MBA & Business Scholarships for Women

For women who are pursuing their Master of Business Administration (MBA), this can be a very exciting time in their lives. They are setting themselves up for successful careers which will enable them to be independent and prosperous throughout their lives and into retirement.

However, college is very expensive and most of these women will need some help with all of the expenses. Student loans are always an option, but there are grants and scholarships that are specifically set up for women working toward a career in business.

Finding Your MBA Scholarship

Before beginning the in-depth process of surfing the Internet for your scholarship, start with the business school in which you are enrolled. Most of these schools offer grants and scholarships to several of their students. There will normally be a person on staff who is in charge of that in particular. Academic scholarships are awarded for academic excellence, excelling in sports, being part of a minority group, and many other reasons.

If the staff member in charge of this cannot fit you into any of those categories, many times he will help you by looking for outside grants and scholarships that will assist with your college expenses.

AAUW Career Development Grants

The American Association of University Women offers scholarships to women who are working toward their MBA. Their goal is to empower women to be independent and obtain leadership in the business world. The funds awarded by the AAUW may be used for tuition fees and books as well as student transportation and child care. The winners of the scholarships are determined by quality of the application, the student’s academic background, and financial needs. To apply for your scholarship, go to www.aauw.org.

Accenture American Indian Scholarships

This scholarship is awarded to American Indians or natives of Alaska who are MBA graduate students in need of financial assistance. These scholarships include:

• Accenture Fellows: This provides funding in the amount of $15,000 to two graduate students per year.
• Finalist scholarship: This provides funding for two students in the amount of $5,000 each.

Eligibility:

• Applicants must have an outstanding academic record.
• Applicants must be working toward their MBA.
• Applicants should have above-average leadership abilities.
• Applicants must have a willingness to work toward the preservation of their native culture.
• The applicant must be able to provide proof of membership to a tribe that has been federally recognized.

All scholarship recipients will be urged to participate in a summer internship when they are between studies. For more information on this, go to: www.aigc.com.

AG Bell College Scholarship

This organization provides funding to women who are working to obtain their MBA on a full-time basis and are afflicted with a hearing disability. The hearing loss must be in both ears and must have been diagnosed by the age of seven. The students are allowed to have a major in any form of business. The amount of funding available varies from year to year depending on the budget. To apply for this scholarship, go to www.agbell.org.

AICP Scholarships

For women who are pursuing an MBA in the field of business management or finance and reside in either Virginia or Iowa, AICP offers one of two scholarships. Those residing in the state of Iowa can receive a $500 scholarship, and those residing in Virginia can receive a $1,000 scholarship. The applicants must have at least a 2.75 GPA, and they will be required to submit an essay about their goals in pursuing a career in the field of actuarial business. For more information about these scholarships, go to www.aicp.net.

C200 Scholars Award

This organization offers scholarships to women who are first-year MBA students. Each recipient of this award will receive $25,000 in funding to go toward her education. Committee members of C200 will interview finalists to determine which will be awarded the scholarship.

Applicants will have to provide proof of previous academic records, several recommendations, past work history, as well as an extensive essay describing their reasons for choosing to concentrate on a business degree. Each scholarship recipient will be encouraged to attend the C200 Scholars conference and will have the opportunity to participate in the internship program.

Business Achievement Awards

Women who are working toward their MBA and are members of the Golden Key organization may apply for this scholarship. Three scholarships will be awarded to qualified applicants in the amount of between $1,000 and $2,000.

Eligibility:

• The applicant must have three letters of recommendation.
• The applicant must submit her full transcript for her undergraduate school.
• The applicant must submit an essay no longer than ten pages that is on the subject of business.

For more information go to www.goldenkey.org.

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Scholarship Awards

This scholarship is awarded to Hispanic Americans, Mexican Americans, and Puerto Rican women who are pursuing their MBA. The amount of the scholarships is $5,000. This money may be used for any expenses that are school-involved.

