Last updated: 13 October 2026 (full refresh; availability re-checked on upGrad, KnowledgeHut and Deakin’s own site that day). Reviewed by Josh Hutcheson, OnlineCourseing editor. See our review methodology.
upGrad runs no affiliate program we belong to, so links to upgrad.com earn us nothing. Some links to other providers, and to upGrad listings on KnowledgeHut (an upGrad company), are affiliate links: if you enroll through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change our verdict.
The upGrad Deakin MBA (Global) is no longer sold. upGrad’s old program page now redirects to its US home page, KnowledgeHut’s listing for it is gone, and Deakin does not appear in upGrad’s MBA catalog. Deakin University still sells its own MBA directly. This page explains what the upGrad program was, what to do if you studied it, and which MBAs to consider now.
QUICK VERDICT
- Status (13 October 2026): withdrawn. You cannot enroll in the upGrad Deakin MBA.
- If you want a Deakin MBA: apply to Deakin directly for its MBA (International), on campus in Melbourne or online.
- If you want an upGrad MBA: upGrad’s US catalog lists O.P. Jindal Global University and Paris School of Business MBAs.
- If you want the best value accredited online MBA: compare the University of Illinois iMBA on Coursera (USD 27,288, AACSB) before you decide.
upGrad runs no affiliate program we belong to. Links to Coursera and Udacity below are affiliate links; links to Deakin and upGrad earn us nothing.
See Deakin’s own MBA (International) →
Is the upGrad Deakin MBA Still Available?
Before you spend money on the wrong online course, read this.
Get the free 2026 Platform Comparison Guide — 12 platforms compared on price, certificates, and refund policies. Instant PDF, plus my honest Tuesday picks.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
No. We checked every route on 13 October 2026:
| Where we checked | What we found |
|---|---|
| upGrad’s old Deakin MBA page (upgrad.com/mba-deakin-university/) | Redirects to upGrad’s US home page. In July 2026 it redirected to a Liverpool Business School MBA. |
| KnowledgeHut’s Deakin MBA listing (an upGrad company) | Page not found (404) |
| upGrad’s US MBA catalog | O.P. Jindal Global University and Paris School of Business MBAs; no Deakin program |
| Deakin University’s own site | Deakin sells its MBA (International) directly, on campus or online |
Neither upGrad nor Deakin has published a closure notice that we can find, so we describe the program as withdrawn based on these checks rather than an announcement. If you were quoted this program by an upGrad counselor recently, ask for the offer in writing and confirm with Deakin that the intake exists.
What the upGrad Deakin MBA (Global) Was
Deakin University and upGrad announced the MBA (Global) in New Delhi in late February 2020, at a launch attended by Australia’s then Trade Minister, Simon Birmingham, according to MBA News Australia. It was a two-year online MBA for working professionals, available only to Indian students, with the first intake planned for late March 2020. upGrad ran admissions, the platform and career support; Deakin awarded the degree.
Eligibility and admission (as listed in 2022)
- A bachelor’s degree with at least 50% marks.
- At least 3 years of full-time relevant work experience.
- Deakin’s English language requirements.
- Shortlisting by upGrad on experience and academic scores, then a caution amount to reserve a seat.
Syllabus (as listed in 2022)
The program had about 20 sections. The first part covered core management subjects in 3 to 4 week courses; the Deakin units in the second part ran about 8 weeks each, followed by a global capstone.
| Stage | Courses |
|---|---|
| Core management (3 to 4 weeks each) | Marketing Management, Fundamentals of Leadership, Accounting and Finance, Decision Sciences, Business Economics, OB/HR/Ethics/Legal, Sales and Distribution, Business Strategy, Operations and Supply Chain, one elective |
| Leadership modules | Leadership, Engagement and People Performance; Leading Change for Sustainable Futures; Enterprise and Risk Management; Digital Business Innovation |
| Deakin units (about 8 weeks each) | Strategy Formulation, Innovation by Design, Financing your Strategy, International Business, High Performing Organizations |
| Capstone | Global Capstone Project (about 6 weeks) |
Electives included Market Research, Corporate Finance, Business Leadership, Business Analytics and Human Resource Management. upGrad listed industry projects with companies such as Vodafone, ITC, LinkedIn and HP.
