Skoll Scholarship 2027: Fully Funded Oxford Mba In Uk

Skoll Scholarship 2027: A Fully Funded Oxford MBA for Social Change

If you have spent at least three years building a social venture and you want an Oxford MBA to take that work further, the Skoll Scholarship 2027 is one of the few fully funded tuition grants built specifically for you. It covers the full course fees for the one-year, full-time Oxford MBA at Saïd Business School — £94,120 for the 2027-28 programme — plus a living-cost stipend of at least £21,805. Only up to four scholarships are awarded each year, and the last chance to apply is Wednesday 6 January 2027, the Stage 4 MBA deadline. Stages 1 to 3 have closed, so Stage 4 is the final Skoll-eligible window.

What the Skoll Scholarship covers

Saïd Business School states the value plainly: full course fees, plus a stipend for living costs of at least £21,805. The Skoll Centre describes the living support as additional funds provided as a contribution towards living expenses, and notes that in rare cases partial scholarships may be offered.

Scholars also join the Skoll Scholar community, a network the Skoll Centre says now includes more than 100 alumni around the world. The Centre reports that 91% of Skoll Scholars have gone on to start a new social venture or initiative — a useful sign of what the committee is really funding: not a year of study, but a career of impact after it.

Tuition coverage and living allowance

The £94,120 fee is the largest single cost of an Oxford MBA, and Skoll removes it entirely. The living stipend of at least £21,805 then covers a substantial share of a year in Oxford — rent, food, transport and day-to-day costs — but it is a contribution, not a promise that every pound is covered. Plan the year as fully funded on fees and substantially supported on living costs, and keep a reserve for flights, visa costs, books and the deposit you must pay to secure your MBA place if admitted. Saïd Business School confirms that deposit deadlines are extended for applicants who advance in the Skoll selection process.

Note: Skoll is not a graduate assistantship stipend. There is no teaching or research-assistant job attached to it. It is a merit-based university award, judged on your venture record and your plan for what comes next.

Who is eligible?

Skoll is narrow on purpose. It is not a general MBA scholarship, and a strong academic record alone will not carry an application.

• Minimum three years building and leading a social venture, with demonstrated evidence of significant social impact.
• A social venture that combines innovation, resourcefulness and opportunity to address a critical social or environmental challenge — a for-profit or not-for-profit organisation, or a programme you initiated and led inside a larger organisation, whose primary objective is sustainable systems change.
• A clear career intention to pursue long-term, systemic social or environmental impact after the MBA.
• Admission to the full-time, one-year Oxford MBA. The part-time Executive MBA is not eligible.
• No nationality restriction is stated, and there is no age restriction. Women, people from historically underrepresented groups and applicants from the Global South are explicitly encouraged to apply.

The committee also looks for curiosity, humility and persistence; lived experience of the issue, or long-term work with the people directly affected; self-awareness about your own position and limitations; and a clear account of how Oxford would advance your work. You must also demonstrate financial need for the scholarship. Note: on the Oxford 1+1 MBA route, Skoll only covers the MBA year, not the Master's year — Pershing Square funds both years.

What GPA is required, and does it cover living expenses?

There is no single GPA cut-off published for Skoll itself, because Skoll is judged first on your venture record. For the MBA underneath it, Saïd Business School welcomes applicants with a First or Upper Second Class undergraduate degree, or a GPA of at least 3.5 out of 4.0 or the international equivalent, and will also consider lower classifications with strong career progression and competitive GMAT or GRE scores. A GMAT or GRE score is required, and you need at least two years of full-time work experience — Skoll's three-year venture requirement sits on top of that.

On living expenses, the answer is yes, in part. The stipend is at least £21,805 on top of full fees, described by the Skoll Centre as a contribution towards living expenses. Budget for rent, food, transport, visa and travel costs alongside it, and do not assume it will stretch to a dependant's costs or a second year.

Key dates for 2027 entry

There is no separate Skoll application and no separate Skoll deadline. You apply for the Oxford MBA in one of four admissions stages, and you submit your Skoll Scholarship essay document with that MBA application. Only Stages 1 to 4 are Skoll-eligible.

Your Skoll essays are reviewed after the relevant MBA admissions stage, with an update shortly after the MBA decision. Final shortlisting takes place in late March 2027, with interviews in April or May 2027. If you reach final shortlisting, the Skoll Centre will email you a Logistics and Reference Form — but only if you hold an unconditional offer for the MBA at that point. Candidates with a conditional offer at that stage will not be considered.

