Frequently Asked Questions

The program begins in late July and is designed to be a three-year, six-semester (fall and spring) program. Students can accelerate the program by one semester by taking a heavier load of courses and/or by taking a summer course, and complete the program in two and a half years. Once enrolled, students occasionally find they need more time, or even a little less, and can partner with the program office on designing a schedule that meets their needs.

When you submit your application you indicate your preference for on-campus Evening, on-campus Weekend, or online Flex. We are generally able to place students in their preferred cohort at their time of application. However, although we reserve spaces in each cohort for all application rounds, some programs are oversubscribed. If you have a strong preference or need a specific cohort option we recommend that you apply in the earlier rounds. Cohort change requests are accommodated on a space available basis and are not guaranteed.

You are encouraged to stay in your assigned cohort for the first three semesters for the required core courses. If you have an emergency reason to switch cohorts during core courses, you can contact your assigned Academic Advisor to submit a request. One time cohort change requests are accommodated on a space available basis and are not guaranteed. Regardless of cohort assignment, all students can freely mix and match elective courses offered in-person and online to accommodate schedule needs.

The curriculum is anchored by 13 required core courses, completed in the first three semesters and making up slightly more than half of a typical student’s course of study. Electives make up the remainder of the program, allowing students to customize their studies early in the second year.

Students can expect to spend 2 hours per week outside the classroom on reading, homework, and team projects for every hour spent in class. For the first two semesters of core, that equates to about 16 hours a week of work outside the classroom.

For students in our Evening and Weekend cohorts, classes are held on the Berkeley Haas campus. For the Flex cohort, students attend their core courses synchronously online twice a week for their first three semesters and can expect to have a similar amount of required asynchronous online content to prepare during the week. All students are welcome to select on campus electives or online electives for the second half of the program.

For the entering class of 2024, we enrolled 350 students.

In addition to reviewing our website, we recommend that you join us for an event—be it online or in person. The best way to get a feel for our on-campus experience, curriculum, and culture is to visit, sit in on a class, and attend an information session.

Since the Evening & Weekend Berkeley MBA Program is a part-time program, we are unable to assist with or issue an F-1 student visa. Typically, our students work with their employers to assist with their visas, the most common of which are L1 and H1B.

There is no minimum GMAT, GRE, or EA score requirement — admitted students have a range of scores. For the Evening  & Weekend Program, the mid-80% range of GMAT scores was between 610 - 750 for students who started in Fall 2024. If you are not happy with your GMAT/GRE/EA test results, we encourage you to take the exam again in an effort to improve your results.

The GMAT/GRE/EA is an important component of your application, but it is one of many. Every aspect of the application is used in making an admissions decision, and the final decision is based on a holistic review. If you are concerned about your quantitative score, especially if you did not have significant quantitative classes in your undergraduate career, we recommend demonstrating your quantitative proficiency by following some of the suggestions in the next FAQ.

All applicants are required to take the GMAT, GRE, or EA exam. In certain circumstances, applicants may qualify for a test waiver.

We will accept official scores for GMAT, GRE, or EA exams taken as early as October 2019 for 2025 applicants. These scores must also be verifiable with the testing agency. The testing agencies keep the scores for five years from the date the test was taken so you must submit your official scores to us directly from the testing agency prior to them expiring.

The GMAT, GRE, or EA may be taken up to two weeks after the posted application deadline for the round in which you are applying. If you are unable to take the GMAT/GRE/EA during this time, please contact our office, as we process special requests for additional time on a case-by-case basis.

If you are planning to take the exam after you have submitted your application (either for the first time or as a retake), please make sure you enter your future test date in your application and email our office your unofficial score report as soon as possible after the exam.

All applications without an unofficial test score will be considered incomplete. We cannot guarantee a decision by the posted notification deadline for incomplete applications.

NOTE: It is the applicant's responsibility to notify us at ewmbaadm@haas.berkeley.edu with new test scores and/or future exam dates for consideration.

For GMAT/GRE tips, download our free ebook Avoiding the GMAT Blues. 

You may qualify for a test waiver if you meet one of the following conditions. 

1. Applicants with a bachelor's degree from a U.S. college or university in Business, Economics, or a STEM field with a GPA of 3.4 or greater (on 4.0 scale), are not required to submit standardized test scores. To see if your major qualifies as a STEM degree, please complete the STEM major worksheet here.
2. Applicants with a PhD with evidence of strong quantitative skills or an advanced medical degree, as listed below, are not required to submit standardized test scores.
   • PhD
   • MD
   • Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
   • DDS or DMD
   • DVM
   • PharmD
3. Applicants who are alumni of UC Berkeley are not required to submit standardized test scores, however they are highly recommended for those with limited quantitative coursework. If you choose to not submit a test, you will be required to submit an essay that provides evidence of your quantitative readiness. 

