The University of Virginia (UVA), founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, is the first university in American history established independent of any church.
Since U.S.News began ranking American universities, the University of Virginia has consistently ranked among the best public universities in the nation, standing as a world-class public research university.
Ranked No. 25 in the 2017 National Universities
The University of Virginia is a member of the original eight "Public Ivy" institutions, one of the 25 "New Ivies," and the only university in North America designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It ranks second among all U.S. public universities and has been repeatedly named "America's Best Value College" by authoritative evaluators such as Kiplinger and The Princeton Review. Notable alumni include two U.S. presidents and numerous founders or CEOs of major multinational corporations.
Campus Environment
The University of Virginia is located in central-west Virginia, about 70 miles from the nearest major city, Pittsburgh. The city has a population of around 28,000.
West Virginia experiences four distinct seasons, with temperatures ranging from lows of -20°C to highs of 38°C. Summers average between 21-27°C, making it ideal for outdoor and athletic activities, with football and basketball being the most popular among students.
Schools and Programs
UVA is a university known for its strength in liberal arts.
At the same time, its undergraduate business school, graduate business school, law school, and medical school are all highly ranked. UVA's liberal arts programs include both traditional fields like history, philosophy, and politics, as well as emerging disciplines such as media studies. As part of the college's foundational education, all college students must complete 6 credits of social science, 6 credits of humanities, and one course related to historical studies.
The University of Virginia has 13 schools, offering over 100 majors.
College of Arts & Sciences
School of Architecture
Curry School of Education
McIntire School of Commerce
University of Virginia Darden School of Business
Darden Graduate School of Business Administration
School of Engineering and Applied Science
School of Law
School of Medicine
School of Nursing
Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy
School of Continuing and Professional Studies
College at Wise
Distinctive Features
Honor System
It is well known that American universities have extremely rigorous academic ethics systems, with plagiarism and cheating considered the most serious academic offenses in Western academia. Consequently, each university has some form of honor system to uphold academic integrity. Among hundreds of institutions, the UVA Honor System, established in 1842, is the most famous. Apart from its long history, it is also known for its severe penalties for anyone who dares to challenge it.
At UVA, if a student violates the honor code, once confirmed, unlike at many other schools which may issue warnings before dismissal or simply fail the student, the punishment is immediate expulsion from the university. Even among the strictest academic environments in the United States, this level of severity is rare, but it has become a cornerstone of modern UVA.
After evolving for over 150 years, the UVA Honor System has developed into a comprehensive framework that goes beyond pure academic ethics. Today, academic misconduct (plagiarism, cheating, duplicate submission, etc.), theft, and lying are all considered honor violations, and upon conviction, students are immediately dismissed. The university places great emphasis on honor education, stressing the system’s importance from the very beginning of a student’s enrollment. On every academic assignment, from exams to weekly homework, students are required to write and sign the pledge on the cover page: “On my honor as a student of the University of Virginia, I pledge that I have neither given nor received help on this assignment/examination.”
Such a strict honor system has naturally drawn controversy from the outside world since its inception, but its benefits are evident: the entire campus operates in an atmosphere of high mutual trust. At UVA, faculty often do not proctor exams, and take-home exams are common. Moreover, theft on campus is extremely rare.
Liberal Arts Education
UVA's student body is uniquely sized for an American university. Although it is a public institution, its total enrollment is only about half that of UC Berkeley, UCLA, and the University of Michigan, and roughly equal to Harvard's at just over 20,000.
However, in stark contrast to Harvard, where two-thirds of students are graduate students, at UVA, two-thirds are undergraduates, with graduate students making up less than one-third.
This yields two main benefits. First, undergraduates receive more attention and resources from the university; unlike some research universities where professors focus mainly on research with little time for teaching, UVA places a strong emphasis on undergraduate teaching quality and student-faculty interaction, delivering a superior liberal arts education. This is a philosophy entirely opposite to that of Harvard, yet students still benefit from faculty involvement in advanced research, setting UVA apart from typical liberal arts colleges. Second, compared to schools with smaller undergraduate populations, UVA offers a vibrant student life with a flourishing array of clubs and organizations. Students can find peers who share their interests, whether professional, athletic, or academic, providing ample room for growth outside the classroom.
Darden School of Business
Compared to the nearly 200-year-old University of Virginia, Darden is a young school, having only existed for 50 years. Yet since business school rankings began in the U.S. over a decade ago, Darden has consistently been among the best, once ranking in the top 5.
Though the University of Virginia Darden School of Business was founded only 50 years ago, it has quickly risen to prominence, building a strong brand in the competitive MBA education market. Together with Harvard Business School, Darden is one of only two U.S. business schools that use a pure case method of instruction, earning it the nickname "Little Harvard." It is truly the "cradle of business leaders" in America.
In BusinessWeek's 2000 MBA specialty rankings, Darden earned multiple number-one spots globally: its faculty, teaching facilities, and executive education were all rated best in the world.
Academics at Darden
Studying at Darden is extremely demanding. The first year feels like going through hell, with 14 cases to analyze per week, up to 16 hours of study a day, and 65–80 hours of work per week considered normal. It truly pushes the limits of endurance. This pace and pressure leave students with little time for leisure, forcing them to master time management.
In the past, up to 80% of students would fail to complete the program; now, after reforms that reduced some coursework and eliminated Saturday classes (first-year students have only two classes on Wednesdays, and second-year students have more time for travel), over 98% successfully graduate.
Life at Darden is undoubtedly tough, but the school strives to provide support. For example, upon admission, the school may suggest that you self-study accounting or statistics during the break before starting; on the first day, a second-year student will demonstrate how to conduct case analyses. The first weekend includes a campus-wide barbecue for faculty and students to get acquainted. During the first month, the dean hosts a series of welcome receptions. Additionally, each new student is assigned a faculty mentor and a senior student advisor.
Graduate Degree Programs
Master of Business Administration
Executive MBA
Global Executive MBA
Doctor of Business Administration
Dual Degree Programs
MBA/JD
MBA/MD
MBA/MPP
MBA/MPH
MBA/M.Ed.
MBA/M.Eng.
MBA/M.S.N.
MBA/MA in Government or Foreign Affairs
MBA/MA in East Asian Studies
MBA/PhD
MBA Application Requirements
Average GPA: 3.5
Average TOEFL Score: 106
Average GMAT Score: 712
The program also accepts IELTS/GRE scores; minimum scores are not specified.
General Admission Requirements
Undergraduate
IELTS Requirement: 7.0
Average GPA: 3.9
TOEFL Requirement: 90
Average SAT: 1310-1510
Graduate
IELTS Requirement: 7.0
GPA Requirement: minimum 3.0
TOEFL Requirement: 90
GRE Required: Yes
GMAT required for business-related programs.
