FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

A Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a postgraduate qualification that provides students with comprehensive knowledge in several key business areas including finance, operations, marketing, leadership and human resource management. The MBA also enhances leadership skills and business management expertise, making it a valuable asset for professionals aiming to advance their careers. An MBA can be an accelerated pathway towards executive careers, transitioning into a new industry or the foundation for starting a new business venture. Everyone achieves something different from their MBA experience. 

The Fast-Track MBA is Australia’s largest online MBA.* Designed for busy working professionals, this 100% online MBA is highly flexible allowing you to learn anytime, from anywhere, at a pace that suits you best.  

Structured with student success in mind, AIB’s learning approach offers practical knowledge and business skills that can be immediately applied in the workplace. You can earn a postgraduate qualification after only four subjects. Plus, eligible students can study subjects concurrently to complete the entire MBA program in just 12 months, which is faster than traditional MBAs. 

The Fast-Track MBA is accredited by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) within the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). It is an AQF level 9 qualification. 

You can find more information on our MBA page. 

*AIB is the largest provider of online MBA’s: see Australia’s 25 Biggest MBA Programs Revealed, MBA News (July 2022) at www.mbanews.com.au 

One of the most common reasons for pursuing an MBA is a higher salary. Our 2023 Alumni Insights Global Report found that 81% of AIB Fast-Track MBA graduates have received a salary increase since graduating. Salary growth also comes quickly for our students as the Alumni surveyed for our 2023 Alumni Global Insights Report, on average, reported a $37,000 pay increase since starting their MBA and a $15,000 income increase during their MBA studies. Because the biggest salary increases from an MBA tend to come quickly, the total return on investment on the degree, over the course of a whole career can be substantial. 

View an MBA salary comparison and estimate your possible salary increase with our MBA ROI Calculator. 

Yes, you certainly can. Our generalised MBA provides the flexibility to tailor your subjects according to your area of business or interest. However, AIB also offers several specialised MBA pathways where the optimal subjects have already been selected to ensure you gain in-depth knowledge in your selected area. If you study a specialised MBA, this will be noted on your award and parchment.  

The specialisations available at AIB are: 

MBA (Finance) 
MBA (Marketing Management) 
MBA (Logistics and Supply Chain Management) 
MBA (Human Resources Management) 
MBA (Entrepreneurial Management) 

Fee information can be found on our Fees and Financing page.

The payment options available depend on where you are based. These are: 

FEE-HELP – available if you are an Australian citizen or appropriate visa holder and you meet the criteria. 

Self-funded – regardless of where you are based, you can opt to pay for your studies yourself. If you opt for this payment option, we will provide you with an invoice during the enrolment process. 

Monthly payment plan – the option to pay using a payment plan is available if you are based in New Zealand or Canada. 

Textbooks or eTextbooks cost between $80-$100 AUD. Many of our students and alumni also sell their textbooks, via the AIB MBA Textbook Marketplace Facebook group. 

Not all subjects require a textbook and you can choose between a physical copy or eTextbooks from any supplier of your choice. 

Our programs are delivered through our innovative Student Learning Portal and myAIB app. The platforms offer a range of multimedia materials as well as forums for engaging with classmates and Online Learning Facilitators. They also give students access to key study tools such as LinkedIn Learning and Microsoft Office 365, as well as a diverse range of academic and wellbeing support. 

24/7 access to course material enables learners to study anytime, from anywhere. There are many ways that learning can easily be integrated into a daily routine, such as listening to lectures on daily commutes, studying during work lunch breaks or listening to audio versions of course material while working out. 

You can book a 1:1 tour of our online learning environment here. 

Delivered completely online, our program offers students the flexibility to study at the pace that best suits them. The Fast-Track MBA has been designed for professionals to complete in two years, even while working. Eligible students can accelerate their studies by studying two subjects concurrently to finish in just 12 months.* You can also study over a longer period and factor in breaks at specific times of the year if you have personal commitments. 

*concurrent study criteria applies. 

AIB’s Graduate Certificate in Management (GCM) is an accredited postgraduate qualification. It consists of four business subjects and can be completed in eight months. It’s the first of three stages that make up our MBA program, and can be undertaken as standalone study, or as part of the MBA. The second stage is the Graduate Diploma in Management (GDM) and after the final stage, you’ve earnt the MBA. The GCM and GDM are Level 8 of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). 

