2020-2021 MBA Application Deadlines

This coming MBA admissions cycle is expected to be one of the biggest ever and one of the most competitive. Applications to business schools generally go up when the economy goes down so that’s one reason. But the deep recession caused by the pandemic along with pent up demand from young professionals who found plenty of opportunity in the past from a growing economy will likely cause a big spike for 2020-2021.

Admission consultants are already reporting that they are seeing big increases in both interest and bookings by candidates who intend to apply in the round one application deadlines in September at the most elite business schools. The increase comes at a time when only a handful of prominent schools–Harvard Business School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, and Columbia Business School–have even announced their new application deadlines and have yet to open their new application forms. Many business schools that extended their current admission rounds due to the pandemic also have seen what they describe as a “surge” in late applicants.

In fact, some of the flexibility given applicants during the height of the pandemic will be extended into the new year. The University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business added a fourth round with a June 1 deadline after receiving what it called a “strong response” to this year’s extension of round 3. Ross also decided to accept LSAT and MCAT score reports in lieu of the GMAT or GRE for the 2020-2021 admissions cycle. At the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, admission officials will also accept other test scores, including the Executive Assessment, and will even consider waiving standardized tests if an applicants brings “strong alternate indicators of academic, personal or professional accomplishment” to the game. Candidates are being invited to submit a prior SAT or ACT score as part of their waiver request. In fact, Darden has made admissions test-optional this year, along with MIT Sloan and at least six other prominent business schools.

2020-2021 COULD BECOME THE MOST COMPETITIVE ADMISSIONS SEASON EVER

The case for the most competitive admissions year ever is due to a confluence of unusual events. Besides the historical trend on how recessions benefit business schools, there’s the fact that after five years of an overall decline in apps and three years for the top schools, there is pent-up demand for graduate business education. The depth of the recession, as measured by the more than 40 million people who are now unemployed in the U.S., is another factor. Many young professionals are being laid off at such companies as Airbnb, Uber, and Google as they sharply curtail operations or suspend them altogether.

“Some applicants I have spoken to see the MBA as a safe harbor and imagine that graduating business school three years from now will mean entering a much stronger job market than the one they will be leaving in the fall of 2021,” says Tyler Cormney, a co-founder of MBA Prep School,

The pandemic will also push into the new admissions season an unusually larger number of admitted students who decided to defer their enrollment due to travel restrictions, difficulty in gaining student visas, and the likelihood that at least some of their coursework will be online when campuses open in the fall. And the prospect of a Trump defeat will likely lead to increased interest in U.S. schools from international applicants who have been turned off by all of the anti-immigration rhetoric and uncertainly of work visas.

PREDICTING THAT ‘QUALITY AND QUANTITY ARE ABOUT TO BE RE-DEFINED’

“About two weeks into the coronavirus pandemic, when the paralysis and shock started to fade,  the volumes of inquiries for round one MBA deadlines sharply increased,” says Esther Magna, a principal at Stacy Blackman Consulting, one of the largest MBA Admissions consulting firms. “By every measure since then– including numbers of inquiries, visitors on our website, clients who have signed-on for services–we see that interest in the MBA has increased for us by at least 50% relative to last year at this time. There are weeks when I think demand has doubled.”

The increase, she adds, will lead to one of the most competitive admissions seasons ever. “Our prediction is that MBA demand will increase significantly for the top MBA programs,” says Magna. “More than that, the caliber of the applicant pool with respect to diversity, leadership, industry, and career visions will skyrocket in the application season that is upon us.  Both quality and quantity are about to be re-defined.”

So how should an MBA applicant play the 2020-2021 market? Apply early. Some candidates will have been distracted by the interruptions in their lives from the pandemic. Getting your application in early could be more essential this year than ever.

APPLY AS EARLY AS YOU CAN BUT NOT UNTIL YOU HAVE DONE THE BEST JOB POSSIBLE

No matter what you do, there’s some helpful general advice: If you can, apply in the first round when none of the seats in the class are filled. At most schools, early applicants have an advantage over those that complete their applications in later rounds. Typically, the second application round is the largest, and many schools, including Wharton, advise candidates that round three is the most competitive mostly because the vast majority of the class seats are already filled. There are some other reasons why you want to get your app in early:

  • The ability to receive a scholarship award from the school’s Financial Aid Office prior to the date by which you must respond to your offer of admission.
  • Ample time to complete recommended quantitative and/or language coursework prior to arrival on campus.
  • Access to on-campus housing lottery systems at some schools.
  • Sufficient time to complete the visa application process for international candidates.
  • Attendance at a school’s Admit Weekends. Sometimes, round three candidates lose out on this opportunity.

