UVA Darden MBA: 2026-2027 deadlines and requirements
Key facts
| Program | Full-Time MBA (21 months) |
|---|---|
| City | Charlottesville, Virginia |
| Rank | #11 (tie) in U.S. News 2026 Best Business Schools |
| Class size | 361 students in the Class of 2027 (counted August 2025) |
| GMAT score | GMAT Focus Edition average 671, median 665, Class of 2027. Older GMAT average 725. |
| GRE | Average 322 and median 322 (combined score) for the Class of 2027 |
| Tests it takes | Takes the GMAT (older and Focus Edition), the GRE, the Executive Assessment, the MCAT or the LSAT. All are treated the same. No minimum scores. A test waiver is decided one person at a time, and you must ask before the round deadline. |
| Application fee | $250. Going to a Darden event or a partner event cuts it to $150 or $100. It is free for people who applied last year, U.S. military, government workers, national service alumni (AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, Teach for America), first-generation college students, UVA people and alumni of Virginia colleges. |
| Tuition | 2026-2027 tuition and fees: $83,000 (Virginia), $88,000 (not Virginia), $88,240 (international). Total cost of attendance: $118,196, $123,196 or $125,420. |
| English test | Required if your bachelor's degree was taught in a language other than English. Takes TOEFL, IELTS, PTE or Duolingo. No minimum score. The average TOEFL is 106. Not required if your bachelor's degree was taught in English. |
Application rounds
| Round | Apply by | Decision by |
|---|---|---|
| Early Action (you choose binding or non-binding) | September 9, 2026 | October 28, 2026 |
| Round 1 | October 7, 2026 | December 9, 2026 |
| Round 2 | January 7, 2027 | March 17, 2027 |
| Round 3, March | March 1, 2027 | April 2, 2027 |
| Round 3, April | April 1, 2027 | May 5, 2027 |
| Round 3, May | May 1, 2027 | May 28, 2027 |
Essays
- Not published. Not published on the school's site. The 2026-2027 application has two short-answer questions and one video essay. The video question is picked at random: 10 seconds to prepare, 90 seconds to record. Looked at: application guidelines, FAQ and admissions blog.
Recommendations
1 recommendation is required and a second is optional. Pick someone who has watched you work. The recommender fills in a ratings grid and 3 short questions online.
Interview
Required before an offer. Early Action applicants can book an open interview slot from August to the end of September. In other rounds it is by invitation. It lasts up to 45 minutes, is held on campus or on Zoom, and the interviewer has not read your application.
Other parts of the application
One page resume (enough for under 10 years of work). Unofficial transcripts for all degree coursework. Verified test score, or an approved waiver, within one week of the deadline. Deposits after an offer are $2,000 to $6,000 depending on the round and are applied to tuition. Future Year Scholars is a separate path for college seniors.
Links
Sources
- Darden: MBA Admissions Deadlines, read November 1, 2026
- Darden: Application Guidelines, read November 1, 2026
- Darden: Admissions FAQ, read November 1, 2026
- Darden: Interviews, read November 1, 2026
- Darden: International Students, read November 1, 2026
- Darden: Class Profile, read November 1, 2026
- Darden: Class Profile chart, class size, read November 1, 2026
- Darden: Class Profile chart, GMAT Focus Edition, read November 1, 2026
- Darden: Class Profile chart, GMAT older edition, read November 1, 2026
- Darden: Class Profile chart, GRE, read November 1, 2026
- Darden: Cost of Attendance, read November 1, 2026
- Darden: Tuition, Fees & Billing Information, read November 1, 2026
- Darden: How to Approach the Darden MBA Video Essay, read November 1, 2026
- Campus photo: tldagny, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
