FAQ

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Prospective Applicants - General

What are the application deadlines?

Applicants must apply to the EMBA program online. There are three admission rounds with the following deadlines: December 1, February 1, and May 1. Please see corresponding  deadlines and decision release dates.

The application fee is $200. Application fee waivers are available to all U.S. Military Personnel (active duty and veterans) and UCLA Staff. Please email Christina Marentes prior to submission.

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How do I send my official documents?

Please send official documents - transcripts, diploma certificates, and degree certificates to UCLA Anderson School of Management:

All applicants are required to submit official records from each academic institution attended after secondary/high school. Transcripts from exchange programs and/or other courses are not required if the grades appear on the transcript from the school that awarded your degree.

All academic documents such as official mark sheets/transcripts, diploma certificates, and degree certificates must be directly sent to UCLA Anderson Executive MBA program from your educational institution. Digital e-transcripts are highly recommended and considered official as long as they are sent directly from your school(s) to us at emba.admissions@anderson.ucla.edu OR select “UCLA Anderson MBA Program” as the recipient if you are ordering through Parchment. This is our preferred way of receiving your official transcripts. If your school does not allow electronic transcript delivery, you may have your sealed official transcripts sent to:

Have sealed official transcripts sent to:
UCLA Anderson Executive MBA Admissions
ATTN: EMBA Admissions Manager
110 Westwood Plaza, Marion Anderson Hall G6.42
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1481

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Is the EA, GMAT or GRE required? Is there a minimum required score needed?

The GMAT/GRE/EA score is optional. However, additional quantitative support may be required upon further review of your application after submission. If additional quantitative support is needed, the EMBA admissions team will reach out with further details and recommendations which can sometimes be completed after admission. Quantitative academic support to bolster your profile includes but is not limited to recent quantitative coursework (e.g. UC Extension or community college courses), additional education, CPA, CFA, GMAT/GRE/EA exam score. In addition, once admitted into the program, EMBA incoming students are all provided with online math, statistics, and Excel preparation courses and workshops specifically designed for incoming UCLA Anderson students.

If you have any questions about your quantitative preparation, please speak with an EMBA admissions representative via a one-on-one link here. In addition, once admitted into the program, EMBA incoming students are provided with online math, statistics, and Excel preparation courses.

The Executive Assessment (EA), Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) and Graduate Records Exam (GRE) are universal standardized entrance exams for graduate programs, which are optional for the UCLA EMBA application. See below for how to submit your official exam score to us.

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Are there any prerequisites for this program?

All prospective students need to have some familiarity with quantitative material. Many students take refresher classes, for it is important to demonstrate competence in analytical skills in your application, either through undergraduate math courses or your exam score. We recommend students have a working knowledge of Excel.

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I want to brush up on my quantitative and/or Excel skills before beginning the program. What do you suggest?

Below is a list of resources that have been effective for academic preparation. In addition, once admitted into the program you will have access to UCLA Anderson math, statistics, and Excel prep courses.

  • GMAC Business Fundamentals
  • Pre-MBA Courses: Math for Management (UCLA Extension Math for Management and UC Berkeley Extension Math for Management are offered online)
  • McGraw Hill Aleks
  • Khan Academy
  • Harvard Business Publishing

GMAC Business Fundamentals

In preparation for your business school journey, we are excited to recommend GMAC Business Fundamentals which includes three courses: Accounting, Finance, and Statistics, which will help you master the core business concepts you need to succeed in the classroom. These courses are completely asynchronous. The average study and preparation time for a student is 15-19 hours per course. A grade is provided after the course is completed. The grade is the outcome of a final exam which can be retaken three times.

VISIT GMAC BUSINESS FUNDAMENTALS

Accounting

Become acquainted with balance sheets and cashflow statements; understand the framework for describing and assessing a business’ finances; and learn to differentiate assets, liabilities, and equity.

Finance

Gain an understanding of how businesses raise capital, manage debt, and build equity; become familiar with financial analysis procedures; and get an overview of managerial finance in the corporate world.

Statistics

Learn how to analyze, summarize, and leverage spreadsheets; practice displaying data to guide business decisions, and explore Probability Theory and the Normal Distribution Model.

Pre-MBA Courses

UCLA Extension

UCLA Extension offers multiple courses including Mathematics for Management, Statistics, Accounting, and so on.

VIEW UCLA EXTENSION COURSES

UC Berkeley Extension

Register for MATH X402 - Math for Management for a self-paced introduction to quantitative and statistical techniques to prepare you for your MBA coursework.

UC BERKELEY EXTENSION MATH FOR MANAGEMENT

Community College Courses

You may also choose to take courses from a community college such as Calculus, Statistics, Accounting, Finance, and so on.

McGraw Hill Aleks

This option is favored by our current students and staff, as it is adaptive and adjusts material to focus on only those areas where you need more work. You can take a free tour of how their product functions to see if it's right for you. We recommend the "Essential Math Skills for Business" module. Pricing is very economical at only $19.95 a month.

*ALEKS is now offering free math preparation for two months as a result of COVID-19.

Take a Free TourEssential Math Skills for BusinessPricing

Khan Academy

Khan Academy is also popular with students because their instructional videos are free. We recommend that you work your way through the majority of videos in the Algebra section. But you do not need to do Conic Sections, Matrices, and Imaginary and Complex Numbers, as those concepts are not necessary to succeed in the MBA program.

Visit Khan Academy

Harvard Business Publishing

This is also a good choice, used by students at many top business schools and professionals at Fortune 2000 companies. However, the price point is higher than the options above at approximately $100 per module. If you decide on this option, our recommendation is to focus on the Spreadsheet Modeling and Mathematics for Management sections. The other sections focus on content that you will cover in your MBA classes.

Visit Harvard Business Publishing

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How long is the program?

The Executive MBA is a 22-month program, with classes held every other weekend or once a month (Fridays and Saturdays) on campus. There are three residential components during the program: a required opening residential, an optional 1-week Elective Block in August and a required field study residential in your second year. View the standard program of study.

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How much time is spent outside the classroom on school-related projects?

EMBA students spend an average of 15–20 hours a week outside the classroom.

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How is the EMBA program different from other MBA programs offered by UCLA?

EMBA students have the same core courses and the same faculty, and they graduate in the same 22-month timeframe as the full-time MBA students with the same degree. The program is geared toward mid-to-senior managers who are high-potential leaders, with a minimum of 8 years of work experience and 5 years of management experience that includes management of staff, projects and/or budgets.

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Is financial aid available?

Yes. There are numerous ways to financially support your next phase of development. You can take advantage of various financing opportunities through loans, fellowships, tax benefits, and company sponsorship. Review our Financial Aid page for more details. 

We hosted an information session covering how to finance your MBA. Click here to watch.

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How large is the entering class?

Our entering class size is 140–150 students each year. Review our Class Profile to see the representation of our student body.

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Do you recommend that I visit the campus?

Explore our beautiful campus within UCLA – including our brand new building – and learn how your experience will take advantage of everything the campus has to offer. 

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Are interviews required?

Yes. An interview must be completed to be admitted to the program. Interviews are conducted online via Zoom on an invitation basis only after the admissions committee evaluates the submitted application. Instructions on setting up an interview are provided at the time of invitation.

EMBA candidates have the choice to interview in person at the UCLA Anderson Campus or virtually via Zoom. Interviews last approximately 30-45 minutes. The modality in which applicants choose to conduct the interview does not affect an admission decision. Note: In-person interviews are available on limited dates, whereas virtual interviews are ongoing.

Questions generally cover topics already addressed in the application, such as reasons for getting an MBA, short-term and long-term career goals, fit with UCLA Anderson and personal interests. The interview is a two-way street, also serving as an opportunity for you to explore UCLA Anderson and our culture.

Interviews are rarely the deciding factor in an admissions decision. Instead, they typically mirror or round out information already provided in the application. We are interested in getting to know you as an individual and understanding how you'll fit into the next class. We assess your communication skills, social skills, and readiness for our program.

Most importantly, be genuine and enjoy the opportunity for us to get to know each other.

Be sure to read your interview confirmation email for any additional details.

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Can I waive any class if I have my CPA or CFA certification?

If you have a CPA or CFA certification we encourage you to review the following document: EXECUTIVE MBA WAIVER POLICY

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Does UCLA Anderson conduct information sessions at companies?

Yes. If you invite us to your company, Executive MBA Staff will arrange an information reception for your employees. For more information, contact us at (310) 825-2032 or email us at emba.admissions@anderson.ucla.edu.

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Does EMBA have STEM designation?

Yes, EMBA received STEM designation June 2020. STEM can extend an international student's Optional Practical Training (OPT) by 24 months - for a total of 36 months. OPT is temporary employment for practical training directly related to the student's major area of study. 
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Application

How do I send my official documents?

Please send official documents - transcripts, diploma certificates, and degree certificates to UCLA Anderson School of Management:

All applicants are required to submit official records from each academic institution attended after secondary/high school. Transcripts from exchange programs and/or other courses are not required if the grades appear on the transcript from the school that awarded your degree.

All academic documents such as official mark sheets/transcripts, diploma certificates, and degree certificates must be directly sent to UCLA Anderson Executive MBA program from your educational institution. Digital e-transcripts are highly recommended and considered official as long as they are sent directly from your school(s) to us at emba.admissions@anderson.ucla.edu OR select “UCLA Anderson MBA Program” as the recipient if you are ordering through Parchment. This is our preferred way of receiving your official transcripts. If your school does not allow electronic transcript delivery, you may have your sealed official transcripts sent to:

Have sealed official transcripts sent to:
UCLA Anderson Executive MBA Admissions
ATTN: EMBA Admissions Manager
110 Westwood Plaza, Marion Anderson Hall G6.42
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1481

Close