When it comes to securing gender parity in the classroom at business school, recent years have revealed an encouraging level of progress.

According to the Graduate Management Admission Council’s Application Trends Survey women’s interest in graduate business programmes rose to 42% in 2024, and 55% of graduate business programmes were revealed to have experienced an increase in applications from women – a  rise of ten percent over the last decade.

MBA programmes in particular have benefited from this momentum, with approximately 70% of flexible MBA programmes and nearly two-thirds of full-time MBA programmes reporting a rise in female applicants. Research undertaken by InsideTrack, covering the 2025-26 academic year, reinforces GMAC’s findings. Women’s applications to MBA programmes grew faster than men’s.

The survey also found that women made up roughly half of applicants to Master of Accounting and Master of Management programmes, as well as two-thirds of applicants to Master of Marketing programmes.

For the Executive MBA, according to data gathered by AACSB, more than half of programmes are now reporting growth in applications from female candidates.

What’s behind such growth?

One crucial factor behind opening the door for more women has been a steady growth in available support – women’s networks and clubs, mentorship opportunities, and even financing.

“Business schools have a responsibility to increase financial support for under-represented groups,” says Nalisha Patel, Regional Director for Europe at the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC).

“Though some have already begun implementing initiatives like this themselves, instead of relying on external scholarship funding, schools can be doing more themselves to boost the gender parity on their programmes. Part of this is also widening access to knowledge of self-funding, and making potential applicants aware of the facilities to support them.”

So, this International Women’s Day, the team here at BlueSky Thinking have pulled together a comprehensive list of some of the most innovative scholarships providing financial, as well as practical, support for women studying at business school.

Best Business School Scholarships for Women in 2026

• Institution: Emory Goizeuta Business School
• Scholarship: Rosemary and John Brown Family Scholars Program
• Programme: MBA
• Amounts: $5m fund awarded at discretion

The scholarship promotes the advancement of women into business and leadership by providing financial support to graduates of two women’s colleges in Georgia – Spelman College and the Agnes Scott College. The programme offers $5m to be shared between successful candidates. Scholarships are solely merit-based.

For scholarships that require a demonstrated financial need applicants must submit their paperwork by March 2^nd of the academic year prior to starting their studies.

• Institution: UCLA Anderson School of Management
• Scholarship: Women’s Scholarships
• Programme: MBA

There are several scholarships available to women accepted into UCLA Anderson’s MBA program both domestic and international, and from a range of internal and external bodies.. Being a member of the Forté foundation, financial support is made available to students who can display their commitments to advancing and enhancing the next generation of female business leaders.

• Institution: INSEAD
• Scholarship: Women’s Leaders Scholarship
• Programme: MBA

INSEAD scholarships for women support equity, diversity, and inclusion by providing talented female applicants worldwide with an opportunity to pursue a world-class MBA regardless of their financial circumstances. Candidates are assessed on professional experience with between €18,000 and 25,000 awarded.

Specific details of amounts, criteria and application deadlines are available via the website.

• Institution: Porto Business School
• Scholarship: Women in Business
• Programme: MBA and Postgraduate programmes

This scholarship is intended to support exceptional women who are seeking to advance their careers and who demonstrate a clear commitment to leadership and innovation in their respective fields. Applicants are assessed on their academic and professional achievements, leadership potential, personal and professional development goals as well as the content of the “motivation letter” each applicant is asked to submit. Successful candidates can expect to have up to 30% of tuition costs covered.

• Institution: Imperial Business School
• Scholarship: Women’s Scholarships
• Programme: Online MBA, Executive MBA and Weekend MBA

Imperial has a number of scholarships and financing options designed to support women through their business education – all of which can be searched on the School’s website. Examples include the Inspiring Women Executive MBA scholarships which over up to £25,000 to successful candidates, the Forté Fellowships for Women which provide up to 50% cover of tuition fees, the Outstanding Women in Finance scholarship for MSc students and Women in STEM scholarships with are available to postgraduate and masters research students across multiple STEM-focused departments.

• Institution: WU Executive Academy
• Scholarship: Scholarships For Female Leaders
• Programme: Global Executive MBA

This scholarship is open to all female applicants – regardless of residence or citizenship, and cover up to 25% of tuition fees for recipients.

Applicants are invited to apply first via a form and then are interviewed by committee. During this interview, you will have the opportunity to personally demonstrate your motivation and career goals as well as your potential contribution to the program

• Institution: International Masters Programme for Managers (IMPM)
• Scholarship: Women in Leadership Award
• Programme: IMPM (Exec Diploma)

The International Masters Programme for Managers looks to provide its participants with a level of professional development beyond what a traditional Exec MBA offers. Focusing its teaching on the five mindsets set out by professor Henry Mintzberg, the programme teaches participants to expand their management acumen across five continents. For women who demonstrate exceptional leadership in their organisation, country, and/or their region the Women in Leadership Award awards up to $10,000 USD to successful applicants.

