Deferred Enrollment Program for Future MBA Students
For students still in an undergraduate degree program, our Deferred Enrollment program allows you to apply in the final year of your undergraduate studies and if accepted, matriculate to the Full-Time MBA in 2-5 years.
Applications are open and the deadline to apply is May 1, 2027 (11:59 p.m. CT). Please follow the application requirements for the Full-Time MBA program.
The Rice MBA Deferred Enrollment Program is designed for undergraduates who aspire to pursue careers in business, government or nonprofit sectors. Students are encouraged to apply during their final year of college and defer their start date by two to five years, giving them the flexibility to gain professional experience beforehand. Eligible applicants must maintain employment during this period to retain their spots.
International students and all majors are welcome to apply.
Key Benefits of the Deferred Enrollment Program
Guaranteed place in a top-ranked MBA program
Personalized career advising from our Career Development Office
Invitations to exclusive networking events
Automatic consideration for scholarships
Opportunity to explore diverse career paths and build professional skills before starting the MBA
By deferring your enrollment in our MBA program, you're not just securing a future degree, you're investing in your own growth and gaining experience that will make your MBA journey even more impactful.
For more details, check out our Full-Time MBA program.
Application Process
Applying to the deferred enrollment program is straightforward – select the Deferred Enrollment option when you submit your Rice MBA application.
To be considered, students must provide:
GMAT or GRE test score (no waivers)
Most recent transcript
Resume
Two Letters of Recommendations:
One can be from an academic source
One must be from a work or extracurricular supervisor
I knew I wanted to pivot from consulting to investment banking. With the help of the Finance Association and the Career Development Office at Rice Business, I was able to find mentors and guidance for the recruiting process.
Jahnavi Gudi
Rice MBA
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to frequently asked questions below about our Deferred Enrollment program below, including information on the application and more.
We look for seniors with clearly defined career goals. Well-rounded students who place equal importance on intelligence, curiosity, common sense, extracurricular activities, internships and volunteer work.
The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a computer adaptive test intended to assess certain analytical, writing, quantitative, verbal and reading skills in written English for use in admission to a graduate management program, such as an MBA program.
The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) is a standardized test that is an admissions requirement for many graduate schools in the U.S. and Canada. Much like the SAT and ACT, the GRE is a broad assessment of critical thinking, analytical writing, verbal reasoning and quantitative reasoning skills.
There is no preference for which test you take.
There is a $200 application fee. This fee is waived for Rice students or if you attend one of our events.
Deposits:
Once accepted, there is a $1,000 non-refundable deposit. Once enrolled, there is an additional $1,500 deposit that must be paid in January of your year of enrollment. Both deposits will be applied towards the tuition.
Tuition:
You pay the Full-Time MBA tuition starting the year you enroll. The current academic year Full-Time MBA tuition is $69,000 (per year).
Financial aid and scholarships are available. At the time of admission to our Deferred Enrollment program, we evaluate you for a baseline scholarship. When you decide to start our Full-Time MBA program in 2-5 years, based on your experience and achievements, you will be re-evaluated for an additional scholarship award. Through the generous support of our donors, Rice Business is often able to provide merit-based scholarships to over 75% of our Full-Time MBA cohort with the average award covering over 50% of tuition costs. An MBA from Rice Business is an investment that will pay dividends throughout your career. See Rice Business Professor James Weston explain why.
You may choose to enroll in the Full-Time MBA program as early as two years after graduation or up to five years after graduation. Admitted students will need to maintain full-time employment until they enter the Rice MBA program. Our recruiting and admissions team will connect with you to learn about your employment and discuss when you would like to enroll.
