Your MBA is a significant financial commitment, but one that will pay long-term professional and personal dividends throughout your career. You will build an exceptional network. You’ll command an increased salary. And more importantly, you’ll be making a significant investment in yourself and your learning.
While Rounds 1 to 3 for entry in September 2024 are now closed, in the final 2 rounds there are still plenty of scholarships on offer and there are many other funding options you might explore to secure your future and invest in yourself. The final round for entry in September 2024 closes on 7 May 2024.
Scholarships at Cambridge Judge Business School
At Cambridge Judge, our people are our greatest asset. We take pride in the diversity of our community and promote an inclusive culture in which all are treated equally and have equal opportunity.
We actively seek to admit people from all backgrounds, countries, cultures, identities, and orientations to each Cambridge MBA class. There are various initiatives and scholarships in place to support this recruitment goal, and to build an active, engaged and supported community through the MBA experience and beyond.
Supporting regional diversity
Our Business School community is highly international, with the MBA class each being around 90% non-British. This global community is essential in enabling our world-class research, teaching, real-world impact and outreach as a Business School. To support the continuance of this diversity, we offer several scholarships to candidates from under-represented countries.
The Cambridge MBA Scholarship for Regional Diversity offers up to 50% of the total fees to 5 applicants across all the admissions rounds, from countries we target, to ensure a diverse global cohort each year. The list of countries may change in each annual admissions cycle – please see our scholarship pages for details.
This unwavering support has transformed my aspirations into a tangible reality, validating my courageous step to study for my MBA. Being honoured with the Cambridge MBA Scholarship for Regional Diversity has bestowed upon me the sensation of being embraced by a network of supporting hands, ensuring my safe landing as I venture into the abyss of the future.
Diversity of industry or sector
Sitting alongside the scholarship for Regional Diversity, is the Cambridge MBA Scholarship for Professional Diversity, still available in Rounds 4 and 5 for entry in September 2024.
The MBA Scholarship for Professional Diversity focuses on encouraging a wide diversity of employment sectors to be represented in the MBA Class of 2024 and beyond.
Building an MBA class of people who come from diverse professional backgrounds, in terms of sector and job function, is vital to the thriving learning community we create, bringing varied experiences and expertise to the classroom and team projects.
Being awarded the scholarship for Professional Diversity is an immense honour. Representing the fashion, media, and entertainment industry in this capacity is a humbling privilege. I hope that this can serve as an inspiration to those coming from non-traditional backgrounds, letting them know that their contributions are just as valuable and significant.
Current student Vianney Gomezgil Yaspik, from Mexico and Spain, was awarded the Cambridge Judge Scholarship for Professional Diversity in 2023, she talks about the diversity of knowledge that future leaders will need to solve global issues: “In our changing world of new social risks and wicked problems, different opinions, perspectives, and experiences will lead the way in finding solutions to tackle the problems of the 21st century. I look forward to sharing my experiences and learning from my cohort – which happens to be one of the most diverse from MBA programmes around the globe.”
In our changing world of new social risks and wicked problems, different opinions, perspectives, and experiences will lead the way in finding solutions to tackle the problems of the 21st century. I look forward to sharing my experiences and learning from my cohort – which happens to be one of the most diverse from MBA programmes around the globe
Both scholarships for Regional Diversity and Professional Diversity have no formal application process: candidates whose profile fits the eligibility criteria stated will automatically be considered by the MBA Scholarships Committee. Successful candidates will be notified at the time of the offer, should you be successful after the interview.
Balancing our UK nationals in the diversity mix
While the cohort of the Cambridge MBA programme is international and currently features over 45 nationalities in the mix, we also encourage and support applications from UK Nationals who wish to be part of the truly global and international class.
The Cambridge MBA Professor Nick Oliver Scholarship for UK Nationals awards one candidate £15,000 towards the total cost of the fees each year. The award is rolling until awarded in each admissions cycle.
Anna Wood received this scholarship for her MBA year in 2021 and is now running her own food-sector start up, JUX Food. After a career in the music industry in London for a tech-based record label, Anna was looking to strengthen her financial and strategic skillset and develop her business skills further.
