The 12-Week MBA is a high-rigor global mini-MBA program created through collaboration between three world-class organizations: Abilitie, TED, and St. Edward’s University. To ensure our students meet the highest professional standards, we have partnered with St. Edward's University to provide formal academic certification. As a result, each 12-Week MBA student graduates from an accelerated certificate program validated by a globally recognized academic institution.

• The Credential: Earn a Graduate-Level Professional Education Certificate from St. Edward’s University (upon completion).

• The Prestige: TED is a world-renowned nonprofit platform famous for its iconic, short-form talks. Abilitie is a globally recognized leadership development company. St. Edward’s Bill Munday School of Business is AACSB-accredited—a gold-standard distinction held by fewer than 6% of business schools worldwide.

• The Future: Interested in a full-time MBA? This program can be a strong step in that direction—you can explore continuing your education through St. Edward’s University or Nexford University.

Whether you’re advancing in your current organization, pivoting into a business career, or building your own venture, the 12-Week MBA provides practical tools for modern business leadership.

Participants come from many backgrounds, but they share a common goal: they want to take on greater responsibility—leading teams, departments, or entire businesses—with confidence, competence, and compassion.

Yes, most participants continue working full-time. The 12-Week MBA is designed for busy professionals who want to grow without putting life on hold.

• Each week, you’ll join three live, faculty-led virtual sessions (2 hours each). Including preparation, optional guest speakers, and group project work, expect about 10 hours per week.

• At the end of each program, cohort participants gather for a two-day capstone experience in a global business hub such as Berlin, Dubai, or Singapore. Room and board to the capstone is included in the tuition so all you have to pay for is your flight. A virtual option is available for those students unable to travel.

A traditional MBA can take years and six figures to break even. The 12-Week MBA is built for working professionals who want real business capability now.

• Operators and rising leaders across various industries report being able to make better business decisions and better fluency with financial numbers.

• Alumni entering the business field from careers in government, the military, or the education and non-profit sector report increased confidence in interviewing for professional management jobs.

• A study by Baker-Tilly found that 52% of graduates received a promotion within one year.

The 12-Week MBA is not a full-time MBA degree program. It is designed as a rigorous, time-efficient alternative to the traditional MBA experience. The curriculum draws on Abilitie’s business simulations experienced by over 100,000 learners and TED's curated TED Talks. It has been delivered in corporate and academic settings globally. Upon completion, graduates earn a Professional Education Certificate validated by St. Edward’s University. Graduates may seamlessly continue their MBA journey to earn a traditional online MBA through St. Edward's University.

To earn the certificate, you must:

• Attend at least 80% of live, faculty-led sessions

• Complete a group action learning project and co-present it for evaluation

• For graduating with honors, successfully complete a one-on-one concluding interview with our faculty

Graduates become part of a global community of professionals. Alumni opportunities may include networking events (virtual and in-person), refresher learning (including finance), and access to career events with senior leaders.

This curriculum equips you with the foundation necessary to drive business growth.

• It focuses on understanding business finance and value creation so you can confidently speak the language of business at an executive level. Additionally, you will learn how to navigate shifting market dynamics and make data-driven business decisions. Competitive, AI-enabled simulations help you separate valuable signals from distracting noise.

• Beyond quantitative skills, the program emphasizes the human elements of execution and leadership. You will learn how to align teams, wield influence across departments, and maintain judgment in high-stakes, ambiguous situations.

• The curriculum culminates in a comprehensive Action Learning Project, where you will synthesize your new skills through a rigorous competitive analysis and a board-style presentation designed to refine your executive presence.

Unlike other mini-MBA programs, we don't put you in front of tedious videos and recorded lectures. You will interact live with our faculty in daily meetings. Our faculty bring both real-world experience as senior leaders in global organizations and years of experience teaching. Most faculty members have degrees from prestigious business schools and have a background consulting with large organizations on strategy, operations, and people management. For more details on our faculty members, click here.

