A female Professional MBA student smiles at a table while talking to a male Professional MBA student with a laptop.

Professional MBA Admissions

Considering the University of Georgia Professional MBA?

Learn more about admissions requirements, application materials and deadlines, and how to apply to the Professional MBA program.

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The application for Fall 2026 is closed. The application for Fall 2027 will open in October.

Application Deadlines

The Professional MBA Program has four application deadlines for the Fall 2027 cohort. If you are interested in being considered for a program scholarship, we encourage you to apply as early as possible, though preference will be given to those who apply by the Round 3 (April 1) deadline. The Round 4 Priority Deadline is the deadline you must apply by in order to guarantee your application will be reviewed for the fall cohort.

Round 1: December 1, 2026
Round 2: February 1, 2027
Round 3 April 1, 2027
Round 4 (Priority): June 1, 2027
Rolling: June 2, 2027

Application Requirements (GRE/GMAT Not Required)

Professional MBA application requirements include:

Work Experience: Two (2) years of work experience (post bachelor’s degree) by the time classes begin in September. This work experience must be full-time. Part-time experience, internships, or volunteer work do not count toward the work experience requirement. Professional MBA students are expected to be fully employed as they pursue their MBA degree part-time.
Résumé: A current professional résumé outlining responsibilities and career growth.
Recommendations: Two (2) professional recommendations (delivered online). Requests for recommendations are made from and submitted back to your online application.
Personal Statement essay, and an optional essay.
Transcripts: Official or unofficial transcripts from institution(s) where you earned a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Application Fee: $100 nonrefundable fee (paid online at time of application submission) unless waived. Attend a recruitment event to receive an application fee waiver.
International Candidates: Refer to the University of Georgia’s requirements for international students, including English proficiency, academic records, and evaluations.
- Candidates who have been living and working in the United States for (2) consecutive years may be eligible for a TOEFL/IELTS waiver.

Professional MBA Admission FAQs

What is a Professional MBA program?

• An MBA is a Master of Business Administration. A Professional MBA is an MBA program specifically designed for early-to-mid career professionals. The UGA Professional MBA Program is a hybrid MBA program that includes both in-person and online learning.

How do I apply to the Professional MBA program?

• Complete the online application.
• You will then answer several questions, upload the Professional MBA required application materials, and pay the application fee.
• You can save the application and return to it multiple times until you finish it.
• Do not submit the application until it is complete. You cannot change it after submitting.

Can I use AI to help me with the application?

The goal of the application is simple: we want to learn more about you, your background, and your goals. The strongest applications provide authentic insights to help us determine if the Terry MBA is the right fit for you. The materials you submit must reflect your own work, ideas and experiences. Limited use of tools such as AI or other assistance for editing or clarity is acceptable. However, it is a violation of UGA’s Honesty Policy to use AI or other tools to fabricate or misrepresent any part of your application.

Do you require standardized test scores?

We do not require standardized test scores as part of your application. We believe your previous academic achievements and professional accomplishments are the strongest indicators of your ability to be successful in the Professional MBA program. At the discretion of the admissions committee, you may be advised to take the GMAT or GRE to strengthen your application or to better assess your academic readiness for the program. If you plan to take or have already taken the GMAT or GRE, you may voluntarily provide your test information in your application. Submit GMAT scores to school code Z95-H2-83. Submit GRE scores to school code 5813.

Whom should I ask to provide a recommendation?

Recommenders should be direct supervisors or those who have relied on you/your work. Professional work experience should be supported by both recommenders. Recommendations from peers, ministers, family, or friends are not recommended.

How are recommendations submitted?

From within your Professional MBA program application, you will provide the names and contact information of each provider. Following this action, an email will be sent to your recommenders. Your recommenders will then submit their recommendations back to your application. The Professional MBA Program utilizes the Common Letter of Recommendation which streamlines the recommendation process. Recommendations typically take 15-25 minutes to complete.

What should I communicate to my recommenders?

Explain you are asking them to provide a recommendation to support your application to the University of Georgia’s Professional MBA program. They will receive an email from the program with instructions on how to submit the recommendation. Recommendations typically take 15-25 minutes to complete.

