Welcome back to MBAKen! My name is Ajibola and today I will be sharing with you the names of 10 schools in the United States where you can get fully funded scholarships for your MBA.
If you’re reading this, you’re probably on the business school application journey, and I’m here rooting for you and providing you with all the resources that I find.
us business schools offering mba scholarships
Why I’m Sharing This
I started my business school application process in 2025 into 2026. The information that I saw online and from people was what guided my decision-making in terms of the schools that I applied to. I want to be that resource out there to somebody who is on this journey as well.
If you are new to this Blog, welcome! You have a lot of catching up to do on my story. I would suggest that after finishing this, you go back into my last post and check out my other articles/experiences. I got three fully funded scholarships for my MBA, and I am currently a second-year MBA candidate at Arizona State University (W. P. Carey).
Let’s Do a Little Quiz!
Could you write down in the comment section what part of the world you are viewing this from? I want to see who’s watching my video and where you’re watching from. Please write it down, and I’ll be there to reply and connect with you!
Now, let’s get right into the 10 schools.
1. Rice University
Location: Houston, Texas
One thing I found interesting about Rice is that the percentage of international admits is 33%, which is quite a high number. It is definitely a good place for you to start looking into. Also check out: How to Graduate 100% Debt-Free: Inside Secrets from a Dell Scholar & Rice Full-Ride Recipient
2. Duke University
School: Fuqua School of Business
Location: Durham, North Carolina
Duke is a big fan of “work hard, play hard.” My friends at Duke are always having fun, so is everybody else on this journey! They are big on team building and collaboration throughout the learning experience.
3. University of Virginia
School: Darden School of Business
Location: Charlottesville, Virginia
This is the DMV area for people who are very enthusiastic about that region in the United States—it’s a good one for you to start looking into. Like many other business schools, Darden uses the case-based method for their classroom exercises and assignments. One thing to note is that they have consistently ranked number one for the world’s best faculty. My research found that their acceptance rate is 26%, and per the last set of intakes, there were 21% international students.
4. University of Texas at Austin
School: McCombs School of Business
Location: Austin, Texas
Their program includes a flexible curriculum with a broad range of concentrations that students can choose from. Just like Duke, it’s a very highly collaborative environment, not competitive. If you know Texas, it is known for energy and oil. Most of their post-MBA careers—or where many students go—are the tech or energy industries. It doesn’t mean you can’t go into any other sector, but these are the two sectors they highlight.
5. University of North Carolina
Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
If you’ve been hearing about Chapel Hill, yes, that’s the place to be. The school is well-regarded for its emphasis on leadership development. If you’re applying there, you need to be able to show your leadership skills, how well you have used them to get to your current position, or how you intend to use them to advance your career. Based on my research, they have the highest acceptance rate at 44%, and the class of 2022 had 26% international students, which isn’t bad.
6. University of Rochester
School: Simon Business School
Location: Rochester, New York (Well, not the city—it’s in Rochester, New York)
Simon boasts a tightly-knit community, and they actually say they are the most diverse. They won number one for the most diverse MBA program in 2020, so they are open to receiving people from different parts of the world with different backgrounds and cultures.
7. Washington University in St. Louis
School: Olin Business School
Location: St. Louis, Missouri (or “Misery,” I don’t know how it’s pronounced!)
One major thing to note is that for two consecutive years now, they have waived the application fee requirement. You do not have to pay an application fee to apply to their school, so you better take advantage of that! They are a research-based business school and they have a very high acceptance rate.
8. University of Georgia
School: Terry College of Business
Location: Athens, Georgia
This school is big on innovation and corporate leadership, so it’s good to highlight that in your applications and your interviews. I noted that their acceptance rate is 35%, which is quite a high percentage.
9. University of Southern California
School: Marshall School of Business
Location: Los Angeles, California
Just like other schools, they have four application rounds. Their Round 3 deadline is March 1st, and the Round 4 deadline is April 15th. Like I said in my previous videos, for international students, it’s best you apply before the fourth round. Many schools will typically say that Round 3 is the final round for international students to receive funding, so you should definitely take advantage of this path.
10. Vanderbilt University
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
They are known for a wide variety of real-world projects and a flexible curriculum. They also boast a tightly-knit community, which attracts many students. When I was doing my research, I found that Vanderbilt had 13% international students in their class, which is fair. Although they have the lowest acceptance rate here at 10%, it is still worth giving a try if you can get full funding from them and if the career outcomes align with what you want personally or professionally.
Important Application Takeaways for All 10 Schools:
Standardized Tests: All 10 of these schools accept both the GRE and the GMAT. Regardless of whichever exam you are preparing for, they accept them both.
Letters of Recommendation: You will need to get recommendation letters. Some schools request two, so you need to check the individual school websites to find out their exact application requirements.
Program Structure: All of these programs are two-year MBA programs that include an opportunity to do an internship in the summer, where you can make some money!
Final Thoughts
I promised to keep this post short, and I have kept to that! I hope you enjoyed this and took down a couple of schools.
If you have any questions at all, please drop them in the comments. I will be monitoring the comment section, and if you drop a message, I will definitely respond to you.
Thank you so much for reading! Please share this with your family and friends, like this post.
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