Pershing Square Scholarship 2027: Fully Funded Oxford 1+1 MBA

Pershing Square Scholarship 2027 offers selected students funding to complete a master’s degree and the Oxford MBA at the University of Oxford. The two-year programme is designed for people who want to address major social challenges and can explain how both degrees will help them do it.

Applying requires more than choosing a master’s course. You must prepare applications for both the master’s degree and the MBA, including a scholarship essay with the MBA application. This guide walks you through the benefits, eligibility, documents, application steps, and deadlines.

Pershing Square Scholarship 2027 Details

What Is the Pershing Square Scholarship?

The Pershing Square Scholarship supports students who want to combine specialist study with business education. In the Oxford 1+1 MBA route, scholars complete a master’s programme before studying for the MBA at Saïd Business School.

The important question for an applicant is why these two degrees belong together. Suppose your goal is to improve access to healthcare. You would need to explain what your chosen master’s course will teach you about that challenge and how an MBA could help you turn that knowledge into practical work. Your own answer should come from your experience and goals.

If you are considering other Oxford funding options, read our Oxford Clarendon Scholarship 2027 guide. Its eligibility and application process are different, so review each opportunity separately.

Pershing Square Scholarship Benefits

The scholarship covers course fees for both the master’s degree and the MBA. Oxford also provides a grant for living costs of at least £21,805 for each year of study.

Scholars can take part in activities such as mentorship, conferences, and events with the scholarship community. These experiences give them opportunities to discuss ideas with people from different fields while studying at Oxford.

Oxford lists up to five awards. Because places are limited, take time to make each part of your application specific to the courses you have chosen.

Pershing Square Scholarship Eligibility

Oxford gives priority to new applicants to the 1+1 MBA programme. Applicants on this route must gain admission to both a participating master’s programme and the MBA to be considered for the scholarship.

Oxford also describes eligibility routes for certain applicants admitted separately to a full-time, one-year master’s course and the MBA, and for certain current master’s students. Check the official scholarship page to see whether one of these routes applies to you.

Selection considers academic achievement, leadership potential, character, and commitment to addressing large social challenges. Oxford also wants to understand why the combination of a master’s degree and an MBA fits your plans.

A practical tip from Global Scholarship Point: describe something you have actually done. It could be research, community work, a project at your job, or a problem you tried to solve. Explain your role and what you learned. Specific examples will make your application more personal than broad promises about changing the world.

For another fully funded postgraduate opportunity in the UK, see our Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2027 guide.

Required Documents for the Pershing Square Scholarship

The master’s course and MBA have separate applications. Their document requirements may differ, so make a checklist from each course’s official application page.

Depending on the courses and your circumstances, you may need:

• Academic transcripts and degree information
• A CV or résumé
• References
• Written statements required for admission
• Applicable test results
• The Pershing Square Scholarship essay

Oxford requires a scholarship essay of no more than 500 words in the Funding section of the 1+1 MBA application. The question asks how you intend to change the world and what that intention says about you as a person.

Give yourself time to write this answer in your own voice. Identify the problem you care about, explain what your experience has taught you, and connect that experience to the two degrees you want to study.

How to Apply for the Pershing Square Scholarship: Step by Step

1. Read the official eligibility criteria. Identify the route that applies to you.
2. Choose your master’s course. Check its admission requirements and application deadline.
3. Prepare the master’s application. Gather every document requested by that course.
4. Prepare your MBA application. Explain why the MBA is a useful second year for your goals.
5. Write the scholarship essay. Keep it within 500 words and upload it in the Funding section of the 1+1 MBA application.
6. Submit both applications by their own deadlines. Check that your supporting documents and references meet each course’s requirements.
7. Watch for updates from Oxford. Shortlisted scholarship candidates may be invited to interview.

We recommend keeping two application checklists: one for the master’s course and one for the MBA. It is an easy way to spot a missing requirement before you submit.

You can compare another major graduate award in our Knight-Hennessy Scholars 2027 guide.

Pershing Square Scholarship 2027 Deadline

The deadline for the 1+1 MBA application is 6 January 2027. Your chosen master’s course has its own deadline in December or January. Check its official course page for the exact date.

Remember to upload the scholarship essay with the MBA application. Applying to the MBA without the required essay does not complete the scholarship requirements.

Pershing Square Scholarship FAQs

Is the Pershing Square Scholarship fully funded?

The award covers course fees for both degrees and includes a living costs grant of at least £21,805 for each year of study.

How many awards are available?

Oxford lists up to five Oxford-Pershing Square Graduate Scholarships.

Do I need to apply for both degrees?

Yes. You must complete applications for the master’s course and the MBA under the eligibility route that applies to you.

Do I need a separate scholarship essay?

Yes. Upload an essay of no more than 500 words in the Funding section of your 1+1 MBA application.

Is 6 January 2027 the deadline for my master’s course?

Not necessarily. 6 January 2027 is the MBA deadline for this scholarship. The master’s course has its own December or January deadline.

How to Make Your Application Stand Out

A personal application does not need dramatic claims. Start with a real challenge you have seen, then explain what you have done so far and what you still need to learn. Show how your chosen master’s course will build your subject knowledge and how the MBA will help you use it.

Be precise about your own contribution. If you worked with a team, say what your team achieved and what your role was. If an idea did not work, explain what changed in your thinking. This helps the reader understand your judgment as well as your ambition.

If you are still comparing UK leadership scholarships, our Chevening Scholarships 2027 guide may help you explore another option.

Apply Now and Official Website

Both buttons lead to Oxford’s official scholarship page. Review it alongside the application pages for your chosen master’s course and the MBA.

Final Thoughts

The Pershing Square Scholarship 2027 is a valuable opportunity if you have a clear purpose for both years of study. Choose your courses carefully, use genuine examples in your essay, and keep track of the two application deadlines. Before submitting, confirm every requirement on Oxford’s official pages.