EMBA - Admissions FAQ

Where is the program based?

All executive format students will be based at the state-of-the-art UVA Darden DC Metro Grounds in the Rosslyn district of Arlington, Virginia. This convenient location is less than five miles from Washington’s Reagan National Airport and Union Station (Amtrak). Dulles International and Baltimore Washington International airports are also within a short drive.

Plan your visit to UVA Darden DC Metro.

When does the program start and end?

The programs is a 21-month, lock-step (i.e. all students begin and conclude the program at the same time) format. All Executive MBA students start in August and graduate in May. 

Students receive the full program calendar several months prior to the official start of school in order to plan both personally and professionally for the months ahead. As an example, view the full calendar for the Executive MBA Class of 2026 here.

What is the program schedule? 

The core program structure is ten, two-month long quarters, with roughly two-thirds of the program delivered in person and one third through distance learning.

The program consists of: 

• Leadership Residencies
• Weekend Residencies
• Distance Learning
• Global Residencies

Darden's Executive MBA program is built upon a once-a-month weekend residency model. Each quarter consists of two weekend residencies as well as distance learning. Distance learning includes a mix of live online classes and self-paced asynchronous activities. Want to learn more about distance learning at Darden? Watch this short video. 

In addition, all students participate in two, weeklong leadership residencies in Charlottesville – one leadership residency at the start of the program and one leadership residency at the conclusion of the program. 

IS A STANDARDIZED TEST REQUIRED? 

A standardized test score is not required in our Executive MBA application process.

Applicants may provide a test score as a way of strengthening their application. We accept a number of standardized tests: Executive Assessment, GMAT Focus, GMAT, GRE, MCAT and LSAT. We view these tests equivalently. We will also accept older or expired scores for any of these tests, but candidates who wish to submit an expired score will need to have access to their full score breakdown.

Applicants planning to submit a test score with their application do not need to have taken the test by their target deadline. As long as we receive the test scores at least two days prior to the decision release date for the round in question, we can keep an applicant on schedule for an on-time decision release. 

Do students need to be employed full time?

Our Executive MBA program is designed for working professionals and students are expected to be employed during the program. Our curriculum is based on applying classroom knowledge to individual work situations, and is based on the give-and-take among faculty and every person in the class.

What is the difference between Executive MBA and Global Executive MBA?

Applicants are encouraged to consider both options as they determine the option that best fits their life and schedule. EMBA students must complete one required global residency, while GEMBA students must complete four global residencies.

Learn more on our Global Options page.

What are global residencies?

All students are required to have at least one global experience. These weeklong residencies are designed to be immersive, and programming includes a mix of company visits, talks with industry leaders, meetings with executives, cultural excursions and more.

During each residency, students meet with executives and business leaders, tour factories and plants, network with Darden alumni, participate in speaker events and visit cultural attractions. To learn more about the global residencies, please visit our global study page.

May I request an application fee waiver?

A nonrefundable application fee of $250 is required to process your application.

Here’s how to qualify for a fee waiver:

1. Connect. Participate in a phone conversation with a member of our Executive MBA Admissions Committee OR

2. Join. Attend one of our upcoming webinars or in-person events. We have an exciting slate of webinars on deck and we look forward to seeing you online!

If you have started an application, once you complete these two steps, a fee waiver code will be automatically applied to your application. If you have not yet started an application, a fee waiver code will be applied to your application once you do so.

The following are also eligible for application fee waivers:

• Teach for America corps members and alumni 
• Peace Corps volunteers 
• Education Pioneers fellows
• U.S. military members 

If you qualify for a waiver, no additional action is required. Your fee waiver will be automatically applied to your application. If you have further questions, please email us at darden@virginia.edu.

How many students are in the class?

We have capacity for up to 135 students, and each enrolled class is divided into two sections of roughly 60–70 students.

Each section consists of Executive MBA as well as Global Executive MBA students. Sections are shuffled throughout the program, allowing students to learn alongside a broad array of classmates and maximize networking opportunities.

How do I indicate my preference for the Executive or Global Executive option of the program?

When submitting an application, you are applying to our Executive MBA Program, not a particular option. In the application, we will ask for your preference (EMBA/GEMBA/Both). This answer is not binding in any way.

Admitted students then indicate their choice when accepting their offer.

Can I apply to Darden if I already have an MBA?

The Darden School of Business does not admit students who have already completed an MBA from an AACSB accredited institution. To find out if a school is accredited by the AACSB, please refer to the AACSB website.

May I apply to more than one of UVA Darden’s MBA formats at once? 

No. Applicants may apply to only one Darden MBA format at a time, and simultaneous applications are not accepted. You must select a deadline for your preferred format, aligned with your goals. For guidance, schedule a conversation with Admissions. 

How does Darden maintain a fair admissions process?

At Darden we do not tolerate conflicts of interest, and all UVA Darden personnel are prohibited from engaging in any outside employment or consulting which presents a conflict of interest with their duties (https://uvapolicy.virginia.edu/policy/HRM-025). Individuals with any ethical or other concerns in the admissions process are able to report such concerns by email so that they can be independently reviewed and investigated.

Is there additional guidance for reapplicants?

If you applied in our prior admissions cycle for our Executive MBA program, we would be happy to copy your application over to our new application period. To request this action, please complete and submit our Reapplicant Request Form. 

Please note that you will need to provide answers to any new questions, and it is always a best practice to review previously submitted information for accuracy. In addition, all reapplicants are required to submit a new recommendation with their application.

When will I receive a decision?

Decisions are released roughly within 3 weeks of each application deadline.

Each application round has a target interview period, decision release date and deposit deadline. For additional details, please review our Deadlines page.

