How Do I Get an MBA Fellowship?

Applying for a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) fellowship involves demonstrating to the admissions committee that you have the proper business acumen to succeed in an MBA program or internship. You should also be prepared to show that you have significant financial need for MBA fellowship funds. Types of fellowships may include those that are used for graduate school admissions, funds for summer internships, or funds for study abroad experiences.

You often need to make good grades in relevant business courses in order to secure an MBA fellowship. These fellowships are usually quite competitive. The students with the highest grades and most impressive student research are typically able to positively influence fellowship admissions committees. You should continue to study hard and dedicate yourself to those courses that are relevant to getting a business fellowship, such as statistics, economics, and accounting. If your grades are low in these courses, working with a tutor or seeking remedial help as soon as possible can improve your scores.

If the type of MBA fellowship that you are seeking to get is tied with admissions into a particular graduate business school, then you will also need to make sure that you score high on graduate admissions exams. These exams, such as the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT®), the Graduate Record Examination (GRE®) or the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL®), are challenging and designed to separate outstanding candidates from average candidates. More likely than not, fellowship admissions officials will use your admissions exams test scores as benchmarks for how well you will do in their MBA program and how deserving you are of a fellowship.

When it comes to summer internships or study abroad programs, MBA fellowship committees will want to know how the fellowship funds will benefit you as a student. You will need to prove that the internship or study abroad experience will contribute to your understanding of business principles. A statement explaining your goals for the program and how you intend to use the fellowship money is important to include.

Whether you are seeking fellowship funds for admissions or for special programs, it is often necessary that you demonstrate some financial need for the fellowship. Explain to the fellowship committee why you would be hard pressed to finance your education, internship, or special program with your own money. Find out whether the fellowship you are applying for is more need-based or merit-based.