UC Irvine Merage

Irvine, CA · Public · 2-year full-time MBA

Average GMAT Focus: 609
Average GPA: 3.00
Class size: 46 (Class of 2026)
Median base salary: $128,000 (Class of 2025)
Program tuition: $140,962 (≈ 2 × first-year fees, nonresident)

Deadlines

Round 1: Oct. 15, 2026
Round 2: Jan. 15, 2027
Round 3: March 1, 2027
Round 4: May 1, 2027
Round 5: June 30, 2027

Essays

Video essay (60 seconds)

Please introduce yourself to the admission committee, talking about your experience as it relates to your short-term goals.

Essay 2: a core value (500 words)

Reflect on a core value that defines you. Share a specific example of how it has guided your decisions and actions and explain how it will shape your contributions and growth as an MBA student.

Optional essay: context (300 words)

At the Paul Merage School of Business, we are ambitious. We are intellectually hungry. We have a calling to deliver educational excellence valuing diversity, collaboration, inclusivity, and respect. In an effort to better understand the context of your achievements, is there any other information about your background, family or experience that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee?

Editor's notes

Treat Round 1 or Round 2 as the real deadlines. Merage reviews on a rolling basis, says the class fills through the cycle, and says early applicants generally do better for scholarships. International applicants have a hard stop on May 1, with March 1 recommended.
Test-optional here comes with a cost you should price in. Skip the test and you owe an extra readiness essay, you lose eligibility for the Full Ride Scholarship, and the school itself says scores help with merit aid and some consulting and finance employers. If your quant background is thin, take the test.
This is a small program. The Class of 2026 enrolled 46 students and the Class of 2025 had 35 graduates, with most jobs landing in the West. Your goals should make sense in Southern California's industries, and your video essay and interview should show you'll be a visible member of a cohort that size.
Don't write off the references. They're names at first, but the committee may ask for letters, and below a 3.0 GPA it will. The FAQ asks for people who can speak to your reasons for an MBA. Your work record alone won't cover that.