Eligibility:

• Applicant must show proof of her financial need for assistance.
• Applicant must have an above-average previous academic record.
• Applicant must show leadership skills.
• Applicant must show proof of providing service to her community.

To apply for this scholarship, go to www.chci.org.

Ford Business Scholarship

This scholarship will be awarded to two women who are working toward their MBA. The amount of the funding is $10,000. The winners are selected by the Golden Key International Honor Society. Once a student receives the scholarship, she may not apply again. However, she is free to apply each year until she receives the scholarship.

Eligibility:

• Must have several letters of recommendation.
• Must submit a current resume.
• Must submit a project paper or business report.

For more information go to www.goldenkey.org.

Forte Foundation Fellowships

This foundation awards scholarships to female MBA students who are enrolled at participating business schools. The award winners must demonstrate strong leadership ability, consistent academic excellence, and a passion to work towards solving women’s issues. The Forte Foundation is looking for diversity in its scholarship recipients.

Cronk Opportunity Scholarship

Women who are pursuing an MBA and are participating members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America may apply for this scholarship. The amount of funding provided is $1,000 and must be used toward her education. All applicants must be 21 years or older to qualify. To find out more about this award, contact the Women of ELCA or visit the website: www.elca.org.

Little Family Foundation MBA Fellowship Award

This scholarship is awarded to women who are previous members of Junior Achievement. In this program, the participating schools pledge to match the funds given by the Little Family Foundation. The amount of funding is $5,000.

Eligibility:

• Applicants must be able to prove a two-year work history in the business industry.
• Applicants are required to pledge a full-time study in one of two of the MBA programs.

For more details, go to www.ja.org.

Katherine F. Gruber Scholarship Program

This scholarship is offered to women who are, or have a spouse that is, visually impaired and a veteran of the United States military. It is not required that the disability happened as a result of military duty, but the impairment must meet the military definition of a visual disability. The amount of funds awarded is $2,000. It must be applied toward the recipient’s MBA degree. For more information regarding this scholarship go to www.bva.org.

Financial Women’s Association Scholarship

Second-year female MBA students in some participating New York business schools will have the opportunity to apply for this scholarship. These schools include Columbia, Fordham, and New York University. The winners will be chosen by their particular school based upon their financial need, academic excellence, and leadership abilities.

Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded to female MBA students who have a goal of making the world a better place. On the district level, twelve different recipients will receive $1,000 each. On the international level, twelve recipients will receive $5,000 to go toward their educations.

Eligibility:

• Must demonstrate outstanding business potential.
• Must have recommendations from professional business people.
• Must have above-average grades from previous schooling.
• Must have good leadership ability.
• Must be a member of the Zonta club.

All applications must be received before September 1, 2012.

AARP Foundation, Women’s Scholarship Program

This foundation offers scholarships to low-income women who are pursuing a business degree. The recipients must be at least fifty years old and willing to work toward recession recovery in the United States.

Eligibility:

• All applicants must be ages 50 and over.
• Applicants must be in the low-income range.
• Applicants must be pursuing a business degree.
• Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited business school within six months of the award date.

Selection Process:

• Priority is given to women who have been unemployed for a year or more.
• Priority is given to applicants in low-paying jobs with no opportunity for advancement.
• Priority is given to applicants who are raising a child or children who are not their own.
• Priority is given to United States women veterans.
• Financial need will be taken into consideration.
• Applicants’ achievements and personal circumstances will be considered.
• Career goals will be considered.
• Applicants’ issues or challenges in life will be considered.
• The impact that the scholarship has on the applicant will be considered.

The application period is February 1, 2012 – March 30, 2012. For more information visit www.aarp.org.

Business and Professional Women’s Foundation

Since 1969, this foundation has provided scholarships for women who want to advance in their place of business. The awards are given on a competitive basis according to the applicants’ academic status, work experience, financial need, and history of volunteerism. All applicants must be 25 years or older and be enrolled in business studies in an accredited school. The Business and Professional Women’s Foundation’s goal is to promote equality in the workplace. They provide numerous scholarships every year.

