Apply Now for the 2018-20 Oxford Pershing Square Graduate Scholarships

Now’s the time to apply for the 2018-20 Oxford Pershing Square Graduate Scholarships, just five in number, meant for exceptionally talented students who have signed up for the Oxford 1+1 MBA program at the Saïd Business School.

The Pershing Square Foundation established the Oxford Pershing Square Graduate Scholars Programme in 2014 to allow up to five exceptional individuals to develop and realise their potential to become global leaders of social change by studying the Oxford 1+1 MBA programme at Saïd Business School.

The Scholarships, established by the Pershing Square Foundation in 2013,  are awarded to individuals who have a combination of academic and leadership potential; strong personal character; and experience and the intention of pursuing a career that addresses global challenges.

The Oxford 1+1 MBA is a unique opportunity to combine a Master’s degree from one of several Oxford University departments with a one-year MBA. This combination allows you to gain deep knowledge and expertise in your specialist fields, as well as developing a comprehensive understanding of business, exceptional leadership skills and practical experience, the B-School says.

The Scholarships are awarded to individuals with academic achievement, leadership potential, demonstrated through experience and motivation, strong personal character, integrity and commitment.

As a 1+1 MBA student, you will spend your first year completing a Master in your chosen discipline before joining the MBA in your second year. It would allow you to become an integral part of Oxford Saïd’s diverse community, developing strong relationships with current MBA students, international alumni, prominent academics, and expert practitioners.

The students also gain full access to the career and professional development resources of the business school. You will be able to integrate your disciplinary knowledge from the Master into the MBA and share information about the research and projects taking place at the University with your peers on the MBA.

The Oxford Pershing Square Graduate Scholarship covers full tuition and living costs for both the Master’s degree and the MBA. They are meant for exceptional individuals who can demonstrate the potential and commitment to finding scalable and sustainable solutions to world-scale social challenges.

You will also be invited to a spring ‘trek’ to New York City hosted by the Pershing Square Foundation, where you can participate in meetings and workshops with leading innovators and change makers. Pershing Square Scholars also have the opportunity to attend a number of prestigious conferences and events throughout the year, including the Ditchely Conferences and the Skoll World Forum.

The Scholarships are awarded to individuals with academic achievement, leadership potential, demonstrated through experience and motivation, strong personal character, integrity and commitment.

You should have the intention to focus on addressing world-scale social challenges in your career, either in an existing organization or through the development of a new enterprise and ability to envision how to achieve scalable and sustainable solutions to these challenges. You should also have an articulated vision of how the Oxford 1+1 MBA will allow you to fulfil your objectives. These attributes should be highlighted in your MBA application, scholarship essay and interview answers.

To be eligible for the scholarship you must apply to the 1+1 MBA by March 2018. Some partnering Masters close their applications in January 2018 and others in March 2018. In addition to the Master and MBA applications, you must submit an essay of no more than 500 words addressing this question ‘How do you intend to change the world? What does this tell us about you as a person?’

The shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview with the selection panel.

The Pershing Square Foundation supports exceptional leaders and innovative organizations that tackle social issues and deliver scalable and sustainable impact. It is committed to supporting areas such as economic development, education, healthcare, justice and the arts.

The Foundation’s gift of £4.5m will endow the scholarships in perpetuity. The University of Oxford has provided a further £3m under the Oxford Graduate Scholarship Matched Fund, taking the total funding to £7.5m. (Image Source: geograph.org)