Executive MBA | Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. All Merage MBA students receive identical MBA degrees, and the same internationally renowned faculty teach in all our MBA programs.

The EMBA is an MBA program for professionals, managers, entrepreneurs and executives with at least 8 years of business experience and 5 years managing people, projects, data, teams or budgets. Students in this program have an average of 16 years of progressive work experience. Students are encouraged to bring their professional experiences and challenges to enhance the classroom learning experience across disciplines and industries.

No, you are not required to have an undergraduate degree in business. The Merage School recruits and admits individuals from a broad range of academic and professional backgrounds.

The total tuition for the Fall 2022 EMBA class (7 quarters) is $153,440. Tuition is $21,920/quarter. Scholarships are only offered during the admissions process when merit can be measured by the admissions staff. Fees include registration, textbooks, course materials and software, parking, lodging during all residentials, meals during class weekends and membership to the UCI Athletic Center. Fees are paid on a quarterly basis, prior to the start of each quarter. 

Yes. Financial aid is not based on need. A number of financial aid opportunities are available, including government and private loans. See Financial Aid for more information. Additionally, the Merage School offers a number of partial merit-based scholarships for qualified candidates.

Yes. We encourage you to contact us for a one-on-one meeting, class visit, and/or an MBA Preview Day to learn more about the EMBA program. Please email emba@uci.edu or schedule a consultation.

Classes meet four weekends per academic quarter on Friday afternoon from 3:30 – 8:30 p.m. (includes dinner) and Saturday from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (includes breakfast and lunch). Each academic quarter is 10 weeks in duration.

The EMBA program is 21 months and starts in September every year. Graduation is in June of the second year of the program.

Merage School EMBA students spend 15 - 20 hours per week outside the classroom on individual assignments and group projects.

EMBA cohorts typically have between 50-60 students.

In addition to having a 4-year Bachelor's degree from an accredited university, it is important to demonstrate competence in analytical skills in your application. This may be identified through undergraduate math courses or your Executive Assessment score.

Students must have a Bachelor’s Degree (a GPA of 3.0 or better is preferred) and a minimum of eight years of work experience with 5 years of management experience. Executive Assessment results may be requested based on your academic record. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) results may be required if the language of instruction at your undergraduate university was not in English.

The application fee is $150.  We waive the application fee for veterans, current members of the U.S. military and UCI Alumni. Please contact kdalton@uci.edu for the application fee waiver prior to submitting your application.

The Admissions committee takes into consideration the candidate's professional background, including progression in your career, academic preparedness, accomplishments and interpersonal skills.

Paper documents should be mailed to:

UCI Paul Merage School of Business
Executive MBA Program Office
4293 Pereira Drive, Suite 4200
Irvine, CA 92697-3125

No, the GMAT/GRE is not required for admission, but we will accept it as a supplemental aspect of your application. The Executive Assessment may be requested depending on your academic record. If you have already taken the GMAT or GRE, we will accept your score in place of the Executive Assessment. 

Please use the online application.

Two professional letters of recommendation are required for every applicant. Current or former supervisors are the most suited to provide clear evidence of your managerial experience or potential for advancement. Recommendations may be obtained from professionals, such as colleagues, clients or business partners. 

Submission of letters of recommendations is required using the form in our online system.