QS Leadership Scholarship

The QS Leadership Scholarship for MBA and Postgraduate Studies offers women the opportunity to better their employment abilities by assisting them with business school tuition and expenses. One applicant will receive $10,000 per year. To apply, each applicant must submit a 750-word essay on the subject, “Where I have demonstrated responsible leadership and how it made a difference in my community/work.”

Eligibility:

• All applicants must be enrolled in one of the top 200 global Masters, PhD or MBA programs.
• The applicants must be participating members of the QS World Tour.
• Must be at least 21 years of age.
• Must demonstrate strong leadership abilities and potential in innovative thinking.

To apply visit www.aarp.org.

American Business Women’s Association

The American Business Woman’s Association (ABWA) awards scholarships to future business women. These funds are provided by the Stephen Bufton Memorial Education Fund (SBMEF). Members of SBMEF nominate women business students every year according to their academic performance, financial need, and interest in pursuing a career in business.

Two award winners will receive $3,000 scholarships, and one award winner will receive a $10,000 scholarship every year. Depending on availability of funding, there are sometimes corporate scholarships which are funded by different program sponsors.

BISA Inner-City Scholarship Program

The Black Women in Sisterhood for Action program (BISA) assists black women from inner-cities with funding for business school. Their goal is to bring inner-city, low-income women out of poverty-stricken neighborhoods and into the classroom to prepare them for successful careers in business.

This program awards its scholarship recipients with much more than funding. Scholarship winners will also receive counseling services, transportation, tutoring, and mentoring. Throughout the duration of their schooling, a BISA representative keeps in contact with her on a monthly basis. The winners of these scholarships are chosen on financial need basis as well as academic potential and leadership ability.

NHBW Minority Scholarships for Women

The National Hookup of Black Women (NHBW) awards at least two scholarships a year to minority women who are trying to further their education with no help from their family members. This has been known as the Sister to Sister Scholarship Program and its goal is for the advancement of minority women through the helping hands of minority women. The awards are given on a competitive basis according to financial need and dedication to advancing in life while helping other women do the same.

Global Executive MBA Program of HHL and EADA

In an effort to assist more women to achieve excellence in the work place, Global Executive MBA Program is offering aspiring women scholarships for business school expenses. The selection process is dependent on previous academic performance, participation in community events, and need for financial assistance. The applicants will be required to submit an essay describing their future business plans. Applications are being accepted now through August 31, 2012. For more information visit www.hhl.de.

The National Society of Hispanic MBAs

The National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) offers scholarships to Hispanic women who wish to pursue a career in business. According to financial need and scholarship eligibility, the top five applicants will receive between $2,500 and $10,000 to be used towards their educational expenses.

Eligibility:

• Applicants must be a United States citizen or legal resident.
• The applicants must be of Hispanic heritage.
• The applicants must have a grade point average of at least 3.0.
• The applicants must have a minimum of 2 years of work experience.
• The applicants must be a participating member of NSHMBA.
• The applicants must be enrolled in a Master’s Degree program in business.

The scholarship winners will receive free conference registration and up to $250 in travel expenses. Scholarship recipients are required to volunteer at the conference a minimum of four hours. The recipients will also be required to attend NSHMBA Scholars luncheons. All winners will be recognized on the NSHMBA website as valued new members of the program and will have access to opportunities for internship and employment.

Applications must be submitted on or before May 31, 2012. For more information visit www.hhl.de.

Angus Sawis Scholarships for Women

This organization offers scholarships to African women who are furthering their education in order to strengthen the role of the African women. To be eligible, the applicant must have had at least one year of study in business at the honors level. The winner of this scholarship will receive funding for school expenses and membership to the SAWISE organization. To apply, the applicant must submit at least two references, a one-page essay, and a list of the other scholarships she has applied for.

Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO)

This organization has the Bridges to the Future Scholarship Program which provides funding to women pursuing a degree in business. They award twenty scholarships per year of $2,000 each. All funds must be used on tuition and other school expenses. Recipients of the scholarships will have access to ASBO’s Live Learning Center as well as the pre-conference workshop and networking luncheon.

