Berkeley / Haas MBA Application Deadlines 2025-2026
The Haas MBA deadlines for the 2025-2026 admissions season are presented in the table below.
The Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley operates its full-time MBA admissions process over three rounds of deadlines. Candidates should note that applications must be submitted by 11:59 pm Pacific Time on the date of each deadline.
| Round | Application Deadline | Decision Notification |
|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | September 11, 2025 | December 11, 2025 |
| Round 2 | January 8, 2026 | March 26, 2026 |
| Round 3 | March 31, 2025 | May 7, 2026 |
Applicants who wish to obtain a waiver for the $250 application fee must submit their request before the deadline for the round in question.
What Materials Must Be Submitted by the Deadline?
A completed application comprises the online application form, undergraduate and graduate program transcripts, a current resume (PDF preferred), a GMAT or GRE score report, essay responses, two professional letters of recommendation, and an application fee. Applicants whose undergraduate degree was taught primarily in a language other than English must also submit official evidence of English language proficiency.
An interview interview is also required for admission to the Haas MBA program.
When Does Haas Issue MBA Interview Invitations?
The Haas admissions committee conducts interviews by invitation only. The interviews are resume-based. Interviews may be completed via a pre-recording or with a current student or alum.
With respect to timing, the admissions committee does not publish information about the timing of interview invitations associated with each round of MBA deadlines. We can, however, gather some insight from the dates when applicants report receiving interview invitations using our MBA LiveWire social tool. Looking at Haas submissions from the last admissions seasons, the earliest reports of Round 1 interview invitations fall in late September, and the latest in mid-November. Meanwhile, the first Round 2 interview invitation reports come through LiveWire in the third week of January, and continue through the end of March.
MBA Applywire
Profile Review: Banking/PE Experience for INSEAD GEMBA (May '27) / LBS EMBA (Jan '28) – Consulting Pivot?
Hi all, looking for a reality check on my profile for top-tier EMBAs with a goal of pivoting into Management Consulting (MBB).
Background:
\* Age: 33 at enrollment
\* Current Role: Associate Director in a major Nordic bank (Corporate Banking/PE/Risk focus).
\* Work Experience: \~7+ years.
\* Current: Lead on liquidity strategy, PE value creation, and covenant restructuring. I manage high-value client portfolios day-to-day, though formal people management/team lead is handled by a Director.
\* Previous: Senior Analyst in Tier-1 US Bulge Bracket and Senior Consultant (Big 4, fast-track promotion).
\* Education: MSc in Finance & Accounting (Top Nordic BS).
\* The GPA Weakness: My academic GPA is on the lower side. However, I have a CFA Level I and have won some industry business cases while at Uni. I’m hoping my professional track record offsets the academic record.
\* Extracurriculars: Board member experience (Mensa/Non-profits).
Goals:
\* Target Programs: INSEAD GEMBA (Flex, May 2027 intake) or LBS EMBA (Blended, Jan 2028 intake).
\* Why MBA: Pivot from finance into Strategy Consulting (MBB) or PE (whom I advise daily).
Questions:
1. How much will a lower GPA hurt me at INSEAD/LBS if my professional trajectory is strong?
2. Does not having formal direct reports (but managing high-stakes client portfolios) hurt my candidacy for these senior-level programs?
3. Is an EMBA actually "consulting-pivot friendly" for someone already at an Associate Director-level in finance?
Appreciate any insights or past experiences from similar paths, thank you!
I’ve been in the cybersecurity space for about 5 years starting at a global Fortune 100 insurance firm before moving to my current org in the critical infrastructure sector. Currently a senior in incident response, I started as an intern. While the role is technical, my focus is on the strategic orchestration of response. Think stakeholder engagement, legal/PR/C-suite coordination, regulatory reporting, compliance, risk.
Outside of work I’m on the board of a non profit(not cybersecurity based), serving as the director of strategy and program development. I also volunteer to do pro-bono cyber consulting for NGOs, focusing more on the governance, planning, and strategic posture but also on other aspects of cybersecurity.
My academic path was non trad: BS cybersecurity from competency based program (pass/fail) then MS cybersecurity from NYU (3.6) working full time through both. Have a number of cyber related certifications, technical and non technical. Became more interested in an MBA last year.
Post-MBA, I’d like to transition into digital strategy consulting(MBB) and eventually move into private equity portfolio operations (focusing on tech strategy and value creation rather than the investment side). Given my professional and academic background which programs should I look into? Selected a few but don’t want to get ahead of myself. I’m in test prep right now for the GRE, targeting 325+.
Domestic ORM Male
BA Econ (T10 Public) - 3.46 GPA
MS Info Systems (T10 Public) - 3.50 GPA
Passed CFA L1 (L2 in progress)
4 years in Financial Reporting at a large asset manager (A2A promotion)
1 year in Investor Relations at LMM PE firm (potential promo to Senior Associate by application time)
Working on joining a reputable nonprofit ASAP to start gaining volunteer experience + potentially gain a leadership position
Post-MBA goal: Investment Banking (preferably NYC but open to anywhere on east coast + Chicago + Texas)
MBA LiveWire
They called, I missed it. I called back AdCom interviewer confirmed I was accepted
Received admission update early this morning indicating to check portal for decision letter. Still waiting on potential scholarship info
Interviewed in January. Received the call around 2 pm ET from the person who interviewed me.
Got an email that the decision was ready, says a more complete admissions package will be sent to me soon. Interviewed on 2/23