The focus on sustainability in business has increased significantly in recent years. Now more than ever, CEOs are focused on ensuring their company practices leave as little an impact on the planet as possible – and are increasingly discovering that doing so can also help them turn in a profit too.

The next generation of business leaders are also far more environmentally and socially focused than their predecessors. Students who are looking to apply to business school not only understand the importance of sustainability, but more and more are demanding that it become part of the curriculum too.

In fact, according to the latest GMAC Prospective Students survey, 68% of students say sustainability is an important aspect of the academic experience, whilst 36% indicated they would not consider a school if they did not prioritise supporting sustainability.

New specialised programmes at business schools have reflected this increased desire for a greater focus on sustainability, with options such as the Masters in Climate Change, Management and Finance at Imperial College Business School, the Masters in Leading Sustainable Transformations at emlyon business school, and the Masters in Sustainable Finance at UCD College of Business all entering the market in recent years and receiving positive response.

For those with a focus on sustainability who want a more general management education, the MBA is still a leading pathway to do so, enabling participants to gain a broad and rich spectrum of management knowledge, as well as supporting them in then specialising in a specific field.

However, the cost of a top-flight MBA programme might provide a barrier to entry for many applicants. To help overcome this hurdle, scholarships, fellowships and other such financial awards have long been established as ways of enabling the most ambitious, promising and deserving students to get into the classroom.

And, as the focus on driving sustainability has grown both in industry and in the institutions charged with shaping the next generation of industry leaders, so too has the access to funding for those aspiring to leave the world in a better state than they found it.

If you are interested in sustainability, and have a track record in this space, there are plenty of options to secure a scholarship, and an education to help you on your way.

So, this Earth Day, here at BlueSky Thinking, we’ve travelled the world (digitally) to locate 25 of the very best…

In Europe…

• Institution: Porto Business School
• Scholarship: Social Impact Scholarship
• Programme: MBA

This scholarship is aimed at any applicant currently working in the fields of sustainability and social impact. Applicants are required to be able to demonstrate a strong commitment to these areas, showcasing a social impact project they’ve worked on as a case study. Applicants are also considered upon their ability to display their leadership potential and professional development to date.

• Institution: Vlerick Business School
• Scholarship: Social Impact Scholarship
• Programme: Executive, Online and European Executive MBA programmes

This scholarship is available to applicants to any of Vlerick’s suite of MBAs – Executive, Online and European Executive – in varying amounts. Quite simply, it’s aimed at those who care, and want to use their newfound business abilities to have a greater social impact and make a better life for everyone.

• Institution: ESMT Berlin
• Scholarship: Social Impact Scholarship
• Programme: MBA

This scholarship is accessible to candidates with experience working in a social impact or not-for profit organisation, offering up to €5,000 to help cover programme costs. In the application process, candidates should be able to demonstrate how they have created a positive social impact by addressing one or more of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

• Institution: Oxford Saïd Business School
• Scholarship: The Skoll Scholarship
• Programme: MBA

Provided by the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at Oxford Saïd, the scholarship is open to students pursuing entrepreneurial solutions for urgent social and environmental challenges. As well as full funding, the scholarship also provides access to the Skoll scholar community; a group of leaders who are positively impacting the world through innovation and systems change, as well as exclusive opportunities to meet with world-renowned entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and investors.

• Institution: King’s Business School
• Scholarship: The ESG & Sustainability Scholarship
• Programme: Executive MBA

This scholarship is open to those who work in the ESG space and can demonstrate both academic and professional excellence in this field. This scholarship is specific to the business school’s Executive MBA programme.

• Institution: INSEAD
• Scholarship: The Climate Change Scholarship
• Programme: MBA

This €20,000 scholarship is offered to MBA students who can demonstrate experience in, and a commitment to, addressing climate change and its consequences through the development of business solutions. INSEAD provides one scholarship per year to deserving candidates admitted to its MBA programme.

• Institution: ESADE Business School
• Scholarship: Sustainable Energies Scholarship
• Programme: MBA

This scholarship supports MBA candidates who have significant work experience in the sustainable energies industry. Those who have shown leadership within the energy sector and an interest in a career in the global energy industry, will be eligible to apply for a significant discount to school’s MBA programme.

• Institution: Kent Business School
• Scholarship: Leaders in Sustainability Scholarship
• Programme: MBA

Offering successful applicants a 25% discount to the school’s MBA programme, this scholarship is supports those who can demonstrate both a depth and breadth of previous work experience along with academic excellence in leading sustainable and social business causes, inspiring colleagues to also become sustainable business leaders of the future.

• Institution: Henley Business School
• Scholarship: Business Ethics and Sustainability Scholarship
• Programme: Executive MBA

This scholarship can provide 50% off the price of the Executive MBA and is aimed at those who can demonstrate work and influence in areas such as environmental sustainability, social impact, or sustainable ethics. Applicants must demonstrate how they have made a positive impact in an area which benefits either their immediate community or the wider world.

• Institution: London Business School
• Scholarship:  Gallifrey Scholarship for Social Enterprise
• Programme: MBA and Executive MBA

This scholarship is provided by the Gallifrey Foundation and offers successful applicants up to £50,000 to aid study costs. The scholarship is aimed at successful MBA and Executive MBA applicants who have an established background in social enterprise or sustainability (with a preference for women and/or candidates from the global south such as Africa, India, and South America).

