How to Get into UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School? An Admission Guide

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is one of the oldest public universities in the United States. Its Kenan-Flagler business school is internationally accredited and one of the top global business schools in the US. The University of North Carolina MBA is well known for implementing STAR- a legendary leadership program that aims to produce future scientific community leaders.

Students here swear by the Carolina Way: “Play hard, play smart, play together.” Even a short interaction with the current class will show that UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA students are willing to take on the hard problems in different industries and are willing to find unconventional solutions to them.

This spirit of innovation and a reputation for collaboration draw companies to the UNC Kenan-Flagler campus to recruit its MBA grads.

UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School Ranking

UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA ranking has been pretty impressive, as seen from the rankings given by major publications. It must be noted that apart from the overall ranking provided below, UNC MBA programs separately feature among the best courses in the USA.

UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA Acceptance Rate

The University of North Carolina MBA doesn’t reveal its acceptance rate. However, according to Poets&Quants, The UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA acceptance rate for the class of 2023 was 44%. Notably, the class size shrank from 344 to 296 as many opted for deferred admission due to the pandemic.

UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA Class Profile

The class profile is an excellent tool to self-assess your application. It gives you a fair understanding of what an average profile of an admitted student looks like and how good your chances of getting admitted are. Following is the latest UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA class profile.

UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA Program Types

UNC Kenan-Flagler offers the following MBA programs to its applicants.

Full-Time MBA

The full-time MBA program at Kenan-Flagler Business School is a balanced combination of a rigorous yet flexible curriculum with extensive opportunities to apply knowledge to practice before leaving the school. Students can acquire the necessary leadership experience that will help them achieve success in the dynamic global business environment.

Weekend Executive MBA

The weekend executive MBA program is well suited for those who want to pursue their MBA while balancing an already busy personal and work life. The UNC MBA program offers one of the widest electives and concentrations among top B-Schools, allowing students to customize their coursework to suit their career objectives. The distraction-free weekend residency classes with regular career coaching help students develop individualized leadership skills. You can focus on mastering particular skill sets to help you grow from your current position in your organization or set up a new entrepreneurial venture.

Apart from the two programs, the B-school offers evening and online MBA. However, we’ll focus on the full-time MBA program in this post as it is the most sought-after course among international applicants.

UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA fees

Before delving deeper into the admission process, knowing how much a UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA would cost is crucial. Since the UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA fees can vary depending on the MBA program types, we’ll only focus on the fees of the full-time MBA program, the most popular program among international students.

Following are the approximate fees of the full-time MBA program.

Disclaimer: The amounts are retrieved from the B-school’s official website. However, applicants are advised to keep checking the website for updates regarding current costs and fees.

The tuition cost usually rises by 3-10 % every academic year, owing to inflation.

UNC Kenan-Flagler Scholarships

Investing in a quality MBA education can reap rich rewards throughout your career. Unfortunately, however, many people find an MBA’s cost quite higher, especially considering high inflation and volatile currency conversion rates. UNC Kenan-Flagler understands this dilemma and is committed to helping deserving students fund their MBA education.

The full-time UNC MBA program offers merit-based fellowships and private scholarships to about 50% of its students. Many of these Kenan-Flagler Scholarships fully cover the program’s tuition and fees. The B-school usually awards such fellowships to students with the following characteristics and records.

• Strong leadership potential
• Good interpersonal skills
• Diverse experience
• Outstanding academic record and professional achievements

Students don’t have to apply separately for the UNC Kenan-Flagler Scholarships. In fact, all applicants to the full-time MBA program are automatically considered for fellowship during the admission process. The candidates selected for fellowship awards are notified of the same at the time of admission. Fellowships are usually awarded for the entire duration of the course. No new fellowship is given in the second year of the UNC MBA program.

Some important fellowships are as follows.

Premier Fellowships

These are the most prestigious fellowships awarded to full-time MBA students. Such fellowships cover the full annual tuition and fees and also provide a specific amount as a stipend to the selected student.

Full Tuition Fellowships

UNC Kenan-Flagler awards these fellowships to students with outstanding work experience, academic distinctions, and other significant personal qualities. These fellowships cover full tuition and fees and are open to international students.

Partial Tuition Fellowships

These are similar to full tuition fellowships but partially cover the tuition and fees, bringing down your overall cost.

External Scholarships for International Students

Apart from the fellowships, international students can also apply for external scholarships. For instance, the Fulbright program funded by the US government is active in 140 countries, including India.

UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA Eligibility Criteria

Any person with an undergraduate degree in any stream from a recognized university is eligible for admission. Additionally, having 3-5 years of work experience demonstrating your leadership quality is desirable, but UNC Kenan-Flagler encourages all competitive applicants to apply.

UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA Deadlines

UNC Kenan-Flagler conducts four rounds during its application process. UNC MBA deadlines from Round 1 to Round 4 for 2022-23 are as follows.

