Financing an MBA can be difficult for all candidates, but sometimes women find it even more complex due to the gender pay gap and lack of representation at the top of the career pyramid.
Many top schools, aware of this gender gap and the shortage of women in leadership positions, have created MBA scholarships exclusively for women.
The provision of merit-based MBA scholarships for women is intended to encourage exceptional professional women to enrol on MBA programs and gain the leadership skills they need to advance in the world of business.
Below is a selection of scholarships for women offered by some of the best business schools in the world.
This scholarship is available to women of all nationalities and backgrounds. Special consideration will be given to candidates with proven financial need.
Unspecified
The ESADE Women in Business Scholarship
Open to MBA women candidates from all nationalities with significant and relevant work experience in business.
Unspecified
Scholarship for Women Leaders
Specifically designed for MBA women candidates from all nationalities who have demonstrated outstanding leadership skills throughout their professional lives.
Women candidates who have been admitted to the MBA Programme or invited to admissions interviews.
€20 000 to €25 000 (approx. US$22,376 to US$27,970)
INSEAD Groupe Galeries Lafayette Endowed Scholarship for Women
Women candidates who have been admitted to the INSEAD MBA programme who identify with the goals and ambitions of Groupe Galeries Lafayette (retail industry).
€12,000 (approx. US$13,425)
INSEAD Alumni Fund (IAF) '68 Scholarship for Women
Awarded to students demonstrating outstanding leadership, academic, and extracurricular achievements and a commitment to advancing the interests of women in business. There is a strong preference for women from underrepresented minority groups.
It’s also worth looking into the Forté Fellowship, which is offered by many world-leading business schools. Forté Fellowships are awarded each year to outstanding female students who demonstrate exemplary leadership academically, professionally or creatively, as well as a proven commitment to the empowerment of women in education or the workplace. Fellowship amounts vary according to the individual and the school.
Julia is a writer for TopMBA.com, publishing articles for business students and graduates across the world. A native Londoner, she holds an MSc in Marketing Strategy & Innovation from Cass Business School and a BA in Classical Studies & English from Newcastle University.
MBA Scholarships for Women
By Julia G
Updated April 14, 2021 Updated April 14, 2021Financing an MBA can be difficult for all candidates, but sometimes women find it even more complex due to the gender pay gap and lack of representation at the top of the career pyramid.
Many top schools, aware of this gender gap and the shortage of women in leadership positions, have created MBA scholarships exclusively for women.
The provision of merit-based MBA scholarships for women is intended to encourage exceptional professional women to enrol on MBA programs and gain the leadership skills they need to advance in the world of business.
Below is a selection of scholarships for women offered by some of the best business schools in the world.
MBA Scholarships for Women
Business School
Scholarship Name
Eligibility
Amount
Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM)
AGSM Emerging Female Leaders Scholarships
For high achieving female leaders in the first five years of their career.
Minimum of two scholarships, each with a value of AUD$50,000 (approx. US$34,605)
AGSM Women in Leadership Scholarships
For high achieving female leaders.
Minimum of two scholarships, each with a value of AUD$50,000 (approx. US$34,605)
Alliance Manchester Business School
The 30% Club Female Business Leaders Scholarship
Female candidate showing exceptional academic achievement, work experience and senior leadership potential.
One full fee scholarship and mentorship
Alliance Manchester Business School Women in Business Scholarships
Female students of all nationalities are eligible, awarded on a rolling basis as part of the admissions process.
10-25 percent of tuition fees
ESADE Ramon Llull University
Women of the World Scholarship
This scholarship is available to women of all nationalities and backgrounds. Special consideration will be given to candidates with proven financial need.
Unspecified
The ESADE Women in Business Scholarship
Open to MBA women candidates from all nationalities with significant and relevant work experience in business.
Unspecified
Scholarship for Women Leaders
Specifically designed for MBA women candidates from all nationalities who have demonstrated outstanding leadership skills throughout their professional lives.
Unspecified
ESCP Europe Business School
MBA in International Management Scholarship for Women Leaders
Open to all self-funding female applicants to the MBA in International Management program who demonstrate excellence in leadership.
€15,000 (approx. US$16,782)
EuroMBA
Women in Management Scholarship
Female candidates with outstanding academic achievement and professional excellence.
Up to €10,000 fee reduction (approx. US$11,188)
IE Business School
IE Women Scholarship and Mentoring Program
Offered to MBA candidates, among others.
40 percent of tuition plus six months mentoring program
IE Women’s Leadership Scholarship
Admitted to MBA (or any other) at IE.
30 percent of all costs
IE Women’s Scholarship
Open to women admitted to any master’s program.
40 percent of Tuition
Queen Rania Foundation Scholarship for Women Leaders
Any master’s for Jordanian women.