All that said, the best time to apply is when you believe you’ve done the best job possible with your application. If you have to rush and cut corners to make round one, don’t. Hold off until another round. At all the highly selective business schools, admissions officials are looking for reasons to cut you from the pool. After all, the odds are substantially against you and as many as 80% of the candidates in any school’s applicant pool are usually fully qualified to attend. So you want to make sure you are putting your best foot forward when you do apply.

We’ll update this list continuously as more schools provide info on their new deadlines. If a school has released its essays for the 2020-202` admissions season, you can access them by clicking on the “Yes” in the table below.

Earliest 2020-2021 MBA Application Deadlines

School Deadline Interview Notification Decision Essay Release
HEC Paris Aug. 14, 2020 (R7-Jan. 2021 Intake) Early Sept. Sept. 18, 2020 Yes
Virginia (Darden) Sept. 2, 2020 (Early Action) Open Interview NA Yes
Cambridge (Judge) Sept. 7, 2020 (R1) Oct. 18 & 19 Rolling Yes
Harvard Sept. 8, 2020 (R1) Oct. 1, 2020* Dec. 10, 2020 Yes
Cornell (Johnson) Sept. 8, 2020 (Early Action-1 Year MBA) Oct. 13, 2020 Nov. 20, 2020 Yes
INSEAD Sept. 11, 2020 (R1- Sept. Intake) Oct. 16, 2020 Nov. 20, 2020 Yes
Michigan (Ross) Sept. 14, 2020 (R1) NA Dec. 2, 2020 Yes
HEC Paris Sept. 14, 2020 (R8-Jan. 2021 Intake) Early Oct.. Oct. 16, 2020 Yes
Stanford GSB Sept. 15, 2020 (R1) Mid-Oct. to Late-Nov. Dec. 10, 2020 Yes
Wharton Sept. 15, 2020 (R1) Oct. 28, 2020 Dec. 16, 2020 Yes
NYU Stern (Tech & Fashion MBAs) Sept. 15, 2020 (R1) Rolling Dec. 1, 2020 (Initial Notification) Yes
Yale SOM Sept. 15, 2020 (R1) Rolling Dec. 8, 2020 Yes
Notre Dame (Mendoza) Sept. 15, 2020 (Early Decision) Rolling Oct. 30, 2020 Yes
Northwestern (Kellogg) Sept. 16, 2020 (R1) Rolling Dec. 9, 2020 Yes
Duke (Fuqua) Sept. 23, 2020 (Early Action) Oct. 8, 2020 Oct. 27, 2020 Yes
Emory (Goizueta) Sept. 23, 2020 (R1) Rolling Dec. 10, 2020 Yes
Chicago (Booth) Sept. 24, 2020 (R1) Rolling Dec. 3, 2020 Yes
UC-Berkeley (Haas) Sept. 24, 2020 (R1) Rolling Dec. 17, 2020 Yes
Dartmouth (Tuck) Sept. 28, 2020 (R1) Mid-Aug. to Early Dec. Dec. 10, 2020 Yes
MIT (Sloan) Oct. 1, 2020 (R1) Rolling Dec. 16, 2020 Yes
Columbia Oct. 2, 2020 (Early Decision) Rolling Rolling Yes
UCLA (Anderson) Oct. 2, 2020 (R1) Rolling Dec. 18, 2020 Yes
Virginia (Darden) Oct. 5, 2020 (R1) By Invitation NA Yes
Cornell (Johnson) Oct. 8, 2020 (R1-2 & 1 year MBA) Nov. 18, 2020 Dec. 18, 2020 Yes
Cornell (Johnson) Oct. 8, 2020 (R1-Cornell Tech MBA) Rolling Rolling Yes
Vanderbilt (Owen) Oct. 12, 2020 (R1) Rolling Dec. 18, 2020 Yes
Texas-Austin (McCombs) Oct. 13, 2020 (R1) Rolling Dec. 17, 2020 Yes
Notre Dame (Mendoza) Oct. 13, 2020 (R1) Rolling Dec. 4, 2020 Yes
HEC Paris Oct. 14, 2020 (R9-Jan. 2021 Intake) Early Nov. Nov. 20, 2020 Yes
NYU (Stern) Oct. 15, 2020 (R1) Rolling Jan. 1, 2021 (Initial Notification) Yes
Indiana (Kelley) Oct. 15, 2020 (R1) Rolling Dec. 20, 2020 Yes
Rice (Jones) Oct. 16, 2020 (R1) Rolling TBD Yes
Cambridge (Judge) Oct. 19, 2020 (R2) Nov. 29 & 30 Rolling Yes
Duke (Fuqua) Oct. 20, 2020 (R1) Nov. 10, 2020 Dec. 18, 2020 Yes
NYU (Stern) Nov. 15, 2020 (R2) Rolling Feb. 1, 2021 (Initial Notification) Yes
NYU Stern (Tech & Fashion MBAs) Nov. 15, 2020 (R2) Rolling Feb. 1, 2021 (Initial Notification) Yes
HEC Paris Nov. 16, 2020 (R10-Jan. 2021 Intake) Early Dec. Dec. 18, 2020 Yes
Columbia April 9, 2021 (Regular Decision) Rolling Rolling Yes

