Top MBA Scholarships For Women

CEIBS offers the highest-ranking MBA in China, and female students on this prestigious program are automatically enrolled in two women-only scholarships when they submit their application. 

The Women Leadership Scholarship and the Women Fellowship are merit-based, and available for the first year of study. 

Recipients of both awards are assessed on their academic, personal, and professional achievements, along with their performance during the interview stage of the admissions process. A key deciding factor is the potential contribution each winner can have on the MBA program. 

Scholarships for MBAs at SDA Bocconi School of Management

Italy’s top-ranked MBA, SDA Bocconi, offers a series of partial tuition waivers for women applicants, ranging from 50% to 70%. 

The school has two merit-based 50% scholarships, which reduce your fees by around $31,000. One of the schemes is delivered in partnership with The 30% Club, a global campaign led by CEOs and business leaders aiming to improve gender diversity in the boardroom. 

The 70% tuition waiver amounts to around $44,460 and is offered to outstanding female candidates who apply with a GMAT score above 680. 

MBA Scholarships and Funding at Yale School of Management

Like UCLA, Yale School of Management partners with the AAUW to offer financial assistance to its women students. Fellowships are available for students in their final year, ranging from $5,000 to $12,000 in financial aid. 

International female applicants to the Yale MBA can also apply for the AAUW International Fellowship Program, which supports women who have shown commitment to improving women’s livelihood through community or professional work. 

Scholarships and Funding for MBAs at London Business School

There are a number of different MBA scholarships for women on the top-ranked LBS MBA. All women who successfully apply to the MBA program are automatically enrolled for a scholarship. 

The maximum amount of funding available is half of your tuition fees. This is also offered in partnership with The 30% Club; the scholarship is awarded to women who show potential to make an impact in business and society. 

Women can also apply for $35,000 or $28,000 in funding via the A Higher Education Advancing Diversity (AHEAD) and Carlsson Family scholarships. These are merit-based scholarships, with the AHEAD scholarship aimed at women from developing economies. 

For students enrolling from Australia and New Zealand, there’s also the possibility of securing $11,700 in funding via the Kearney Australia New Zealand Women’s Scholarship Program. 

MBA Scholarships at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology 

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) offers partial funding for women on the school’s MBA program via the Women International Awards. The scholarships is only available for international students, but all those who apply are automatically enrolled.  

MBA Scholarships at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business

One of the prestigious M7 business schools, Chicago Booth offers full-tuition funding for women from underrepresented communities who demonstrate a commitment to improving women in business. Applicants must also show exceptional leadership abilities. 

The scholarship began in 2017, after a donation of $75 million from highly successful Booth alumni Amy and Richard Wallman. 

Read on for more independent MBA scholarships for women

For insider tips on maximizing your MBA scholarship chances, download our BusinessBecause MBA Scholarships Guide 2022 | 5 Ways To Boost Your MBA Scholarship Potential

Independent MBA scholarships for women

Independent scholarships offered by external organizations often apply to more than one business school, which is useful if the school you’re applying to doesn’t offer its own. 

These are some of the top MBA scholarships for women offered by independent organizations. 

Forté Fellowship 

Since 2001, the Forté Foundation has increased women enrollment at its partner schools—including the likes of Harvard Business School, HEC Paris, and London Business School—by 11%. 

The foundation has awarded more than $275 million to female business school applicants through its Forté Fellowship program. Female applicants to one of its 54 partner schools are automatically enrolled, and those who display leadership qualities are often selected. 

Along with financial assistance, the fellowship also provides support and networking opportunities to successful applicants. 

Laidlaw Foundation

Laidlaw Foundation scholarships are available to students at Columbia Business School, LBS, and Oxford Saïd Business School, and have helped more than 300 women land places on these top MBA programs. 

Laidlaw scholars at the three participating schools can secure either full or half scholarships for their degrees. The scheme is aimed at women who show exceptional leadership qualities and strong potential to further the cause of women in business. 

The scheme began at Columbia but expanded to LBS in 2019 and Oxford Saïd in 2020. At LBS, the partnership with Laidlaw is part of a wider movement to achieve 51% female representation across the school. 

While it’s true that the world’s top MBAs aren’t yet gender equal, these schemes are a step towards giving women as much chance of attending business school as men. But, with just 10 of the top 100 FT-ranked MBAs featuring a cohort of at least 50% women, there’s still a long way to go. 

All images used in this article are sourced from business school Facebook pages. 

This article was written in November 2021 and updated in May 2022.