Cost and duration (as listed in 2022)
The program ran 24 months at about 16 to 18 hours a week. When we reviewed it in 2022, upGrad listed a one-time fee of 5,29,800 rupees, with EMI options from 12,620 rupees a month and a no-cost EMI from 28,044 rupees a month. These figures are historical; the program is no longer sold.
How the program changed before it disappeared
The program did not stay the same between launch and withdrawal. Early versions paired a first-stage credential from IMT Ghaziabad with the Deakin MBA; a 2021 Careers360 question describes it as a Global MBA from upGrad, IMT and Deakin. By February 2024, a prospective student on the find-mba forum described a different shape: the first stage was a postgraduate credential from upGrad rather than IMT, about 75% of the curriculum (including the specialization) was delivered by upGrad and about 25% by Deakin, and the whole program had been condensed to roughly 13 months.
What students and advisers said while it ran
- On value: a 2021 Careers360 answer judged the curriculum and faculty fine but said online global MBAs of this kind had a somewhat lower corporate and employer outlook in India than established Indian programs.
- On the delivery model: the same 2024 find-mba poster had read complaints about access, refunds and recorded sessions that felt dated, and the forum’s long-time moderator replied that upGrad delivers qualifications at the lowest possible cost and that this shows in the student experience.
- On the credential: the attraction was always the Deakin degree at a fraction of Deakin’s own price; the trade-off was that most of the teaching came from upGrad rather than Deakin faculty.
Those are individual opinions, not a survey, but they match the pattern in upGrad’s 2026 reviews: the university name sells the program, and the experience depends on upGrad’s delivery.
If You Already Studied the upGrad Deakin MBA
Your degree is from Deakin University, not upGrad, and it remains a Deakin MBA. A few practical points:
- Keep your testamur (degree certificate) and academic transcript from Deakin somewhere safe and digital.
- Send employer or university verification requests to Deakin, because upGrad cannot confirm a Deakin award.
- On your resume, list it as a Master of Business Administration from Deakin University; there is no need to name the delivery partner.
- If you started but did not finish, contact Deakin directly about credit for completed units before assuming they are lost.
Deakin University’s Own MBA (Still Available)
If you searched for a Deakin MBA, this is the program to look at. Deakin’s MBA (International) is sold directly by the university, with no upGrad involvement. From Deakin’s course page on 13 October 2026:
| Detail | Deakin MBA (International) |
|---|---|
| Study mode | Burwood campus (Melbourne) or online |
| Duration | 1, 1.5 or 2 years full time (or part-time equivalent), depending on experience and prior qualifications |
| Structure | 16 units: 10 core, 2 course electives and 4 elective units; you may need 8, 12 or 16 credit points after recognition of prior learning |
| Intakes | Trimesters 1, 2 and 3 |
| Work experience | Not essential, though it can shorten the course |
| Estimated tuition | $35,000 for one year of full-time study (Australian dollars, full-fee paying place) |
| Accreditation | Deakin Business School holds AACSB and EQUIS accreditation |
Fees differ for international students and change each year, so use Deakin’s fee estimator for your situation. We earn nothing from Deakin; the link is for reference.
Other upGrad MBA Programs in 2026
upGrad still sells MBAs, just not Deakin’s. These were listed on its US site on 13 October 2026:
| Program | Length | Fee shown | Entry | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MBA, O.P. Jindal Global University | 12 months | INR 2,00,000 | Bachelor’s degree | Jindal Global Business School is an AACSB member |
| MBA, Paris School of Business | 18 months | USD 20,000 one-time, or USD 1,056 a month for 18 months | Bachelor’s plus 3 to 5 years’ experience, depending on degree length | AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS accredited; optional week in Paris |
Note the difference between an AACSB-accredited school and an AACSB member: membership is not accreditation. Check the awarding school’s status on the accrediting body’s own site before you pay.
The upGrad Liverpool Business School MBA
upGrad has sold an MBA from Liverpool Business School, part of Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), to learners in India, and its US MBA page carries a testimonial from an LJMU MBA graduate. The program does not appear on upGrad’s US site, so we could not confirm its fee or intake from the US. A September 2026 Trustpilot reviewer on an LJMU program via upGrad described repeated problems getting a research proposal through supervision, so ask how dissertation supervision works before you enroll.
