MBA - Admissions - Apply - Future Year

Secure Your Spot for the Future

Apply during the final year of your undergraduate program. Any full-time masters student who has not held a full-time work position is also eligible to apply.

Tap into the Network Today

As admitted scholars, you will have many opportunities to grow your network through engagement with our community, as well as a Darden mentor and individualized career support.

Gain Professional Experience

Choose to work for two, three or four years, gaining insight into the workplace and forming a foundation for your MBA experience.

Begin at Darden

Start the MBA program with newfound expertise and perspective. All scholars will be considered for scholarships at the time of admission and may receive additional awards at the time of matriculation.

Why Apply?

In addition to receiving an offer of admission to Darden before beginning their professional career, Future Year Scholars receive:

• Consideration for merit-based awards at the time of admission with additional opportunities for scholarship consideration at the time of matriculation. 
• Individualized career support.
• Access to Darden’s student and alumni network, comprised of 17,000 people spanning 90 countries around the world.
• Networking opportunities with Future Year Scholars, current students, faculty and alumni at Darden events.

Who is eligible to apply?

• Any bachelor's degree student in their final year of study
• Any full-time masters student that has not held a full-time work position

Students who graduate between October 1, 2021 and September 30, 2022 are eligible to apply in spring 2022, even if they begin full-time employment after their graduation.

Do I need to have studied business as an undergraduate student to apply?

No. We are looking for students that come from a variety of different academic disciplines. While some admitted scholars have studied business, others have studied biology, engineering, public policy and economics.

When should I apply?

We encourage you to apply once your application is complete and you have fulfilled the testing requirement. Offers of admission are based on merit. There is no evaluative advantage to applying in an earlier deadline. 

What is the Admissions Committee looking for in prospective students?

We are looking for exceptional students who aspire to be future ethical leaders and managers in a global world. The Admissions Committee will review and evaluate applications based on three broad areas: academics, extracurricular involvement and personal characteristics.

What is the application fee?

There is no application fee to apply!

What does the application require?

The application requires a standardized test score, resume, transcript, essay and two letters of recommendation.

Which standardized test may I submit with my FYSP application? 

Applicants are encouraged to submit the test score(s) they believe best illustrate(s) their ability.

All applicants have the option to take the GMAT, GRE, EA (Executive Assessment), MCAT or LSAT. Starting with the year 2021 all applicants for Darden's Future Year Scholars Program may submit the SAT or ACT in lieu of the tests listed above. Our ETS code is 5820 and our ACT code is 4412.

Self-reported score(s) are sufficient for the purposes of our application review. All incoming students are required to submit an official test score report prior to matriculation. You must arrange for GMAC, ETS, College Board, ACT or Pearson VUE to send us your official score(s) and an offer of admission is not binding until we verify official test results.

How does Darden think about these tests and does Darden have a test preference?

Standardized tests are just one piece of information in a broad, holistic application review process, and applicants are encouraged to choose the test that best aligns with their strengths, background and application plans. Our Admissions Committee has no test preference, and we view each of the tests we accept in our application process equivalently.

Anything else I should know about the GMAT and the GRE?

Applicants will also want to consider career goals as they make their test plans. The GMAT and GRE can play an important role in the MBA job search process. Some top employers will request a GMAT or GRE score as part of their application processes – for both internships and full-time positions. For this reason, we recommend you take one of these tests prior to matriculating to Darden.

Furthermore, a GMAT or GRE score can be an additional data point for our Scholarship Committee to consider when evaluating an admitted student for a scholarship award.

How will UVa Darden’s Admissions Committee evaluate classes taken for credit/no credit?

Undergraduate (and graduate) transcripts are just one piece of information in a broad, holistic application review process.

When reviewing your application, our Admissions Committee will be assessing your readiness for a rigorous MBA program, and your transcript is one place to showcase your academic preparation. If there is there is any aspect of your coursework or academic record you feel would benefit from additional explanation – including the decision to take courses on a pass/fail basis, we encourage you to use the Additional Comments section of your application to share more.

Who should I ask to write my letters of recommendation?

Recommenders are asked to comment on the applicant’s work ethic, strategic orientation, leadership skills, ability to work well on teams and communication skills among other things. Strong recommendation letters are written by people who know the applicant well, both inside and outside of the classroom or work environment.

Good options for recommenders might include a former supervisor from a summer internship, a faculty member or an academic advisor.

I'm an international applicant. Do I need to submit an English proficiency test score? 

Please see our International Applicant process webpage for additional guidance regarding our English proficiency requirements for international applicants. For candidates for whom an English proficiency test score is required or recommended, our Admissions Committee will consider this test score an additional indicator of qualitative ability.

What role do test scores play in the scholarship process? 

All Future Year Scholars will automatically be considered for scholarship awards at the time of admission.

Scholars are also eligible for additional scholarship opportunities at the time of matriculation. While our admissions process is holistic in nature, our scholarship process typically focuses on indicators of academic merit. These include but are not limited to standardized test score(s), Undergraduate GPA, Graduate GPA, additional coursework, professional certifications, etc. Additional considerations could include type and quality of work experience, and leadership among others. 

A strong GMAT or GRE score can make a candidate more competitive for certain merit-based scholarships. 

Is an interview required?

Interviews play a critical role in our assessment of candidates and are required prior to acceptance into the Future Year Scholars Program.

An invitation-only interview is conducted after your application has been submitted and reviewed by the Admissions Committee.
Invitations to interview are sent on a rolling basis up to and including the decision release date for each round. There is no significance as to when an interview invitation is sent; an invitation to interview should be seen as positive indicator no matter when it is received.

Candidates for the Future Year Scholars Program may interview with a member of the admissions staff. Due to COVID-19, all interviews will be conducted virtually for the foreseeable future.

What is the interview format?

Our interviews are 30–45 minutes in length and your interviewer will not have read your application nor resume. It is our policy to conduct blind interviews, so there is no need to send or bring in your resume to the interview.

Is there a deposit?

Yes. Admitted Future Year Scholars are required to pay a non-refundable, $500 tuition deposit each year prior to matriculation to hold their place in a future class. They will be asked to pay the remainder of the tuition deposit for the incoming class the year in which they matriculate.

What type of job should I pursue after college before coming back to Darden?

We encourage students to explore industries, functions and geographies that will begin shaping them into the leaders they aspire to be. Current Future Year Scholars are working in fields such as consulting, local government, defense, investment banking, or starting their own company.

While admitted scholars are expected to work for 2-4 years prior to coming to Darden, having a job offer at the time of application is not required. However, it should be shared within the application if secured. 

Would I need to decide whether I will work for 2, 3 or 4 years immediately upon admittance?

No. Admitted scholars will be asked each year, starting one year after their graduation, whether or not they plan on matriculating to Darden the following fall. Students need to gain a minimum of two years of professional experience before beginning at Darden.

Schedule a Conversation

Schedule a phone conversation with a member of Darden's Admissions Committee or attend a virtual coffee chat with fellow prospective students to discuss how Darden could help launch your career.

Join Us For An Event

We host a variety online events. An event is a great way to make a personal connection while learning more about the Future Year Scholars Program. 

Email Us

If you have any questions about the Future Year Scholars Program or the admissions process, contact us at FutureYear@darden.virginia.edu.