Skoll Scholarship 2026-2027 for Oxford MBA
The Skoll Scholarship 2026-2027 supports social entrepreneurs who want to study for the Oxford MBA at Saïd Business School. It gives full support for course fees and adds money for living costs, so students can focus on their studies and on their social impact work. The deadline for applications is 7 January 2026, and the award is aimed at people who already lead or build social ventures that tackle social or environmental problems.
Scholars also join the Skoll Scholar community, a group of past and current award holders who share ideas, support one another, and stay linked to the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship.
Overview of the Skoll Scholarship 2026-2027
The Skoll Scholarship is for social entrepreneurs who want to grow their skills through the Oxford MBA. It supports people who already work on social or environmental challenges and want to deepen their practice so that their ventures can reach more people and create stronger impact.
The scholarship:
- Covers the full Oxford Saïd MBA course fees.
- Gives extra funds as a contribution to living costs.
- May, in rare cases, be offered as a partial award instead of a full one.
The award also gives scholars access to the Skoll Centre, its events, and its wide network of social change leaders and partners.
What the scholarship covers
Under the Skoll Scholarship package, successful candidates can expect:
- Full payment of Oxford Saïd MBA course fees.
- An extra sum toward living expenses during the MBA year.
- In uncommon cases, a partial scholarship instead of the full fee award.
This support helps students who might find the cost of an MBA too high, especially those who choose careers focused on social impact rather than higher-paying roles.
Who the scholarship is for
The Skoll Scholarship is aimed at social entrepreneurs who:
- Create and lead social ventures that respond to deep social or environmental issues.
- Take a broad view of change, looking at the systems and root causes behind problems.
- Show humility, openness, and a strong wish to work with others.
These candidates are ready to use the Oxford MBA and the Skoll Centre community to grow their skills and increase the reach of their social impact work. They care about long-term change, not short-term gain.
Selection criteria
The selection process looks at several key areas. A strong candidate usually:
- Has at least three years of experience building and leading a social venture, with clear evidence of social impact.
- Shows curiosity and persistence in seeking to understand the deeper causes of social or environmental problems.
- Has lived experience of the issue they work on, or has spent a long period working, researching, or closely partnering with communities most affected.
- Shows self-awareness about their own position, advantage, and limits, with a clear wish to listen, learn, and adapt.
- States clear plans for a career focused on long-term social or environmental impact.
- Explains how being part of the University of Oxford, the Saïd Business School MBA, and the Skoll Centre community will support their growth and their ability to create systemic impact.
- Shows that they need the scholarship to reach these career goals, based on money background, past work, or personal circumstances.
How to apply for the Skoll Scholarship
Applicants start by applying for the Oxford MBA. The Skoll Scholarship is linked to the MBA application and is not a separate first step.
The main stages are:
- Apply directly to Saïd Business School for the Oxford MBA during stage 1, 2, 3, or 4 of the admissions cycle. The official entry point is the Oxford MBA programme page.
- As part of the MBA application, upload answers to the Skoll Scholarship essay questions in the section where they are requested.
- The MBA Admissions Team reviews the full MBA application first.
- If the candidate is offered a place on the MBA, the application then goes to the Skoll Scholarship Selection Committee for review.
Scholarship applications are read after each MBA admissions stage, and updates follow shortly after the MBA admission decision.
Shortlisting and interview process
If a candidate is shortlisted for the Skoll Scholarship, they can expect:
- An email from the Skoll Centre with the next steps.
- A Logistics and Reference Form to complete.
- Notice if they have been moved forward to a first-stage online interview with the Skoll Scholarship Selection Committee.
Applicants who pass this first interview step are invited to a final online interview. The full process checks both the strength of the social venture work and the fit with the values and aims of the Skoll Centre and the Oxford MBA.
For more information, see FAQ and visit Skoll Scholarship.