Are admissions deposits refundable?

You will be asked to pay a deposit of $4,000 to accept your offer and confirm your intention to enroll. The deposit is non-refundable and will be applied to your student account as a credit when you enroll.

I'm an international student considering Darden's Executive Formats. What are my options?

International students enroll at Darden on an F-1 visa and may pursue either format —  Executive MBA (EMBA) or Global Executive MBA (GEMBA). 

Students should plan to travel to the U.S. for residencies, and the amount of travel to the U.S. will vary. Both EMBA and GEMBA require a minimum of 22 trips to the U.S. over the 21 months of the program. 

For additional information and rules affecting F-1 student employment, please consult the International Student and Scholars Program.

ARE INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS REQUIRED TO TAKE ONE OF THE APPROVED ENGLISH ASSESSMENT TESTS LISTED ABOVE (EVEN IF I ATTENDED A SCHOOL WHERE THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION WAS ENGLISH)? 

Not Required: Candidates who received their bachelor's degree from a university where the medium of instruction was English are not required to take an English language assessment test (i.e., they are exempt).

Required: Candidates who received their bachelor's degree from a university where the medium of instruction was not English are required to take an English language assessment test.

Strongly Recommended: Candidates who received their bachelor's degree from a university where the medium of instruction was not English, but received a master's or PhD degree from a university where the medium of instruction was English are strongly encouraged to take an English language assessment test.
 

What types of financial aid are available to EMBA students?

Financial aid is available to students in EMBA in the form of federal and private loan programs. For details on the types of financial aid available, please see the Financial Aid and Fees page.

What do I need to do to be considered for an merit scholarship award?

All admitted students will be evaluated for this scholarship, which is competitively awarded based on a variety of metrics and considerations. No additional documents are required for scholarship consideration. These competitive awards are based upon a variety of metrics and considerations, including but not limited to, indicators of academic merit such as Undergraduate GPA, Graduate GPA, Advanced Degree, Professional Certification(s) and Standardized Test Score. Admitted students are typically notified of the outcome of the scholarship review process when they receive their admissions decision.

How many students typically receive a scholarship award? What is the average award amount?

As previously noted, while all admitted students are considered for a merit scholarship, not all students will receive a scholarship award.

In a given class, approximately 35-40% of the students will receive a merit scholarship, with awards typically ranging from $10,000 to $35,000 total. Most awards are usually $15,000 to $20,000 total. As a general rule, we have more scholarship money to award earlier in the cycle, and candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as they feel they can put together a strong application.

All awards represent a student’s total award for the program. For billing purposes, a student’s merit scholarship award is broken into equal increments and applied at each of the program’s five billing dates. For example, if a student receives a $10,000 scholarship, her tuition payment would be discounted by $2,000 ($10,000 / 5 = $2,000) at each billing date.

What career services are available to EMBA and GEMBA students?

EMBA and GEMBA students have access to career resources, education and support through the Darden Career Center. Students have an opportunity to explore new careers and/or enhance their professional development through a combination of face-to-face workshops, one-on-one coaching and significant career education. Career Coaches are present during leadership and weekend residencies, as well as other program-related activities. Visit our dedicated Career Services page for additional details and descriptions. 

I'm interested in switching careers. What will my job search look like?

Some of Darden's Executive MBAs are interested in considering a new career path, whether that means a different company, industry or function. If you are a student looking to use an Executive MBA as a springboard to new opportunities we have resources to support your search.

As an EMBA student, your job search will be a network-driven search and will likely begin with information-gathering and research before transitioning to job search strategy, applications, interviewing and the hiring process.

You will begin by working with Career Center professionals who support our executive format students to develop a strategy and action plan for your job search. This process will likely include self-reflection as well as identifying members of the Darden alumni network, your own personal and professional networks and other individuals within the Darden enterprise who can be of assistance to you in your search.

You will then connect with these individuals, scheduling informational interviews and gathering information, as you work to identify next steps. Throughout this process you will continue to work with the Career Center as you refine your action plan and execute on it. As a Darden student, you will have the Career Center staff, career-oriented programming and the powerful Darden alumni network (more than 19,000 alumni in 90 countries) as valuable resources.

In the second year of the program, students may attend networking events in Charlottesville, Rosslyn and local DC Metro area. In addition, students may submit résumés for invitations to interview on-Grounds for full-time, entry-level MBA positions.

I’m familiar with the career search process for full-time MBA students. What will my job search look like as an Executive MBA student?

Please visit our Career Transition Resources website for more information.

Can you tell me more about the company support letter?

The company support letter is NOT an admissions requirement. It is a pre-matriculation requirement. 

For this reason, you will not find a place to include your support letter with your application. However, if you already have your support letter in hand, you are welcome to email it to us, and we will add it to your file. 

A few more things to know about the support letter:

At minimum, the letter should:

• Indicate that the company is aware of your interest in applying to the program. The letter may also speak to the company’s belief in your strength as a high potential manager.
• Acknowledge the time commitment required to attend the required residencies.
• If applicable, indicate the level of financial support your employer will provide.

This letter must be submitted on company letterhead with an original signature from your supervisor. The letter may be scanned and uploaded to your application as a PDF. View a sample company support letter.

If you are self-employed, please submit a letter acknowledging the schedule requirements of Darden's executive MBA format, noting that you have the time and resources necessary to complete the program.

Are employers required to provide financial support for students to attend the program?

No. While we encourage employers to make a financial contribution, allowing students to participate is the only investment on their part that we require.

Can sponsors talk with someone during the admission process?

Yes. Contact ExecMBA@virginia.edu and we will put you in touch with someone who can speak about sponsorship.