Three Scholarships of
40 percent of all costs
IMD
Stewart Hamilton Scholarship for Women
Open to female candidates of developing countries with a strong overall application.
One scholarship of CHF50,000 (approx. US$49,802)
Nestle Scholarship for Women
Preference is given to women from developing countries.
One scholarship of CHF50,000 (approx. US$49,802)
Imperial College Business School, Imperial College London
Imperial Women’s Scholarships
Female candidates who demonstrate exceptional academic achievement and professional excellence.
Variable
INSEAD
INSEAD Judith Connelly Delouvrier Endowed Scholarship
Women candidates who have been admitted to the MBA Programme or invited to admissions interviews.
€20 000 to €25 000 (approx. US$22,376 to US$27,970)
INSEAD Groupe Galeries Lafayette Endowed Scholarship for Women
Women candidates who have been admitted to the INSEAD MBA programme who identify with the goals and ambitions of Groupe Galeries Lafayette (retail industry).
€12,000 (approx. US$13,425)
INSEAD Alumni Fund (IAF) '68 Scholarship for Women
Meritorious women candidates with financial need.
€10,000 to €20,000
(approx. US$11,188 to US$22,376)
London Business School
The 30% Club Scholarship
Open to all successful female first year MBA applicants.
First year fees
London Business School MBA Scholarships for Women
Open to all successful female MBA applicants.
Ten awards of various amounts, from £20,000 up to full fees, £82,000 (approx. US$25,343 to US$103,906)
London Business School MBA Scholarship for UK Women
Open to all successful MBA women from the UK.
Two awards of various amounts, up to half fees
Carlsson Family Scholarship
Open to all successful female MBA applicants.
One award of £20,000. (approx. US$25,343)
Monica and Navin Valrani Scholarship
Open to Indian women.
One award of £29,000 (approx. US$36,747)
Muna Al Gurg Scholarship
Open to female candidates for the MBA programme and EMBA Dubai programme who are from the Middle East.
One award of £50,000 (approx. US$63,357)
Saïd Business School
Global Leadership Council (GLC) Scholarships for Women
Awarded to one female candidate based on academic excellence.
£30,000 (approx. US$38,014)
The Oxford Executive MBA Scholarship for Women in association with the 30% Club
Awarded to one woman per Executive MBA intake.
50 percent of program fees
SDA Bocconi School of Management
30% Club Partial Tuition Waiver
Outstanding female candidates.
One merit-based tuition waiver up to €28,500 (50 percent of tuition fees) (approx. US$31,885) & mentorship program
Partial (up to 70%) Tuition Waiver
Outstanding female candidates with a minimum 680 GMAT score.
One merit-based tuition waiver up to €39,900 (70 percent of tuition fees) (approx. US$44,640)
Partial (up to 50%) Tuition Waiver
Outstanding female candidates.
One merit-based tuition waiver up to €28,500 (50 percent of tuition fees) (approx. US$31,885)
UCLA Anderson School of Management
American Association of University Women (AAUW)
Separate awards for both US and International students.
Up to US$30,000
P. E. O. International Peace Scholarship
Female international students who want to study in a graduate program in the United States or Canada.
US$10,000
The University of Chicago Booth School of Business
The Wallman Fellowship
Awarded to students demonstrating outstanding leadership, academic, and extracurricular achievements and a commitment to advancing the interests of women in business. There is a strong preference for women from underrepresented minority groups.
Full tuition
Yale School of Management
Janet “Ginger” Gelb (MPMM 1984) Scholarship
Merit based.
Unspecified
It’s also worth looking into the Forté Fellowship, which is offered by many world-leading business schools. Forté Fellowships are awarded each year to outstanding female students who demonstrate exemplary leadership academically, professionally or creatively, as well as a proven commitment to the empowerment of women in education or the workplace. Fellowship amounts vary according to the individual and the school.
Schools associated with the Fellowship include:
Saïd Business School, HEC Paris MBA, London Business School, Imperial College Business School, Alliance Manchester Business School, The Wharton School, University of Virginia (Darden), Owen Graduate School of Management, Columbia Business School, The University of Texas at Austin - McCombs School of Business, The Kellogg School of Management, Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, Cornell University, NYU Stern School of Business, Yale School of Management, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Kelley School of Business, Kenan-Flagler Business School, Tepper School of Business, Tuck School of Business, McDonough School of Business, MIT Sloan School of Management, Judge Business School and more.
This article was originally published in May 2019 . It was last updated in April 2021
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Julia is a writer for TopMBA.com, publishing articles for business students and graduates across the world. A native Londoner, she holds an MSc in Marketing Strategy & Innovation from Cass Business School and a BA in Classical Studies & English from Newcastle University.
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