Upon receiving my award in 2021, I was looking forward to the diverse toolkit Cambridge Judge would equip me with and to ultimately making a greater impact on any future venture. I hoped that the MBA would enable me to become a transformative leader. Doing an MBA at the University of Cambridge, along with being awarded the Professor Nick Oliver Scholarship for UK Nationals, gave me a lot of confidence. I loved the academic aspects of the programme, but the people really made it. Many of our cohort had already achieved some incredible entrepreneurial achievements by the time they were 30 – I learnt so much from them, and it gave me the confidence to go out on my own and pursue my ambitions
Further MBA scholarships still available
The Boustany Foundation MBA scholarship
The Boustany Foundation MBA scholarship to the University of Cambridge is granted once every 2 years for a 12-month programme leading to an MBA. The Boustany Foundation pays financial aid amounting to 75% of tuition fees. In addition, travel and accommodation expenses related to the internship are covered by the Foundation. It is offered to outstanding and highly meriting candidates of all nationalities; but a priority is given to Lebanese nationals. The deadline for the next award is 15 May, before our own Round 5 closes on 7 May.
The Forté Foundation Fellowship scholarship
Cambridge Judge Business School is a proud partner with the Forté Foundation, a non-profit organisation that champions women’s progression within business through access to education. We are pleased to offer Forté Fellowships to outstanding female students joining the Cambridge MBA. Five awards will be made for 50% of the Cambridge MBA tuition fees, on offer in rounds one to 4 only. Our Round 4 deadline is on 11 March 2024.
“Whilst applying in the later rounds can often mean that there is less funding available, we are happy to still be able to offer scholarships worth 50% of tuition fees in rounds 4 and 5, including the Wider Cambridge awards and the Forté Fellowship,” confirms Charlotte Russell-Green, Head of MBA Recruitment and Admissions.
New scholarship for 2024
Thanks to the generosity of our global alumni community at Cambridge Judge, we are now offering a new scholarship for candidates wishing to pursue an MBA in 2024 and beyond.
The Vanessa Dekou Scholarship for Scientists
Just announced in December 2023, the Vanessa Dekou Scholarship for Scientists will help finance a Cambridge MBA education for candidates with advanced degrees in scientific fields such as biological sciences, chemistry and physics. It is funded through a generous donation from Vanessa Dekou, a Cambridge Judge alumna (MBA 2002) who has forged a successful career in entrepreneurship and biotech. The scholarship will contribute £25,000 toward tuition fees for the MBA year.
External scholarships
There are many external organisations who will contribute towards study for an MBA, and many of these are listed on our website, for example the British Council and Chevening Scholarships. The amount they offer varies, and they are often based on nationality, such as the Fundação Estudar for Brazilian students, and the SIM-You Poh Seng Scholarship for candidates from Singapore.
Based mainly on nationality, the Chevening scholarship funded in partnership with the UK Government has been supporting talent and study in the UK since 1983. There is no such thing as a typical Chevening Scholar, but those who are successful tend to have ambition, leadership potential, and a strong academic background.
Our website lists organisations which have funded MBA students in the past, but it’s not a complete list; so, we would recommend you do some research and see what scholarships for MBA candidates are available in your own country or industry sector.
Local funding options and loans
There may be funding options available in your own region. You should begin your research early, to ensure this piece of the puzzle works smoothly alongside your own MBA application timeline.
Prodigy Finance and Future Finance are both loan providers, that specialise in loans for postgraduate students at leading business schools, including Cambridge Judge. Many Cambridge MBA students fund their MBA studies using one of these loan providers
The University of Cambridge is a recognised education provider, and as such is accepted by many funding bodies such as United States and Canada federal loans.
From leveraging support from your network of family and friends to reviewing your current assets or even making small lifestyle changes over time, there are many options available to candidates building up the resources necessary to fund an MBA.
It is worth remembering that not all funding needs to be in place at the time of your application. It is only at the offer acceptance stage that you will need evidence that you have all the funds in place.
An MBA is a big investment in yourself, in terms of both time and money. It is important to spend time planning how you will fund your studies, as well as preparing for the GMAT and working on your business school applications.
The MBA Admissions Team are always on hand to advise you on your MBA application journey.
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