An asterisk indicates an estimate based on last year’s dates because the school has not formally announced a date for when it will notify applicants of interview invites.

Round Two 2020-2021 MBA Application Deadlines

School Deadline Interview Notification Decision Essay Release
Michigan (Ross) Jan. 4, 2021 (R2) NA March 7, 2021 Yes
Virginia (Darden) Jan. 4, 2021 (R2) By Invitation NA Yes
Dartmouth (Tuck) Jan. 4, 2021 (R2) Early Dec. to Mid-March March 18, 2021 Yes
Harvard Jan. 5, 2021 (R2) Feb. 4, 2021* March 30, 2021 Yes
Wharton Jan. 5, 2021 (R2) Feb. 11, 2021 March 25, 2021 Yes
Cornell (Johnson) Jan. 5, 2021 (R2-2 & 1 year MBA) March 19, 2021 April 9, 2021 Yes
Cornell (Johnson) Jan. 5, 2021 (R2-Cornell Tech MBA) Rolling Rolling Yes
Texas-Austin (McCombs) Jan. 5, 2021 (R2) Rolling March 25, 2021 Yes
Rice (Jones) Jan. 5, 2021 (R2) Rolling TBD Yes
Indiana (Kelley) Jan. 5, 2021 (R2) Rolling March 15, 2021 Yes
Stanford GSB Jan. 6, 2021 (R2) Early-February to Mid-March April 1, 2021 Yes
Northwestern (Kellogg) Jan. 6, 2021 (R2) Rolling March 24, 2021 Yes
Yale SOM Jan. 7, 2021 (R2) Rolling March 26, 2021 Yes
Duke (Fuqua) Jan. 7, 2021 (R2) Feb. 2, 2021 March 20, 2021 Yes
UCLA (Anderson) Jan. 8, 2021 (R2) Rolling March 26, 2021 Yes
Vanderbilt (Owen) Jan. 11, 2021 (R2) Rolling March 26, 2021 Yes
Cambridge (Judge) Jan. 11, 2021 (R3) Feb. 21-22, Feb. 28-March 1 Rolling Yes
Chicago (Booth) Jan. 12, 2021 (R2) Rolling March 18, 2021 Yes
Notre Dame (Mendoza) Jan. 12, 2021 (R2) Rolling March 12, 2021 Yes
Emory (Goizueta) Jan. 13, 2021 (R2) Rolling March 25, 2021 Yes
UC-Berkeley (Haas) Jan. 14, 2021 (R2) Rolling March 25, 2021 Yes
NYU (Stern) Jan. 15, 2021 (R3) Rolling April 1, 2021 (Initial Notification) Yes
NYU Stern (Tech & Fashion MBAs) Jan. 15, 2020 (R3) Rolling April 1, 2021 (Initial Notification) Yes
MIT (Sloan) Jan. 19, 2021 (R2) Rolling April 2, 2021 Yes
NYU Stern (Tech & Fashion MBA) Feb. 15, 2020 (R4) Rolling April 1, 2021 (Initial Notification) Yes
Columbia April 9, 2021 (Regular Decision) Rolling Rolling Yes
INSEAD May 20, 2021 (R2- Sept. Intake) June 26, 2021 July 24, 2021 Yes

An asterisk indicates an estimate based on last year’s dates because the school has not formally announced a date for when it will notify applicants of interview invites.

