DBA Admission Process

Become a Scholar-Practitioner at Texas’ First AACSB-accredited DBA Program

The ideal DBA candidate will possess significant and substantive managerial experience and a master's degree from a recognized, regionally-accredited institution. Applicants should have at least 12 years of management experience, with at least seven years at the senior management or executive level.

Applicants should hold an MBA or other relevant, business-focused master’s degree. Exceptional applicants with a bachelor’s degree, and substantial managerial experience, will also be considered. Applicants must demonstrate strong written and verbal communications skills.

Application Steps

Step 1: Apply

Submit online application with the following:

1. $100 application fee
2. Current resume or C.V.
3. Professional Statement
4. Letters of recommendation from two professionals in academia or industry, with an original signature.
5. Upload your unofficial transcripts for all U.S. colleges/universities attended.
   • If granted admission, official transcripts will be required before you can register for classes. If you are sending your official transcripts electronically, please send them to admiss@udallas.edu. If you are sending a physical copy of your official transcripts, please send them to the address listed below. 
     See notes below for applicants with international transcripts.

   • Applicants with International Transcripts

     1. Request an approved course-by-course international transcript evaluation from one of our Preferred Transcript Evaluation Vendors to be sent directly from the evaluation company. Specific instructions regarding the International Transcript Evaluation process can be found here. 

2026 Cohort Application Deadline: December 31, 2025

**Note for international applicants (visa holders): NOT OPEN TO F-1 VISA HOLDERS. All international students will need to submit a valid English-proficiency score (105+ on the TOEFL IBT exam, 7.0+ on the IELTS Academic exam, or 120+ on the Duolingo English Test) if they have not earned a degree from a regionally-accredited U.S. institution.

Official test scores (school code 6868) and US official transcripts can be sent to: 

admiss@udallas.edu 

or

University of Dallas
Satish & Yasmin Gupta College of Business Admissions Office
1845 E. Northgate Drive, Box # 722
Irving, TX 75062

Step 2: Interview

Students that meet our minimum admissions requirements will be contacted for an interview based on meeting criteria that includes:

• Relevant managerial experience, including senior positions and demonstrated leadership skills
• Capacity for thinking critically and for conducting applied scholarship
• Compatibility of professional goals with the program’s objectives
• Motivation for pursuing a DBA degree and time-commitment balance

Step 3: Preview Day

Students who have met both our admissions requirements and interview selection criteria will advance to the next round in the admissions process. These applicants will be required to attend an on-campus DBA Preview Day and personal interview at the Gupta College of Business in Irving, Texas.

2026 Cohort Preview Day: TBD

Step 4: Selection

Applications selected for admission will be reviewed by a selection committee comprised of Satish & Yasmin Gupta College of Business faculty.

Selected applicants for the 2026 Cohort will be notified by March 1, 2026

Step 5: Deposit

Admitted students who plan to participate in the 2026 DBA Cohort will be required to pay a non-refundable admissions deposit to confirm their attendance. 

2026 Cohort Deposit Due: March 31, 2026