ROUND 1
Application Deadline
October 1, 2024
Decision release date December 13, 2024
ROUND 1
Application Deadline
October 1, 2024
Decision release date December 13, 2024
ROUND 2
Application Deadline
January 6, 2025
Decision release date March 27, 2025
ROUND 3
Application Deadline
April 7, 2025
Decision release date May 16, 2025
All applicants must apply to the MBA program online. Applications will be accepted for Fall 2024 starting August 1, 2023. The application fee is $200. Note that we have three admissions rounds, each with its corresponding deadlines and decision release dates listed above.
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Candidates must hold a completed undergraduate degree in order to enroll in our MBA program. Usually this is a four-year bachelor's degree, or its equivalent in other countries.
International applicants with just a three-year undergraduate degree may be admitted if the Admissions Committee determines that their entire academic profile and overall application are strong enough.
While test scores provide an additional, relevant data point for the admissions committee to consider, a test score is not required. Applicants are given the option to apply for the Full-Time MBA program without submitting a GMAT, GRE, or EA. It is up to the applicant to decide if they want to apply with or without test scores. Please note that for some candidates without a quantitative background, a strong test score can strengthen their candidacy. For an idea of the typical test score range of admitted students, see our latest class profile.
If you choose to submit a test score, we accept the GMAT, GMAT Focus Edition (beginning Q4 2023), GRE, or EA. If you take a test more than once, we will use your highest total score and the corresponding breakout scores in evaluating your application. We do not mix and match scores, or do a “super score”. All test scores must be valid and active at the time of submission, as we do not take expired scores. Current graduate students at the UCLA School of Law or UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine may submit their LSAT or MCAT scores, respectively.
If you choose not to submit a test score, you will need to adequately demonstrate how your academic and professional experiences have properly prepared you for the rigors of the program. You must submit an essay that provides evidence of your MBA readiness to support your case of applying without a test score. We will look closely at your past accomplishments, including but not limited to:
Candidates demonstrating multiple academic and/or professional accomplishments as listed above are more likely to be granted admission without a test score.
Although the majority of our students do have full-time work experience, early career and college senior prospective students may still apply.
We evaluate candidates on their work in any given field after the completion of their undergraduate degree. Backgrounds and interests vary widely among our students, but they all share a vision of how the MBA will empower their future.
New applicants are required to submit two recommendations. Reapplicants only need to submit one new recommendation. Recommendations should be written by individuals who are well acquainted with your performance in a work setting, preferably from a direct supervisor or manager. Here is a sample Recommendation Form for your reference.
Here is the how, who, what, where, when and why of recommendations:
How & How Many: Fill out the details within the recommendations section in the application. Two recommendations are required for new applicants and one new recommendation is required for reapplicants (you may ask an individual who submitted a recommendation for you in a prior year to submit a new one). If you need to change your recommender or their e-mail, click “Exclude” (warning: recommender will lose all work already entered) and re-enter via Add Recommender.
Who: Choose recommenders who can speak to your work performance, capabilities, and potential for graduate studies and future career success. Use your best judgment on whom to ask for a recommendation -- direct supervisors are generally preferred, and other options could include current or past supervisors/managers, professional colleagues, and clients (peers, family members, and professors are generally not good selections).
What: The recommendation form asks recommenders to evaluate your strengths and areas of growth, plus rate you across a variety of metrics.
Where: Recommendation forms can only be sent and received electronically so your recommender must have a valid e-mail address.
When: Recommendations should be submitted by the round deadline in which you are applying, and it is your responsibility to ensure we receive recommendations in time. To send a reminder to a recommender, click on the Edit link next to their name and then click the Send Reminder button at the bottom of the pop-up screen. We encourage you to contact your recommenders as soon as possible to give them sufficient time (the recommender’s access code is valid for 180 days from the date you save their information).
Why: We are interested in learning more about your professional past performance, future potential, and overall fit from individuals who have worked closely with you.
Recommendation Questions and Topics*
*Please note: Questions and topics listed above are for reference only. Actual submission of letters of recommendation is done online, through the online application system only.
We look forward to learning about your perspectives and plans via your responses to the short essay prompts. Essays complement the answers you provide throughout the application to show us your whole profile. The best applications are introspective, genuine and succinct in directly answering our questions and showing clear plans for the future.
A) Short Essay Prompts: For the 2024-2025 application year, we have three short essay prompts that are required for first-time applicants:
1 - Why are you pursuing an MBA? (150 words)
2 - Describe your short-term and long-term post-MBA career goals. (150 words)
3 - At Anderson, our mission is to prepare transformative leaders by developing students to think innovatively, problem-solve, and adapt to others – all with a driven and purposeful mindset. How do you plan to achieve your goals and develop into a transformative leader during your time at UCLA Anderson? (250 words)
Strong essays describe the impact of your achievement and clarify its connection to your future MBA plans in the short- and long-term. We look forward to learning about the specific ways your achievement helped set you up for future success.
B) Optional Essay: No preference is given in the evaluation process to those who choose to respond to this optional essay, so please use your best judgment:
Are there any extenuating circumstances in your profile about which the Admissions committee should be aware? (250 words maximum)
Interviews are conducted on an invitation basis only after submitted applications are reviewed. An interview must be completed to be admitted to the program.
Applications are reread following the interview, comments are added, and then the Admissions Committee decides whether to make an admission offer. Interviews are rarely the deciding factor in an admissions decision; instead, they typically mirror or round out information already provided in the application. We are interested in getting to know you as an individual and understanding how you'll fit into the next class. We assess your communication skills, social skills and readiness for our program.
TOEFL or IELTS scores are required of all international applicants EXCEPT those from a select list of countries. For more information please refer to UCLA Graduate Division Office English requirements.
Please note that work experience in English is not sufficient for a TOEFL/IELTS waiver; the key factor is being educated in English.
The TOEFL and/or IELTS test date must be no earlier than two years before the application submission date to be valid, and not later than the deadline date for the round in which you are applying.
TOEFL and IELTS Considerations:
Reapplicants are those who submitted a completed MBA application within the previous two years (that is, who applied for the MBA program starting in 2023 or 2024) and received a final decision. The process to reapply is streamlined:
Please note:
Our Admissions Ambassador Corps (AAC) is a group of diverse student leaders who can guide you through life at UCLA Anderson and answer your specific questions about their experiences. Ambassadors lead live webinars on a regular basis and are on call to help you with your process.
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