Other Online MBAs to Compare
If the goal is an accredited MBA you can study online while working, these are the options we would weigh, checked on each provider’s page on 13 October 2026:
| Program | Length | Total cost | Accreditation or award | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Illinois iMBA (Coursera) | 24 to 36 months, 18 courses | USD 27,288 ($379 per credit) | AACSB (Gies College of Business) | Bachelor’s plus 3 years’ experience; no GMAT or GRE |
| Deakin MBA (International) | 1 to 2 years | About AUD 35,000 a year (domestic estimate) | AACSB and EQUIS | Bachelor’s; experience optional |
| Udacity MBA in AI Product Management | 18 to 24 months | About USD 5,000 ($199 plus $249 a month) | Degree awarded by Woolf | Bachelor’s recommended or equivalent experience |
| Paris School of Business MBA (via upGrad) | 18 months | USD 20,000 | AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS | Bachelor’s plus 3 to 5 years’ experience |
The Illinois iMBA is the strongest value among AACSB-accredited online MBAs on that list: a top US public university for under USD 30,000, paid course by course. The Udacity MBA is the cheapest but is awarded by Woolf rather than a traditional university, which some employers weigh differently. For more context, read our guides on whether an online MBA is worth it, the best MBA courses and our Udacity MBA review.
See the Illinois iMBA on Coursera →
If you want MBA-level skills without the degree
Short university business courses cover core MBA subjects for a fraction of the cost. Browse Coursera’s university business programs, start with our best business courses guide, or, if finance is your focus, our financial analyst career guide.
How to Choose an Online MBA in 2026
The upGrad Deakin MBA disappearing is a useful warning: partner-delivered degrees come and go as contracts change. Whatever you pick next, check these five things before you pay anything.
1. Who awards the degree
The awarding body is the university named on your testamur, and it is the only name that matters to employers and other universities. Delivery partners such as upGrad, Coursera or Woolf’s member colleges run the platform and support. If a program page leads with the platform’s brand and buries the university’s, look closer.
2. Which accreditation, and for what
Business schools are accredited by three main bodies: AACSB (US-based), AMBA (UK-based, MBA programs specifically) and EQUIS (Europe-based). A school holding all three is often called triple-crown accredited; Paris School of Business advertises this, and its program page says AACSB accreditation covers about 6% of business schools worldwide. Accreditation applies to the school, so an online MBA from an accredited school carries the same accreditation as its campus program. Membership of AACSB is not the same as accreditation.
| Accreditor | Based in | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| AACSB | United States | The business school as a whole |
| AMBA | United Kingdom | MBA, DBA and business master’s programs |
| EQUIS | Europe (EFMD) | The business school as a whole, with an international focus |
3. The real total cost
Add the tuition, any application or caution fee, optional campus weeks, EMI interest if the no-cost EMI does not apply to your card, and the cost of an extra term if you fall behind. Subscription-priced programs such as Udacity’s MBA get cheaper the faster you finish and more expensive if you stall.
4. What happens if you need to pause
Read the deferral and refund rules before you pay a seat deposit. upGrad’s published policies on its programs allow refunds only before the start date and limit deferrals once a batch begins. University-run programs such as Deakin’s and Illinois’ let you take a term off under the university’s own rules.
5. Whether it will be recognized where you work
If you need the MBA for a government job, a promotion rule or further study, ask that employer or institution which awarding universities and study modes it accepts before you enroll. A degree that is valid in one country is not automatically accepted for every purpose in another.
Online MBA or Executive Certificate?
Not everyone who searches for an online MBA needs a degree. An MBA makes sense when an employer, pay scale or career change requires the credential itself, or when you want two years of structured business study and a network. An executive certificate makes sense when you need specific skills, such as finance, strategy or AI for business, and your employer cares more about what you can do than which degree you hold.
| Online MBA | Executive certificate | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical length | 12 to 36 months | 3 to 9 months |
| Typical cost | USD 5,000 to USD 30,000 for the programs above | USD 1,000 to USD 3,000 for university-branded certificates |
| Credential | Master’s degree | Certificate, not academic credit |
| Best for | Promotion rules, career switches into management, further study | Specific skills for a current role |
upGrad sells both. Its IIM Kozhikode AI for business certificate, for example, runs 6 months for USD 2,500 on its US site, against USD 20,000 for its Paris School of Business MBA.
Questions to Ask Before Enrolling in Any upGrad Degree
- Which university awards the degree, and can I see the program on that university’s own website?
- Who supervises my dissertation or capstone: university faculty or upGrad staff?
