Admissions
EMBA - Admissions FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
View our updated application guidelines, including our test optional policy.
You've Got Questions? We've Got Answers
Darden's executive formats are based in the Washington, D.C. area and designed for busy working professionals. In this section you will find answers to questions prospective students often have. Topics include program structure and design, admissions requirements, test waiver requests, scholarship consideration and more. Learn about our Executive MBA (EMBA) format and Global Executive MBA (GEMBA) option.
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General
I'm interested in Darden's Executive MBA Program. What are my options?
The Darden Executive MBA program consists of two options: Executive MBA (EMBA) and Global Executive MBA (GEMBA), and all students, regardless of format, graduate with the exact same degree: a Darden MBA.
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 EMBA as well as GEMBA students. Sections are shuffled throughout the program, allowing students to learn alongside a broad array of classmates and maximize networking opportunities.
Where are classes held?
The program is based in the Washington, D.C. area, and classes are held at UVA Darden DC Metro grounds. Check out this Virtual Tour to get a feel for our space in Rosslyn, Va.
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. For example, an EMBA student matriculating in August 2024 would graduate May 2026.
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.
Can you explain the schedule in more detail?
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.
Both formats consist of the following components:
- 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.
In addition, all students participate in two, weeklong leadership residencies – one leadership residency at the start of the program and one leadership residency at the conclusion of the program. Both of residencies take place on the Darden Grounds in Charlottesville.
Lastly, 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.
The Executive MBA program arranges for a diverse array of global residencies and students choose from a menu that typically includes 10-12 trips. EMBA students participate in one global residency, with the option of adding additional residencies. There is an additional charge for each additional global residency (approximately $5,000).
Global residences are offered during four distinct travel periods, with the first travel period occurring in February, after the conclusion of Quarter 3. Approximately two to three trips will be offered in each period:
- February 2024 (after Q3)
- June 2024 (after Q5)
- October 2024 (after Q7)
- February 2025 (after Q9)
Past global residency destinations include Chile, Argentina, China, Germany, Ghana, Israel, South Korea, India, Finland/Estonia, Australia, Morocco, Spain, Ghana, Cuba and Vietnam.
How do the quarters work?
Both executive formats consist of ten, two-month long quarters. The core curriculum is primarily delivered in the first year of the program. The second year of the program is primarily electives. Students take a total of 12 electives during their time in the program.
How many classes will I take per quarter? What will my work load be?
Executive format students take 3-4 classes per quarter. While preparation time varies, students report spending, on average, approximately 15-20 hours per week on school work.
When do I choose my format? Do I choose when I apply?
Applicants are encouraged to consider both formats – EMBA and GEMBA – as they determine the option that best fits their life and schedule.
Applicants apply to our Executive MBA program (not a particular format), although our application does ask candidates to indicate their format interest at the time of applying. This request is simply for information purposes, and it is in no way binding.
Those applicants who receive an offer of admission will formally indicate their format preference when accepting their offer of admission.
I'm trying to determine my preferred format. What are some similarities/differences between EMBA and GEMBA?
Our executive formats are very similar. Both formats feature the same core curriculum and all students graduate with the same degree (a Darden MBA). In fact, during weekend residencies, EMBA and GEMBA format students sit in class together, and they travel together on the global residencies.
However, the principal differences between the formats are three-fold:
- How many global experiences are required
- Schedule
- Cost
Number of required global experiences
EMBA students participate in one global residency, with the option of adding additional residencies, while GEMBA students participate in four global residencies. For EMBA students who wish to participate in more than one global residency, there is an additional charge for each additional global residency (approximately $5,000).
Prior to the start of school, students will rank the global residencies in order of preference, and the program office will slot students accordingly to preference and overall demand.
Schedule
The schedules for our executive formats are very similar. The only difference is the number of weeklong global residencies:
EMBA consists of 20 weekend residencies, 2 leadership residencies, 1 global residency and distance learning. Total class days out of the office: 35.
GEMBA consists of 20 weekend residencies, 2 leadership residencies, 4 global residencies and distance learning. Total class days out of the office: 50.
