student affairs manager.)
			*Business Admissions Test by BT Methods