Eligibility:

• Must be a participating member of ASBO.
• Must be enrolled in business school.
• Must be age 21 or older.
• Must have a prior GPA of at least 3.0.
• Must have two years of work experience.

Jeannette Rankin Foundation Scholarships

Every fall, this foundation offers scholarships to low-income women age 35 and older who are interested in furthering their education in the business field. The applicants must have goals of helping their communities through education and empowerment of womankind. All applicants must be citizens of the United States. Applications will be accepted now through November 1, 2012.

Possible Woman Foundation International

This foundation focuses its attention on women who cannot compete with other scholarship eligibility requirements and are in need of funding to further their education. Recipients of this award are typically women who have family issues but are still maintaining their goals of bettering themselves through higher education.

Altrusa International Foundation

This is a foundation made up of women and men who volunteer their time to support communities in need of assistance. They are looking for women from developing countries who are interested in bettering their situations by educating themselves in the United States. Depending upon the available funding through donations, the scholarships range from $250 to $1,000 per recipient.

The Women’s Enterprise Foundation (WEF)

This foundation assists women business owners living in the Phoenix area who wish to enhance their business through furthering their educations. The Women’s Enterprise Foundation has a mission to help women expand their business to benefit their communities as well as their personal lives. Recipients of this scholarship will include admittance to monthly WEF meetings and other special events. For more information send an email to: info@efphx.org.

Charlotte W. Newcombe Foundation

This foundation has the Newcombe Scholarships for Mature Women Students program. This scholarship is available to women over the age of 25 who have already earned a bachelor’s degree in business and want to continue their education. All funds are distributed directly to universities for deserving recipients who have met the eligibility requirements of that particular college. This foundation has granted more than $715,000 to 31 different universities to go towards mature women’s educations.

The Women at Microsoft Scholarship Fund (WAM)

This scholarship is awarded by Microsoft to women who show excellence in their field of business and want to further their education. To qualify for this award, applicants must have record of prior work experience, community service, and have maintained a 3.0 GPA in previous education years. All applicants must be enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program and focusing on business studies. Only students who studied in the United States, Mexico, or Canada may apply.

Nestle MBA Scholarships for Women from Developing Countries

This foundation has been awarding scholarships to women from developing countries since 1997. Their goal is for the advancement of women in society. Recipients of this scholarship will study business administration in Switzerland. To be accepted as a candidate, the woman must demonstrate a want for personal growth and a need for financial assistance. To apply, the applicants must submit an essay on the subject, “Does diversity in management impact the bottom line?”

Eligibility:

• All applicants must submit an MBA Financial Aid Application.
• Applicants must have previously applied for other scholarships and grants.
• Applicants must intend on taking full-time classes.

For more information contact mbafinance@imd.ch or visit their website: www.hhl.de.

Women in Business Scholarship

The ENPC MBA Paris offers scholarships to women who demonstrate above-average leadership skills as well as a passion to excel in the business world. This scholarship is to be used for tuition and expenses to study business in Paris. To be eligible for these funds women must demonstrate financial need, determination, leadership ability, and adherence to school values.

Imperial MBA Scholarships

This organization offers scholarships from the Rajiv Gandhi Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. These scholarships are open to Indian women who are pursuing a degree in business and can prove financial need. To apply for this scholarship, applicants must have a minimum GMAT score of 650, experience in business, and a good work ethic.

Eligibility:

• Applicant must have a clear vision of how she will use her degree after it is received.
• Applicant must have big but realistic career goals.
• Applicant must have held and excelled in leadership roles.
• Applicant must have good interpersonal skills and the ability to work well with a diverse group of people.

The deadline for applications is May 31, 2012. For more information send an email to mba@imperial.ac.uk.

National Black MBA Association

The NBMBAA Graduate Scholarship program provides funding to African American women who are pursuing a career in business and have a need for financial assistance. The amount of funding ranges from $1,000 to $15,000 depending on the recipients current income.