• Institution: Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM)
• Scholarship: Women in Leadership Scholarship
• Programme: MBA

The AGSM Women in Leadership Scholarship, offered at the University of New South Wales Business School is set up to boost diversity, enabling high potential female leaders to complete a world-class MBA. Candidates are automatically considered for this scholarship after they have received an offer of admission to the AGSM Full-Time MBA program, and are assessed based on their leadership potential and career progression. Scholarships range between 25-75% of programme costs covered.

• Institution: UBC Sauder School of Business
• Scholarship: Ruth P. Glenen MBA Entrance Award for Women / Women in Business Leadership Scholarships / Forté Fellowship
• Programme: MBA

The Ruth P. Glenen MBA Entrance Award for Women scholarship makes two $35,000 entrance awards available annually for outstanding domestic students who entering the MBA, awarded to candidates who can demonstrate passion and commitment towards achieving gender parity and supporting women in business leadership. Applicants in 2026 must submit their application by May 5^th.

UBC Sauder also offers the Women in Business Leadership Scholarships to top applicants with a demonstrated passion and commitment towards achieving gender parity and supporting women in business leadership with between $10,000 and $60,000 on offer for national and international students.

UBC Sauder is also a member of the Forté Fellowship programme for outstanding women MBA applicants who demonstrate leadership, a commitment to gender equity and alignment with UBC Sauder’s and Forté Foundation’s mission to advance inclusion and women in business.

• Institution: NYU Stern
• Scholarship: Advancing Women in Business Scholarship / Forté Fellowship
• Programme: Full-Time MBA

This merit-based scholarship is awarded to students that demonstrate a deep and abiding commitment to advancing women in business. Successful applicants can expect to receive cover for their full tuition and mandatory fees for the two years, along with an annual stipend of $10,000.

NYU Stern School of Business is also a member of the Forté Fellowship programme for outstanding women

• Institution: King’s Business School
• Scholarship: Women Excelling in Business
• Programme: EMBA

This scholarship is intended to support professional women seeking to undertake an Executive MBA to take their careers to the next stage. It’s offered in association with the 30% club, a campaign group of business chairpersons and CEOs taking action to increase gender diversity on boards and senior management teams. Applicants are assessed on their ability to demonstrate academic and professional excellence, as well as experience in supporting women in business activities.

• Institution: Frankfurt School of Finance and Management
• Scholarship: Women in Business Scholarship
• Programme: MBA (part-time and full-time), Executive MBA, MBA in International Healthcare Management, and all Masters programmes

This scholarship is aimed at female applicants who have demonstrated success – professionally or personally – in the field of business. The scholarship covers a partial amount of tuition for the respective programme of up to 30%.

Selection criteria includes candidates’ academic results, admissions tests, application quality, personal acheivements and needs.

• Institution: ESMT Berlin
• Scholarship: Women in Business Scholarship
• Programme: MBA, Exec MBA, and all Masters programmes

This scholarship acknowledges the lack of gender equality in global business, and seeks to support women’s career development and advancement by offering ten scholarships of €4,000 to women who have demonstrated a clear path towards leadership during their previous studies or who show a strong desire to move into leadership roles in the future. Applicants this year are required to answer the question “Tell us why you do – or do not – agree with mandatory board (or senior management) quotas for women”

• Institution: Hult International Business School
• Scholarship: Women in Business Scholarship
• Programme: MBA programmes

This scholarship is for MBA applicants who have either work or internship experience, or who have led a team, in an international environment. The scholarship is awarded to candidates who challenge the status quo and bring a unique perspective to the table. Recipients of this award are characterised by their ambition, potential, and diversity of thought. To apply, candidates must submit an overview of their roles and responsibilities, and a brief essay explaining why they think it’s important to have women in leadership positions, based on their experience. 

• Institution: Manchester Metropolitan University
• Scholarship: Women in Leadership Scholarship
• Programme: MBA

UK organisations with executive boards that are at least one-third female are ten times more profitable than those with all-male boards. Yet gender imbalance in leadership remains a challenge. The Women in Leadership Scholarship at Manchester Met supports women to lead with confidence, purpose and impact, promoting gender equality by helping more women advance their careers, grow as leaders and make a lasting impact via the MBA.

All MBA applicants are automatically considered for scholarships as part of the admissions process, and awards of between 10% and 50% of costs are available.

