M.B.A from Darla Moore School of Business

University of South Carolina Master of Business Administration at Darla Moore School of Business is a graduate, full-time, on-campus programme in Columbia, South Carolina. The One-Year MBA lasts 10 months and begins annually in July, so this page targets the Summer 2027 intake; an undergraduate degree is required. Summer 2027 tuition is unpublished; 2024-25 tuition was US$29,520 (INR 28.50 Lakhs), as a prior-cycle reference.

The programme builds a business core around analysis, global finance, marketing, economics and corporate strategy before moving into a functional specialisation. It suits Indian applicants with a clear career pivot who can manage an intensive schedule and use electives, projects or certificates to build a focused profile.

• Functional options include Finance, Global Supply Chain and Operations Management, Marketing and Strategic Management.
• Students can add a Business Analytics Certificate or another graduate certificate to their MBA pathway.
• Career support includes coaching, consulting projects and access to graduate or industry certifications.

Also Check: Darla Moore MBA admission requirements

Darla Moore MBA Fees and Living Costs 2027

Summer 2027 tuition is unpublished after checking the programme, fee and application pages; verify the target fee on the official One-Year MBA tuition page.

The university describes the charge as a whole-program fee rather than an annual fee. It shows US$29,520 (INR 28.50 Lakhs) for non-residents in 2024-25, so that figure does not confirm Summer 2027 pricing.

Fee context: The programme page uses 2024-25 for the programme fee and deposit, while the application and technology figures are current planning references rather than confirmed Summer 2027 charges.

All INR conversions in the article use a conversion rate of US$ 1 = INR 96.5537 as of 12 August 2026. Rates fluctuate daily, verify before applying.

Source: University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business tuition and fees page and University Bursar 2026-27 fee schedule.

• The whole-program structure makes the prior-cycle fee easier to compare with a one-year return, but it does not remove living, insurance or travel costs.
• The university lists a 50% summer, 25% fall and 25% spring payment distribution for One-Year MBA students, so the first payment is the largest.
• Do not use the 2024-25 programme fee to calculate a Summer 2027 award, net price or confirmed visa budget.

University of South Carolina’s 2026-27 graduate cost-of-attendance estimate supplies the available nine-month baseline for housing, food, personal costs and transportation. It is a general graduate estimate rather than an MBA-specific bill, and Summer 2027 living costs are not published.

Cost of Living in Columbia for MBA Students

The official estimate covers the fall and spring academic year, so the monthly figures below are calculated by dividing each published amount by nine months.

Monthly equivalent: These monthly figures are planning calculations, not university-published monthly quotes; they exclude the separate programme fee and insurance.

Source: University of South Carolina 2026-27 graduate cost-of-attendance estimate; monthly values are calculated from the nine-month academic-year figures.

The prior-cycle planning illustration is US$29,520 (INR 28.50 Lakhs) plus US$24,794 (INR 23.94 Lakhs), equal to US$54,314 (INR 52.45 Lakhs). This calculated baseline excludes the target-cycle fee, insurance, books, visa costs and travel, so use it only to size funding needs.

Housing, food, personal costs and transportation are separate from the Student visa proof-of-funds figure. Request the university’s Summer 2027 cost estimate before finalising a bank loan or financial affidavit.

Read More: Darla Moore courses and fees

ROI reality: The prior-cycle programme fee and nine-month living baseline total INR 52.45 Lakhs, but the target fee is unpublished. Obtain the written Summer 2027 fee and award terms before making a funding decision.

Darla Moore MBA Admission 2027

Admission is holistic rather than based on one published cut-off, with the committee reviewing academic preparation, test scores, work history, leadership, essays and references.

The best-prepared applicant combines an accredited undergraduate degree with evidence of quantitative readiness and a credible reason for choosing an intensive, specialised MBA.

Academic eligibility for Summer 2027

The One-Year MBA accepts applicants from any undergraduate major, so a business degree is not required for consideration.

GPA means grade point average, while CGPA means cumulative grade point average; the Indian equivalents below are approximate planning ranges.

