MBA Entrepreneurial Scholarship

The MBA Entrepreneurial Scholarship will be awarded to the candidate who best exemplifies creativity in business. The scholarship covers up to 50% tuition fees for the Full-Time or Modular Executive MBA. Please note that to be considered for this scholarship a business idea must be submitted by the Closing Date.
Open Date 1st October 2023
Close Date 30th April 2024
GMAT / EA Deadline 31st May 2024
Status Open
Value One award of up to 50% tuition fees

Open to all successful applicants for the Full-Time or Modular Executive MBA, achieving the relevant minimum GMAT / EA score or above (Please refer to our admissions page for details on minimum score requirements).

Applicants must submit a two page document outlining a business idea under the following headings, by the Closing Date.

  • Opportunity
  • People
  • Route to Market
  • Financial Planning
  • PEST Analysis
  • Summary

Please note applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Scholarships may be awarded prior to the closing date to exceptional candidates. Early application is recommended.

  1. The MBA Entrepreneurial Scholarship is funded by UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School and will be awarded to the candidate who best exemplifies creativity in business. 
  2. The scholarship is open to all successful applicants for the Full-Time or Modular Executive MBA, achieving the relevant minimum GMAT / EA score or above (Please refer to our admissions page for details on minimum score requirements). Please note the current GMAT/EA deadline for the MBA Enterpreneurial Scholarship.
  3. In order to be eligible to be considered for this scholarship, applicants must have submitted the 2-page business outline document as part of their application to the MBA programme by the current MBA Entrepreneurial Scholarship Closing Date and must have ‘Offer’, or ‘Accept’ status associated with their application by then also.
  4. Only complete applications received before the scholarship deadline will be considered.
  5. The successful candidate will be selected on merit paired with a holistic review of their MBA application. 
  6. Once scholarship awards are issued, students must accept this offer within two weeks of the notification being distributed by the committee. It is the student’s responsibility to formally accept the scholarship offer, a non-response will be considered as declining the offer.
  7. Decisions will be made by the Scholarship Committee and candidates will be notified within two weeks of the committee decision. All decisions are final.
  8. Students awarded a scholarship must commit to attending UCD Smurfit Open Events where required. Students may also be required to participate in promotion of the School and Scholarships (interviews/testimonials, MBA blog, or other forms of promotional activity as required). Scholars are expected to assist occasionally as ambassadors for the School.
  9. The issued scholarship will be deducted from the student’s University fee account.
  10. Continuous full time enrolment and attendance is required to retain a scholarship award.
  11. A student who withdraws, cancels or becomes inactive, enrols less than full-time, is suspended, or dismissed from the University will lose his/her scholarship eligibility. A student who takes such a status due to medical reasons may appeal in writing to Scholarship Committee to have his/her scholarship reinstated. The appeal must be submitted with supporting documentation, such as a letter from a doctor. In such a case, for there to be a possibility for reinstatement, a student’s leave from the University cannot exceed two consecutive semesters.
  12. A student who declines an initial offer of admission and accompanying scholarship offer will not retain his/her scholarship offer if he/she reapplies at a later date.
  13. Scholarships cannot be deferred to a future date.
  14. This scholarship is not eligible to be combined with any other tuition scholarship.
  15. Scholarships are non-transferable and will only apply to the programme associated with the offer letter that contains the scholarship award.

If you would like more information on this scholarship or our full-time MBA programme, please contact our MBA Admissions Manager, UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School on mba@ucd.ie.

Pamela Laird

Pamela Laird

MBA Entrepreneurial Scholarship Recipient 2022

One thing that has remained a consistent challenge is funding and financing over the five years I built my business. While we have had success, fundamentally we are still currently a start-up. Hence, any funding we secure is reinvested into the business. What the business also needs is for me upskill my knowledge and skillset. I needed someone to invest in me and UCD Smurfit School did just that by awarding me the MBA Entrepreneurial Scholarship. As a female entrepreneur with no formal degree, I have come so far and I the scholarship allowed me the opportunity to embark upon the MBA to secure my future as an entrepreneur and business owner.

Scholarships Notice

Candidates may apply for a number of scholarships, if they are successful in attaining more than one scholarship, however, they may only accept one scholarship bursary. Scholarship bursaries cannot be added together or combined.

Candidates will be awarded the higher amount. Candidates cannot transfer or use one scholarship or bursary between or against another programme. Scholarships and bursaries are also not allowed to be deferred to a future academic year, it is only applicable and awarded to the student for the year they are offered a place in UCD Smurfit. If a student, subsequently, decides to defer their offer they will lose their scholarship or bursary and be required to apply in the future.

If candidates are in receipt of a SUSI grant they are not eligible to receive a scholarship .

UCD Smurfit School Scholarships are not applicable to courses in UCD Smurfit Executive Development, UCD Belfield campus or programmes run in conjunction with UCD Belfield including the MSc in Biotechnology and Business, MSc in Biotherapeutics and Business and MSc in International Law and Business.

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