Eligibility:

• Applicants must be a participating member of NBMBAA.
• Applicants must be enrolled full-time in an accredited business school.
• Applicant must have a good prior academic record.
• Applicant must submit transcript.
• Applicant must submit a resume no longer than two pages.

All recipients of this scholarship must agree to participate in public relation events. A 750-word essay on one of the following subjects must be submitted:

• How African Americans can become more marketable in the global economy.
• Resources that should be used to help retain minority students.
• How business schools can attract and recruit minority students.

For more information visit www.nbmbaa.org.

Outstanding Professional Woman Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded to MBA students who demonstrate accelerated career development. This organization is looking for women with diverse experience in their careers as well as the ability to work with and motivate others.

INCAE Scholarships

The Beca Mujer (Woman Scholarship) awards scholarships to six women every year who are pursuing a business degree. This opportunity is open to women from every country in the world that have a legitimate financial need for assistance. In this program, INCAE will cover the cost of half of the tuition while the student must finance the rest.

Eligibility:

• All applicants must be enrolled in an accredited MBA program.
• Applicants must demonstrate financial need.
• Applicants must have an above-average academic record.
• Applicants must have leadership qualities.
• Applicants must have recommendations.
• Applicants must be interested in supporting the Center for Women’s Leadership.

For more information, visit becas@incae.edu.

Danube Business School 1/3 Scholarship for Women

Because of its interest in the advancement of women in business, Danube Business School offers scholarships that cover a third of college expenses. Recipients of this award must be willing to study in Austria and have maintained a GPA of at least 3.0 in the past. For more information, visit www.mba-spectrum.com.

MBA Scholarships for Women-Germany

Female MBA students who wish to continue their studies in Germany may apply for this scholarship. This organization prefers to award scholarships to women with the following qualities:

• Strong leadership abilities.
• A need to make an impact on people and the community.
• A willingness to work with a diverse group of people for a common cause.
• A strong professional background with many different learning experiences.
• A sense of social responsibility.

These scholarships are awarded throughout the year periodically. Applicants should check the website to find out about the next scholarship opportunity: www.newuniversitylist.com.

IE Business School Scholarship for Chinese Women (International MBA)

The IE foundation awards scholarships to female Chinese MBA students who demonstrate a great financial need for assistance with college tuition and expenses. The amount of funding provided is 30% of the cost. All applicants are required to submit an essay describing their need for financial assistance.

Required Documentation:

• Proof of employment by way of pay stubs or tax forms.
• Certificate of birth.
• Transcripts from previous schools.

For more information and to apply, visit www.f1gmat.com.

HHL – Leipzig Graduate School of Management, Germany

This organization looks to assist female MBA students who are interested in studying in Germany. Applicants must be willing to become active members of HHL if they are awarded this scholarship. The amount of funding will range, but the scholarship winner will receive half of the funding at the start of the semester, and if she keeps her GPA above 1.6, she will receive the second installment of funds mid-semester.

Eligibility:

• All applicants must have already earned her bachelor’s degree in business.
• All applicants must have made a GMAT score of a minimum of 650.
• The scholarship is only open to applicants who have applied for HHL’s MBA Program 2012.
• Applicants must submit a scholarship essay.
• Applicants must submit a completed HHL questionnaire.

The essay should be on the subject, “Challenges a female manager faces today,” and it should be approximately 3,000 words long. Those who have achievements such as academic awards will be more likely to be considered for this scholarship. Leadership experience is also of interest to HHL members.

The deadline for application submission is April 1, 2012. For more information, visit www.minglebox.com.

MasterCard and SMU Scholarships for Women

MasterCard Worldwide together with the Singapore Management University (SMU) offer scholarships for outstanding female MBA students who are in need of financial assistance. They are looking to assist women who demonstrate excellent potential for leadership and exhibit a strong drive to exceed in business.

Applicants must have maintained a 3.0 GPA in their prior semester and have been active in their community. MasterCard and SMU have a goal of turning out independent, socially responsible women. To learn more about this scholarship, visit moneyfractions.com.