As noted above, over the 21 months of the program, despite GEMBA’s additional weeklong experiences, the GEMBA format only requires 15 more days out of the office than the EMBA format.
Cost
One additional factor to consider is cost. There is a tuition difference between the EMBA and GEMBA formats of approximately $11,000. If you are considering Darden’s executive formats and believe you may want to have more than one global experience during your course of study, this differential may be of particular relevance to you.
EMBA students may participate in more than one global residency, and there is an additional charge for each additional global residency (approximately $5,000).
However, it is also worth noting that travel to and from the residencies (weekend, leadership and global) is not included in the tuition and fees for either executive format, and these travel costs should also be included in your cost comparison as you explore which format and location is the right fit for you.
Can you tell me more about the Rosslyn location?
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.
For students less familiar with the Washington, D.C., area, Rosslyn is located immediately across the Potomac River from D.C.'s Georgetown neighborhood.
In many ways, Darden's executive formats offer the best of both worlds, as students spend time in both Charlottesville and the D.C. area over the course of the program. All students, regardless of format, come to Charlottesville at the beginning and end of the program for two week-long leadership residencies. And all weekend residencies take place at UVA Darden DC Metro, a sleek, modern space offering panoramic views of the capital region.
Darden's top-ranked faculty travel to the D.C. area to lead classes during weekend residencies, and faculty, staff and students have worked hard to ensure the Darden culture is a defining feature of the program experience.
Will I get to spend time in Charlottesville?
Yes! All students, regardless of format, come to Charlottesville at the beginning and end of the program for the week-long leadership residencies. In addition, there are also curated, extracurricular experiences offered in Charlottesville throughout the program.
What are leadership residencies?
All executive format students, regardless of format, start and end the program together on the historic Darden Grounds in Charlottesville, Virginia, with a week-long leadership residency. During these weeks, students explore different aspects leading organizations and form bonds with their classmates.
Leadership residency 1 is entitled "Leading with an Enterprise Perspective." Leadership residency 2 is entitled "Creating the Future."
What are global residencies?
Global residencies are week-long trips executive format students take with Darden faculty and staff to select countries. Current residency locations (subject to change) span the globe and include Argentina, China, Ghana, Vietnam, Estonia, Israel, Cuba and more. These experiences are immersive and designed to allow students to explore the business, sociocultural and political contexts of each location.
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.
What is distance learning? How does it work?
All Executive MBA students have distance learning as a part of their educational experience. The program is two-thirds in person and one-third online. At Darden, distance learning means online classes. These classes are typically synchronous (i.e., "live") and delivered via Zoom Meeting.
During the first year of the program, class meetings take place between residencies on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7 to 8:30 pm ET. During the second year, students take electives. The timing of distance sessions can vary depending on what electives are chosen. Students do not usually have distance classes during the week of a weekend residency. Most classes are an hour and a half in duration and attendance is required.
Want to learn more about distance learning at Darden? Watch this short video.
How do electives work?
All executive format students take 12 electives, and electives are primarily delivered in the second year of the program.
Executive format students choose from a slate of electives offered specifically for executive format students. The program office develops the elective offerings in consultation with both students and faculty. Students also have the opportunity to pursue an independent study, case writing or a Global Consulting Project to fulfill their elective requirement.
During the elective period, student may also pursue seven different focus areas:
- Data Analytics and Technology
- Entrepreneurship
- ESG and Social Impact
- Finance
- Leadership
- Marketing
- Strategy
Students who complete three electives in any of these areas will automatically receive a letter from the Registrar indicating they earned that focus area. It is worth noting that students have broad flexibility to pursue their interests when choosing electives, and students are not required to specialize at any point during the program.
Recent electives include Entrepreneurial Thinking, Design Thinking, Strategy, Negotiations, Mergers & Acquisitions, Intro to Real Estate Finance & Development, and The Business of Healthcare.
