The University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business is now offering a future-year admissions program, allowing promising undergraduate students the opportunity to secure a place in a future Darden class.

Through the new program, undergraduate and fifth-year master’s degree students can apply and be admitted to the Darden School, but will complete between two and four years of professional work experience prior to enrolling.

“As we have started this program, we have met amazing undergraduates from all over UVA and the world, including young entrepreneurs, student leaders and student-athletes,” Assistant Dean of MBA Admissions Sara Neher said. “We are incredibly excited to invite them to join the Darden community now and to see what they do in the future.”

By embarking on a professional path with an offer to a top-ranked MBA program in hand, future students may be more inclined to take risks and pursue audacious goals early in their careers, and will be able to tap into the Darden community before enrolling and network with each other.

Moreover, the Darden School will benefit by introducing top undergraduate students to the promises and potential of a business school education early in their professional decision-making process.

The Darden School is currently accepting applications for future-year admissions from students graduating from an undergraduate institution with a bachelor’s degree or fifth-year master’s degree between September 2016 and August 2017.

The Darden School seeks students with a wide variety of academic backgrounds and professional interests, and applicants will be assessed through undergraduate transcripts, college extracurricular activities, internship experience, essays, letters of recommendation and standardized test scores.

There is no application fee for future-year admissions. The school is currently accepting applications through Aug. 1.

For information, visit the Darden website or contact Katherine Alford at alfordk@darden.virginia.edu.