Is GMAT still needed for HEC Paris MBA if I’ve studied from an IIT?

Question

Hema A · Accepted Answer

Being from IIT definitely strengthens your profile, but it won&rsquo;t exempt you from the GMAT at HEC Paris.
&bull; The only waiver HEC mentions is for applicants who&rsquo;ve completed a top-ranked MiM.
&bull; An IIT degree in engineering, no matter how strong, doesn&rsquo;t meet that specific requirement.
&bull; GMAT or GRE is still mandatory unless you&rsquo;ve done a qualifying MiM program.
&bull; HEC uses the test to compare applicants globally, it&rsquo;s part of their standard process.
&bull; You&rsquo;ll need to include a score for your application to be considered complete.
So yes, the test is still needed, even with an IIT tag.

Aarushi S · Answer

Yes, HEC Paris still requires a GMAT or GRE score even for applicants from IITs. The only group eligible for a test waiver is those who hold a top-ranked Master in Management (MiM) degree. Just having a strong engineering background, even from a top institution like IIT, doesn&rsquo;t meet the criteria.
The school uses GMAT scores to benchmark candidates from different backgrounds. So unless there&rsquo;s a MiM from a recognized school in your profile, you&rsquo;ll need to take the test.

B.K Sharma · Answer

Yes ,  Even with an IIT degree, the GMAT is still required for the HEC Paris MBA unless there&rsquo;s a very specific exception. HEC only grants waivers to applicants who&rsquo;ve already completed a top-ranked MiM program, not just from a reputed undergrad college.
An IIT background definitely strengthens the profile &mdash; especially if the GPA and quant grades are high &mdash; but it doesn&rsquo;t automatically replace the GMAT. HEC values standardized test scores because they help compare applicants from different academic systems.
That said, a strong IIT record paired with a 700+ GMAT can make the application stand out significantly. Without the test, the file would be considered incomplete unless you qualify under their official waiver criteria.

Divakshi Arora · Answer

Many assume that graduating from an IIT means the GMAT can be skipped, but that&rsquo;s not how HEC Paris works.
&bull; The waiver applies only to MiM graduates from globally top-ranked schools, not IIT undergrads. &bull; An IIT degree adds credibility, but the MBA admissions team still requires a GMAT or GRE for evaluation. &bull; HEC uses these scores to maintain fairness across diverse applicant pools. &bull; If the test feels like a hurdle, applying with a balanced 650&ndash;680 GMAT and strong essays can still be competitive.
So yes, even IIT graduates need the GMAT for HEC Paris MBA unless they already hold a qualifying MiM degree.

Jayant M · Answer

Being from an IIT definitely strengthens your profile, but it doesn&rsquo;t guarantee a GMAT exemption for the HEC Paris MBA. HEC does allow waivers, but they&rsquo;re usually tied to very specific criteria &mdash; mainly having a strong MiM from a top school or a proven quantitative background that matches what a test score would show. Even with an IIT degree, the admissions team still checks whether your academics alone are enough to replace the GMAT.
Many IIT graduates still submit a score because it makes the application stronger and reduces risk. You can request a waiver, but it&rsquo;s reviewed case-by-case, and approval isn&rsquo;t automatic. If the rest of your profile is solid, a high GMAT only adds more weight.