The Skoll Scholarship is a competitive scholarship for incoming MBA students to the University of Oxford who pursue entrepreneurial solutions for urgent social and environmental challenges. The Scholarship provides funding and exclusive opportunities to meet with world-renowned entrepreneurs, thought-leaders and investors.
The Skoll Scholarship provides tuition for entrepreneurs who have set up or have been working in entrepreneurial initiatives with a social purpose, and who wish to improve their knowledge of market-oriented practices so they can be more effective in their subsequent social change pursuits.
The Scholarship is given in recognition that the MBA may represent a significant financial burden, particularly for those who have chosen to work in social ventures rather than the purely commercial or public sectors.
University of Oxford Information
Founded in 1096, University of Oxford is a non-profit public higher education institution located in the urban setting of the large town of Oxford (population range of 50,000-249,999 inhabitants), South East England. Officially accredited and/or recognized by the Privy Council, University of Oxford is a large (uniRank enrollment range: 25,000-29,999 students) coeducational higher education institution. University of Oxford offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees in several areas of study. See the uniRank degree levels and areas of study matrix below for further details. This 923 years old higher-education institution has a selective admission policy based on entrance examinations and students' past academic record and grades. The admission rate range is 20-30% making this UK higher education organization a very selective institution. International students are welcome to apply for enrollment.
Eligibility Criteria
To be considered, you need to meet the following criteria:
- Candidates must have started and grown a social venture that has been running for at least 3 years by the time they apply for the MBA, OR they have been responsible for leading a major expansion of an existing social venture or programme within a venture for 3 years by the time they apply for the MBA.
- Candidates must demonstrate evidence of personal qualities strongly resonating with entrepreneurial leadership, and illustrate how these have influenced their career path thus far. These qualities include:
- Single-mindedness and persistence in pursuit of a social/environmental benefit goal, including a willingness to face failure and start again
- A bias towards action rather than reflection
- A tendency to explore the environment for opportunities and resources
- A willingness to take personal, and sometimes financial, risks
- A propensity to develop networks and draw upon their members to pursue mutual goals.
- Candidates must demonstrate how a business education can contribute to the wider development of the community within which they work. They will need to illustrate why a business degree at this stage of their career trajectory can help them amplify their impact.
- Candidates must demonstrate some evidence of their need for the Scholarship. This may be exhibited, for example, in previous work experiences or personal backgrounds which make self-funding the MBA a significant financial burden.
Offered Benefits
The Skoll Scholarship covers the full costs of tuition and college fees for the MBA programme at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. The Scholarship also covers partial living expenses based on need, up to an additional £8,000. In addition to financial support, the Scholarship 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.
Founded in 1096, University of Oxford is a non-profit public higher education institution located in the urban setting of the large town of Oxford (population range of 50,000-249,999 inhabitants), South East England. Officially accredited and/or recognized by the Privy Council, University of Oxford is a large (uniRank enrollment range: 25,000-29,999 students) coeducational higher education institution. University of Oxford offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees in several areas of study. See the uniRank degree levels and areas of study matrix below for further details. This 923 years old higher-education institution has a selective admission policy based on entrance examinations and students' past academic record and grades. The admission rate range is 20-30% making this UK higher education organization a very selective institution. International students are welcome to apply for enrollment.