How to apply: step-by-step blueprint

1. Step 1: Test the three-year rule first. Count your venture experience honestly, and gather the evidence now: users reached, revenue, policy changed, lives affected, and the numbers behind each claim.
2. Step 2: Apply for the Oxford MBA by 6 January 2027. Apply directly to Saïd Business School for the full-time Oxford MBA in Stage 4. The application requires an undergraduate degree, a written supporting statement, an online assessment, a GMAT or GRE score, and at least two years of professional work experience. Two references are required. The MBA application fee is £75 for 2027-28. Saïd describes its deadlines as hard, and an incomplete application will not be considered.
3. Step 3: Write and upload the Skoll essays. Your Skoll Scholarship essay document is found in the Funding section of the MBA application form, and must be submitted with your MBA application by 6 January 2027. Build every answer around one venture and one problem: name the problem, show what you built, give the evidence that it worked, and explain what an MBA would help you fix.
4. Step 4: Clear MBA admission first. The MBA Admissions Team assesses your application first. Only if you are accepted does your application automatically proceed to the Skoll Scholarship Selection Committee.
5. Step 5: Prepare for shortlisting and interview. If shortlisted, expect the Logistics and Reference Form by email, then a first-stage online interview, and a final online interview for successful candidates. Keep your referees warm — a late reference is a needless risk.

Document checklist

• Undergraduate degree transcripts and certificates
• GMAT or GRE score report
• Written supporting statement for the MBA
• Skoll Scholarship essay document, uploaded in the Funding section
• Two references, professional or academic, registered in the application form
• Evidence of your social venture: impact numbers and formal records of the organisation you led
• English language evidence, where required, plus passport and visa documents for the later stages

Visa support and planning your move

The Skoll Scholarship pages do not list a separate visa fund, so do not budget as if visa costs are covered. Once you hold an offer, follow Oxford's official Student visa guidance step by step, allow generous time, and keep your financial documents, passport and English evidence ready.

Common pitfalls and disqualification factors

• Applying after 6 January 2027. Stage 4 is the last Skoll-eligible stage.
• Applying for the part-time Executive MBA or another Oxford programme. Skoll funds only the full-time, one-year MBA.
• Claiming three years of venture experience you cannot evidence. The committee wants demonstrated impact, not a job title.
• Submitting the MBA application without the Skoll essays. There is no separate Skoll portal to catch you later.
• Reaching final shortlisting with a conditional MBA offer. You must hold an unconditional offer to receive the Logistics and Reference Form.
• Writing about social impact in general instead of one venture in particular. A focused story with numbers beats a broad essay.
• Forgetting the financial-need element, or assuming Skoll covers both years of a 1+1 MBA. It covers the MBA year only.

Frequently asked questions

What GPA is required for the Skoll Scholarship?

There is no published GPA cut-off for Skoll itself. For the Oxford MBA, Saïd Business School welcomes applicants with a First or Upper Second Class degree, or a GPA of at least 3.5 out of 4.0. Your three-year venture record carries the most weight.

Does the Skoll Scholarship cover living expenses?

It covers full MBA course fees plus a living-cost stipend of at least £21,805, described as a contribution towards living expenses, so plan for some costs beyond the stipend.

How do I apply without application fees?

You cannot avoid the MBA application fee: Saïd Business School charges £75 for 2027-28 MBA applications. There is no separate Skoll application fee — the Skoll essays are submitted inside the MBA application, in the Funding section.

Is the Skoll Scholarship open to international students?

Yes. No nationality restriction is stated, and applicants from the Global South are explicitly encouraged to apply. You must still meet the MBA admission requirements and hold a valid visa route to study in the UK.

Start now, while Stage 4 is still open

Four awards, full fees, at least £21,805 towards living costs, and a community of more than 100 social entrepreneurs behind you — the Skoll Scholarship 2027 is a rare combination, open only to people who have already done the hard part: building something that works. If that is you, pull your impact numbers together this week, ask your two referees now, draft the Skoll essays around the one venture you know best, and get the complete MBA application in by 6 January 2027.

Official links

• University of Oxford, Saïd Business School — Skoll Scholarships (official page, value, number of awards and deadline)
• The Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship — Skoll Scholarship (official page, eligibility and selection criteria)
• The Skoll Centre — Scholarship FAQs (official page, stages, 1+1 rule and unconditional-offer requirement)
• University of Oxford, Saïd Business School — Oxford MBA (official page, course fee £94,120 for 2027-28, programme details and application requirements)

Details verified against the University of Oxford Saïd Business School Skoll Scholarships page, the Skoll Centre Skoll Scholarship and Scholarship FAQs pages, and the Saïd Business School Oxford MBA pages on 6 November 2026. Award values, deadlines and requirements can change, so always confirm them on the official pages before you apply.