Darden MBA Interview: Format, Questions & Tips
Darden MBA interview format: anonymous, up to 45 minutes, open slots in Early Action and by invitation in other rounds.
Interview format
Interviews are required before admission and last up to 45 minutes. Interviews are anonymous: the interviewer has not read your application or resume. Admissions Committee members or Second Year students conduct them, and both carry equal weight. Early Action applicants can book open interviews from August through the end of September, first come, first served; in all other rounds interviews are by invitation after the application is reviewed. Interviews take place on Grounds, by Zoom, or in select cases off Grounds.
Open interviews (Early Action)
Early Action applicants can interview from August through the end of September on a first come, first served basis; slots are not guaranteed. Darden asks applicants to schedule only if they intend to submit a complete application by the Early Action deadline. After the open window closes, Early Action moves to invitation-only interviews.
Invitation-only interviews
In Rounds 1, 2 and 3, interview invitations are sent on a rolling basis after the application is reviewed, up to and including the decision release date for each round. Darden states that the timing of an invitation has no significance.
After the interview
Decision release dates for 2026-27: Early Action 28 October 2026, Round 1 9 December 2026, Round 2 17 March 2027, Round 3 on 2 April, 5 May and 28 May 2027. Admitted candidates pay one or two non-refundable deposits depending on round. The program starts in August 2027.