Plan for 6 hours of live class time per week (three sessions, typically Monday–Wednesday, about 2 hours per day), plus ~3–5 hours of preparation. All sessions are live and faculty-led. For more details on our schedule and options to join from around the globe, please download the schedule from our Program Page.

Yes. The schedule is built for global accessibility with five live time blocks. You’ll choose the block that best fits your time zone and availability. For more details on our schedule and options to join from around the globe, please download the schedule from our Program Page.

You can apply to this competitive program in three easy steps:

#1 — Start Your Application
Complete a short application to pre-qualify for a seat in an upcoming cohort. Once you are pre-qualified, you will be invited to join our webinar series.

#2 — Application Review
Our team will review your application and you’ll typically hear back within 2–3 business days.

#3 — Reserve Your Seat
Seats are limited: our team-based simulations require carefully sized cohorts. Once accepted, submit your enrollment fee to reserve your seat.

Yes. The program is capped at 200 participants total, structured as five cohorts of 40. Seats are offered first-come, first-served, and your section placement is confirmed upon enrollment.

The experience relies on live, team-based simulations and cohort interaction, which works best with intentionally sized cohorts.

We believe high-quality business education should be accessible.

Tuition is $4,500 USD which includes room and board for the in-person weekend (airfare to the location is not included). Scholarships and payment plans are available.

Many participants also use employer tuition reimbursement or professional development funding.

Yes. A common option is a 12 month payment plan (monthly amounts vary by currency and plan selection).

Yes. Once accepted, you can select your local currency at checkout to confirm your tuition rate, with transparent pricing.

Yes—there are merit-based scholarships and need-based grants. To be considered, please reach out to admissions@12weekmba.com once you have completed your application to receive a brief written prompt.

Yes. Hotel accommodations and meals for the in-person weekend are included in tuition. If you live outside the region, you’re responsible for airfare (and any required visas).

Yes—many participants use employer funding. Our Admissions Team can help you navigate reimbursement and internal approval.

To support your request, we offer an Employer Sponsorship Toolkit that includes:

• A ready-to-send business case letter for your manager

• A clear summary of ROI and the skills you’ll bring back

• A credential and curriculum fact sheet

Yes. The program is designed for leaders who want to sharpen practical skills and prepare for more senior responsibility. Because the curriculum is hands-on and case-based, many participants find it valuable even with a business background—especially through peer learning and live practice.

The program culminates in an in-person weekend in a global hub featuring a final simulation challenge, guest speakers, and graduation. Accommodations and meals are included in your tuition. Participants cover airfare and any required visas. The location of each in-person weekend varies by cohort.

A virtual option is available for participants who are unable to travel.

No—you won’t deliver an official TED Talk. You will strengthen communication skills (clarity, storytelling, presence) through live discussions, team activities, and the capstone experience.

TED and Abilitie have partnered in curating TED’s global library to bring world-class ideas from diverse, global voices into the 12-Week MBA in a practical, career-relevant way. Participants receive curated TED resources aligned to program themes (for example, a TED Talks playlist, optional reflection prompts, and recommended TED channels/newsletters).

You’ll need a reliable internet connection (Wi-Fi or wired), since the live portions of the program take place online.

You’ll have lifetime access to the alumni networking community and one year of access to the Learning Portal, including AI Cases and Fluent in Finance.

If you’re interested in enrolling multiple participants from the same organization, we offer customized experiences. Email sales@abilitie.com to get connected.

Yes. Email sales@abilitie.com to discuss private cohort options.

We offer a 7-day money-back guarantee. If within the first 7 days you feel the curriculum isn’t the right fit, you can request a full refund.

The 12-Week MBA uses AI to make learning more realistic, interactive, and immediately actionable. Alongside live faculty-led sessions and team-based simulations, participants complete AI-enabled case studies (“AI Cases”) that bring real-world leadership situations to life.

In experiences like the AI Case Challenge, you interact with AI-enabled characters in dynamic business scenarios—practicing essential conversations, testing decisions, and seeing how different approaches play out. You receive personalized feedback right away so you can iterate, improve, and build confidence before applying skills on the job.