Start your study journey in Ireland. Good news! MBA scholarships at University College Dublin are now open. In this article, we'll explain the scholarship in detail, its benefits, and the application steps.

The University College Dublin Regional Excellence Scholarships for the MBA program for 2026-2027 are partially funded scholarships for international students. This program covers a discount of up to 50% of tuition fees .

Cultural diversity is at the heart of the UCD Smurfit community and to further enhance this within the MBA programme, several regional merit-based scholarships will be awarded to exceptional candidates who will be ambassadors for the UCD Smurfit MBA programme and the school during their studies and after graduation.

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The Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business at UCD funds regional merit-based scholarships awarded to outstanding candidates who will serve as ambassadors for the MBA program and the school during their studies and after graduation. These merit-based scholarships typically cover 50% of the program tuition fees. In exceptional circumstances, they can cover up to 100% of the tuition fees.

Scholarship Summary

• Study level:  Master's
• Institution(s): University College Dublin
• Study in: Ireland
• Program duration: 1-2 years.
• Deadline: April 30, 2026

Courses offered:

• Business Administration (MBA)
• accounting
• Business Studies
• finance

Scholarship Coverage

The Regional Excellence Scholarship in Business Administration provides the recipient with the following benefits:

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• The value of the issued scholarship will be deducted from the student's university tuition account.
• Value: Up to 50% of tuition fees

Eligibility Criteria for the Regional Excellence MBA Scholarship

To be eligible for the Regional Excellence in Business Administration Scholarship, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Required languages:  English
• Eligible countries:  All countries of the world

Scholarship Requirements:

• Open to all successful international MBA applicants with a GMAT score of at least 600. Please note that the GMAT deadline for applicants from India and other regions is June 30, 2026.
• Dual passport holders can apply (e.g. US/Irish passport)
• To be eligible to be considered for these scholarships, applicants must have an “Offer” or “Accepted” status associated with their GMAT application.
• Only complete applications submitted before the scholarship deadline will be considered.

Admission requirements for the MBA course:

• University degree.
• - At least three years of good professional experience (excluding summer training, part-time or temporary work).
• Acceptable  GMAT score, Full- time MBA:  A minimum score of 600 is preferred. The average GMAT score for the current MBA class is 646. Executive MBA: A minimum GMAT score of 520 is required  .
• GMAC Executive Assessment (EA): A score of 149  or higher is required. For more information about the Executive Assessment, please visit the following link . (Please note that the Executive Assessment is only accepted for Executive MBA applicants. The current average Executive Assessment score for the Executive MBA is 151/200 .)
• For both the Full-Time MBA and EMBA programs, in addition to meeting the minimum overall score on the GMAT/EA, candidates must also perform well on the quantitative component of the test. Alternatively, candidates for both the Full-Time MBA and EMBA programs may submit a valid GRE score. Indicative equivalencies are available through the GRE .
• All applicants are required to demonstrate a high level of English language proficiency. An average IELTS score of 7.0 in all components, with  a minimum of 6.5 in each component on the Academic version, is required. Or  a TOEFL Internet-based Test (iTB) score of at least 100 is required , with a minimum score of 24  in writing and 20  in reading, listening, and speaking.

For more information, click here.

How to apply for the Regional Excellence Scholarship in Business Administration?

Please follow the instructions below to benefit from this scholarship:

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(1) Candidates must apply online  through the UCD application system.

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

• In addition to what is described in your resume, what is your unique contribution to the MBA class? (Max. 300 words).
• What do you think UCD Smurfit Schools' responsibility is to you as an MBA student, and what is your responsibility to the school? (Maximum 300 words). Please do not exceed the word limit.
• What are your career expectations in the three years after your MBA? (Maximum 300 words). Please do not exceed the word limit.
• On reflection, have your career goals, your opinion of UCD Smurfit, and your ambitions for the MBA changed since your last application? (Max. 300 words). This form is for new applicants only.

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(3) The following supporting documents must be uploaded to your online application account:

• the biography.
• Official GMAT score report or confirmation of your scheduled GMAT test date.
• Official IELTS/TOEFL test report or confirmation of your scheduled IELTS/TOEFL test date (if applicable).
• Copies of official final transcripts of academic degrees and/or professional qualifications (degree certificates are not usually required but may be requested).
• Two completed MBA recommendation forms from current or former employers or clients, if you are self-employed. To ensure their authenticity, they must be hand-signed and scanned before submission. Your referee can email the completed recommendation form to mba@ucd.ie .
• Complete the short video assessment section via the Kira platform through the UCD application portal (applies to full-time MBA programmes only).

Note:  There is no separate application process for these scholarships. All successful applicants to the MBA or Executive MBA program are automatically considered. Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Scholarships may be awarded prior to the application deadline to outstanding candidates. Early application is recommended.

Website

To learn more about the UCD MBA Regional Excellence Scholarships, please visit the official website: