Admissions

The Smith School admits applicants for the spring and fall semesters in a competitive application and evaluation process. Our admissions team is here to help you understand requirements and prerequisites, get to know you and your goals, and advise you on what you need to put together a strong application. While many commonly asked questions about program admissions are answered here, we also encourage you to engage with our office via events, one-on-one appointments, and visits.

Engage With Us

At A Glance

#10
Flex MBA Program
U.S. News & World Reports, 2024
5
Average Years' Work Experience
3.1
Average GPA

Application Deadlines

Candidates can expect an admissions decision within 4 weeks after submitting a complete application. This timeframe assumes the applicant promptly replies to requests from the university during the review process, if applicable. Interviews are also conducted by admissions team members. If invited to interview, candidates should schedule within a few days of receiving their invitation.

Spring

  • September 1
  • October 1 – Priority deadline for scholarship consideration
  • November 1
  • December 1

Fall

  • November 1
  • December 1
  • January 1
  • February 1
  • March 1 – Priority deadline for scholarship consideration
  • April 1
  • May 1
  • June 1
  • July 1

Apply Now

Admitted students will need to submit a $750 deposit 4 weeks after their decision is released in order to confirm their seat in the program. Candidates admitted within 3 months of the program start date will have a shorter deposit deadline timeframe. Log in to your application portal to view your admission letter for the exact deposit deadline. You will also be able to confirm your decision and submit your deposit in the portal.

Application Portal

Admission Requirements

Here you will find all of the information you need for a successfully completed application. Competitive candidates demonstrate strong quantitative skills and have at least 3 years of full-time work experience post-undergraduate study.

Start or Access Your Application

The online application requires scanned official transcript(s) for each college or university attended.

If the official transcript where you received your degree does not state the degree was conferred, please also upload an official diploma or official copy of your degree received.

If your transcript is not in English, please also submit an official transcript translated into English.

If you are formally admitted to the University of Maryland, you will be required to submit official transcript(s) to the Graduate School. 

Do not send third-party service transcript evaluations at any stage of the application process. The Graduate School evaluates international transcripts and degrees internally and will not accept third-party service evaluations.

Our Flex MBA program is built for working professionals. A solid background of several years of work experience can strengthen an applicant's profile and allow them to better engage in classroom discussions and collaborative work. An application is not complete unless it contains the applicant's resume. Although we do not have a required format, we suggest using a resume akin to one you would use to apply for a job. Typical resumes we see are one page, although a second page may be used if your professional history is robust.

The Flex MBA program requires an applicant to share one recommender's name and email address. We prefer professional recommendations from someone who has managed you in the past, typically a current or previous supervisor. If these options are not available, we are open to recommenders who can attest to your professional skills, such as a person who managed you through a volunteer or civic organization or a client.

When you identify a recommender, we will send them an email with a list of questions. They can simply answer these questions through the provided online form. They will also have the option to upload a document should they choose to answer these questions in a separate document, or should they prefer to upload a traditional recommendation letter.

A non-refundable application fee of $75 is required. Please pay by credit card as you submit your application online. 

We offer application fee waivers to active members or veterans of the United States military as special thanks for their service.

Proof of English language proficiency (TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE official test scores) is required for non-native English speakers. Those who have received an undergraduate or graduate degree from one of the countries listed here are waived from this requirement.

For TOEFL scores, contact www.toefl.org to request an official copy of your TOEFL test score to be sent to the University of Maryland at College Park. The TOEFL institutional code is 5814.

For IELTS, the University of Maryland downloads scores that have been transmitted to our e-download account. IELTS test takers should contact their IELTS test center directly to request electronic test scores be sent to the University of Maryland — The Graduate School IELTS e-download account.

For PTE, test takers can send their score reports to the University of Maryland through their Pearson account.

Minimum Required Scores

 

TOEFL
Minimum Required Score

IELTS
Minimum Required Score

PTE
Minimum Required Score

Overall

96

7

68

Speaking

22

6.5

 

Listening

24

7

 

Reading

26

7

 

Writing

24

7

68

Candidates for the Flex MBA program are not required to submit their GMAT or GRE scores. 

Please note that if you are applying for a dual degree, the GMAT/GRE may be required by the program you are combining with your MBA. Smith requires a GMAT if you are pursuing a dual MBA with an MS degree in Business Analytics, Information Systems, Finance, or Marketing Analytics.

For those who do not submit a GMAT or GRE score, the admissions committee will still thoroughly review the candidate's academic record, work experience, industry certifications, essays, and recommendation letters.

Should you want to submit the GMAT or GRE, please submit the official score. For more information on the GMAT, please visit www.mba.com. For more information on the GRE, please visit www.ets.org/gre.

When requesting a score report be sent to the University of Maryland, please use the following institutional codes:

GMAT


Part-time MBA code: SQT-N8-26


GRE

Institution code: 5814

The admissions committee looks for essays that clearly and concisely answer the assigned question. It is preferred that applicants keep their submission to approximately 300 words, or two pages double-spaced. Be clear about your career goals and why you want to earn your MBA.

Financial Aid

Did you know 88 percent of the Smith School’s Flex MBA students receive financial awards? Review some of your options to mitigate the expense below. You may also be eligible for tuition benefits through your employer, or other avenues outside of Smith. We encourage you to research all of your options.

