UCLA Anderson MBA Application Deadlines 2025-2026
The UCLA Anderson School of Management admissions committee has announced their MBA deadlines for the 2025-2026 admissions season.
Anderson will operate a three-round admissions process for its MBA program in the coming academic year. Deadlines and decision dates for each of these rounds are presented in the table below.
| Round | Application Deadline | Admissions Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | October 1, 2025 | December 12, 2025 |
| Round 2 | January 6, 2026 | March 27, 2026 |
| Round 3 | April 7, 2026 | May 15, 2026 |
What Do I Need to Submit with My Application?
Applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree program or an equivalent in another country. The application must include copies of all academic transcripts, GMAT, GRE or Executive Assessment scores (scores are considered valid for five years before the application deadline date), a resume and a description of work experience, two letters of recommendation (preferably from a manager or supervisor; reapplicants only need to submit one new recommendation), responses to short answer and essay questions, and the $200 application fee. 
Non-native English speakers are required to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores to demonstrate proficiency except those from a select list of countries.
How Does the UCLA Anderson MBA Interview Process Work?
Interviews are required for admission and are by invitation only. Candidates should submit official transcripts and test score reports upon receiving an invitation. Interviews are in person or virtual, typically with a second-year MBA student. Interviews are resume based, meaning the interviewer has not had access to all application materials. 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.
While the UCLA MBA deadlines page does not include information about the timing of interview invitations, we can make some judgments based on data from our LiveWire tool. Looking at the previous years of data, we see that Round 1 interview invitations tend to begin in mid-October, and continue into early November. Meanwhile, Round 2 invitations tend to begin in mid-January, and continue through the month of February.
MBA Applywire
29Yo ORM
8 YOE in Finance
4 years Big 4 M&A - Investment Banking (Closed 6 deals)
4 years at domestic venture debt fund, last 15 months led my own team of 5 people and managed a $40 million portfolio (primarily in healthcare investments)
Part time CFO/operator advisor role for last 18 months for a consumer startup, helped raised seed funding of $120,000 and scaled monthly revenue 6x during this period
Founder Investor of an angel fund with 3 others since the last 3 years, managing AUM of $50,000 of combined personal capital into domestic impact-focused ventures
Background:
U.S. diplomat with 10 years experience across Latin America, Asia, and Eurasia, currently posted in Moscow. Career focused on crisis response, policy analysis, stakeholder coordination, and public-facing engagement in complex political and diverse social environments. Have led interagency initiatives, advised senior leadership (ambassadors, U.S. congresspeople, foreign supreme court justices) and managed high-stakes issues involving reputational risk, public trust, and institutional decision-making.
Academics:
Undergraduate GPA: 3.2.
Graduate GPA: 3.7, including strong performance in graduate-level quantitative coursework.
GRE: 319 (169V 150Q) - planning to retake and update on Feb 21 - anticipating a quant increase to 155-158
Career Goals:
Short term: transition into brand or experiential strategy roles (agency or in-house) with exposure to senior brand leadership, partnerships, and investment decisions, particularly within marketing, media, and consumer-facing organizations.
Long term: build a boutique strategy firm focused on helping brands engage LGBTQ+ audiences in durable, values-driven ways that hold up under political and cultural pressure.
Why MBA / Why Now:
Seeking formal business training to complement public-sector leadership experience, gain analytical and financial grounding, and credibly pivot into strategy-facing commercial roles. Interested in programs that combine rigorous general management training with proximity to marketing, media, and cultural ecosystems, particularly in NYC.
Target Schools:
CBS, Kellogg, Yale, Stern, LBS (in that order)
Demographics / Other:
37, Public-sector background, extensive international experience, LGBTQ+.
Post-MBA location preference: NYC.
I applied to HSW in the previous admissions cycle and was rejected without an interview. I plan to reapply next year to the same schools, along with the additional M7/T15 programs listed above.
My work experience includes employment at a Tier 2/3 technology consulting firm in Canada. I currently have five years of experience with two promotions and will have six years by the time of matriculation. My background includes leading global teams on B2B2C initiatives, with end-to-end responsibility for implementation and delivery. Post-MBA, I aim to pivot into either MBB consulting or a product management role at a large technology firm.
Academically, I completed an associate-level diploma at a Canadian college (CGPA: 3.8/4.0) before transferring to a university to earn a BSc in Computer Science (CGPA: 3.6/4.0), while working full time throughout my studies.
My extracurricular involvement includes participation in firm-wide mentorship programs, serving as an onboarding buddy, supporting campus recruitment initiatives, and extensive engagement during college (e.g., Peer Mentor, Learning Assistant).
My GMAT score appears to have plateaued, though I am willing to make another attempt before the next application round. Demographically, I am an Indian-origin male with Canadian citizenship.
Any tips on how to stand out at selected schools since I do have almost a year to prep for the applications?
MBA LiveWire
I have Duke Fuqua/UCLA Anderson/USC Marshall acceptances with scholarships from R1 but pushed HSW to R2! Honestly was going in with zero expectations and just hoping for the best