• Institution: Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford
• Scholarship: Oxford-Intesa Sanpaolo MBA Graduate Scholarship
• Programme: MBA

Intesa Sanpaolo is one of Italy’s leading banks, with a proud record of corporate philanthropy across a range of global priorities including educational programmes aimed at driving social change. In partnership with Oxford University’s Graduate Scholarship Matched Fund and Green Templeton College the organisation offers a full scholarship each year to an exceptional female MBA candidate.

• Institution: ESSEC Business School
• Scholarship: Women Leadership Scholarship
• Programme: Executive MBA (ran in partnership with Mannheim Business School)

This scholarship is eligible for female students enrolled on the ESSEC & Mannheim Executive MBA Asia-Pacific programme, and is awarded based on merit, the applicant’s profile, and the quality of the required application essay. Successful applicants may receive up to 20% off tuition costs.

• Institution: London Business School
• Scholarship: Carlsson Family Foundation and alumnus Roger Carlsson
• Programme: MBA

The scholarship is available to all successful female MBA applicants, with the aim of the scholarship being to support women of merit and to help increase the numbers joining London Business School. Successful applicants can expect receive £20,000 towards their programme costs.

• Institution: NEOMA Business School
• Scholarship: Veuve Clicquot Scholarship
• Programme: Grande Ecole Program (Master in Management)

Launched in 2021 in partnership with luxury champagne company Maison Veuve Clicquot, this scholarship supports ten female students each year. Based on a mix of social, financial, and academic criteria, it is open to both French and international students, and provides financial support as well as exclusive opportunities to engage with Veuve Clicquot’s executive committee for professional guidance in order to foster women’s achievements in and after higher education.

• Institution: UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School
• Scholarship: Women on the MBA Scholarship / IMAGE MBA Scholarship
• Programme: Modular Executive MBA / MBA

The Women on the MBA scholarship is awarded to female applicants based on merit and can cover up to 50% of tuition fees for either the Full-Time MBA or Modular Executive MBA programmes.

In addition, this year, the School has partnered with IMAGE Media in offering one female candidate a 100% scholarship to join the full-time MBA or the Executive MBA in August 2026.

In most cases, students do not need to make a separate scholarship application. All successful programme applicants will automatically be considered for scholarships once they meet the eligibility criteria and the application is received before the scholarship closing date. For 2026, the closing date for interested applicants is 30^th April.

• Institution: BI Norwegian Business School
• Scholarship: Women in Finance and Tech Bachelor and Master Scholarships
• Programme: Certain Bachelor and Masters programmes

These scholarships aim to inspire talented female candidates to pursue bachelor studies or graduate studies and a career in finance or technology. BI Norwegian Business School is committed to the UN Sustainability Goals. In particular, BI aims to support efforts towards achieving gender equality, and this scholarship is a means to doing so – attracting and support outstanding female candidates to pursue careers in fields where there is a gender imbalance.

• Institution: Mannheim Business School
• Scholarship: Scholarship for Women in Business
• Programme: MBA programes

This scholarship emphasizes Mannheim Business School’s commitment to increase the number of women in executive positions. Any woman with a proven track record of outstanding achievements in her professional life or social commitments can apply for this scholarship. Scholarships are awarded in varying amounts to successful applicants.

• Institution: Vlerick Business School
• Scholarship: Female Leadership Scholarship
• Programme: MBA

Awarded to female applicants who can effectively demonstrate an ambition to become one of the future’s business leaders, this scholarship can cover 10% to 50% of tuition fees. Interested applicants are required to visit the website, complete an eligibility check and complete and submit an online application form. The deadline for non EU citizens in 2026 is 31^st May, whereas European applicants have until 31^st July if they wish to be considered.

• Institution: Forté Foundation
• Scholarship: Forte fellowship
• Programme: Participating school’s MBAs

Forté Foundation is a non-profit organisation with a mission to increase the proportion of women in powerful positions in the workplace. To support this, it offers scholarships to deserving women pursuing an MBA degree. The Forté Foundation Fellowship is available to qualified women accepted into its affiliated business schools. The value of the fellowship ranges from $10,000 to cover the annual cost of tuition.

• Institution: 30% Club
• Scholarship: 30% Club Scholarship
• Programme: Participating school’s MBA and Executive MBA programmes

The 30% Club is a worldwide initiative that promotes the inclusion of more women in senior management and boards of directors. Women enrolled in business schools which are 30% club participants become eligible for scholarships, which cover annual tuition of up to 50%.

To be considered applicants must submit their MBA application to a partner school and mention their interest in the 30% Club Scholarship. Scholarship recipients will be selected by partner schools based on their academic achievement and leadership potential.

Participating schools include leading global institutions such as SDA Bocconi School of Management, UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, London Business School, University of Glasgow Adam Smith Business School, HEC Paris, University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management and Smith School of Business, Queens University

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