For many aspiring MBA students, landing a scholarship is vital—it can be the key to pursuing the program of their dreams. That’s why getting your scholarship application right is so important. It’s vital that you tailor to the scholarship in question to give yourself every chance of securing the funding you might need.
So, how can you tailor your MBA application? What steps should you take to make sure you tick off everything they’re looking for?
We spoke with current scholarship recipients and admissions professionals to find out how to tailor your MBA scholarship application for success.
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5 ways to tailor your MBA scholarship
1. Research the scholarship(s) thoroughly
Thorough scholarship research is essential. Before you even begin drafting your application, make sure there are scholarships available that align with what you're looking for—and that you’re actually eligible to apply for them.
Conducting efficient scholarship research can significantly help during the application process. It allows you to identify the scholarship’s mission, values, purpose, and eligibility requirements. You can then apply these insights to tailor your application accordingly.
Louise-Marie Fischer-Dalee, director of MBA recruitment and admissions at Imperial Business School, notes that one simple and effective way to do this is by carefully reviewing the scholarship criteria:
“Treat each scholarship like a separate interview question: print the criteria, highlight every action verb, and craft your narrative so that each paragraph answers those verbs explicitly.”
Another way to build a comprehensive understanding of the scholarship is by reading profiles of past recipients. This can help you identify common traits or goals that you might reflect in your own application.
If your scholarship is funded by an external organization—such as an individual donor, foundation, or corporation—it’s also worthwhile researching them, exploring who they are and what they care about. Showing how your ambitions reflect their mission can help demonstrate why you’re a strong fit.
“Research the donors—whether they are alumni, foundations, or corporations—to understand what they care about and whether your journey aligns with their mission. Learning about past recipients was equally insightful [for me]; it helped me reflect on my own story and better understand how to shape it authentically,” says Anna Quang, an MBA student at London Business School and recipient of the Laidlaw Women’s Leadership Scholarship.
2. Identify and emphasize core themes in your story
Once you’ve done your research, it’s time to reflect on the core themes of your story—the defining elements of your academic, professional, and personal journey that you want to highlight. These might include standout achievements, moments of leadership, or experiences that shaped your goals.
“What I did, before even responding to the essays individually, was put down on paper all the elements I wanted to bring forward in my application as a whole,” says Léopold Van den Abeele, recipient of the Lisbon MBA scholarship and student at Nova School of Business and Economics.
It’s equally important to remember that you can’t include everything. Being selective will help you avoid cramming in too many details and instead allow you to craft a consistent, focused narrative that speaks directly to the scholarship’s values. This may mean putting your ego aside and leaving out certain achievements that, while impressive, don’t directly support the story you're trying to tell.
“Your story needs to stand out in a concise and crisp manner, and not be lost in a sea of words,” says Denise Pu, head of MBA marketing and admissions at CEIBS in China.
Melissa Sanchez, an MBA student at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School and recipient of the Laidlaw Women’s Scholarship, went through a rigorous process to determine what to include. The scholarship aims to support women aiming for senior leadership roles, so she zeroed in on her social impact work and efforts to become an ethical, caring business leader.
“Through my application, I tried to showcase my own efforts to become a thoughtful business leader, working to address some of the gaps in approach and strategy I encountered in my career across business, academia, and philanthropy.”
“I shared examples of working to maximize national impact in my support of health reform in the US, reproductive justice, and global health,” she adds.
By narrowing your focus to what’s most relevant and meaningful, you increase your chances of standing out for all the right reasons.
3. Align your values with the scholarship's mission
Make sure you draw a clear and authentic connection between your values and the ethos of the scholarship. Often, being selected means becoming a representative of what the scholarship stands for—whether that’s supporting women in business, promoting LGBTQ+ leadership, or championing social impact.
By highlighting how your goals and principles mirror the scholarship’s mission, you help the admissions committee picture you as part of their next generation of changemakers.
Precious Akinkuolie, an MBA student at London Business School and recipient of the Laidlaw Women’s Leadership Fund Scholarship, recommends starting with the scholarship’s core focus and working backward.
“I aligned each element of my story with Laidlaw’s mission of women’s leadership, social change, and community impact,” she says.
Using both your personal and professional experiences to show that alignment reinforces your case and makes your application more compelling.
Carolina Gasca Manzanilla, an MBA student at IE Business School and recipient of the Valentín Díez Morodo Scholarship for Excellence, focused her application on how her own journey reflects the scholarship’s purpose.
“To prepare my application, I focused on highlighting the alignment between my personal and professional journey and the values that define the Valentín Díez Morodo Scholarship for Excellence: a commitment to academic and professional excellence, impactful leadership, and a deep-rooted connection to Mexico,” she explains.
“I structured my story around how my background represents not only achievement, but purpose—how I aspire to grow as a global leader while remaining grounded in the responsibility to contribute to the development of my region.”
By linking your motivations to a scholarship's aims, you can therefore showcase your potential to be a meaningful ambassador for the cause.
4. Be authentic and honest
Want to stand out and show your best self? Start by writing sincerely and from the heart.
Admissions committees can spot a genuine response from an inauthentic one a mile away—they’re trained to do so. That’s why it truly pays to be honest and authentic. Share openly what the scholarship means to you and how it will help you achieve your academic and professional goals.
“The most important thing when writing application essays is to be sincere and true to yourself,” says Léopold.
Drawing on her expertise, Aracely Magallon, associate director of admissions for MBA programs at HEC Paris, also emphasizes the importance of authenticity.
“Candidates should write from the heart and present their true selves,” she says.
Providing admissions committees with raw, honest insights into what the scholarship means to you can significantly improve your chances of success—demonstrating that you're a genuine applicant who will represent the scholarship with pride and give back to the community.
Admissions committees often review hundreds of applications, and after a while, many start to blur together. Taking a truthful and heartfelt approach helps your unique voice and personality stand out from the crowd.
Authenticity also means avoiding over-reliance on AI to draft your responses. Simply put, an application about why you're the right fit for a particular scholarship should come from you. While there’s no harm in using AI tools to check spelling and grammar, they shouldn’t be used to write your application. Only you truly understand what you bring to the table and how the scholarship will impact your journey.
Using AI not only risks your application sounding similar to others, but it also increases the chance that your unique vision will be lost or misinterpreted. As Denise, who also has an MBA from CEIBS, puts it: “Be authentic and let your words tell the story—without fluff, exaggeration, and certainly without any AI-writing support. Ingenuity makes one’s story and profile blurry.”
5. Seek feedback and proofread
Tailoring an application can be challenging, and it's unlikely you'll get it perfect on the first try. Don’t be too hard on yourself if your initial draft feels a bit off—sometimes all it takes is an extra pair of eyes to help you determine whether you’ve correctly interpreted the scholarship criteria and demonstrated how you meet—or even exceed—them.
“I discussed it a lot with colleagues and mentors to get honest feedback,” says Léopold.
Getting input on the clarity and tone of your writing is also essential. Seeing your work through someone else’s perspective can help you assess its readability and ensure your message comes across the way you intend it to.
Feedback is also a valuable tool for checking the authenticity of your application. Ask trusted peers whether it sounds like you, whether it reflects your achievements accurately, and what changes you can make to better showcase your strengths.
“Have trusted mentors or peers review your application for clarity, relevance, and authenticity,” advises Precious.
5 Ways To Tailor Your MBA Scholarship
For more tips and tricks on how to land a scholarship and secure your place at business school, download the BusinessBecause MBA Scholarships Guide | Tips To Boost Your Chances of Success
