UCD Smurfit

Dublin, Ireland · Public · 1-year full-time MBA (12 months; starts end of August 2027; Blackrock, Dublin)

Program tuition: €44,172 (full program (2026-27))

Essays

Essay 1: why now (300 words)

Undertaking an MBA will accelerate and transform your future career path. Why is this the right time for you to join our MBA?

Essay 2: using the MBA (300 words)

How do you plan on using your MBA to impact your future career?

Essay 3: choose a statement (300 words)

Which of the following statements do you most identify with and why? 1. A UCD Smurfit MBA will give me the status and respect I seek. 2. A UCD Smurfit MBA will enable me to gain international exposure and access to employment abroad. 3. A UCD Smurfit MBA will enable me to advance in my career with minimum disruption to family life. 4. A UCD Smurfit MBA will enable me to reinvent myself. 5. A UCD Smurfit MBA will enable me to achieve a fulfilling career and will ensure financial stability. 6. A UCD Smurfit MBA will improve my leadership skills to have greater impact at work. 7. A UCD MBA will enable me to succeed as an entrepreneur. Why do you most identify with your chosen statement?

Scholarship question (300 words)

Why do you deserve to be considered for an MBA Scholarship?

Editor's notes

Rolling admissions means the calendar is your deadline. There are no rounds, scholarships go out on a rolling basis, and the 2027 scholarship list arrives in October 2026. Have your test and forms ready so you can apply soon after it posts, not in spring.
This is an experienced class. The current profile shows nine years' average work experience and an average age of 32, while the stated minimum is three years (ideally five). If you're near the minimum, your short answers need to show why now, and what you'll add to classmates with far more years behind them.
Pick referees who can answer hard questions. The form asks each referee for your weaknesses, whether your achievements reflect your real ability, and whether you've thought realistically about your goals. Brief them, and get the forms signed by hand as the admissions page asks.
Everyone suitable gets interviewed, possibly by the program director or a careers manager. Expect questions on how the MBA connects to a job you can realistically land, since the school says it tries to align your career aims with what the program can deliver.