Academic context: The university requires course-by-course evaluation of non-U.S. records by a NACES member and lists WES ICAP as one accepted delivery route.

The university considers applicants below the typical U.S. GPA range, but the absence of a minimum does not remove the need to explain academic weakness. Since the programme moves quickly from core courses into specialisation work, quantify analytical preparation and professional impact in the application.

The university reports a top-three U.S. News & World Report ranking for its International MBA, a separate 22-month programme, so that ranking is not a ranking of this 10-month MBA.

English language requirements for Indian applicants

International applicants without a U.S. degree must submit a valid English score, with IELTS, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic and DET accepted as listed routes.

IELTS means International English Language Testing System, while TOEFL iBT means Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-based test.

PTE Academic means Pearson Test of English Academic, while DET means Duolingo English Test.

TOEFL scale note: The current MBA page still lists a 95 TOEFL iBT minimum but does not publish a post-21 January 2026 1.0 to 6.0 policy.

Do not self-convert the TOEFL score; confirm the accepted scale with the admissions team before booking a test, especially if your result will use the revised reporting format.

• Start the NACES evaluation before the application round because the university cannot begin review until supporting documents are received.
• Choose GMAT or GRE using your strongest verified result because the programme publishes no score benchmark for a competitive target.
• Use the resume and statement of purpose to show why the selected finance, marketing, strategy or operations path follows from your prior work.

Tip for Indian students: A business degree is optional, but the application still needs proof of quantitative readiness, evaluated academic records and a focused reason for the 10-month format.

Darla Moore MBA Application 2027

Summer 2027 application dates have not been published, although the live MBA schedule lists five rounds followed by rolling admissions for the annual July start.

Use the planning dates below only as Expected guidance because the programme page gives a recurring pattern without confirming the next cycle.

Expected application rounds for Summer 2027

The latest schedule identifies Round III as the preferred international deadline and Round IV as the preferred scholarship deadline.

Source context: The official page gives dates without a cycle year, so the first date column is prior published pattern and the second column is Expected.

Every application must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date. IST means India Standard Time for Indian applicants.

A 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time cutoff converts to 9:29 a.m. IST the next day during daylight time or 10:29 a.m. during standard time, while Eastern Time controls the portal.

Application components and review sequence

The committee starts reviewing an application after all supporting documents arrive, then invites selected candidates to an interview before making a decision.

Interviews may be in person, regional or by video, and decisions typically arrive within two weeks of the interview date.

Verify the Summer 2027 opening and final dates on the live MBA admissions page before submitting, because the displayed cycle can change.

• Build the NACES evaluation and English score into the same timeline as the application because incomplete files are not ready for committee review.
• Use the Expected Round III date for international planning, then keep the visa document timeline separate from the university deadline.
• Use the Expected Round IV date when scholarship consideration matters because the latest schedule marks that round for scholarship review.

Read More: USA application deadlines for international students

Application tip: Because Summer 2027 dates are unconfirmed, complete the evaluated transcript, English score and essays before the next official round appears.

Darla Moore MBA Scholarships 2027

The main funding route is automatic consideration after admission, with awards included in the offer rather than a separate scholarship form.

The university states that One-Year MBA students can receive up to 45% of the programme fee, but the Summer 2027 fee and award cycle are not published.

Funding context: The amounts below are current published programme guidance, not confirmed Summer 2027 awards.

• The Moore School Excellence Award considers leadership potential, test scores, academic background and professional work experience.
• A graduate assistant must maintain GPA 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, approximately 75% to 79% or CGPA 7.5 to 7.9 for Indian planning.
• Work grants provide paid academic or administrative assignments during fall and spring, but the current page does not publish a value.

The programme’s automatic award process means applicants should submit a complete application rather than wait for a separate scholarship portal. Since the latest schedule marks Round IV as preferred for scholarship consideration, the Expected 1 March 2027 date is the relevant planning point once the cycle is confirmed.

Federal student loans listed by the university are for U.S. citizens, so Indian applicants should budget for awards, assistantships, personal funds or external education finance instead.

