Below are answers to some of our most commonly asked questions:
General Questions
Test Scores and Quantitative Readiness
General Questions
Standardized Tests
Core classes:
Electives:
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.
All the programs offer the same Berkeley Haas MBA degree and provide access to all of the resources available at Berkeley Haas.
The differences are in the program structure and typical professional experience of the students, although there is some overlap. For an overview of the three programs, visit our program comparison page.
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.
We admit students in all three of our rounds, so please apply in the round in which you can submit your strongest application. However, those applying in earlier rounds are more likely to receive their schedule preference and have a better chance of receiving a scholarship award.
No. The admission will be made independently of your cohort preference. However, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to accommodate your cohort preference when we extend your admission offer. Therefore, if you have a strong preference or need for a specific cohort, we recommend applying in earlier rounds to increase your chances of getting your first choice.
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.
As the GRE and EA use different measurements, we don’t provide specific ranges. Successful candidates have typically had scores in the 70th percentile or higher in the quantitative and verbal sections.
As the Executive Assessment (EA) is a newer test option, we are not able to provide statistics on scores.
The admissions committee takes into consideration your highest overall test score. Our application allows you to report multiple test scores.
Please keep in mind, you may only take the Executive Assessment (EA) up to two times.
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.
If you do not feel comfortable with your standardized test quantitative score and have little evidence of quantitative proficiency in either your academic or professional background, we highly recommend taking the Haas Quantitative Readiness Course (QRC), which is free of charge and offered online. You can register for the QRC from your application portal. Your can also find more details in our QRC FAQ here. While the QRC is preferred, other options to consider include:
Please note that we do not consider online courses such as MBAMath and Harvard CORe as comparable options since these courses are not graded in the same manner.
What if I have taken quantitative courses but earned grades below a 3.0?
We highly recommend taking the Haas Quantitative Readiness Course (QRC), which is free of charge and offered online.
You can register for the QRC from your application portal. Your can also find more details in our QRC FAQ here. While the QRC is preferred, other options to consider include:
Please note that we do not consider online courses such as MBAMath and Harvard CORe as comparable options since these courses are not graded in the same manner.
Round 1
Application submitted by: November 4, 2024
Decision posted on: January 7, 2025
Round 2
Application submitted by: January 8, 2025
Decision posted on: March 7, 2025
Round 3
Application submitted by: March 5, 2025
Decision posted on: May 2, 2025
We encourage all interested students to review the application toolkit and start their application.
You begin by creating a Portal account through our secure online application system. Your Portal will be your guide through the admissions process. You will complete the application, upload all required documents, monitor the status of your application, and receive your application decision through your Portal. Be sure to remember the email address you use to create your account, you will need to use this address for all communications regarding your application.
Applying to the program also requires writing essays, submitting transcripts, taking the GMAT, GRE, or EA, procuring one letter of recommendation, and completing a video interview.
Applicants who received their degrees from countries in which the official language is not English must also submit official evidence of English language proficiency.
You may enter, update, and save information in your application any time until you’ve submitted your application. After that time, you will not be able to make changes to your application, but be sure to monitor your Portal for updates on the status of any missing materials for your application.
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.
Learn more about the video interview process and review our Frequently Asked Questions.
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.
Fee waivers are available for:
You will apply for a fee waiver within the application. Requests for a fee waiver must be received at least three (3) business days prior to the application deadline for which you are applying.
Deferrals are very uncommon for the Evening & Weekend MBA Program. In extreme circumstances, they may be granted on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the Director of Admissions.
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. 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.
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. While optional, they are recommended.
Applicants with a bachelors degree from a U.S. college or university in Business, Economics, or a STEM field with a GPA of 3.4 or greater, are not required to submit Standardized Test Scores. While optional, they are recommended.
Applicants who are UC Berkeley alumni are not required to submit test scores, however they are highly recommended for those with limited quantitative coursework. Find more details in our Test Waiver FAQ here.
Applicants who meet the criteria below have the option to apply to the Evening & Weekend MBA Program without submitting the GMAT, GRE, or EA test scores. However, they are highly recommended for those with limited quantitative coursework.
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. While optional, they are recommended.
PhD
MD
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
DDS or DMD
DVM
PharmD
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, are not required to submit Standardized Test Scores. While optional, they are recommended. To see if your major qualifies as a STEM degree, please complete the STEM major worksheet here.
Applicants who are UC Berkeley alumni are not required to submit test scores. Find more details in our Test Waiver FAQ here.
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:
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 dates are limited, so we recommend scheduling your testing date as soon as possible.
The Evening & Weekend MBA Program uses a per-unit pricing system. For the 2024-25 academic year each unit is $3,819. There are 42 units required for the degree for an estimated total cost of $160,398. The fee includes the WE Launch and WE Innovate retreats.
* Fees typically increase each academic year.
What types of funding options are available to Evening & Weekend MBA students?
Students in the Berkeley Haas Evening & Weekend MBA (EWMBA) Program take advantage of multiple opportunities for funding their degree including scholarships, loans, veterans benefits, and employer support.
The EWMBA Program offers several limited scholarships to entering students in the form of both need and merit based awards. Please visit our Scholarships page for more information. If you have additional questions, you may contact them directly.
The Haas Financial Aid Office exists to help students efficiently secure the best federal, institutional, and outside funding to achieve their degrees. Visit their dedicated EWMBA Website to explore additional scholarships, loans, Veteran’s benefits and other funding options.
Finally, some employers offer support for getting your MBA. For more information and tips for requesting employer assistance, visit our Employer Assistance webpage.
Berkeley Haas awards scholarships to both domestic and international students.
US financial institutions almost exclusively require a credit-worthy US citizen or Permanent Resident co-signer for international student applicants.
We have partnered with a lender to provide a no-cosigner option by assuming some of the risk on your behalf. For more information see the International Student Loans section of the Financial Aid website.
Scholarships
Prospective Evening & Weekend MBA students should apply for scholarships in the same round they apply for admission. Please note that funding is limited. If scholarship funding is a major factor in your decision-making process, we recommend that students apply in earlier rounds to ensure they are considered for all available scholarship opportunities.
Federal Loans
To apply for Federal Loans, file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You can complete the FAFSA any time after October 1st for the upcoming academic year in which you will begin your MBA studies.
We encourage admitted students to apply for Federal Loans by the end of July. This allows time to complete any supplemental steps in time for the fall semester.
Private Loans
For private loans, you may begin the process as early as May with the lender. We encourage you to complete the private loan application process by the end of July to ensure funds are processed in time for the fall semester.
When filling out the FAFSA, use UC Berkeley Federal Code 001312.
When requesting certification for private loans, use Haas' branch code: 001312-75.
Notice of Availability
In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, the University of California, Berkeley publishes an Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. This report includes current campus security policies plus crime and fire statistics for the previous three calendar years. It also contains contact information for various campus and community resources related to crime prevention, reporting resources, and survivor assistance.
You may use the link below to access a digital copy of the current report. Paper copies of the current report are available free of charge and may be requested by emailing clery@berkeley.edu.