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Admissions: Full-Time MBA

Ready to take the next step in your career?

We are thrilled you are considering the Rady School of Management for your MBA. The Rady Admissions team takes a holistic approach to reviewing all applicants and in recruiting a cohort that reflects academic excellence, innovation, diverse perspectives and hard work. We encourage you to explore the application process, meet our advisors, and to take the time to put together a high quality application that reflects you and your career aspirations. This is your opportunity to invest in yourself and make the impact you want to have on the world.

Fall 2024 Application Deadlines

Full-Time MBA
  • Round 1: October 5, 2023
  • Round 2: January 5, 2024
  • Round 3 (Fellowship & International Deadline): April 1, 2024
  • Round 4 (Domestic Deadline): June 1, 2024

The application for 2024 – 2025 will open in late summer 2023.

Program Start Date: September 2024

*Applicants who apply by the Special Fellowship Consideration deadline have priority consideration for all donor supported and special fellowships (including all fellowships listed here).

 

Application Checklist

Application Form

Fill out the application form online.

Transcripts

You may provide academic transcripts in two ways: upload a PDF or Word document of your transcripts directly into the online application, or you can have your academic records sent to us from the institutions at which you studied. If you upload your documents and are offered admission, official transcripts of all your previous academic work will be required to verify the information provided in the uploaded files.

For international applicants ONLY: All international transcripts and degree certificates require an official translation into English by a certified translator. International applicants must submit a certified copy of their diploma indicating the degree received. For detailed information, see Graduate Division requirements.

Upon Provisional Admission to UC San Diego

Beginning with the Fall 2023 admissions cycle, all admitted, international applicants are required to complete and submit a WES Course-by-Course evaluation. Please go to wes.org to create your account. You will be prompted to input your academic history, and will then be provided with a list of documents required for the completion of your evaluation. Applicants with academic work in progress who expect to complete a degree program before the intended date of enrollment at UCSD must provide evidence of degree conferral and a final academic transcript as soon as they are available.

Please do not send official documents to the Graduate Admissions Office. As an international applicant, you must submit a WES Course-by-Course evaluation via WES once you have been admitted for your admission to UC San Diego to be finalized.

Resume or CV

Submit your up-to-date resume or CV.

Recommendations

Submit contact information of two recommenders into the application. They will be sent a personalized link to complete your recommendation.

Short Answer and Essays

The online application includes three required short answer questions, two required essays and one optional essay question. View the questions.

GMAT or GRE Scores

All Full-Time MBA applicants are encouraged to take the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) and to submit official test scores with the application for admission to provide additional evidence showing preparedness for the quantitative rigor of the program. Applicants also have the option to apply with no GMAT or GRE test scores.

Applying test optional is only recommended for applicants who meet the following criteria:

  • have a four-year undergraduate degree from an accredited institution in the United States;
  • have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher;
  • have a minimum of 36 months of full-time post-undergraduate work experience by program start date;
  • have completed coursework in calculus, statistics, or other highly quantitative coursework at the undergraduate or graduate level and earned at least a B grade or higher.

If you plan to apply without the GMAT or GRE, it is highly recommended that you schedule an advising appointment with the Full-Time MBA Admissions Advisor.

TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Score (for international applicants only)

TOEFL scores are to be sent from ETS to institutional code 4836. UC San Diego's Minimum for the computer based test are 85. Competitive applicants will score upwards of 100.

IELTS scores are to be sent directly from the British Council or test-taking institution. The minimum IELTS score is 7. Select University of California, San Diego as the institution and have scores released electronically to Rady/ UC San Diego.

PTE test takers must select the University of California, San Diego as a score recipient, then submit a copy of your scores directly to our Graduate Admissions office at: Rady School of Management, UC San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive #0553, La Jolla, CA 92093-0553. Include your registration ID number and exam date on your application. Official scores will be verified online. The minimum PTE score is 65.

Demonstrated proficiency in the English language is required for all international applicants whose native language is not English. Non-native English language speakers may be exempt from this requirement if they have earned or will be earning a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree with grades of B (3.0) or better from either:

  • A regionally accredited U.S. college or university where English is the sole language of instruction, or
  • A foreign college or university which provides instruction solely in English. You may verify whether your institution meets this requirement by looking up your institution in the IAU World Higher Education Database (WHED). If English is not the sole language of instruction listed, if no language is listed at all, or if the institution does not appear on the WHED website, you are required to submit English proficiency exam scores. No other documentation (e.g. letters, language certificates, school websites) may be used in place of WHED as a means to obtain an exemption from the English proficiency requirement. 

Fellowship Request

Fellowships are available for each program and are awarded to the most qualified applicants in terms of merit and alignment with the mission of the institution. Applicants are reviewed for fellowship when an admissions decision has been reached.

Application Fee

The application fee is $200 for both domestic and international MBA applicants.
The non-refundable fee is payable by credit card through the online application.

After You Apply

The Rady School admissions team works quickly to review your application, giving you time to make the right decision for your MBA studies. Applications are reviewed as they are received and decisions made on a rolling basis after Round 1. After you submit your application, you will receive confirmation and instructions for further action, if necessary. Once you have submitted a complete application, it will be reviewed to determine if the admissions committee would like to schedule an interview. Interviews are required for admission and are by invitation only.

If you have questions about the application process, please contact the Rady Admissions Office.

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