- Is the caution amount refundable if my documents fail verification or the intake is canceled?
- What happens to my enrollment if upGrad’s partnership with the university ends before I finish?
- How do I request a transcript and degree verification after graduation?
Ask for the answers by email. Most 2026 complaints about upGrad turn on promises made verbally at enrollment.
What upGrad Learners Say in 2026
We read the 60 newest rated reviews on upGrad’s Trustpilot profile (8 July to 12 October 2026; 683 reviews and a 3.7 TrustScore on 13 October). They split 33 five-star, 8 four-star, 4 three-star, 2 two-star and 13 one-star. Praise centers on content and named coordinators; complaints center on placement support, slow help after payment, seat deposits and deferrals.
Two complaints are specific to university degree programs: a Golden Gate University doctoral learner described administrative disorder, and an LJMU learner described research supervision delays. Both are reminders that upGrad sits between you and the university, so ask who handles supervision, grading appeals and transcripts before you enroll.
Conclusion
You can no longer enroll in the upGrad Deakin MBA. If you want a Deakin degree, apply to Deakin’s MBA (International) directly. If you want an online MBA at a lower price, compare the University of Illinois iMBA, the upGrad-delivered MBAs from O.P. Jindal Global University and Paris School of Business, and Udacity’s Woolf-awarded MBA, checking accreditation and refund terms for each.
We also review upGrad’s data science programs, its product management certificate and its full stack development program.
upGrad Deakin MBA FAQ
Is the upGrad Deakin MBA still available?
No, as far as we can verify. On 13 October 2026 upGrad’s old Deakin MBA page redirected to its US home page, KnowledgeHut’s Deakin MBA listing returned a page-not-found error, and upGrad’s MBA catalog listed O.P. Jindal Global University and Paris School of Business MBAs but no Deakin program. Deakin University still sells its own MBA (International) directly.
Is the upGrad Deakin MBA degree valid?
For people who completed it, the MBA was awarded by Deakin University, an Australian public university whose business school holds AACSB and EQUIS accreditation. upGrad delivered the program but did not award the degree. If an employer or university needs to verify it, send the request to Deakin, not upGrad.
Is an upGrad MBA worth it?
It depends on the program and why you want an MBA. upGrad’s current MBAs range from about 2 lakh rupees for O.P. Jindal Global University’s 12-month MBA to USD 20,000 for Paris School of Business. Compare each against direct university options such as Deakin’s own MBA or the University of Illinois iMBA, check the accreditation of the awarding school, and read the refund terms before you pay a seat deposit.
How much did the upGrad Deakin MBA cost?
When we reviewed it in 2022, upGrad listed a one-time fee of 5,29,800 rupees for the 24-month Global MBA, with EMI options. The program is no longer sold, so that figure is historical.
What replaced the Deakin MBA on upGrad?
upGrad did not name a direct replacement. In July 2026 its Deakin MBA page redirected to a Liverpool Business School MBA; by October 2026 it redirected to the general US home page. upGrad’s US MBA catalog now lists O.P. Jindal Global University (12 months) and Paris School of Business (18 months).
Is Deakin University good for an MBA?
Deakin Business School holds both AACSB and EQUIS accreditation, which only a small share of business schools worldwide have. Its MBA (International) can be studied at the Burwood campus in Melbourne or online, takes 1 to 2 years depending on your experience and prior study, and does not require work experience to enter.
What about the upGrad Liverpool MBA?
upGrad has sold an MBA from Liverpool Business School, part of Liverpool John Moores University, to learners in India. It does not appear on upGrad’s US site, so we could not confirm its current fee or intake from the US. One September 2026 Trustpilot reviewer on an LJMU program via upGrad described repeated problems with research supervision, so ask admissions how dissertation supervision works before enrolling.
Was the upGrad Deakin MBA a full Deakin degree?
Yes. Graduates received a Master of Business Administration awarded by Deakin University. The teaching, however, was split: by one 2024 account about three quarters of the curriculum was delivered by upGrad and about a quarter by Deakin, and the first stage carried a separate postgraduate credential.
Can I apply to Deakin’s MBA from India?
Yes. Deakin accepts international applicants through its international admissions process, and the MBA (International) can be studied online. International fees and entry rules differ from the domestic figures on the course page, so check Deakin’s international fee estimate and English language requirements for your situation.