University College Dublin MBA Scholarships 2025-2026

Great news for aspiring business leaders! Applications are now open for the University College Dublin (UCD) MBA Regional Excellence Scholarships at the Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School. This article outlines the scholarship benefits, eligibility, and application process.

The UCD MBA Scholarships 2025-2026 are partially funded awards covering up to 50% of tuition fees, with exceptional cases receiving up to 100% coverage. These regional, merit-based scholarships aim to promote cultural diversity in the MBA program by selecting outstanding candidates who will act as ambassadors for UCD Smurfit during and after their studies.

Funded by the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, the scholarships are granted to high-achieving applicants who demonstrate leadership potential, professional excellence, and a commitment to contributing to the school’s global community.

Scholarship Summary

Level of Study: Master’s (MBA)
Institution: University College Dublin
Host Country: Ireland
Program Duration: 1–2 years
Application Deadline: April 30

Courses Offered:

Business Administration (MBA)
Accounting
Business Studies
Finance

Scholarship Coverage

MBA Regional Excellence Scholarship provides the recipient with the following benefits:

The issued scholarship will be deducted from the student’s University fee account.
Value: Up to 50% tuition fees

Eligibility Criteria for MBA Regional Excellence Scholarship

To be eligible for MBA Regional Excellence Scholarships, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Required Languages: English
Eligible Countries: All World Countries

Scholarship Requirements:

Open to all successful international MBA applicants, achieving a minimum GMAT score of 600 or above. Please note that the GMAT deadline for Indian and other region applicants is 30th June 2021.
Dual passport holders may apply (i.e. US/ Irish passport)
In order to be eligible to be considered for these scholarships, applicants must have ‘Offer’, or ‘Accept’ status associated with their GMAT application.
Only complete applications received before the scholarship deadline will be considered.

MBA Course Entry Requirements:

A university degree.
A minimum of three years’ quality professional experience (excluding summer placements, part-time or temporary work experience).
A valid score on the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), Full-Time MBA: preferred minimum score of 600. The average GMAT for our current MBA class is 646. Executive MBA: GMAT score of 520 or above required.
GMAC Executive Assessment (EA): EA score of 149 and above required. More information on the EA available here.(Please note the EA is accepted for EMBA applicants only. The current average EA score for EMBA class is 151/200).
For both the MBA full-time and EMBA, apart from meeting the minimum overall GMAT/EA score, candidates must also do reasonably well in the quantitative component of this test. Alternatively to the above, candidates for both the full-time and EMBA can submit a valid GRE Test Score. Indicative equivalencies are available through GRE.
All applicants are required to demonstrate a high level of competence in English language. An average IELTS score of 7.0 over all components and a minimum of 6.5 in each band on the Academic Version. OR A minimum score of 100 is required in the Internet based TOEFL (iTB) with minimum score 24 in Writing, and minimum score 20 in Reading, Listening and Speaking components.

For more information from here.

How to Apply for MBA Regional Excellence Scholarship?

Please Follow the below instructions to avail this scholarship:

(1) Candidates are required to Apply Online via the UCD applications system.

(2) Candidates are required to complete three or in some cases, four essay questions online:

Beyond what is outlined in your Curriculum Vitae, what will be your unique contribution to your MBA class? (Max. 300 words).
What in your opinion is UCD Smurfit Schools’ responsibility to you as an MBA student and what is your responsibility to the School? (Max. 300 words). DO NOT exceed the word count available.
What are your career expectations in the 3 years post MBA? (Max. 300 words). DO NOT exceed the word count available.
Upon reflection have your career goals, opinion of UCD Smurfit and aspirations to pursue an MBA, changed since your last application? (Max. 300 words). To be completed by re-applicants only.

(3) The following supporting documentation should be uploaded to your online application account:

Curriculum Vitae.
GMAT official score report or confirmation of scheduled GMAT test date.
IELTS/TOEFL official test report or confirmation of IELTS/TOEFL scheduled test date (if applicable).
Copies of official final transcripts of degrees and /or professional qualifications (degree certificates are not normally required but may be requested).
Two completed MBA Recommendation Forms from current or former employers or clients, if you are self-employed. For authenticity these must be signed by hand and scanned prior to submission. Your referee may choose to email the completed recommendation form to mba@ucd.ie.
Complete a short video appraisal section via the Kira platform through the UCD application portal (applicable to Full-time MBA only).

Note: There is no separate application process for these scholarships. All successful applicants for the MBA or the Executive MBA are automatically considered. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Scholarships may be awarded prior to the closing date to exceptional candidates. Early application is recommended.