You may qualify for a test waiver if you meet one of the following conditions. 

1. Applicants with a bachelor's degree from a U.S. college or university in Business, Economics, or a STEM field with a GPA of 3.4 or greater (on 4.0 scale), are not required to submit standardized test scores. To see if your major qualifies as a STEM degree, please complete the STEM major worksheet here.
2. Applicants with a PhD with evidence of strong quantitative skills or an advanced medical degree, as listed below, are not required to submit standardized test scores.
   • PhD
   • MD
   • Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
   • DDS or DMD
   • DVM
   • PharmD
3. Applicants who are alumni of UC Berkeley are not required to submit standardized test scores, however they are highly recommended for those with limited quantitative coursework. If you choose to not submit a test, you will be required to submit an essay that provides evidence of your quantitative readiness. 

Yes, the interview is a required component of the application. Applicants will complete two short video questions in lieu of in-person interviews.

Our video interview provides the opportunity to ensure each candidate receives a very similar interview experience, which aids us in reducing unconscious bias in our admissions process. We are using the video interview to get to know you better outside of a written essay template.

All information regarding your application is available through your application portal, which is created when you start an application. Be sure to use the same email address any time you communicate with us regarding your application. Admissions decisions will be released by 5:00 PM PT on the notification deadline for each round. You will receive an email instructing you to check your portal when the decisions are released.

If you have submitted an application to a Berkeley MBA program within the last two years, you are considered a reapplicant. Please refer to our Reapplicants page for detailed instructions on the reapplication process.

All applicants are required to take the GMAT, GRE, or EA exam. In certain circumstances, applicants may qualify for a test waiver.

We will accept official scores for GMAT, GRE, or EA exams taken as early as October 2019 for 2025 applicants. These scores must also be verifiable with the testing agency. The testing agencies keep the scores for five years from the date the test was taken so you must submit your official scores to us directly from the testing agency prior to them expiring.

The GMAT, GRE, or EA may be taken up to two weeks after the posted application deadline for the round in which you are applying. If you are unable to take the GMAT/GRE/EA during this time, please contact our office, as we process special requests for additional time on a case-by-case basis.

If you are planning to take the exam after you have submitted your application (either for the first time or as a retake), please make sure you enter your future test date in your application and email our office your unofficial score report as soon as possible after the exam.

All applications without an unofficial test score will be considered incomplete. We cannot guarantee a decision by the posted notification deadline for incomplete applications.

NOTE: It is the applicant's responsibility to notify us at ewmbaadm@haas.berkeley.edu with new test scores and/or future exam dates for consideration.

For GMAT/GRE tips, download our free ebook Avoiding the GMAT Blues. 

You may qualify for a test waiver if you meet one of the following conditions. 

1. Applicants with a bachelor's degree from a U.S. college or university in Business, Economics, or a STEM field with a GPA of 3.4 or greater (on 4.0 scale), are not required to submit standardized test scores. To see if your major qualifies as a STEM degree, please complete the STEM major worksheet here.
   
   
2. Applicants with a PhD with evidence of strong quantitative skills or an advanced medical degree, as listed below, are not required to submit standardized test scores.
   • PhD
   • MD
   • Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
   • DDS or DMD
   • DVM
   • PharmD
3. Applicants who are alumni of UC Berkeley are not required to submit standardized test scores, however they are highly recommended for those with limited quantitative coursework. If you choose to not submit a test, you will be required to submit an essay that provides evidence of your quantitative readiness. 

You may qualify for a test waiver if you meet one of the following conditions. 

1. Applicants with a bachelor's degree from a U.S. college or university in Business, Economics, or a STEM field with a GPA of 3.4 or greater (on 4.0 scale), are not required to submit standardized test scores. To see if your major qualifies as a STEM degree, please complete the STEM major worksheet here.
   
   
2. Applicants with a PhD with evidence of strong quantitative skills or an advanced medical degree, as listed below, are not required to submit standardized test scores.
   • PhD
   • MD
   • Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
   • DDS or DMD
   • DVM
   • PharmD
     
     
3. Applicants who are alumni of UC Berkeley are not required to submit standardized test scores, however they are highly recommended for those with limited quantitative coursework. If you choose to not submit a test, you will be required to submit an essay that provides evidence of your quantitative readiness.

Per UC Berkeley requirements, all students who received their undergraduate degrees in countries other than the US, regardless of the language of instruction, must take a language proficiency test, with the following exceptions:

• Your undergraduate degree was from the UK, Australia, English-speaking Canada, or Singapore. 
• You have completed at least one year of full-time academic coursework with grades of “B” or better in residence at a recognized US institution at your time of application. You must submit an official transcript from the US institution. 

There are no other waiver options. US residency does NOT waive this requirement. 

There are two standardized tests that you can take to meet this requirement:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT®) 
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

Test dates are limited, so we recommend scheduling your testing date as soon as possible.