How long should my personal statement be?

Your personal statement should be between 500 and 750 words and should address the following questions: How will the Professional MBA support your immediate and long-term professional objectives? Which skill sets do you wish to hone and improve?

Am I required to submit an additional writing sample or essay?

There is an optional video essay component in the application. This is another way for you to showcase your personality in ways that are not seen elsewhere in your application. Details and prompts are available in the application.

Do I need to send UGA my official transcript(s)?

Applicants to the Professional MBA degree program must provide either an unofficial or official transcript from institution(s) where a bachelor’s degree or higher was earned.

• Unofficial transcripts can be uploaded to your application. Admissions reviews and decisions will be possible with unofficial transcript(s).
• Official transcripts are those that are received directly from the institution. Electronic delivery is preferred via secure services such as Scrip-Safe, AVOW, Docufied, and National Clearinghouse and sent directly to pmba@uga.edu.

All transcripts should include degree(s) earned and degree conferred date(s). If you are admitted to the program, you will be required to provide an official transcript(s) before enrolling.

For those who attended a non-U.S. institution, review country-specific academic credentials and material requirements.

Can I transfer credit into the MBA Program?

While we can review the courses you may have completed to determine if there is an opportunity to transfer course credit, any transfer of credit cannot exceed six (6) semester hours and there would be no reduction in the overall flat-fee cost of the program. Once a completed application is submitted, a class credit transfer review can occur. Within the application, you should include an official request of class transfer(s) and specific course information.

The program does not accept transfer credit for core curriculum courses. All students must complete required core courses as defined by the program curriculum.

Students may request transfer credit for up to two (2) elective courses, provided the following conditions are met:

• The courses were completed at a regionally accredited institution.
• The coursework is deemed relevant and equivalent in rigor and content by the appropriate academic department.
• A grade of B or higher was earned in the courses being evaluated.
• The courses were completed within the past five (5) years.
• The courses to be transferred may not have been used to fulfill the requirements of another degree program.

Applicants to the Professional MBA Program who are requesting transfer credit must disclose their request for transfer credit in their MBA application. Transfer credit requests will not be accepted after a student has enrolled in the Professional MBA Program.

Can I enroll in the Professional MBA program as an international student?

The Professional MBA program is designed for full-time working professionals and cannot sponsor student visas for purposes of studying in the U.S. Review your country-specific academic credentials and requirements before applying . A waiver of English proficiency (TOEFL or IELTS) will be granted if you have been living and working in the U.S. for two consecutive years by the time classes begin.

Does the program support candidates who want to pursue their CPA licensure?

We make no warranty, guarantee, or confirmation that the credits earned in the MBA degree will contribute to the educational requirements to apply for a CPA license. Our program provides some graduate level accounting courses; however, CPA Exam eligibility requirements vary by state. Most states require 150 semester credits (including accounting and business coursework). We recommend you review the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy website to check state-specific requirements.

Will there be an interview during the application process?

Once we receive a submitted and completed application, select candidates may be contacted to schedule an admissions interview.

What are the enrollment requirements of the Professional MBA Program?

Provide Proof of Lawful Presence, Proof of Degree(s), Immunization & Release of Health Information.

Pay the Commitment Deposit: $1,000 nonrefundable commitment deposit, paid online. The commitment deposit is applied to fall tuition balance.

Charmaine T. James

charmaine.james@uga.edu (404) 467-5125

Associate Director of Admissions, Executive MBA, Professional MBA, Online MBA

Kamela Jaafar

kamela.jaafar@uga.edu (404) 841-8105

Associate Director of MBA Admissions, Executive MBA, Professional MBA, Online MBA

Rebekah McElwain

rebekahm@uga.edu (404) 842-4849

Director of Admissions, Executive MBA, Professional MBA, Online MBA

Learn More About the UGA Professional MBA

Join us for an information session, sign up for emails about our program, or schedule a phone chat with our admissions staff to answer any questions you have about the admissions process.

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