MBA - Admissions - Apply - International Students

The following information is provided to help international applicants through the Darden MBA application process. Please also refer to the Application Guidelines page for a complete list of requirements.
 

Academic Record

Qualifications for admission are the same for international students as they are for United States citizens. All application materials, including transcripts and recommendations, must be submitted online and in English. The admissions committee strongly encourages international applicants to apply by the first- or second-round deadlines to allow admitted candidates sufficient time to address any visa issues.

International applicants are required to hold a college or university degree equivalent to a four-year American baccalaureate degree. Darden will also recognize undergraduate degrees that were earned in only three years of study. When applying, list all post-secondary educational institutions attended, including technical and professional schools. List the full, actual names of the institutions attended and provide the titles of all diplomas or degrees earned.
 

English Language Proficiency

Darden’s MBA program is built upon an immersive learning experience that requires public speaking, group discussion and active class participation. To succeed, students must possess a highly developed proficiency in written and oral English. Darden will accept English testing scores from either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or the Pearson Test of English (PTE). Use the following guidelines to determine whether or not you need to take one of these exams:

• 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
• 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 Ph.D. from a university where the medium of instruction was English, are strongly encouraged to take an English language assessment test.

Darden does not have a minimum score requirement, but the average TOEFL is 106. TOEFL scores are valid for two years from the test date.

Candidates who are required to take the TOEFL, IELTS or PTE must have received at least their unofficial scores prior to submitting their application. Both overall and component test scores must be reported on the application form. All applicants must request that ETS (for the TOEFL), IELTS and/or Pearson send official copies of their scores to Darden.

Darden's code for TOEFL is 5820 Dept. 02 and the code for IELTS is 5099.
 

Interviews & Transcripts

An evaluative interview is conducted by invitation only after your application has been submitted and reviewed by the admissions committee. Interviews play a critical role in our assessment of candidates and are required prior to acceptance into the program. An invitation to interview is a positive indicator no matter when you receive it.

For the remainder of the 2021 calendar year, interviews will be hosted virtually via Zoom. 

Please submit unofficial transcripts of your academic work online by uploading an electronic scanned PDF file. Applicants who completed their education at a non-English-speaking institution will need to make arrangements to have their academic records translated and sent with the official transcript. All translations must be complete and literal versions of the original records.

If you upload an unofficial transcript and are offered admission, you will be required to provide official transcripts of all previous academic work. If there are discrepancies between the unofficial and the official transcripts, the offer of admission will be withdrawn. Offers of admission are not binding until academic records are verified. Official transcripts can be mailed to the following address:

Darden School Admissions 
University of Virginia 
100 Darden Boulevard 
Charlottesville, Virginia 22903
 

Financial Aid

Darden is committed to helping our international students find solutions to meeting the financial requirements necessary to obtain an MBA. International students are considered for all merit-based scholarships, including several scholarships specifically for international applicants. Applicants are encouraged to apply in the first round in order to be considered for merit-based scholarships.

In addition, international students may be eligible for an international loan. Visit our Financial Aid section to learn about the International Loan Program.
 

Visa Information

Darden Requests Form I-20

While not a required part of the application, admitted international applicants are required to submit a supplemental Darden Request for Form I-20 outlining the financial resources available for their study in the United States. The Form I-20 must show that a student has the financial resources necessary for both years of study. Timely submission of the Darden Request for Form I-20 expedites issuance of the I-20 Certificate of Eligibility for the F-1 Student Visa. An I-20 cannot be issued until the Darden Request for Form I-20, which can be downloaded from the admitted student portal, has been submitted. All I-20 documentation must be original; no photocopies or faxes are accepted. The completed Darden Request for Form I-20 and supporting documents should be mailed to:

Darden School of Business 
Admissions Office 
100 Darden Boulevard 
Charlottesville, Virginia 22903