Important Dates
InterviewsOfficial Program Kick-off with Residence Weekend Retreat
Scheduled once application 
is complete
Oct. 17-19, 2025

Admission Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree (obtained from an accredited or recognized university).
  • Have the equivalent of an undergraduate 3.0 GPA (Grade Point Average). Candidates with GPA under 3.0 would be considered if other qualifications meet requirements.
  • Acceptable Tests for VEMBA:

 

Required
Minimum Scores
Required Minimum Scores 
for ELI courses exemption
IELTS Academic5.57
Duolingo English Test95135
TOEFL iBT61100
TOEFL Essentials710.5
Cambridge English Scale (CES)CEFR level B2 (160)CEFR level C1 (185)
  • Minimum five years of post-baccalaureate, full time work experience.
  • Two Letters of Recommendation: The recommendation letters may be written by the applicant's current or past employer or by one of the applicant's previous professors. Email will be sent directly to recommenders while applying online.
  • Application fee of US $100.
  • Essays: Essays questions will be requested to complete when applying onlin essay.
  • Personal interview: After receiving your completed application, we will schedule a personal interview via Zoom.

Admissions Process

Online Application

Apply online at https://shidler.hawaii.edu/vemba/apply
Please contact our Admissions Team at kimchi@hawaii.edu if you have any questions about the application process.

Submit Supporting Documents & Application Fee

Priority admission deadline for Fall 25 is April 15, 2025.
The regular admissions deadline is June 1, 2025.

Official Degree Certificate(s) and Transcripts 
A) Degrees from Vietnamese institutions or other non-English speaking institutions:

  • 1 notarized copy of the native language degree certificate(s) and transcript(s). Please note that transcripts of each year or stage are required.
  • 1 notarized copy of the English translation of the degree certificate(s) and transcript(s).

B) Degrees from English speaking institutions:

  • Official transcript(s) must be sent directly from the issuing institution(s) to the UH Admission Office. Contact Dr. Chi Diep at kimchi@hawaii.edu for more information.
  • English Language Proficiency Exam Score
    Most applicants whose native language is not English are required to take either the TOEFL iBT, TOEFL Essentials, IELTS, Duolingo or Cambridge English Scale (CES). A minimum TOEFL iBT score of 61 (paper/computer/internet), TOEFL Essentials of 7, IELTS of 5.5, Duolingo of 95, CEFR level B2 (160) must be met to be eligible for admission to the program. Test scores cannot be more than two years old. TOEIC is not acceptable. English official test results should be submitted to VEMBA Admission Offices except for TOEFL iBT, which should be sent directly to the Admission Office in Hawaiʻi. Its Educational Testing Service (ETS) code is B187. The official score must be received by the application deadline above.
  • Two Recommendation Letters
  • Resume
  • Essay questions
  • Application fee of US$100 (Non-refundable)

Attend an Interview

After receiving your complete application, we will invite you to join Zoom for a personal interview.

Contact

Chi Kim Diep

VEMBA Program Manager

Shidler College of Business 
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa 
2404 Maile Way A-303 
Honolulu, HI 96822

Tel: (808) 956-5522 
Zalo: +1 (808) 439 4768 
Email: kimchi@hawaii.edu