Disclaimer:- The admission deadlines are taken from the B-school’s official website. However, you’re advised to keep checking the official website for any potential changes or updates regarding the dates. Round 3 is the final deadline for international applicants. However, international applicants are advised to apply within Round 1, and 2 as your chances of securing admission and even scholarships are comparatively higher.

Kenan-Flagler MBA Requirements

The Kenan-Flagler MBA admission process is holistic and is designed to admit bright, motivated students who aspire to make an impact in the business world. While a strong resume and presenting an impactful profile before the admission committee is a prerequisite, you should apply as early as possible to maximize your chances of getting accepted.

You need to set up an account to complete an online application in the university’s admission portal. This is the first step to applying. Once the account is set, you can complete your application by logging into this account.

The following are the essential components of the application process.

1. Application

This is the section where you fill up personal details like your contact details, citizenship, areas of interest, etc. This shouldn’t take you more than a few minutes to complete.

2. Essays

This is one of the most important sections in the entire admission process. You’ll need to submit two mandatory essays, each within 500 words. The topics of UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA essays are designed to let you highlight your motivations, aspirations, and how you intend to use your UNC MBA degree and its learnings to advance your career.

Additionally, UNC Kenan-Flagler encourages applicants to respond to an optional 200-word essay to tell more about themselves. Use this essay to highlight information or those parts of your achievements or personalities that you may not have otherwise been able to include in your application.

For instance, if you have inconsistent academic performance or gaps in work experience, you can explain the reasons in this optional essay. You can also talk about your passion or some fun facts regarding your personality.

3. Letter of Recommendation

A crucial UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA eligibility condition is to submit a professional letter of recommendation. Your recommender can be your immediate supervisor or someone who is well aware of your professional achievements. If you’re applying without work experience, the school will accept an academic or professional recommendation for part-time work experience (if any).

Once you designate your recommender in your application, the school will send the person an email with a recommendation form and relevant instructions.

You can also provide an additional endorsement letter from a faculty member, current MBA student, or UNC alumni, but this is optional.

4. Resume

Your resume should contain your professional and academic achievement history in a condensed form. Try limiting it to one page or, at most, two pages. Mention the important dates and titles in reverse chronological order (latest date first).

5. Transcripts

Your academic transcripts must include all the information related to the course you took at the undergraduate level, along with marks and grades. Apart from the institute that conferred you a degree, also include the institute where you took one or more courses. Details of extension programs or additional academic sessions that you were part of.

6. Test Scores

You need to submit GMAT scores. While waivers are allowed in certain cases, it is recommended to secure a good GMAT score. A good GMAT score can help make a positive impression on the admission committee.

Additionally, international applicants from non-English speaking countries need to undergo an English language proficiency test. A TOEFL/IELTS score is considered valid for this purpose. However, international applicants who did their undergrads in the US are not required to submit TOEFL/IELTS scores.

7. Interview

Once you are shortlisted, the admission committee will invite the candidate for an interview which can be virtual or in-person as the applicant desires. The UNC Kenan-Flagler interview questions are designed to know the applicant better. The interviews usually have a conversational tone and last for half an hour in most cases.

Interview Tips:

• Appear before the interview in business attire. 
• Stay relaxed during the interview. 
• It is an excellent opportunity to showcase the side of your personality that may have remained covered till now. 
• You should come across as an amicable and ambitious personality. You can also learn more about the B-school’s programs, culture, and student experience.

8. Application Fee

The applicant has to pay a non-refundable application fee of $150.

An MBA is a career-oriented education program, and earning an MBA from Kenan-Flagler Business School helps you understand different business perspectives and problem-solving methods through full-time coursework and placement. The Career & Leadership Coaches at Kenan-Flagler work relentlessly to make UNC MBA grads the top choice for recruiters. The b-school has a history of providing employment to over 90 percent of its students within three months of completing their MBA.

Whether starting a journey up the corporate ladder or switching industries, MBA from UNC Kena-Flagler benefits students with an unmatched educational experience. UNC MBAs leave their alma mater with the confidence to face anything that comes in their way of success with grit and passion.

FAQs related to UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School MBA

1. Is it hard to get into a UNC MBA program?

The University of North Carolina MBA full-time program is one of the most sought-after courses in the US. So, you should be ready to compete with some of the brightest minds globally. However, a combination of a good GMAT score and a well-balanced resume with impactful essays should see you through.

2. Does UNC Kenan-Flagler require GMAT for MBA?

If you have less than five years of professional experience, then it is required to take an exam to demonstrate your analytical skills. However, applicants with high-level academic achievement and a strong quantitative/analytical skill set may be considered for a GMAT waiver. The UNC MBA average GMAT score is around 690-700, but there is no minimum requirement as such.

3. Which of the UNC MBA programs is STEM-designated?

Every Kenan-Flagler MBA program is STEM-designated. Therefore, you can shortlist this B-school if you value STEM-designated programs.

4. How long is the MBA program at UNC Kenan-Flagler?

Different programs have different lengths. UNC’s online MBA program can be completed in as little as 18 months or as many as 36 months. Meanwhile, UNC’s full-time MBA program can be completed in 21 months.