R3 & Later 2020-2021 MBA Application Deadlines

School Deadline Interview Notification Decision Essay Release
Notre Dame (Mendoza) Feb. 23, 2021 (R3) Rolling April 16, 2021 Yes
Indiana (Kelley) March 1, 2021 (R3) Rolling April 30, 2021 Yes
Cornell (Johnson) March 5, 2021 (R3-Cornell Tech MBA) Rolling Rolling Yes
Cambridge (Judge) March 8, 2021 (R4) April 18-19, 2021 Rolling Yes
Cornell (Johnson) March 8, 2021 (R3-1 year MBA) Rolling Rolling Yes
NYU (Stern) March 15, 2021 (R4) Rolling June 1, 2021 (Initial Notification) Yes
Emory (Goizueta) March 17, 2021 (R3) Rolling April 29, 2021 Yes
Duke (Fuqua) March 25, 2021 (R3) April 8, 2021 April 30, 2021 Yes
Dartmouth (Tuck) March 29, 2021 (R2) Mid-March to Late April May 6, 2021 Yes
Michigan (Ross) March 29, 2021 (R3) NA May 5, 2021 Yes
Vanderbilt (Owen) March 29, 2021 (R3) Rolling May 7, 2021 Yes
Texas-Austin (McCombs) March 30, 2021 (R3) Rolling May 6, 2021 Yes
Wharton March 31, 2021 (R3) April 15, 2021 May 11, 2021 Yes
Chicago (Booth) April 1, 2021 (R3 & Booth Scholars) Rolling May 20, 2021 Yes
Rice (Jones) April 1, 2021 (R3) U.S. applicants April 15 Rolling TBD Yes
Cornell (Johnson) April 4, 2021 (R3-April) May 12, 2021 June 1, 2021 Yes
UC-Berkeley (Haas) April 5, 2021 (R3) Rolling May 13, 2021 Yes
Stanford GSB April 6, 2021 (R3) Mid-April to Early-May May 20, 2021 Yes
Notre Dame (Mendoza) April 6, 2021 (R4) Rolling Rolling Yes
Northwestern (Kellogg) April 7, 2021 (R3) Rolling May 12, 2021 Yes
Virginia (Darden) April 7, 2021 (R3) By Invitation NA Yes
Columbia April 9, 2021 (Regular Decision) Rolling Rolling Yes
MIT (Sloan) April 12, 2021 (R3) Rolling May 20, 2021 Yes
Indiana (Kelley) April 15, 2021 (R4) Rolling May 31, 2021 Yes
UCLA (Anderson) April 16, 2021 (R3) Rolling May 21, 2021 Yes
Yale SOM April 13, 2021 (R3) Rolling May 18, 2021 Yes
Cambridge (Judge) April 26, 2021 (R5) June 6-7, 2021 Rolling Yes
Texas-Austin (McCombs) May 11, 2021 (R4) (U.S. & Canada applicants only) Rolling June 17, 2021 Yes
Vanderbilt (Owen) May 15, 2021 (R4) Rolling Rolling Yes
Michigan (Ross) June 1, 2021 (R4) NA June 25, 2021 Yes
Dartmouth (Tuck) June 1, 2021 (R4) Late April to Late June Rolling Yes
INSEAD July 1, 2021 (R3- Sept. Intake) July 31, 2021 Sept. 4, 2021 Yes
INSEAD Aug. 5, 2021 (R4- Sept. Intake) Aug. 28, 2021 Sept. 25, 2021 Yes

An asterisk indicates an estimate based on last year’s dates because the school has not formally announced a date for when it will notify applicants of interview invites.