Laidlaw Women’s Leadership MBA Scholarships at Top European Business Schools

Brief description:

The Laidlaw Foundation funds MBA scholarships for exceptional women who could not otherwise afford an MBA. The aim is to get more women into senior leadership roles. The scholarships are offered at five top European business schools: Oxford Saïd, London Business School, HEC Paris, IESE and IE Business School. Scholars also join the Laidlaw Scholars network of women leaders.

Host Institution(s):

• Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, UK;
• London Business School (LBS), UK;
• HEC Paris, France;
• IESE Business School, Spain;
• IE Business School, Spain.

Level/Field of study:

Full-time MBA at each school (at IE, the International MBA). LBS also offers Laidlaw scholarships for its Masters in Management and Executive MBA. The MBA covers business and management, including strategy, finance, marketing, entrepreneurship and leadership.

Number of Awards:

• Oxford Saïd: up to 10 a year (8 full-fee and 2 half-fee);
• London Business School: 12 MBA scholarships, either half or full tuition;
• HEC Paris: up to 10 full-tuition scholarships per class;
• IESE: 13 full-tuition scholarships per intake, starting with the MBA Class of 2028;
• IE Business School: at least 14 a year.

Target group:

Women of any nationality who have financial need

Scholarship value/inclusions/duration:

• Oxford Saïd: full or half MBA course fees;
• London Business School: 50% or 100% of MBA tuition fees;
• HEC Paris: full tuition. Living costs, estimated at €25,000 for the 16-month programme, are not covered;
• IESE: 100% of MBA tuition fees;
• IE Business School: 50% to 100% of tuition fees, with possible full or partial cover of living costs.

Eligibility:

Applicants must:

• be women applying to (or admitted to) the full-time MBA at one of the five schools;
• show strong academic results and leadership potential;
• show financial need, so that they would not otherwise be able to afford the MBA;
• show a commitment to ethical leadership and to helping other women succeed.

At HEC Paris, the scholarship cannot be combined with a double or joint degree or with other HEC scholarships. At Oxford, Laidlaw Scholars become members of Reuben College.

Application instructions:

You must first apply for the MBA at your chosen school. Each school runs its own Laidlaw application:

• Oxford Saïd: complete the Laidlaw section of the MBA application, including a financial need assessment and essay. The deadline in the latest published round was 6 January;
• London Business School: women invited to interview for the MBA are then invited to apply;
• HEC Paris: after you are admitted, you get a link to the Laidlaw form and have one week to submit it. A €5,000 deposit, refunded when classes start, confirms your place;
• IESE: the scholarship is offered only after admission to the MBA, and not every admitted woman is invited to apply;
• IE Business School: once admitted, apply through the IE scholarship platform, choosing the Laidlaw scholarship and uploading the Laidlaw form and essays. Committees review applications twice a year.

It is important to visit the official websites (links found below) for detailed information on how to apply for this scholarship.

Website:

Official Scholarship Websites:

• Oxford Saïd: https://www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/oxford-experience/scholarships-and-funding/laidlaw-scholarships
• London Business School: https://www.london.edu/laidlaw
• HEC Paris: https://www.hec.edu/en/mba-executive-mba/mba/admissions/laidlaw-scholars
• IESE: https://formscloud.iese.edu/landings-mba-women/
• IE Business School: https://www.ie.edu/financial-aid/masters/awardsandscholarships/laidlaw-scholarships-gateway-for-women/

Related Scholarships: Top 10+ International Scholarships for Women, Top MBA Scholarships for International Students