The target-cycle award deadline and the exact 2027 award value remain unpublished. Keep the 45% ceiling as a maximum statement, not as an expected discount, and ask for the award terms in writing.

Check Out: USA scholarships for international students

Scholarship reality: One-Year MBA support can reach 45% of the programme fee, but it is not guaranteed. Apply with a funding plan that works before any award and treat assistantship income as selective.

Darla Moore MBA Salary 2027

Course-specific One-Year MBA salary data is not published on the current career page, which instead reports a combined full-time MBA aggregate.

That aggregate records 92% employment three months after graduation and average compensation of US$87,927 (INR 84.90 Lakhs), but it is not an isolated One-Year MBA outcome.

Official employment evidence and salary scope

The live page identifies the table as International MBA and One-Year MBA employment information, with a Full-Time MBA Programs aggregate column.

The page does not identify a cohort year, so treat the figures as current school-published evidence rather than a Summer 2027 forecast.

Source: University of South Carolina MBA Career Services employment and salary information page.

Named employers demonstrate reported employer presence, not guaranteed recruitment or sponsorship. Ask the career office for the latest One-Year MBA cohort breakdown before using the aggregate in a repayment model.

ROI decisions for Indian applicants

The prior-cycle planning illustration is US$54,314 (INR 52.45 Lakhs). It combines the prior-cycle programme fee with the university’s nine-month living baseline, while Summer 2027 tuition remains unpublished.

• Fee risk: Obtain a written Summer 2027 fee and award schedule before accepting an offer because the target tuition is unpublished.
• Outcome scope: The 92% rate and US$87,927 (INR 84.90 Lakhs) average apply to the full-time aggregate, so request One-Year MBA data before forecasting earnings.
• Work window: Standard OPT provides up to 12 months, while a 24-month STEM extension depends on the degree’s qualifying code, so verify eligibility with the DSO.
• India-return test: Use the IRS tax withholding estimator when modelling US$87,927 (INR 84.90 Lakhs) after taxes, insurance, relocation and exchange-rate changes.

For a host-country career, the short format reduces time away from work but leaves less room for an internship runway. For an India-return plan, the course is easier to justify when the specialisation maps to a defined role and the funding package limits borrowing.

Read More: USA post-study work options

ROI reality: The available 92% employment and INR 84.90 Lakhs average compensation are full-time MBA aggregates, not One-Year MBA guarantees. Obtain course-level outcomes and target-cycle costs before calculating repayment.

United States Visa for Darla Moore MBA Students 2027

Indian students normally use the F-1 academic student visa after the university issues Form I-20 for this full-time, on-campus MBA.

New student visas may be issued up to 365 days before the course start, but entry is limited to the 30 days before the start date.

F-1 students may work on campus for up to 20 hours weekly during term with approval from a DSO, meaning Designated School Official.

Student visa costs for Indian applicants

The visa application fee and SEVIS charge are separate from tuition and living costs. SEVIS means Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, which records the student’s immigration status.

• Post-completion OPT, or Optional Practical Training, can provide up to 12 months of work directly related to the degree.
• A STEM extension, meaning Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics extension, can add 24 months only when the degree and job meet the qualifying rules.
• H-1B, meaning specialty-occupation work visa, has no single graduate salary threshold because the employer must meet the higher actual or prevailing wage.
• F-2 dependants may include a spouse and unmarried children under 21, but an F-2 spouse cannot work in the United States.

Employment-based permanent residence may use the EB-2 or EB-3 categories, meaning employment-based second or third preference routes. Both require an eligible employer process and have no fixed timeline.

The university’s I-20 proof-of-funds amount is separate from the cost-of-attendance estimate above. Use the exact figure issued for the admitted student rather than substituting the living table.

Check current visa fees, entry timing and document requirements on the U.S. Department of State student visa page.

Check Out: F-1 visa application steps

Visa reality: The standard post-study window is 12 months, while the extra 24 months depends on STEM eligibility that this MBA does not automatically establish. Confirm the degree code and work route with the university’s international office.