WBS launches annual MBA scholarship for Armed Forces community

Warwick Business School has opened up applications for the award that gives members of the military community the chance of winning a free place on one of its prestigious MBAs. 

Partnering with Heropreneurs, a mentoring programme delivered by the Forces Employment Charity to support the business ventures of the Armed Forces community, WBS is offering a 100 per cent scholarship for an MBA programme worth up to £69,980.

The MBA Scholarship Award, which will be presented at a gala ceremony at Warwick Business School’s London base at The Shard on November 2, aims to support the business ventures or innovative projects of serving or ex-military personnel, reservists and their family members.

The Awards are designed to recognise ambition and help individuals make the transition to the next stage of their careers, equipping them with the latest business insights and management skills to achieve their personal and professional goals. As well as the full scholarship for the winner, significant scholarships will be offered to runners-up.

Andy Lockett, Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship and Dean of WBS, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Heropreneurs for the ninth consecutive year.

“At Warwick Business School, we believe the future needs smart ideas and leaders who can bring them to life.

“So, with the WBS Award we are looking for Change Makers – individuals who are bold enough to challenge the status quo and brave enough to change things.”

From today, prospective candidates can book an informal one-to-one chat with a member of the WBS recruitment team to discuss their career goals, course suitability and eligibility, with the closing date for applications set for April 26.

Following online interviews for shortlisted candidates during May, the selected finalists will be invited to make pitches before a judging panel at WBS London at The Shard on July 7 and 8.

Making an impact

Last year’s competition saw joint winners take the Heropreneurs crown for the first time. Lieutenant Commander Hugo Mitchell-Heggs MBE, 39, was commended by the judges for his mental health advocacy; while Nathan Flye, 36, was praised for turning service insight into entrepreneurial impact.

They opted to take the Executive MBA and the Part-time MBA (London Accelerator), respectively.

The previous year the award went to Armed Forces veteran Mike Wilmot, who served in Afghanistan and set a Guinness World Record for the highest game of tag rugby ever played while climbing Mount Everest.

He opted to study for the Executive MBA (London).

The WBS scholarships can be used for any of the School’s MBA programmes, including the Full-time MBA and the Global Online MBA, which has just been ranked number one in the world for ‘career progress’ in the latest Financial Times Online MBA ranking. 

The Financial Times also revealed that the School’s Global Online MBA graduates earn an average annual salary of $234,799 as it named WBS third in the world and second in the UK overall. The programme is also rated third in the world by the QS Rankings.

“Winners of the WBS Award are individuals who are ready to make a positive impact on both society and business,” said Professor Lockett.

“The MBA programmes at Warwick Business School aim to build on that spirit, immersing our participants in new ways of thinking and our strong international network.”

The annual Heropreneurs Awards also honour achievements in other categories including Heropreneur of the Year, Start-Up of the Year, Product Business of the Year and Micro Enterprise of the Year.

Heropreneurs Lead at the Forces Employment Charity, Victoria Greenhalgh, said: “We’re incredibly proud to partner with Warwick Business School once again to offer this life changing opportunity to veterans, reservists, and serving personnel from the British Armed Forces and their families.

“This scholarship opens doors for people in our community who are ready to grow, lead and make a real impact.”

Find out more about the Heropreneurs application process. 

Discover more about the School’s Change Makers.