Applicants who gain admission to the Smith Flex MBA program demonstrate personal drive, passion and a desire to make a positive impact in their workplace and community. In addition, the Smith School awards scholarships based on scholastic merit, GMAT/GRE scores and work experience. Merit-based awards range from $2,500 to $25,000 for the first year.

There is no separate application for merit-based awards, though applicants should submit their complete application by the priority deadline to be considered.

Forté Fellowships offer opportunities and other support to MBA applicants of any gender identity who demonstrate exemplary leadership and a commitment to Forté's mission of launching women into fulfilling, significant careers through access to business education, professional development, and a community of successful women.

A one-time $10,000 Double Terp Scholarship is available exclusively to current seniors and undergraduate alumni of the University of Maryland, College Park, who are newly admitted into the Flex MBA program at Maryland Smith.

Qualified federal employees and their spouses, admitted to the program after Jan. 30, 2017, may be eligible for Smith’s FedGrant, which reduces graduate program tuition by 30 percent, as part of Smith’s alliance with the Federal Government. Learn more about FedGrant requirements.

Students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents may apply for Federal Student Loans through the Office of Student Financial Aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA application is available online; UMD-College Park's FAFSA code is 002103.

After the FAFSA is received by the Office of Student Financial Aid, additional information specific to the individual student may be requested. (For example, a student who has worked full-time and is terminating employment will receive a form requesting additional information about the current year's expected income). When all application materials are received Federal loans are certified, and the student is notified. This notification process typically begins mid to late June. An application for aid has no bearing on the application for admittance to the program.

For your convenience, you may make payments by mail, in-person, online or over the phone. Payments can be made with Visa, MasterCard, and Discover credit cards. Personal checks are also accepted. All checks and money orders must be in U.S. dollars drawn on a U.S. bank.

University of Maryland Payment Plans

The best way to avoid lump-sum payments and cover the gap between financial aid and the cost of education without resorting to additional borrowing from alternative sources is to enroll in a University of Maryland Payment Plan.

By enrolling in this plan, you can spread your payments over either eight or ten months. The annual enrollment fee is $50 for the ten-month plan or $80 for the eight-month plan. You can include most university charges: tuition, fees, and parking permits. You can also arrange to have your monthly payments debited directly from your checking or savings account.

Tuition

Students in the Flex MBA program in Baltimore, Md., Rockville, Md., and Washington, D.C., will take eight credit hours during the first semester. To help with financial planning, below are the estimated tuition and fees for the 2023-24 school year.

  • 54 credit program
  • $1,733 per credit in the 2023-24 academic year
  • Average 8 credits per semester
  • $150 average fee per semester 

Tuition and fees are subject to approval by the University System of Maryland Board of Regents.

Flex MBA students are charged on a per-credit basis. Students enrolled in study trips, study abroad and external agreements (consortium, inter-institutional, etc.) will pay applicable fees. Three semesters per year. Credits may vary per semester.

Tuition: Based on $1,733 per credit

Fees: Includes $150 Flex MBA Association fee

In-State Classification

Students enrolled in the Flex MBA program pay the equivalent of the in-state tuition rate for all classes taken at the Baltimore, Md., Rockville, Md. or Washington, D.C. campuses. Study trips, study abroad and external agreements (consortium, inter-institutional, etc.) classes are charged tuition based on the student’s residency classification. Applicants are granted in-state status if they have been domiciled in Maryland for at least 12 months prior to the last day of registration for the forthcoming semester, and have been financially independent for the previous 12 months. For a complete list of residency requirements, please contact the Residency Reclassification Services.

Flex MBA Team

Our Flex MBA team is here to help! Contact us with any questions you have about the Smith Flex MBA program.

Anais Escobar
Associate Director
aescobar@umd.edu

Sydney Wade
Recruiting Manager
swade12@umd.edu

Visiting Smith

Map of RockvilleThe Universities of Shady Grove, Rockville, MD
9630 Gudelsky Dr. Rockville, MD 20850

Take I-270 to Exit 8, Shady Grove West. Go 1.5 miles, take a right on Route 28/Darnestown Road. At the next light, take a left onto Traville Gateway Drive. Parking is available in the Traville Gateway parking garage on your immediate left.

Map of BaltimoreUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore
UMD BioPark 801 West Baltimore St. Suite 100 Baltimore, MD 21201

Classes in the Flex MBA program are held in the UM BioPark, Building Two, 801 W. Baltimore Street. From I-95, take Rt. 395, Exit 53 (downtown Baltimore). Exit onto Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Stay on MLK, Jr. Blvd. (to the right when the road splits). At the fourth traffic light, turn left onto W. Baltimore Street. From I-83, at the end of the expressway turn west (right) onto Fayette St. Proceed one mile and turn left onto MLK Jr. Blvd. At the first traffic light turn right onto W. Baltimore Street. To enter the BioPark garage from W. Baltimore Street, turn right onto N. Poppleton Street and the garage entrance is on your right.

Map of DCWashington, D.C.
Ronald Reagan Building 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20004

Flex MBA classes are held in the Ronald Reagan Federal Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. The Ronald Reagan Building is conveniently located above the Federal Triangle Metro stop. The main entrance to the campus is on your left as you enter the building from the Metro. The entrance to the parking garage is on 14th Street, N.W., between Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., and Constitution Avenue, N.W.

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