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 depending upon format. Both of executive MBA formats – EMBA and GEMBA - require a minimum of 22 trips to the U.S. over the 21 months of the program. In addition, our EMBA format requires one weeklong global residency while our GEMBA format requires four weeklong global residencies.
For additional information and rules affecting F-1 student employment, please consult the International Student and Scholars Program.
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- Financial Aid
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I'm interested in Darden's Executive MBA Program. What are my options?
The Darden Executive MBA program consists of two options: Executive MBA (EMBA) and Global Executive MBA (GEMBA), and all students, regardless of format, graduate with the exact same degree: a Darden MBA.
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 EMBA as well as GEMBA students. Sections are shuffled throughout the program, allowing students to learn alongside a broad array of classmates and maximize networking opportunities.
Where are classes held?
The program is based in the Washington, D.C. area, and classes are held at UVA Darden DC Metro grounds. Check out this Virtual Tour to get a feel for our space in Rosslyn, Va.
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. For example, an EMBA student matriculating in August 2024 would graduate May 2026.
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.
Can you explain the schedule in more detail?
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.
Both formats consist of the following components:
- 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.
In addition, all students participate in two, weeklong leadership residencies – one leadership residency at the start of the program and one leadership residency at the conclusion of the program. Both of residencies take place on the Darden Grounds in Charlottesville.
Lastly, 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.
The Executive MBA program arranges for a diverse array of global residencies and students choose from a menu that typically includes 10-12 trips. EMBA students participate in one global residency, with the option of adding additional residencies. There is an additional charge for each additional global residency (approximately $5,000).
Global residences are offered during four distinct travel periods, with the first travel period occurring in February, after the conclusion of Quarter 3. Approximately two to three trips will be offered in each period:
- February 2024 (after Q3)
- June 2024 (after Q5)
- October 2024 (after Q7)
- February 2025 (after Q9)
Past global residency destinations include Chile, Argentina, China, Germany, Ghana, Israel, South Korea, India, Finland/Estonia, Australia, Morocco, Spain, Ghana, Cuba and Vietnam.
How do the quarters work?
Both executive formats consist of ten, two-month long quarters. The core curriculum is primarily delivered in the first year of the program. The second year of the program is primarily electives. Students take a total of 12 electives during their time in the program.
How many classes will I take per quarter? What will my work load be?
Executive format students take 3-4 classes per quarter. While preparation time varies, students report spending, on average, approximately 15-20 hours per week on school work.
When do I choose my format? Do I choose when I apply?
Applicants are encouraged to consider both formats – EMBA and GEMBA – as they determine the option that best fits their life and schedule.
Applicants apply to our Executive MBA program (not a particular format), although our application does ask candidates to indicate their format interest at the time of applying. This request is simply for information purposes, and it is in no way binding.
Those applicants who receive an offer of admission will formally indicate their format preference when accepting their offer of admission.
I'm trying to determine my preferred format. What are some similarities/differences between EMBA and GEMBA?
Our executive formats are very similar. Both formats feature the same core curriculum and all students graduate with the same degree (a Darden MBA). In fact, during weekend residencies, EMBA and GEMBA format students sit in class together, and they travel together on the global residencies.
However, the principal differences between the formats are three-fold:
- How many global experiences are required
- Schedule
- Cost
Number of required global experiences
EMBA students participate in one global residency, with the option of adding additional residencies, while GEMBA students participate in four global residencies. For EMBA students who wish to participate in more than one global residency, there is an additional charge for each additional global residency (approximately $5,000).
Prior to the start of school, students will rank the global residencies in order of preference, and the program office will slot students accordingly to preference and overall demand.
Schedule
The schedules for our executive formats are very similar. The only difference is the number of weeklong global residencies:
EMBA consists of 20 weekend residencies, 2 leadership residencies, 1 global residency and distance learning. Total class days out of the office: 35.
GEMBA consists of 20 weekend residencies, 2 leadership residencies, 4 global residencies and distance learning. Total class days out of the office: 50.
As noted above, over the 21 months of the program, despite GEMBA’s additional weeklong experiences, the GEMBA format only requires 15 more days out of the office than the EMBA format.