The first 11 of 12 subjects of the Fast-Track MBA consist of a mix of practical assessments, including assignments, reflective pieces, quizzes and evaluated forum participation. The assessment mix varies from course to course, but all are what we refer to as authentic assessment methods – they’re practical, car and reflect what’s happening in the current business landscape. 

In the final unit, AIB students complete a work-based project – a longer assignment which allows students to focus their research on a specific area of interest from their studies which is applicable to the workplace. 

For more information on the MBA curriculum, please visit our MBA page. 

We recommend students invest about 20 hours per week in their MBA study. This differs from student to student depending on varying experience levels and academic backgrounds. Also, depending on your workplace, some of the learning reflection and consolidation can be completed while you work, which reduces the after-hours study required. Because our MBA is delivered fully online, there are a lot of ways that learning can be easily integrated into your daily schedule, such as listening to your textbook audio while you cook dinner, watching course topic videos on your commute or networking with peers in the evening. 

We have created a study time calculator to help potential students plan when they would fit studying to their weekly schedules. Even with work, family and social commitments, you might be surprised how much study time you can fit in your schedule. Try it here: MBA Study Time Calculator 

Accreditation ensures that the qualification you earn meets a national set of standards. AIB is registered as an Institute of Higher Education and its MBA is accredited by TEQSA (Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency), the independent regulator in Australia. 

This accreditation ensures all our qualifications are equivalent in standing to qualifications issued by Australian universities and are compliant with the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), a national system of qualifications which encompasses all post compulsory education in Australia. 

Please visit our Accreditation and Memberships page for more details. 

Our MBA is not accredited by AMBA or EQUIS as it is optional. We are, however, members of AMBA’s Development Network. 

These associations only accredit around 2% of the world’s business schools, which have very specific criteria geared towards on-campus delivery. AIB is a distance learning provider, and like many well-regarded institutions around the world, we have chosen to not apply for the accreditation.  

To see the full list of our current memberships, please visit our Accreditation and Memberships page. 

Our MBA consistently ranks highly both nationally and globally. We recently reconfirmed our status by achieving a ranking of Tier One (#5) in Australia and Tier One (#25) worldwide in CEO Magazine’s 2024 MBA rankings. 

In addition to this, in the most recent Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) results, AIB surpassed the national average for a number of factors including teaching quality, student support, skills development and overall education experience. 

The Fast-Track MBA is the most popular qualification we offer – and it’s the most studied online MBA in Australia. Students studying our MBA can choose to specialise the degree if they wish, with specialisations including Marketing Management, Human Resource Management, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Finance and Entrepreneurial Management. You can find more information on our Fast-Track MBA page. 

The Graduate Certificate in Management (GCM) is an accredited four subject postgraduate qualification. It’s the first of three stages that make up our MBA program. The Graduate Diploma in Management (GDM) is the second stage of the MBA. Should you not wish to complete the final stage to earn the MBA, the GCM and GDM offer an exit point from the MBA journey, while still earning a highly-respected postgraduate qualification. 

AIB also offers research degrees including the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and research pathway courses including the Master of Management (MMgt) and Graduate Certificate in Management (Research) (GCM Res). 

*AIB is the largest provider of online MBA’s: see Australia’s 25 Biggest MBA Programs Revealed, MBA News (July 2022) at www.mbanews.com.au 

If you’re keen and ready to start the application process for the MBA, please visit our Application Process page.

A GMAT is just one of the ways new students can qualify to study our MBA (minimum score of 550 and at least three years relevant work experience) but a GMAT is not a requirement. We have a pathway for undergraduate degree holders, Advanced Diploma or Associate Degree (AQF Level 6) holders and one for highly experienced managers and business owners – all of which also require relevant work experience. 

Technical experience refers to in-depth industry experience acquired by those who have trained, usually at high levels, in one specific skill or field. Examples include engineers, health care professionals, pilots, senior fire fighters or IT specialists to name a few. 

Our experience-based MBA pathway caters for specialist workers in these kinds of professions, as well as experienced managers and business owners who don’t have prior degrees. For MBA entry, we’re looking for at least 5 years of full-time work experience, with at least 3 of those years in one of these capacities. 

Unfortunately, AIB does not offer any fully funded scholarship programs.