The gender imbalance that has traditionally plagued the world’s business schools (and c-suites) continues to be dismantled at a rapid rate, with business schools investing significant time and resources to close the gender gap.
In fact, a report released late last year by the Forté Foundation showed a record 42% of women enrolled in full-time MBA programs at their 58 member schools, which includes the top-rated MBA programs in the U.S., Europe, and Canada.
The Forté Foundation is a nonprofit founded to increase opportunities for women in business leadership through access to business education and professional development.
For the first time in Forté’s history, five business schools reached gender parity in 2023 with three schools close behind. In 2022, three schools achieved gender parity, and only one in 2018.
Increasing the representation of women in business schools is vital for achieving gender equality in top executive positions, since business school graduates form the pipeline for those leadership roles. Without gender parity in the classroom, it is very difficult to have gender parity at top executive levels.
One way Australian business schools are leading the charge to get more women into MBA programs is with a range of scholarships designed exclusively for emerging female leaders.
Below are some of the options for 2024.
QUT Business School MBA Scholarships
QUT’s Graduate School of Business offers three scholarships specifically for women to undertake their top-rranked MBA and Executive MBA programs.
Women in Leadership Excellence
The Women in Leadership Excellence scholarship is supported by UN Women Australia to encourage diversity and promote gender equality and women in leadership roles. The scholarship will allow aspiring female leaders with demonstrated academic, personal, and business acumen to develop their full potential with a 100% tuition fee waiver for an Executive MBA.
Female Executive Leaders
Supporting women who are in executive leadership roles or aspiring leaders to expand their skillset and lead with confidence. This scholarship is a 25% or 50% tuition fee waiver for an MBA or Executive MBA.
Female entrepreneurs
Empowering women who are driven by innovation and passionate about shaping the future of business. This scholarship is a 50% tuition fee waiver for an MBA or Executive MBA.
To apply for a QUT MBA Scholarship, you must submit an application by 9am, Monday 05 February 2024 for the MBA March 2024 intake.
AGSM @ UNSW MBA Scholarships
AGSM’s Full-Time MBA Scholarships provide support for exceptional students from diverse backgrounds to gain a world-class MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM) at the University of New South Wales Business School, in Sydney Australia.
The AGSM Emerging Female Leaders Scholarship will enable high-potential female leaders to complete a world-class MBA. Candidates will be automatically considered for this scholarship after they have received an offer of admission to the AGSM Full-Time MBA program.
The scholarship will cover up to 75% of your MBA tuition fees. This scholarship is open to domestic and international female candidates who are in the first five years of their career and receive an offer of admission to the AGSM Full-Time MBA program.
The University of Sydney Business School MBA Scholarships
The UN Women Australia MBA scholarship is valued at over $60,000 and covers full tuition fees for a maximum of four years of part-time study. The UN Women Australia Executive MBA scholarship is valued at over $60,000 and covers 66% tuition fees tenable for the duration of the degree (1.5 years).
The scholarships are awarded to applicants who demonstrate experience and outstanding future potential in their chosen field, have an interest in gender equality, and are passionate about using business skills to drive social change.
Semester 1, 2024 applications are now closed with Semester 2 applications to open shortly.
Melbourne Business School (MBS) MBA Scholarships
The top-ranked Melbourne Business School has a range of MBA scholarships for women, including the CEW and HMST Scholarship, Dean’s Scholarship for Women and Management, and Helen Macpherson Smith Fellowship.
The CEW and HMST Scholarship is a collaboration between the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust (HMST) and Chief Executive Women (CEW) and is available to emerging women leaders in Victoria’s not-for-profit and for-purpose sectors. The scholarship covers full tuition for the MBS Executive MBA.
The $50,000 Dean’s Scholarship for Women and Management is designed to attract top women executives to MBS’ prestigious Senior Executive MBA program and covers part of the tuition fee. It is open to any female applicant of the Senior Executive MBA program.
The Helen Macpherson Smith Fellowship is provided by one of Victoria’s most respected and generous charities dedicated to advancing women in management. It covers partial $30,000) tuition fees to allow a woman to study MBS’ Part-time or Full-time MBA. The fellowship is awarded each year to an outstanding woman MBA candidate who lives in Victoria and shows senior management potential or the ability to create and run her own business.
Griffith University MBA Scholarships
Griffith Business School’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) Scholarship for Women provides support to current and commencing students of the MBA programs and associated Graduate Certificate in Business Administration or Graduate Certificate in Leadership and Management pathway programs who identify as female.
The recipient of the MBA Scholarship for Women will have 50% of tuition fees paid each trimester/teaching period enrolled, for a maximum of four years (two years for the Graduate Certificate program). Please note that scholarship payments made to part-time students may be taxable.
This scholarship is part of a suite of MBA equity scholarships that are targeted at members of the community who are under-represented in the MBA program and may not have the financial means to afford to study an MBA but would benefit from this qualification.
Applications close 29 January 2024.
University of South Australia WiMBA Scholarship
University of South Australia offers the Women in MBA (WiMBA) Scholarship to enable women with leadership potential to advance their careers into senior management and executive roles.
The WiMBA Scholarship is offered by UniSA in partnership with employers, matching contributions of 50% of MBA tuition fees, to cover the scholarship recipient’s full MBA tuition costs. To maximise success, employers are required to provide flexibility in working arrangements to support study, a career mentor and supportive career pathway options, in addition to the financial contribution.
To be eligible for entry into the UniSA MBA program and the WiMBA Scholarship, candidates must have a relevant combination of formal qualifications and managerial experience. To be considered for entry into the program, Nominated Employees will be required to demonstrate:
- A minimum of three years full-time management experience (including experience in supervision and financial management) AND a recognised university undergraduate degree or equivalent professional qualifications; OR
- A minimum of seven years full-time management experience (including experience in supervision and financial management) and either a Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (or an equivalent qualification) from the University of South Australia, or another recognised university.