In North America…

• Institution: Multi-school partnership
• Scholarship: Inner Development Goals Sustainability Leadership Award
• Programme: International Masters Program for Managers (IMPM)

This scholarship offers up to US$10,000 for exceptional leaders who have implemented sustainability strategies in their organisations and/or communities that have yielded a positive impact. This is part of IMPM’s aim to keep tuition affordable, and the programme accessible to the highest-potential individuals.

• Institution: Hult International Business School
• Scholarship: Social Impact Scholarship
• Programme:  MBA

The Social Impact Scholarship is for applicants who have had, and will, make the world a better place. Successful candidates will either be from a developing country with plans to use their degree to improve the lives of their fellow citizens or will have worked in organisations which serve underprivileged populations.

• Institution: Berkeley Haas Business School
• Scholarship: Centre for Responsible Business Fellowship
• Programme: Global Executive MBA

The fellowship is awarded to those who can best demonstrate their commitment to responsible and sustainable business, and their desire to engage with and support the Center for Responsible Business at Berkeley Haas. One candidate is selected each year, earning the title of “CRB Fellow”.

• Institution: Alberta School of Business
• Scholarship: Dr. Richard (Rick) Hyndman MBA Entrance Scholarship in Energy, Environment and Public Policy
• Programme: MBA

This scholarship offers CA$5,000 to MBA students entering their first year of full-time or part-time study. Applicants must have a demonstrated interest in public policy and experience working in the fields of energy and environment. Recipients will be selected on the basis of superior academic standing and a letter of application outlining their career aspirations.

• Institution: Schulich School of Business
• Scholarship: Dream Chaser Change Maker Award
• Programme: MBA

This award is presented to a continuing student specialising or concentrating in either Responsible Business, Business & Sustainability or Social Sector Management at the undergraduate or graduate level. The recipient must demonstrate financial need and embrace everything an education can offer by ambitiously supporting social and/or environmental change within the community.

• Institution: UBC Sauder School of Business
• Scholarship: Responsible Business and Community Spirit Scholarship
• Programme: MBA

This scholarship is for high-achieving MBA applicants with a strong background in sustainability, social entrepreneurship and who can display a commitment to social causes within their communities. The scholarship offers between CA$10,000 and CA$60,000 to international applicants.

• Institution: Michigan Ross School of Business
• Scholarship: Erb Institute Scholarships – Environmental Sustainability
• Programme: MBA

This scholarship is provided by the school’s Erb Institute, and offers various funding opportunities for applicants. The scholarships are awarded to those who can show a history of work and achievement in environmental sustainability.

• Institution: Stanford Graduate School of Business
• Scholarship: Impact Founder Fellowships
• Programme: MBA

The Stanford Impact Founder (SIF) Fellowship provides USD$110,000 in funding along with advisory support to Fellows who wish to launch a high-impact for-profit or non-profit venture to address a pressing social or environmental need. SIF Fellowship winners can receive a USD$20,000 SIF Prize in acknowledgment of their venture and leadership potential.

• Institution: Yale School of Management
• Scholarship: The Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation Fellowship
• Programme: MBA

The Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation has four grant programmes to support and foster environmental leaders. The fellowships are aimed at participants who want to continue their professional and leadership development and increase their impact as environmental leaders. The awards range from USD$500 to USD$10,000.

• Institution: The University of Vermont
• Scholarship: Sustainable Innovation International Student Scholarship
• Programme: MBA

This scholarship is awarded to international students whose application demonstrates the highest levels of commitment and achievement pertaining to sustainable business, innovation, and/or entrepreneurship; and future potential as a transformational change agent who will create positive social and/or environmental value through for-profit business models. Applicants can receive up to USD$20,000 toward their MBA.

• Institution: NYU Stern School of Business
• Scholarship: Sustainability Scholarship
• Programme: Executive MBA

This scholarship is awarded to Executive MBA applicants who are committed to making an impact through sustainability in their industry or function, and can showcase this in their application. The scholarship offers successful applicants amounts ranging between USD$5,000 and USD$15,000 toward programme costs.

In Asia and the Pacific…

• Institution: National University of Singapore
• Scholarship: Lam See Chiew Memorial Scholarship in Social Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy
• Programme:  MBA

This scholarship, launched in 2017, is aimed at MBA candidates who have demonstrated active interest in social entrepreneurship, philanthropy, or non-profit leadership by participating in social entrepreneurship ventures, philanthropy, or have volunteered in social-outreach organisations for a minimum of two years.

• Institution: Nanyang Business School
• Scholarship: Sustainability Leader Scholarship
• Programme:  MBA

This scholarship aims to empower the next generation of MBA graduates with the knowledge, skills, and resources to lead organisations towards a more sustainable and socially responsible future. This partial scholarship is awarded to exceptional MBA candidates who demonstrate a profound dedication to sustainability in their academic and professional pursuits.

• Institution: Melbourne Business School
• Scholarship: CEW and HMST Scholarship
• Programme:  Executive MBA

This scholarship is the only one on our list aimed specifically at emerging female leaders in the not-for-profit and for-purpose sectors. It offers successful applicants the opportunity to complete an Executive MBA, providing full-tuition in order to support them acquire the tools and skills necessary to succeed in a mission-driven enterprise.

• Institution: University of Sydney Business School
• Scholarship: Leadership for Social Impact scholarship
• Programme:  Executive MBA

Offered to those studying on the school’s Global Executive MBA programme, this scholarship is specifically tailored towards potential future leaders who are focused on driving social change both during their MBA but also post-MBA too.

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