Oxford Pershing Square Scholarship in UK, 2026

The Oxford Pershing Square Graduate Scholarship is a prestigious, fully funded opportunity for exceptional students from around the world to pursue a dual graduate experience at the University of Oxford. Established in partnership with the Pershing Square Foundation, this scholarship supports students pursuing Oxford’s unique 1+1 MBA pathway, combining a Master’s degree and the Oxford MBA.

This guide provides a breakdown of the scholarship, including what it covers, who can apply, eligibility criteria, key deadlines, how to apply, selection criteria,, and tips to maximize your chances of success.

What Is the Oxford Pershing Square Graduate Scholarship?

The Oxford Pershing Square Graduate Scholarship is a fully funded award offered by Saïd Business School, University of Oxford in partnership with the Pershing Square Foundation. It is designed to support outstanding students who:

  • Are admitted to Oxford’s 1+1 MBA pathway, which allows students to complete a one-year Master’s degree followed by the one-year Oxford MBA;
  • Are committed to making global impact, particularly by tackling large-scale social, economic, environmental or policy challenges.

Up to five scholarships are awarded each year, identifying leaders with the potential to bring about change at scale.

What It Covers

The Oxford Pershing Square Graduate Scholarship is exceptionally generous, covering the full cost of a two-year educational experience:

Full Tuition Fees: The scholarship pays 100% of tuition and college fees for both the one-year Master’s programme and the one-year Oxford MBA.

Living Costs Stipend: Scholars receive a living grant of at least £20,780 per year to help cover accommodation, meals, books, travel, and other day-to-day expenses for each of the two years.

Mentorship & Community Activities

Pershing Square Scholars benefit from:

  • Mentorship programmes with leaders in business, social impact and policy, often including members of the Pershing Square Foundation’s community;
  • Participation in global forums, seminars, and networking events;
  • Access to exclusive scholar-level events hosted at Oxford Saïd;
  • Engagements like the Pershing Square Spring Trek to New York City, an experiential visit involving workshops and meetings with leaders in various fields.

Who Can Apply?

The scholarship is competitive and global, open to applicants of all nationalities. However, candidates are considered only if they meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • Oxford 1+1 MBA Admission: To be eligible, you must be admitted to both:
    • A one-year Master’s programme at Oxford that is part of the 1+1 MBA pathway; and
    • The Oxford MBA programme at Saïd Business School.

Applicants only on the waiting list will not be considered for the scholarship.

  • Academic Excellence: You should demonstrate strong academic achievement, usually reflected in:
    • University degrees with competitive grades;
    • GMAT or GRE scores for the MBA;
    • Academic awards or recognitions.
  • Leadership Potential: Candidates are expected to show leadership through professional experience, community roles, entrepreneurial efforts, or other relevant activities.
  • Commitment to Impact: The core mission of the scholarship prioritises those with a clear vision to tackle world-scale social challenges, whether through policy, enterprise, innovation, philanthropy, or systemic change.
  • Personal Qualities: A strong sense of personal integrity, resilience, motivation, and ethical commitment are essential selection factors.
  • Oxford also offers a third priority category: Current Master’s students who gain admission to the MBA and were not previously considered for the scholarship. These applicants are eligible but ranked lower in priority.

Dates & Application Process

To be considered for the 2026 Oxford Pershing Square Graduate Scholarship, applicants must meet several linked deadlines for both their Master’s and MBA applications:

Important Deadlines

  • 1+1 MBA application deadline: 7 January 2026 (this is the core deadline for scholarship consideration).
  • Master’s programme deadline: Varies by department, generally December 2025 or January 2026. Applicants must check their chosen Master’s course page for exact dates.

Because the scholarship is tied to admission to both programmes, missing either deadline may disqualify you from consideration.

How to Apply

  1. Apply for the one-year Master’s degree (part of the 1+1 MBA pathway) by the relevant departmental deadline.
  2. Apply for the Oxford MBA by the MBA funding deadline (7 January 2026).
  3. Within the MBA application, upload your scholarship essay in the Funding section.

Scholarship Essay Requirement

You must submit a 500-word essay as part of your MBA application answering:

“How do you intend to change the world, and what does this tell us about you as a person?”

This essay is a crucial part of your application and should clearly reflect your motivation, mission, leadership potential and long-term impact plans.

Selection Criteria

The Oxford Pershing Square selection process evaluates candidates holistically. Core criteria include:

  • Academic Achievement: Assessed through academic records, test scores, awards, and evidence of rigor in your studies.
  • Leadership and Motivation: Track record of leadership, initiative, community impact, innovation or entrepreneurial activities.
  • Impact Vision: A clear plan for addressing complex, systemic global challenges with scalable and sustainable solutions.
  • Personal Qualities: Character traits such as integrity, resilience, adaptability, empathy and commitment to service.
  • Scholarship Essay & Interview: Your responses in the scholarship essay and interviews should reflect not just ambitions but authentic insight into how your goals align with global impact through the 1+1 MBA experience.

Tips to Strengthen Your Application

Here are practical strategies to increase your chances of success:

  • Start Early: Map out both your Master’s and MBA applications well before autumn 2025, late preparation is one of the main reasons strong candidates miss deadlines.
  • Choose the Right Master’s: Select a Master’s programme that aligns closely with your long-term impact goals and the leadership narrative you plan to tell.
  • Articulate Clear Impact: Your scholarship essay shouldn’t just be motivational, it must show how your chosen studies plus the MBA empower you to solve real problems at scale.
  • Demonstrate Leadership: Use concrete examples of leadership, responsibility, initiative or entrepreneurial outcomes in your professional or community life.
  • Prepare for Interview: If shortlisted, expect rigorous discussion of your goals, impact strategy and how Oxford uniquely positions you to achieve them.

Conclusion

The Oxford Pershing Square Graduate Scholarships 2026 is a rare opportunity to combine academic excellence, leadership development, global perspective and real-world impact in one fully funded programme at one of the world’s most prestigious universities. This scholarship removes financial barriers and accelerates your potential to become a change agent on a global stage with full tuition, a generous living stipend, mentorship and exclusive networking activities.

Related Scholarship Opportunities