FreeCollegeScholarships.net

This organization gives one female MBA student $10,000 towards her degree every year. All applicants must be at least 18 years or older and have a determination to excel in business. To enter this scholarship giveaway, visit their website.

Coe College

Coe College offers the Writing Center Fellowship to female Walmart associates who are pursuing their MBA. The amount of funding is $3,000 to be used toward college tuition and expenses. To qualify, applicants must submit writing examples in the form of poetry or non-fiction.

AAUW Harrisburg

This organization offers the Beverly J. Smith Memorial Scholarship to deserving female MBA students. The amount of the scholarship is $2,500 and it is awarded annually.

Eligibility:

• Applicants must be enrolled as a full-time MBA student in both spring and fall semesters.
• The student must have completed a minimum of 60 credits towards her degree by May 31, 2012.
• The applicant must attend a Pennsylvania university.
• The applicant must be a resident of Cumberland, Dauphin, or Perry County.
• The applicant must have a GPA of at least 3.4.
• The applicant must show proof of financial need.

The deadline to submit your application is May 19, 2012. For more information, contact Scholarship@aauwharrisburg.org.

Martha M. Dohner Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship presented by the AAUW Scholarship Committee is in the amount of $1,000. Applicants must be female MBA students who are in need of financial assistance to further their education.

Eligibility:

• Applicants must be enrolled full-time as an MBA student during the fall 2012 term.
• Applicants must have a minimum of 15 credits toward their degree by May 2012.
• Applicants must attend a Pennsylvania university.
• Applicants must be permanent residents of Cumberland or Dauphin County.
• Applicants must hold at least a 3.25 GPA.
• Applicants must have proof of financial need for assistance.

The deadline for application submission is May 19, 2012. The scholarship finalist will be interviewed by the AAUW Scholarship Committee. The winners will be honored at a luncheon in September 2012. For more information, visit Scholarship@aauwharrisburg.org.

ESMT MBA Scholarship for Global Women

This organization offers scholarships to exceptional female MBA students who wish to study abroad. For the 2012 year, they are offering one scholarship to an Executive MBA student and two scholarships to full-time MBA students. To be considered, these students must demonstrate outstanding leadership skills and hold active roles within their communities.

Eligibility:

• All applicants must be enrolled in a full-time MBA program at ESMT.
• The applicants must currently rely on self-funding for their college expenses.
• Applicants must demonstrate financial need for assistance.
• The applicants must show record of good academic standing.

All applicants must submit an essay outlining their reasons for wanting to pursue a career in business and their need for financial assistance. Winners will be chosen by the ESMT MBA scholarship committee. For more information regarding this scholarship, visit www.esmt.org.

Women’s Independence Scholarship Program (WISP)

This organization provides scholarships for abused women who are looking to get out of their relationships through higher education. Women who would like to pursue a degree in business will be given priority with this scholarship opportunity.

Eligibility:

• The applicant must be a spousal abuse survivor and have been separated from her spouse for at least one year.
• The applicant must be a legal citizen of the United States.
• The applicant must have applied to or been accepted to an accredited college or University.
• The applicant must prove the need for financial assistance.
• The applicant must show a strong desire to want to complete her education to become an independent woman.
• The applicant must have a plan of action for her career path upon completing her degree.
• The applicant must have sought out help from a domestic abuse organization which is willing to act as a mentor to her throughout her educational process.

For more information or to apply, visit www.wispinc.org/.

National Society of Hispanic MBAs

The National Society of Hispanic MBAs is offering scholarships to Latinos working towards their MBA and are in need of financial assistance. These awards are given on a competitive basis and are available to part-time as well as full-time MBA students. The scholarships range from $2,500 to $10,000. For more information, contact the national society of Hispanic MBAs, or send an email to ecaballero@nshmba.org.

All of these resources are available to women who are pursuing their MBA. With research, there are many more like them to be found. There are scholarships and grants to fit every MBA student’s needs. For women, education results in independence, and independence results in power.