Cost
One additional factor to consider is cost. There is a tuition difference between the EMBA and GEMBA formats of approximately $11,000. If you are considering Darden’s executive formats and believe you may want to have more than one global experience during your course of study, this differential may be of particular relevance to you.
EMBA students may participate in more than one global residency, and there is an additional charge for each additional global residency (approximately $5,000).
However, it is also worth noting that travel to and from the residencies (weekend, leadership and global) is not included in the tuition and fees for either executive format, and these travel costs should also be included in your cost comparison as you explore which format and location is the right fit for you.
Can you tell me more about the Rosslyn location?
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.
For students less familiar with the Washington, D.C., area, Rosslyn is located immediately across the Potomac River from D.C.'s Georgetown neighborhood.
In many ways, Darden's executive formats offer the best of both worlds, as students spend time in both Charlottesville and the D.C. area over the course of the program. All students, regardless of format, come to Charlottesville at the beginning and end of the program for two week-long leadership residencies. And all weekend residencies take place at UVA Darden DC Metro, a sleek, modern space offering panoramic views of the capital region.
Darden's top-ranked faculty travel to the D.C. area to lead classes during weekend residencies, and faculty, staff and students have worked hard to ensure the Darden culture is a defining feature of the program experience.
Will I get to spend time in Charlottesville?
Yes! All students, regardless of format, come to Charlottesville at the beginning and end of the program for the week-long leadership residencies. In addition, there are also curated, extracurricular experiences offered in Charlottesville throughout the program.
What are leadership residencies?
All executive format students, regardless of format, start and end the program together on the historic Darden Grounds in Charlottesville, Virginia, with a week-long leadership residency. During these weeks, students explore different aspects leading organizations and form bonds with their classmates.
Leadership residency 1 is entitled "Leading with an Enterprise Perspective." Leadership residency 2 is entitled "Creating the Future."
What are global residencies?
Global residencies are week-long trips executive format students take with Darden faculty and staff to select countries. Current residency locations (subject to change) span the globe and include Argentina, China, Ghana, Vietnam, Estonia, Israel, Cuba and more. These experiences are immersive and designed to allow students to explore the business, sociocultural and political contexts of each location.
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.
What is distance learning? How does it work?
All Executive MBA students have distance learning as a part of their educational experience. The program is two-thirds in person and one-third online. At Darden, distance learning means online classes. These classes are typically synchronous (i.e., "live") and delivered via Zoom Meeting.
During the first year of the program, class meetings take place between residencies on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7 to 8:30 pm ET. During the second year, students take electives. The timing of distance sessions can vary depending on what electives are chosen. Students do not usually have distance classes during the week of a weekend residency. Most classes are an hour and a half in duration and attendance is required.
Want to learn more about distance learning at Darden? Watch this short video.
How do electives work?
All executive format students take 12 electives, and electives are primarily delivered in the second year of the program.
Executive format students choose from a slate of electives offered specifically for executive format students. The program office develops the elective offerings in consultation with both students and faculty. Students also have the opportunity to pursue an independent study, case writing or a Global Consulting Project to fulfill their elective requirement.
During the elective period, student may also pursue seven different focus areas:
- Data Analytics and Technology
- Entrepreneurship
- ESG and Social Impact
- Finance
- Leadership
- Marketing
- Strategy
Students who complete three electives in any of these areas will automatically receive a letter from the Registrar indicating they earned that focus area. It is worth noting that students have broad flexibility to pursue their interests when choosing electives, and students are not required to specialize at any point during the program.
Recent electives include Entrepreneurial Thinking, Design Thinking, Strategy, Negotiations, Mergers & Acquisitions, Intro to Real Estate Finance & Development, and The Business of Healthcare.
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 depending upon format. Both of executive MBA formats – EMBA and GEMBA - require a minimum of 22 trips to the U.S. over the 21 months of the program. In addition, our EMBA format requires one weeklong global residency while our GEMBA format requires four weeklong global residencies.
For additional information and rules affecting F-1 student employment, please consult the International Student and Scholars Program.